Gulshan (Dhaka) Travel Guide - Free

Explore Gulshan in Dhaka with Evendo's free guide. Find the best shops, historic streets, restaurants, and gems on web or mobile.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
Gulshan
Gulshan photo 2
Gulshan photo 3
All photos

Gulshan, Dhaka blends leafy lakefront walks, diplomatic avenues, contemporary dining, art spaces and refined shopping in Bangladesh’s capital city.

Planned Streets and Urban Character

Gulshan occupies a distinctive position in Dhaka: a planned, relatively spacious neighbourhood of broad avenues, lakeside roads, office towers, embassies, apartment buildings and enclosed residential compounds. Developed as a modern residential area beyond the older city, it is now one of the capital’s principal business and diplomatic districts. Gulshan 1 and Gulshan 2 serve as its best-known commercial nodes, while Gulshan Avenue forms a major north–south corridor linking offices, hotels, restaurants and shopping centres.
Read more about Gulshan

Lake, Parks and Public Life

The neighbourhood’s most attractive counterpoint to traffic is Gulshan Lake, whose water and planted edges appear between busy roads and high-rise development. Gulshan Lake Park and Gulshan Society Lake Park provide places for walking, informal exercise and observing the rhythms of local life. The area is not a preserved historic quarter; its character lies instead in the contrast between planned modernity, mature trees, diplomatic compounds and the intense movement of Dhaka beyond its boulevards.

Dining, Culture and Everyday Gulshan

Gulshan has a substantial concentration of restaurants, cafés, galleries, boutiques and international-facing businesses. Dining ranges from Bangladeshi dishes and Bengali sweets to Japanese, Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern and European-inspired menus. Contemporary cultural venues, including Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, add an arts dimension, while Gulshan 1 DCC Market represents a more practical and locally rooted shopping experience. Visitors should expect heavy traffic, security-conscious buildings and a neighbourhood best explored selectively on foot, by rickshaw for short connections, or by car between its separated destinations.

Best attractions in Gulshan

Gulshan’s attractions are shaped less by monumental heritage than by the experience of a planned modern district framed by water and greenery. Gulshan Lake Park and Gulshan Society Lake Park offer the clearest opportunity to pause beside the neighbourhood’s surviving landscape, with paths and planted areas used by walkers and local residents. The roads around Gulshan 1 and Gulshan 2 provide a changing streetscape of offices, apartment towers, embassies and busy commercial corners, while Gulshan Avenue illustrates the district’s transformation into a major business corridor. Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts brings contemporary and modern Bangladeshi art into the neighbourhood, with exhibitions that provide cultural context beyond the malls and restaurants. Gulshan 1 DCC Market offers a more everyday view of local commerce, and the neighbourhood’s cafés, galleries and lake-edge spaces reward visitors who explore in short, carefully chosen sections rather than expecting a single central sightseeing route.

Show more attractions

Best landmarks in Gulshan

Gulshan’s most significant landmarks are urban rather than ancient. Gulshan Lake is the defining geographical feature, preserving a visible connection to the wetlands and watercourses that shaped eastern Dhaka before the planned town was built. The two circles, Gulshan 1 and Gulshan 2, function as civic and commercial reference points, while Gulshan Avenue represents the neighbourhood’s shift from low-rise residential development towards offices, hotels and high-rise mixed use. Gulshan Society Mosque is an important local religious and architectural presence, serving the surrounding community amid the district’s commercial activity. Gulshan 1 DCC Market is significant in a different way: its everyday trade records the neighbourhood’s practical retail life beneath the polished surface of international offices and restaurants. The contrast between lake, mosque, market, diplomatic compounds and towers explains Gulshan’s local identity more clearly than any single monument.

