Day Trip Planner for Dhaka by Distance

Travel advisory, October 2026. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban); the US also warns against going there, so none of these trips head that way. The UK says terrorist attacks are very likely across the country and that hartals and protests can turn violent fast, so skip any trip on a strike day. Gangs on motorbikes and CNG auto-rickshaws snatch bags in Dhaka, and fuel sales are limited, which can slow road journeys. Check FCDO advice and travel.state.gov first.

How far you can realistically go

Distance on the map means little around Dhaka, because the first hour is often spent leaving the city. Start before 7:00, add a buffer on the way back, and treat every drive time below as a range. A hired car with a driver is the easiest option for most of these places, since public transport to the villages is slow and hard to read for a visitor. The trips below are ordered from the nearest to the farthest.

Savar, about 35 km northwest

The National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar stands in about 84 acres of landscaped grounds, with a 45 metre monument of seven pairs of concrete planes. It honours the people killed in the 1971 Liberation War, and mass graves lie on the site. Entry is free. Count on roughly 1.5 hours each way by car. Keep voices low, dress modestly, and treat it as a place of remembrance rather than a picnic stop. It suits a short morning visit, and pairs well with the Liberation War Museum in a separate sightseeing day.

Sonargaon and Panam Nagar, about 30 km southeast

This is the classic day out. Allow between 1.5 and 3 hours each way depending on traffic on the highway toward Chittagong. Panam Nagar is a single street of ruined nineteenth century merchant mansions built by Hindu textile traders, mixing classical columns with local brickwork. It is closed on Sunday, and the ticket for foreigners is modest and paid at the gate. The Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum in the 1901 Boro Sardar Bari shows brassware, wood carving and terracotta, and is closed on Thursday. Goaldi Mosque, a small single domed terracotta mosque from 1519, sits among village fields nearby and is free to enter.

If you want a driver who knows the route and the opening days, compare private day tours on GetYourGuide , and confirm that entry tickets and parking are in the price.

The Padma Bridge from Mawa, 40 km away

The Padma Bridge, opened on 25 June 2022, is 6.15 km long. The expressway from Jatrabari to Mawa runs about 35 km, and in light traffic the drive takes roughly an hour, though crossing Dhaka first can double that. Go for the view and a riverside lunch at the roadside stalls, where fried hilsa is the local favourite. Stick to places that look busy and serve food freshly hot. Plan to be back on the expressway before dusk.

Shalban Vihara and Mainamati, about 100 km southeast

The ruins near Cumilla belong to an eighth century Buddhist monastery of the Deva dynasty, with a cruciform central shrine, rows of monastic cells and terracotta plaques, plus a small site museum. Plan on 2.5 to 3 hours each way by road or train, which makes it a long day. Leave very early, or treat it as a two day trip with a night in Cumilla.

Places that are not day trips

These need more than a day:

  • The Sundarbans is a multi-day boat trip from Khulna or Mongla, needs Forest Department permits that operators arrange, and is closed to all visitors from 1 June to 31 August.
  • Cox’s Bazar is about 8 hours each way on the ordinary express train.
  • Sreemangal’s tea country takes 4.5 to 5 hours by train each way, so it works as an overnight stay.
  • The PS Mahsud heritage paddle steamer to Barishal is a separate overnight journey, with schedule and fares to be checked with the operator.

Read more: Dhaka attraction tours , Dhaka 5 day itinerary and the Dhaka guide .