BD
Cox’s Bazar
The world's longest natural sea beach
The world's longest natural sea beach
An unbroken 120-kilometre sweep of golden sand along the Bay of Bengal, said to be the longest natural sea beach in the world. The central Laboni stretch buzzes with beach chairs, horse rides and Bengali holidaymakers.
💡 Sunset is the highlight; the water has strong currents, so swim only where locals do.
Just south of town, Himchari National Park drops green hills straight to the sea, with a modest waterfall and viewpoints over the coastline. The drive down Marine Drive is the scenic highlight.
💡 The falls are fullest just after the monsoon; combine with a Marine Drive trip.
A quieter beach south of Cox’s Bazar strewn with coral boulders and backed by palms, reached along the coastal Marine Drive. It is far calmer than the main town beach and lovely at low tide.
💡 Go at low tide to see the rock formations; bring water as facilities are limited.
One of the longest marine drives in the world runs south from Cox’s Bazar between the hills and the sea, an exhilarating coastal road threading past beaches, fishing villages and viewpoints.
💡 Hire a scooter or car; the road is best in the golden hour before sunset.
The Bakkhali river mouth harbour is a chaos of painted wooden trawlers, drying fish and early-morning auctions, the working counterpoint to the resort beaches and a great spot for photographs.
💡 Arrive around dawn when the boats come in and the market is busiest.
Seafood rules here: grilled and fried Bay of Bengal fish, prawns, crab and squid, alongside spicy Bangladeshi curries and rice. The beachfront stalls and hotel restaurants serve the day’s catch straight off the boats.
Laze on Laboni Beach, visit the fishing harbour at dawn, then watch the sun drop into the Bay of Bengal.
Drive south along Marine Drive to Himchari falls and Inani Beach, stopping at coastal viewpoints along the way.
The sea has strong rip currents; swim only in patrolled areas and near other people.
West-facing beach means superb sunsets; arrive early for the best spots.
Carry taka; card acceptance is limited outside the bigger hotels.
This is a conservative domestic resort; dress modestly, especially away from hotel beaches.
The megacity of Dhaka, the long beach at Cox’s Bazar, the Sundarbans mangroves, the tea hills of Srimangal and the peaks of Bandarban — the range of Bangladesh.