Few tourists ever visit Old Dhaka Bangladesh, but for those adventurous travelers with a penchant to experience new cultures, food and acquire new experiences, than Dhaka is an excellent city for you. With over 14 million people it is rather crowded, but is fairly spread out and doesn’t have that huge megalopolis city feel. Old Dhaka is located along the banks of the Sadarghat River and area of town similar in feel to Varanasi, India.
Old Dhaka can be a chaotic experience with its very narrow streets, unbelievable traffic (mostly rickshaws as most cars dare not enter these narrow crowded streets) and a variety of day to day shops serving the local community. People who live in old Dhaka even speak a slightly different dialect then the rest of the city. This area is almost like some of the old medina’s we have seen in Africa. A number of tourist attractions are located within or near this old town including the Pink Palace, Armenian Church, Lalbagh Fort, Hindu Temple, etc. Because there are so many small streets here, it can be very easy to become lost rather quickly. Most travelers to Dhaka come here with a guide or someone who knows the area. A visit to Old Dhaka will be about as far as you can get from your own Western Culture.
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