LONGEST UNBROKEN SEA BEACH IN THE WORLD

Introduction Golden sands - miles after miles, overlooked by genteel cliffs and awash with foaming waves, colorful conch shells, ponderous pagodas, delicious seafood- this is Cox's Bazar. The sea-side tourist township of Bangladesh boasting the world's longest (120km) unbroken beach sloping gently down into the blue water of the Bay of Bengal- Cox's Bazar is one of the most attractive tourist spots of the country. To north of Cox's Bazar is Chittagong and the hill districts of Bandarban and Khagrachhari, to the east is Myanmar, to the west and south is the Bay of Bengal.

History

Ancient name of Cox's Bazar was Bakoli, Mid-seventeenth's name was PENGWA. The Rakhyne word PENGWA means yellow flower. Burmese King Monwaing attacked Cox's Bazar in 1784. He killed the Arakanese King Thamada and took control of the area. So the Arakanese left the area to take shelter in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Patuakhali. The Government of the then East India Company appointed Captain Hiram Cox as Superintendent and assigned him to rehabilitate the Arakanese refugees. On arrival there in 1799, he defeated the Burmese king in a battle and rehabilitated the Arakanese refugees. After the war, he set up a bazar (market) in that place which was named as Cox's Bazar after him.

Total Area : 2491.86 sq. km

Population : About 2.2 million

Cox's Bazar - A Tourist Paradise

The flamboyant township at the head of a 120 km long beach with lines of fancy shops on either sides of Cox's Bazar main road, calm and peaceful Khyangs and Pagodas, Rakhyne quarters, fish harbour of Kostura Ghat, the sights of the rising sun behind the hills and setting of it into the Bay of Bengal- all together gives the aura of a fairy land- a tourist paradise.

Inani

Lovesome patches of beaches perched between the sea and the hills behind, some 30 km down south along the sea-front from Cox's Bazar, Inani is a quiet tourist hideout set out in the exuberance of nature. Reachable by public transport plying between Cox's Bazar- Teknaf and by four wheel jeeps driving along the beach.

Himchhari

A beauty spot in the solitude of the sea and the hills. About four and a half km southeast from Cox's Bazar along the beach. A four wheeled beach drive during low tide hours or part of the way on donkey or elephant back and the remainder afoot would be a rewarding memory.

Attractions around Cox's Bazar

Ramu

A small Buddist village Ramu is 15 km away from Cox's Bazar. Attractions include ancient Buddist temple and Khyang, Ramkot Bonashram, Tirthadham, rubber gardens, Buddhist locality Red Chin Khyang, White Chin Khyang, Jhorkhyang. Ramu is half an hour bus ride from Cox's Bazar. Taxi and minibus are available too.

Moheshkhali

An island in the Bay in the.north western direction off Cox's Bazar. The island is dotted here and there with forested hills with the ancient Adinath Temple and a buddhist vihara in its midst, fishermen's villages and the Rakhyne villages etc. are greater attractions of the island. Engine boats and trawlers ply between the island and Cox's Bazar main land every hour throughout the day. Speed-boats and trawlers ferry across passengers regularly. Speed-boats take 10-15 minutes and trawlers half an hour.

Sonadia

This is a maiden island of Cox's Bazar across the Bay. Under the wide open blue sky fishing community, dry fish processing and colonies of the red sea crabs are attractions of the island.

Teknaf

Teknaf, a romantic old-world border township in the southern tip of Bangladesh territory looking up to the Myanmar high hill ranges across the river Naf. Teknaf is 85 km from Cox's Bazar by road and 120 km by the beach along the sea. One can reach there by public transport that leaves Cox's Bazar every hour. It is about 2 hours' journey each way.

St. Martin's Island

Drifted amidst the immense blue water of the Bay of Bengal, country's only coral island is St. Martin's. Its local name is Narikel Jinjira. Attractions are beaches around the island, coral stones, coconut groves, sea crabs, turtle shells and pearls. One can reach there by engine boat across the Bay from Teknaf.

How to reach Cox's Bazar

154 km from Chittagong, Cox's Bazar is connected by a well-built highway. There are Dhaka-Chittagong- Cox's Bazar round ways Biman (Bangladesh Airlines) flight 3 days a week and flights from private airlines like GMG airlines and United Airways operating flights to and from Cox's Bazar. Cox's Bazar by waterways from Chittagong is a romantic journey.

Where to stay

Hotels and Motels of Bangladesh Parjatan (Tourism) Corporation are good tourist accommodations. Prior reservation is advisable (Tel: 88-02-989928890, 88-02-881 1 1 09). Room rent range from Tk. 1200 to Tk. 3800. Good many private hotels are available in Cox's Bazar where room rent varies from tk 500 to tk 5000.

Where to enjoy food

Parjatan Restaurant Shagorika at Hotel Shaibal, Upal & Probal Motel restaurant are the eating places from the Tourist Corporation. Privately owned restaurants such as Jhuban, Bakoli, Diamond, Niribili, Shojoni are worth trying. Prices are reasonable.

Accommodation Facilities

Telephone Numbers of Parjatan Hotel/Motel

Shaibal :88- 0341- 63274, Fax-88-0341-64202 Probal : 88-0341-63211 Upal : 88-0341- 64258

Tourist Information Centers

Dhaka Office Central Reservation 83-88, Mohakali C/A, Dhaka-1212 Phone: +880-2-8833229, +880-2-8834600 Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Ph: +880-2-8914416