Dhaka Travelers Recommend

Bangladesh’s busy capital, Dhaka, has centuries of history on display, from Mughal to colonial to modern times. With just one day, you can get a taste of this fascinating history and experience some of Dhaka’s contemporary charms. Here’s how to spend one day in Dhaka.

Morning: Walking Tour of Old Dhaka

Start the day on a walking tour of Dhaka’s Old Town, one of the most historically and culturally interesting parts of the city. You can take a general tour to see such highlights as Lalbagh Fort, Dhakeshwari Temple, and the National Museum; opt for a more specialized tour, such as one that focuses on photography, shopping, or street food; or choose a full-day tour that includes city highlights, lunch, and an evening cultural performance.

Afternoon: Relax on a River Cruise

Take some time out of the crowded city this afternoon and get a different view of Dhaka from the Buriganga River. You can opt for a comfortable cruise boat or, for a more local experience, take a water taxi. Dhaka is also surrounded by several other rivers—the Turag, Dhaleshwari, Shitalakshya, and Meghna—all of which offer different kinds of cruise experiences if you’re willing to explore farther afield.

Night: Watch a Show at the National Theatre

If you’ve opted for a full-day tour, this evening you’ll experience the Bengali culture that’s prominent in Bangladesh and India when you watch a show at Dhaka’s National Theatre. Cultural performances often employ a combination of drama and music and include elaborate costumes and staging to offer deeper insight into Bangladeshi culture and society.

Two days in Dhaka gives you enough time to tour the city’s highlights, get out on its rivers, and venture a bit farther afield to explore Bangladesh’s cultural and religious history from ancient times to the Raj. Here’s how to make the most of two days in the Bangladeshi capital.

Day 1: Get to Know Dhaka

**Morning:**Get your bearings with a walking tour of Old Dhaka. Touring with a local guide is an ideal way to get a close-up look at life in Bangladesh’s capital and check off historic and cultural attractions such as Lalbagh Fort and Dhakeshwari Temple, plus you won’t have to worry about getting lost in the busy city. 

**Afternoon:**Enjoy some city sightseeing from a different perspective this afternoon onboard a Buriganga River cruise. This river runs through central Dhaka, so it offers a front-row seat to daily life and commerce in the capital. Choose a more upmarket cruise boat on a guided tour, or ride a water taxi independently with the locals.

**Evening:**Dip into Bengali culture this evening with a show at the top-notch National Theatre. Performances often include a mixture of drama and music that’s accessible to non-Bengali speakers, with elegant traditional costumes and elaborate sets.

Day 2: Day Trip to Sonargaon

**Morning:**Start your day early and travel to Sonargaon, southeast of Dhaka, on a full-day tour. A city of great historic importance, Sonargaon was the capital of a Hindu dynasty and later a British city during the Raj. Visit a 12th-century mosque, then perhaps stop at a former palace that’s now a folk-art museum. 

**Afternoon:**After lunch, continue your tour of the Sonargaon ruins, learning about the various periods of Bangladesh’s history as you go. Many tours from Dhaka also include a boat ride on the Meghna River, and some stop at fishing villages along the way for a glimpse of daily life in the Bangladeshi countryside. 

**Night:**After a full day in Sonargaon, arrive back in Dhaka in the evening. If you’re not feeling too tired, wrap up your visit with some local food, either at a sit-down restaurant or on the go from street-food stalls.

Dhaka is the busy, urban heart of Bangladesh, surrounded by countryside of fertile farmland and river systems. With three days in the capital, you can take in its best temples and museums and day trip into rural Bangladesh, too. Here’s how to get the most out of three days in and around Dhaka.

Day 1: Take a City Tour

Dhaka is a vibrant, exciting, and potentially confusing city, so consider a city tour to make the most of your time here without getting lost or overwhelmed. Walking tours of historic Old Dhaka can be tailored to suit your needs and interests. You can check out architectural highlights such as Lalbagh Fort, learn about Bangladeshi history at the National Museum, take a photography tour for the best shots in the right light, or eat some delicious food the way the locals do on a street-food tour. Also be sure to get out on the Buriganga River on your first day to get a different perspective on the city, perhaps on a sunset cruise that includes dinner.

Day 2: Day Trip to Sonargaon

With Dhaka under your belt, devote your second day to the ruined city of Sonargaon, southeast of Dhaka, where you can see layers of Bangladeshi history on display. Sonargaon is a photographer’s dream, and you’ll tour picturesque remnants of Hindu kingdoms, ruins from the time of the Mughal rulers, and reminders of British colonialism. Many full-day tours from Dhaka include a boat ride on the enormous Meghna River, visits to mosques and temples, and a stop at a handicrafts museum and showroom, among other places. You’ll return to Dhaka in the early evening, so have a quick dinner and get some rest for the next day’s activities. 

Day 3: Travel to the Sundarbans

Visitors to Bangladesh shouldn’t leave without making a trip to the Sundarbans, a vast mangrove forest in the delta formed by three enormous rivers—the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna—that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Given the distance from the capital, it will be necessary to stay in or near the Sundarbans overnight, so it’s best to plan a trip here at the tail end of your Dhaka stay. Many multi-day tours are all-inclusive and require you to sleep on a boat. You’ll pass through Karamjol wildlife sanctuary, the gateway to the Sundarbans and the only place Bengal tigers live in the wild. During the day, you’ll sail quietly along the many watery passages, on the lookout for tigers, saltwater crocodiles, lizards, Gangetic river dolphins, and all kinds of birdlife.