Nightlife in Bangladesh is nearly non-existent. Being a Muslim
country, alcohol is frowned upon and found mostly in the international
clubs and pricier restaurants in Dhaka and in some restaurants in tourist centers like Cox's Bazar. In Teknaf and on Saint Martins Island
you may stumble upon the occasional beer smuggled in from Myanmar. Some
of the nicest hotels in the cities have fully equipped bars with
exaggerated prices to match. However, lack of commercial availability of
liquor should not always be confused with cultural aversion to alcohol
in mainstream society. You'll likely find that Bengali Christians and
many urbanized, upper-class Muslims privately have a more liberal,
Westernized attitude toward social consumption of alcohol. However most 5
Star Hotels like Radisson, Sheraton. Shonargoan, Regency and few clubs
in Gulshan are arranging DJ / Dance parties on frequent basis.
Foreigners may bump into one of those parties if they are lucky. Usual
entrance fees of such parties aare around BDT 2000/- (USD 30). Young
people of upper class and higher uper class of the society are the main
portion of the formed crowd. How ever in some places, western clothed
hired companions are available. Foreigners looking for a clean vacation
should stay away from them using common sense. Liquires does not flow
freely in these parties most of the time.
Purchasing alcohol is very hard (and expensive), so if you “need” a drink, or imagine you will do so, it is recommended to buy a bottle of duty free to take with you. There is a small duty free shop before immigration in Dhaka Airport, although the selection is poor. If you are visiting an expatriate in Bangladesh, ask if they would like some duty free….the answer will invariably be yes!
Native homemade liquor such as Mohua or Choani can be bought from tribal people of the South-Eastern districts (Chittagong Hill Tracts) if you are visiting. Made from nectar, fruits or rice, these drinks are quite strong (Choani has two more varieties: Dochoani and Techoani, meaning they were distilled twice or thrice) and go well with the pork the natives cook.
Coffee is -- like the rest of the world, a perennial middle-class 'Adda' (gossip) accompaniment in this city. In most places instant coffee will be the best you can find.
Tea is everywhere. Ask for red tea if you do not want milk.
Fruit juices are plentiful, varied and delicious, though be wary of watered down or icy drinks and dirty blenders. Raw sugarcane juice is widely available during the hot season, and usually a safe, sanitary bet. Other safe bets are coconuts, popular in the southeast tourists spots like Cox's Bazar and Saint Martins Island.
Soft Drinks are widely available. Diet versions are limited to Coke or Pepsi, and are hard to find outside of supermarkets in Dhaka or Chittagong.
Purchasing alcohol is very hard (and expensive), so if you “need” a drink, or imagine you will do so, it is recommended to buy a bottle of duty free to take with you. There is a small duty free shop before immigration in Dhaka Airport, although the selection is poor. If you are visiting an expatriate in Bangladesh, ask if they would like some duty free….the answer will invariably be yes!
Native homemade liquor such as Mohua or Choani can be bought from tribal people of the South-Eastern districts (Chittagong Hill Tracts) if you are visiting. Made from nectar, fruits or rice, these drinks are quite strong (Choani has two more varieties: Dochoani and Techoani, meaning they were distilled twice or thrice) and go well with the pork the natives cook.
Coffee is -- like the rest of the world, a perennial middle-class 'Adda' (gossip) accompaniment in this city. In most places instant coffee will be the best you can find.
Tea is everywhere. Ask for red tea if you do not want milk.
Fruit juices are plentiful, varied and delicious, though be wary of watered down or icy drinks and dirty blenders. Raw sugarcane juice is widely available during the hot season, and usually a safe, sanitary bet. Other safe bets are coconuts, popular in the southeast tourists spots like Cox's Bazar and Saint Martins Island.
Soft Drinks are widely available. Diet versions are limited to Coke or Pepsi, and are hard to find outside of supermarkets in Dhaka or Chittagong.
No comments:
Post a Comment