Show more landmarks

Explore Gulshan on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Gulshan, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Gulshan

Gulshan has one of Dhaka’s broadest concentrations of internationally oriented dining, reflecting its diplomatic, corporate and expatriate presence as well as the city’s increasingly diverse middle-class food culture. Around Gulshan Avenue, Gulshan 1 and Gulshan 2, visitors find Bangladeshi restaurants serving rice, fish, kebabs and regional specialities alongside Japanese, Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian and contemporary international menus. Cafés and bakeries provide meeting places throughout the office district, while local sweets and traditional Bengali snacks offer a more distinctly Dhaka flavour. Restaurants vary from polished hotel dining rooms and independent establishments to casual eateries in busy commercial buildings, so the setting can change quickly from a quiet, air-conditioned interior to a crowded roadside frontage. The area is well suited to comparing formal and informal food cultures, though current menus, access arrangements and opening times should always be checked directly.

Show more restaurants

Best bars in Gulshan

Gulshan’s evening scene is more restaurant-led and hotel-based than club-centred, with after-work cafés, lounges, rooftop dining rooms and bars attached to larger hotels or international-style restaurants providing much of the nightlife. Some venues offer live music or late-evening socialising, but the district does not resemble a single pedestrian bar quarter: entertainment is dispersed between Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2, Gulshan Avenue and nearby commercial roads. Alcohol service is regulated in Bangladesh and may be restricted to licensed venues, so visitors should not assume that every restaurant or hotel lounge serves it. After dark, the neighbourhood’s business traffic eases in places, but roads remain busy and compounds can be security-conscious. A planned evening around one or two venues is generally more practical than moving spontaneously between distant addresses, and current access policies are worth confirming before arrival.

Show more bars

Best nightclubs in Gulshan

Gulshan’s evening scene is more restaurant-led and hotel-based than club-centred, with after-work cafés, lounges, rooftop dining rooms and bars attached to larger hotels or international-style restaurants providing much of the nightlife. Some venues offer live music or late-evening socialising, but the district does not resemble a single pedestrian bar quarter: entertainment is dispersed between Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2, Gulshan Avenue and nearby commercial roads. Alcohol service is regulated in Bangladesh and may be restricted to licensed venues, so visitors should not assume that every restaurant or hotel lounge serves it. After dark, the neighbourhood’s business traffic eases in places, but roads remain busy and compounds can be security-conscious. A planned evening around one or two venues is generally more practical than moving spontaneously between distant addresses, and current access policies are worth confirming before arrival.

Show more nightclubs

Best shops in Gulshan

Shopping in Gulshan ranges from practical local commerce to polished contemporary retail. Gulshan 1 DCC Market is the most recognisable traditional commercial stop within the neighbourhood, with stalls and shops serving everyday needs and offering clothing, accessories, household goods and other locally traded items; browsing is more about atmosphere and comparison than a fixed sightseeing circuit. Around Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2 and Gulshan Avenue, visitors encounter supermarkets, fashion outlets, beauty businesses, bookshops, cafés and specialist retailers in mixed-use buildings and shopping centres. Boutiques and design-led stores reflect Dhaka’s growing creative economy, while Bengali clothing, textiles, sweets and handicrafts can be found across the wider retail scene rather than in one dedicated bazaar. Expect security checks and changing shop line-ups in larger complexes, and ask before photographing market stalls or people. Gulshan is not an old handicraft quarter, but its retail mix reflects the neighbourhood’s role as a modern commercial and diplomatic district.

