THEGUIDE
dhaka
92
FAHTHAI
1 _
WHAT WE
RECOMMEND
Home to an Anglican
missionary sanctuary,
St Thomas Church on
Johnson Road has been
well preserved, keeping
much of the original
brickwork.
2 _
KNOW THE
NUMBER
37 – the number of floors
making up 171m City
Centre Bangladesh, the
nation’s tallest building
3 _
SUNDAREE SPA
Certainly one of Dhaka’s
finest spas, Sundaree
offers an anti-stress
neck, shoulder and back
massage that’s just what
the doctor ordered for
jet-lagged and travel-
weary souls.
(Radisson
Blu Water Garden Hotel
Dhaka, Airport Rd)
COUNTRY
CODE
+88
EXCHANGE
RATE
BDT77 = US$1
FREQUENCY
1 flight per day
DHAKA YARNS
As a world textile
hot zone, Dhaka’s
traditional garb is
alive with colours
A M A Z I N G C O L O U R
Top 3
insider
travel tips
Rest Your Head
THE WESTIN DHAKA
While many international hotel
brands are moving in to Dhaka
– JWMarriott and Swissôtel,
to name just two – for now the
Westin remains the top choice
for business and well-heeled
leisure travellers. There are
235 sparkling guestrooms and
seven meeting spaces, with the
largest venue covering more
than 527m
2
. The service is top-
drawer.
(starwoodhotels.com)
LAKESHORE HOTEL
Cosy and centrally located, the
ever-popular Lakeshore Hotel is
tough to beat. On the strength
of an outdoor pool, Thai-style
Sawasdee Spa Centre, ample
meeting space and just 60
guestrooms, the hotel boasts an
intimate and friendly vibe.
(lakeshorehotel.com.bd)
Top Tables
THAI EMERALD
Since opening in the suburb of
Uttara at the end of last year,
this restaurant has risen in the
ranks to become the “it” place
for Thai food. City residents
and tourists rave about the
authentic
pad Thai
and green
papaya salad, not to mention
the smart décor.
(Hse 54, Rd 2, Sector 3, Uttara)
Bottoms Up
BALCONY BAR
Nightspots are few and far
between in Dhaka, but Balcony
Bar, which stocks imported
spirits and beers and shows
sports on the big screen, is
a popular choice for visiting
business people.
(panpacific.com)
Stop to Shop
FORM ICON
If it’s fancy homewares with a
modern twist you’re after, then
Form Icon is the place to go.
Springing from a design blog
that began in New York, this
store promotes contemporary
designer furniture as well as
eco-friendly products from local
craftsmen.
(Hse 6/A, Rd 113, Gulshan)
Dhaka
TEXT: JOE CUMMINGS; IMAGE CORBIS IMAGES
