Cox’s Bazar sea beach is the longest sea beach in the world, with its incredible 125 km length, and the most visited tourist destination in Bangladesh. It is also a modern town; a well-known fishing port and a district headquarter in Bangladesh. It is a district in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh near the border of Myanmar. The town is located 150 kilometers south of Chittagong. Due to lack of development, publicity and mismanagement; the spot has so far become a most desirable international tourist destination in Asia. However, Cox’s Bazar beach now is competing to get top for “New7Wonders of Nature“.

Alternative Name: “Panowa” means “yellow flower”.
Old Name: “Palongkee”.

Modern Cox’s Bazar: The modern Cox’s Bazar gained its name from British-Indian Captain Hiram Cox in the 18th century. He was an officer of the British East India Company. He did several social works here as the Superintendent of the Palongkee outpost before he died in 1799. The work he had done made him a place in the hearts of the locals. As a result, to commemorate Cox’s role in social work a market was established here and named after him as “Cox’s Bazaar” (“Cox’s Market”) with time it turn into Cox’s Bazar.

Geography & Climate

Geography:
The town with an area of 6.85 km², and is bounded by the Bakkhali River on the north and East, the Bay of Bengal in the West, and the Jhilwanj Union in the south.

Climate:
The climate of Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon type, with a hot and rainy summer and a dry winter. Often excessive humidity, heavy rainfall, high temperature, and distinct seasonal variations are common here. January is the coolest month averaging around 26 deg C (78 d F) whereas April is the warmest one with temperatures averaging from 33 to 36 deg C (91 to 96 deg F). The climate is one of the wettest in the world. Most rains occur during the monsoon (June to September) and little in winter (November to February). The country is issued with devastating cyclones, and storms originating over the Bay of Bengal, during the periods of April to May and September to November. Sometimes, accompanied by strong surging waves, those storms cause great damage and loss of life.

The climate of Cox’s Bazar is typically similar to the rest of the country. However, it is characterized by its location in the coastal region. The annual average temperature here remains at approximately the highest at 34.8 °C and the lowest at 16.1 °C. The average amount of rainfall is 4,285 mm.

Nightlife:
Bangladesh is a very strict place for enjoying the nightlife as a Muslim country. It’s not open just like other Asian destinations like Bangkok, Singapore, or Goa. However, the opportunity is not rare. If you are looking for any bar then you can get the bar in special places in Cox’s Bazar sea beach area, for example, Hotel Seagull, Sea Palace or some others. You can also enjoy locally made drinks. Heartbreak news for the western tourist as no nightclub and Spa facilities are available here; though DJ is available inside some Hotels on special days.

Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach

The main attraction of Cox’s Bazar sea beach is the world’s longest but least-crowded sandy beach which stretches from the mouth of the Bakkhali River and goes all the way to Teknaf. Though normally known as Cox’s Bazar beach, the beach stretches far beyond the region designated as Cox’s Bazar town. The setting for the beach with its silvery gold sand is tropical-forested hills.

“Miles of golden sands, surfing waves, rare conch shells, towering cliffs, delightful seafood, tribes, colorful pagodas, and Buddhist temples” – this is not a literary description of Cox’s Bazar beach, it’s an illustration for the eager person who wants to imagine the beach. The beauty of the beach cannot be described by writing as no suitable word you can get to describe it.

Mineral content in beach sand:

• Hornblende
• Garnet
• Epidote
• Ilmenites
• Magnetite
• Rutile
• Pyrite
• Hydroxides

Bathing: The rise & fall of the tide is not great here; so, it is a better place for sea-bathing. However, the shark-free warm waters are good for swimming & bathing. On the other hand, the sandy beaches offer sunbathing opportunities.

Best Time for Tour: October to January

Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit here is at sunrise and sunset while the sand changes colors.

Activities: Watching the sunset; it is fabulous and everybody watches it. Best place for capturing photos.

Hazard: If you are a foreigner, everybody would want to talk to you. They also have their photo taken with you. It is a lit-bit annoying. However, it is a great way to get the opportunity to talk to local people and know their culture and tradition. If you are in a bikini or western dress, locals’ eyes may embarrass you.

Laboni beach

Laboni beach is considered the main beach area of Cox’s Bazar as is at the central location and close to town. The beach is always crowded with tourists. Visitors can sunbathe, surf, jog, cycle, and swim. It is best for swimming and relaxation. Numerous souvenir shops around the area can attract tourists to purchase souvenirs, beach accessories, and some other stuff.

Inani Beach

Inani beach is famous for its golden sand. The beautiful beach attracts most tourists who appreciate warmly the wonders of nature. Tourists like to come here to relax as it is free from the crowd of visitors typically seen at Laboni beach. The beach is generally considered to be the world’s longest beach.

Location: Located about 32 km to the south of the famous tourist destination of Cox’s Bazar.

Attraction:

• The backdrop of lush green hills rising up on the east.
• The sea stretched out endlessly to the west.
• Unusual shaped rock and coral boulders are scattered lavishly on the beach and through the sea.
• Fringed with tall palm trees swaying gently in the breeze.
• Seashells of different colors, shapes, and sizes are found along here.
• The calm lagoon is wonderful for the little ones to paddle in.
• Getting on the rock & coral boulders with the waves washing up on the shore around you will be an extremely therapeutic experience.
• Beachcombing
• Shark-free water is suitable for sea bathing.

Note: Every year numerous foreign and local tourists visit this place to spend their leisure in Inani Beach. However, it lacks several amenities that visitors can expect. It is wise to take a packed lunch and water with you when you visit the beach. But those people who have taken the time to explore the beach can testify that its beauty and cool breeze far outweigh anything it might be lacking in amenities. When visiting Inani Beach, ensure you have a camera along to capture the amazing sight of the sun setting over the sea.

Risks & Hazards

• Cox’s Bazar is prone to devastating cyclones and landslides
• The areas close to Cox’s Bazar town are located directly at high risk for surge water heights of around 1 meter and landslides.
• High natural background radiation has been discovered to be above the global average.
• Probability to the target of wild elephants in the region.
• The threat of mosquito-borne diseases.

Note: All the hazards basically affect long-term residents of this region. Tourists can able to guard against the risks with proper precautions.