Show more shops

Gulshan essentials

Getting There
Gulshan is reached primarily by road from central Dhaka, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and neighbouring districts such as Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon and Baridhara. Gulshan Avenue, Airport Road connections and the roads approaching Gulshan 1 and Gulshan 2 are the principal arrival corridors, though congestion can be substantial. Dhaka does not currently have a metro station inside Gulshan, so visitors generally combine a car, ride-hailing service, taxi or rickshaw with short walks. The closest useful rail and metro connections are outside the neighbourhood, making road travel the practical final stage of most journeys.
Getting Around
Gulshan is easier to understand by its two circles, lake edges and numbered roads than by a single continuous pedestrian centre. Short journeys can be made on foot, but wide roads, irregular pavements, construction, traffic and gated properties often make walking slower than the map suggests. Cycle rickshaws are useful for local links, while cars and ride-hailing services are more practical for crossing between Gulshan 1, Gulshan 2, offices, hotels and restaurants. Gulshan Lake provides attractive short walks, but it does not function as a continuous uninterrupted promenade around the entire neighbourhood.
Safety
Use ordinary city precautions around Gulshan’s busy commercial areas: keep phones and bags secure in crowds, take care when crossing broad roads and remain alert to motorcycles, cars and rickshaws. Some buildings and diplomatic or corporate compounds have controlled entrances, so follow security instructions and do not photograph guarded sites. After dark, choose well-lit routes and arrange a reliable vehicle if travelling between separated venues rather than assuming every road is comfortable for walking. During heavy rain, waterlogging and slippery pavements can affect movement, so allow flexibility and wear suitable footwear.
Emergency Situations
In Bangladesh, call 999 for urgent police, fire or ambulance assistance and state clearly that the incident is in Gulshan, Dhaka, giving the nearest circle, road, building or landmark. International visitors may need help communicating their location, so keep a hotel address or map pin available and ask a nearby reception desk or security office to assist. For a non-urgent medical matter, use a recognised hospital or clinic elsewhere in Dhaka after checking its current services and location; do not rely on an unfamiliar facility without confirming arrangements.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress modestly around mosques and religious buildings, remove footwear where requested and ask permission before photographing worshippers or private property. In markets, handle goods carefully and establish prices politely before buying; queueing and patient negotiation are preferable to confrontation. Respect residents by keeping voices low near apartment buildings, especially late at night, and never enter gated compounds or restricted lakefront areas. Ask before photographing people, street vendors or security personnel, and follow each restaurant, gallery or shopping centre’s own rules on bags, photography and access.
Local Tips
Begin with Gulshan 1 to see the contrast between DCC Market and the neighbourhood’s newer commercial developments, then continue towards Gulshan 2 and the lake parks. Gulshan Avenue is useful for understanding the district’s office, hotel and restaurant concentration, while the smaller numbered roads reveal more residential planting and compound walls. Plan one compact outing rather than attempting to cover every destination on foot, and use a map pin for each stop because similarly named roads, circles and businesses can make navigation confusing. Friday and public-holiday traffic patterns may differ from working days.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
Helloহ্যালো[helo]
Goodbyeবিদায়[bidae]
Yesহ্যাঁ[haan]
Noনা[na]
Please/You're welcomeঅনুগ্রহ করে[onugroho kore]
Thank youধন্যবাদ[dhonnobad]
Excuse me/Sorryদুঃখিত[dukkhito]
How are you?আপনি কেমন আছেন?[apni kemon achhen?]
Fine. And you?ভালো। আর আপনি?[bhalo. ar apni?]
Do you speak English?আপনি ইংরেজি কথা বলতে পারেন?[apni ingreji kotha bolte paren?]
I don't understandআমি বুঝতে পারছি না[ami bujhte parchhi na]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseমেনু দেখতে চাই[menu dekhte chai]
I don't eat meatআমি মাংস খাই না[ami mangsho khai na]
Cheers!চিয়ার্স![cheers!]
I would like to pay, pleaseদয়া করে পরিশোধ করতে চাই[doya kore porishodh korte chai]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!সাহায্য![sahayyo!]
Go away!চলে যাও![chole jao!]
Call the Police!পুলিশ কল করুন![police kol korun!]
Call a doctor!ডাক্তার কল করুন![daktar kol korun!]
I'm lostআমি হারিয়ে গেছি[ami hariye geshi!]
I'm illআমি অসুস্থ[ami osustho]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...আমি ... কিনতে চাই[ami ... kinte chai]
I'm just lookingআমি শুধুমাত্র দেখছি[ami shudhumatro dekhchi]
How much is it?এটা কত টাকা?[eta koto taka?]
That's too expensiveএটা খুব বাজে[eta khub baje]
Can you lower the price?দাম কমাতে পারবেন?[dam komate parben?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?এখন কত বাজে?[ekhon koto baje?]
It's one o'clockএটা একটা বাজে[eta ekta baje]
Half past (10)দশের অর্ধেক[dasher ordhek]
Morningসকাল[shokal]
Afternoonদুপুর[dupur]
Eveningসন্ধ্যা[shondhya]
Yesterdayগতকাল[gotokal]
Todayআজ[aj]
Tomorrowআগামীকাল[agogikol]
1এক[ek]
2দুই[dui]
3তিন[tin]
4চার[char]
5পাঁচ[pach]
6ছয়[chhoy]
7সাত[shat]
8আট[at]
9নয়[noy]
10দশ[dosh]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?... কোথায়?[... kothay?]
What's the address?ঠিকানা কি?[thikana ki?]
Can you show me (on the map)?আমাকে দেখাতে পারবেন?[amake dekhate parben?]
When's the next (bus)?পরের (বাস) কখন?[porer (bosh) kohon?]
A ticket (to ....)একটি টিকেট (.... এ)[ekti ticket (.... e)]

