Dhaka - Post Report Question and Answers
What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Absolute highlight is taking a dinner cruise down the river through the farmland. - Jul 2023
In-country personal travel isn't allowed. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to travel outside the city at all, and the plague hit just when I was planning to do regional travel. In theory, Bhutan is a one-hour, direct flight away. India is nearby as well. Many people go to Bangkok for a getaway. The Maldives is also accessible. - Dec 2021
Interesting photographic and shopping opportunities. I wasn't able to travel around much. There are, however, fantastic opportunities for regional travel. - Jun 2019
The people are great. Bangladeshis are very friendly and open and the expat community is fun, active, and social. It is easy to travel the region from Dhaka as well. - Jul 2018
The best part of a tour in Dhaka is the end of that tour, and the best thing about Bangladesh these days is leaving. Honestly, Bangladesh is a beautiful country with wonderful, warm, welcoming people, beautiful scenery and many interesting things to see and do. However, given the security restrictions, most embassy staff will never have the opportunity to do any of that. Most people fly to Kathmandu, Kolkata, Yangon or Bangkok to get away from the dreary, daily drudge at any opportunity. - Apr 2017
I've made a lot of friends in the Embassy community, which is rallying in a very difficult situation. - Jun 2016
Going on vacation and making good friends within the community - May 2016
Good friends and welcoming culture. - Jun 2015
Making lots of new friends, and as a stay at home mom, it's been nice doing things I would not been able to without an ayah (nanny) such as outings with friends, spa, etc. - Sep 2014
We met a lot of foreign expats there, which was great. - Aug 2014
Goats, monkeys, mongoose sightings daily; elephants stopping cars for bribes; strong expat community, including the clubs; regional travel. - Jul 2014
Meeting my partner. Making friends inside and outside the embassy. Riding in rickshaws. My wonderful housekeeper. Going to weddings. Wearing saris. Going to inexpensive nail salons (I'm not much of a salon person, but I like them here). Watching street cricket matches (and playing pick up). Taking photographs (people are almost always willing to have their photo taken, and the city is visually interesting). Dhaka hipsters (yes, they exist). Using electronic mosquito-killing racquets. - Apr 2013
Some tours around the country were nice, but after you do it once, it is plenty. We enjoyed it as a jumping-off point to other SE Asia vacations, though it is pricey, and offers only inconvenient times for flights to get out of Dhaka. The household help is nice, and the people are friendly. - Aug 2011
Not many highlights. Getting out of the country is our highlight, but it isn't cheap to get out of here. - Jun 2011
Probably the nicest parts of Bangladesh are in Sylhet (the tea gardens), Chittagong (the beaches near Cox's Bazaar and St. Martin's Island) and Khulna (the Sundarbans mangrove forests). - Feb 2011
Boat trips down the river. - Jan 2011
A 5.1 earthquake in October that shook houses and caused little damage. - Jan 2011
Visiting the Sundarbans and Srimongol. Taking boat trips and getting out to the countryside. - Oct 2010
I have been to the Sundarbans and it was a blast! We saw crocodiles, fish, deer and wild boar. And some people say they saw a bengal tiger, which is hard to find in the Sundarbans. I also have been to SriMongol plantations, and they were incredible. - Apr 2010
