Bangladesh packing list: what should I bring?
Posted on 03. Feb, 2008 by Mikey Leung in FAQ
You are here: Home » Free Travel Tips » FAQ » Bangladesh packing list: what should I bring?
This text originally written by Voluntary Service Overseas volunteer Heidi Eisenhauer for other volunteers. But of course it has some handy hints for those planning a long-term visits to the country.
* self powered flashlight (magnetic or pump)
* head lamp
* travelers wet/dry pants are a good idea
* men wear short sleeve shirts, pants and dress shoes to work
* foreign women may wear what they wish but a mixture of western / kameez and orna is standard
* Flip flops / open toe shoes are essential!! They are sold here but vary in quality
* hand sanitizer
* water bottle / Nalgene bottle
* Gatorade
* Good knives for cooking (if you like to cook the quality of knives in Bangladesh is questionable)
* A laptop if you have one, for watching movies – which cost about 80-100 taka ($1.10 USD)
* Good rechargeable batteries and a charger! The crappy batteries sold here don’t seem to last (most multiplugs are international)
* bring a nice squishy pillow unless you like slabs of rock..
* a backpack
FYI:
1. Almost everything is available here..
2. Some foreign things like coffee are very rare (you may want to bring a bodem).
3. Bring an unlocked phone that takes sim cards if you have one.. if not they average 3,000-20,000 taka $40-$200 here, and a regular sim costs 300 taka.
4. My beds have been 1′ mattresses on wood.. so I was happy to have my yoga mat.. would have been happier with my thermarest.. I bought a foam mattress for 3000 taka when I got settled, and thick stuffed mattresses are about 1,000 taka.
6. you may bring 23kg per bag.. and this will not be a problem for staff picking you up..
Do you have anything else you would suggest visitors bring to Bangladesh? Please give us your input..
7 Responses to “Bangladesh packing list: what should I bring?”
Leave a Reply
I also highly recommend high-quality mosquito repellent (available but expensive), and hand-sanitizer lotion.
do pack for the season.. it’s starting to get hotter at the moment..
Somebody else asked me if they can unlock mobile phones here.. and the answer is yes. There is a store somewhere in Gulshan 2 circle.
eeek! dark chocolate! I will go check it out next time I walk by there..
peptobismol chewable tablets (and/or generic version)…nice for coating your stomach, binding with bad bacteria in your gut, etc (according to cdc doc who suggested ors+peptobismol common malady). many bangladeshis like them for their gasteritis. you will need to learn some bangla to explain the jibh kalo (e onno jinish).
otherwise, you can get most things in b-desh. rechargeable batteries very helpful (along with the wall socket plugs).
dark chocolate is tough to find but a chocolate shop in navana tower, gulsan-1 had dark chocolate (if navana tower, shop, is still there).
based on seven trips to b-desh, including two nearly year long trips.
Also a good page here for getting ready for a volunteer stint in Bangladesh.
For women with large feet, it’s probably worth bringing shoes, there is a distinct lack of variety.
For the medical kit don’t forget mosquito repellent with deet, you’ll be happy for the protection.