History of Gulshan

From Wetland Fringe to Planned Town

Before its modern development, the land around present-day Gulshan formed part of Dhaka’s low-lying eastern fringe, where waterways, ponds, cultivated land and village settlements shaped movement and drainage. The area’s transformation followed post-Partition urban expansion, as Dhaka required new residential districts beyond the congested historic core. The Dhaka Improvement Trust, generally known as DIT, planned Gulshan as a modern town during the 1960s, laying out larger plots, broad roads and residential streets in a setting that retained substantial water and open land.

Residential Expansion in the 1960s

Gulshan’s early identity was primarily residential. Detached houses, gardens and institutional compounds occupied plots connected by a more spacious road network than was available in old Dhaka. The planned neighbourhood represented a new model of urban living for a rapidly growing capital, although its tree-lined streets and lakes were always part of a wider metropolitan landscape rather than an isolated garden suburb. Gulshan 1 gradually became an important local commercial centre, providing shops and services for residents of the surrounding planned areas.

Diplomatic and Commercial Transformation

As Dhaka expanded after Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, Gulshan acquired uses beyond private housing. Diplomatic missions, international organisations, corporate offices, hotels and restaurants established a strong presence, particularly along Gulshan Avenue and around Gulshan 2. Nearby Banani and Baridhara developed in related ways, producing a connected northern urban zone with overlapping commercial and diplomatic functions. Rising land values and demand for central office space encouraged apartment towers and office buildings to replace or incorporate many earlier low-rise properties.

A Denser Contemporary District

Gulshan today reflects the pressures of metropolitan Dhaka: redevelopment, intense traffic, security requirements, commercial growth and continuing concern for lakes, drainage and public open space. The neighbourhood’s original planned geometry remains visible in its broad avenues and numbered sectors, but high-rise construction and mixed-use activity have altered its scale. Gulshan Lake parks and civic improvements preserve fragments of the area’s landscape identity, while galleries, cafés, restaurants and international businesses have made it one of Dhaka’s most recognisable modern urban districts.

Gulshan in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

0 / 0

Neighbourhoods near Gulshan

The closest neighbourhoods to Gulshan, if you have time for more than one stop.

Explore more

Dhaka
More of the region

Explore more of Dhaka

Dhaka, Bangladesh blends Mughal history, riverfront life, vibrant markets, Bengali cuisine and distinctive architecture for immersive city sightseeing.

Explore Dhaka
The Evendo app on two phones

Your all-in-one travel companion app

Explore expert travel guides, compare and book tours, experiences, hotels, and more, all from the palm of your hand. Download now for seamless trip planning wherever your wanderlust takes you.

  • Travel guides to regions, countries, cities, landmarks and attractions worldwide
  • Photos, local tips, maps, opening hours and contact details for every place
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets and experiences
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
More about the Evendo app

Evendo is a 100% free travel guide app: plan a trip, find what is worth seeing and book it, all in one place.

  • Restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops picked for every destination
  • A "Near me" view of the attractions and amenities around you
  • History and travel essentials for each country and city

From world regions down to a single landmark, every guide brings together the places to see, where to eat and drink, and where to stay, with descriptions, photos and maps to help you plan.

No in-app purchases and no hidden costs. Download Evendo and take your guides with you wherever you travel.

Get the latest from Evendo

Hand-picked travel deals, new destination guides and trip ideas, straight to your inbox.