Cox’s Bazar sea beach runs about 120 km along the Bay of Bengal. My guide from eight trips: which beach to choose, Himchari and Inani, seafood, hotels, and getting there by plane, train or bus.
Cox’s Bazar sea beach runs for about 120 km along the Bay of Bengal in south-east Bangladesh, an almost unbroken line of sand often called the longest natural sea beach in the world. It’s the country’s most visited destination, and I’ve been eight times. This guide covers which part of the beach to choose, the Marine Drive to Himchari and Inani, the seafood, where to stay, and how to get there by plane, train or bus in 2026.
Beach length
About 120 km
Cox’s Bazar town south towards Teknaf
Best time
November to March
Avoid June to September (monsoon)
From Dhaka
About 1 hour by air
Or 8.5 to 9.5 hours by direct train
Where to stay
Kolatoli or Inani
Beachfront hotels; book ahead in winter
Next stop
Saint Martin’s Island
Ships from Cox’s Bazar, Nov to mid-March
There is a beach in Bangladesh that stretches for about 120 kilometres with barely an interruption. No harbour, no headland, no rocky outcrop breaking the line. Just sand, surf, and the Bay of Bengal from one horizon to the other. I keep going back. That, probably, tells you everything you need to know.
How Long Is Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach?
About 120 km. The sandy coast runs south from Cox’s Bazar town towards the Teknaf peninsula, and it’s widely described as the world’s longest unbroken natural sandy sea beach. Not all of it is the busy town beach, of course: the crowds are in a few kilometres around Laboni, Sugandha and Kolatoli, and the rest gets quieter the further south you go. The town itself is named after Captain Hiram Cox, a British East India Company officer who worked here in the 1790s.
Best Time to Visit Cox’s Bazar
- Peak season (November to February): sunny and mild, the sea calm enough for swimming, clear skies for photographs. Also the busiest time, so book hotels two to four weeks ahead, and two to three months ahead for holidays and Eid.
- March to May: still good weather, fewer crowds and lower hotel prices. March and April are excellent; May gets humid.
- Monsoon (June to September): dramatic to watch, but swimming is dangerous and the sea is rough. Hotels are much cheaper.
My off-season tip: April feels far quieter than peak season, with the same sunshine and noticeably lower hotel rates.
Why Cox’s Bazar Deserves Your Time
The statistics are striking, but they don’t explain why Bangladeshis return to this place year after year, the way I do.
It’s the scale. Standing on the beach at Cox’s Bazar, you can’t see the end of it in either direction. The ocean feels enormous. The waves are loud and insistent, not the polite lapping you get on sheltered resort beaches. The sound alone, that constant thundering of the Bay of Bengal, repays the journey.
It’s also the people. Cox’s Bazar is where Bangladesh comes to breathe. Newlyweds on their first trip together. Families from Dhaka who travel through the night to arrive at dawn. Groups of students who pool their money for a shared room. Fishermen who have worked these waters for generations. On any weekend you’ll find all of them on the same stretch of sand, and the energy is unlike any other beach I know.
You can find bluer water elsewhere; Saint Martin’s Island is more tropical in that conventional sense. But there’s nothing quite like Cox’s Bazar for the sheer, living scale of human joy meeting the ocean.
The Beaches of Cox’s Bazar: Which One Is Right for You?
Cox’s Bazar isn’t a single beach. It’s a continuous stretch of coast divided into sections, each with its own character. From the town, Laboni is the northernmost, then Sugandha, then Kolatoli further south, before the Marine Drive runs on to Himchari and Inani.
Laboni Beach: The Social Hub
The beach closest to the town centre and the easiest to reach. Laboni is where you feel the full energy of Cox’s Bazar: horse rides, quad bikes, hawkers, coconut sellers and thousands of people in every direction. A row of tamarisk trees lines the beachfront road.
Best for: first-time visitors, people-watching and sunset. In November to January, when the air is clear, the sun looks improbably large as it sinks into the Bay of Bengal; stand at the waterline 30 minutes before sunset and wait.
Sugandha Beach: The Family Beach
Just south of Laboni, Sugandha is a little less crowded and has a good range of beach activities. Best for: families, morning walks and beach games.
Kolatoli Beach: The Beachfront Hotel Zone
Further south, Kolatoli is where many of the better beachfront hotels are, including Sayeman and Sea Crown. The beach is a little wider here and the views from hotel balconies are open. Best for: beach-view rooms, slightly fewer crowds than Laboni, and evening barbecue restaurants.
Himchari: Where the Hill Meets the Sea
About 12 km south of town on the Marine Drive, the flat coast briefly rises into a forested hill. A climb of 20 to 30 minutes up steps brings you to one of the finest panoramas in Bangladesh: the Bay of Bengal on one side, green hills on the other, and the Marine Drive snaking between them below.
There’s also a seasonal waterfall at the foot of the hill, strongest in the monsoon and often just a trickle in the dry season. Go in the morning, before 11am, as the sea often turns hazy by the afternoon.
Inani Beach: The Quiet One, About 28 km South
Drive about 28 km south along the Marine Drive and the busy beaches give way to something quieter. Inani is wider, cleaner and far less crowded, and its distinctive feature is the large flat rocks, often called coral stones, that appear at low tide across the sand. The water is clearer than at the town beaches, though not tropical blue; walk carefully, as the rocks can be sharp underfoot. Go at low tide in the morning, when the rocks are exposed and the light is best.
Things to Do in Cox’s Bazar
Beach Activities
- Horse riding along the waterline, by the hour. Agree the price before you get on.
- Quad biking on the harder sand near the water.
- Tube floating: rent an inflatable ring and let the waves carry you. My personal favourite: deeply undignified, completely joyful.
- Beach football and cricket: pick-up games start all the time, and visitors are welcome.
⚠️ SKIP THE PARASAILING
Parasailing used to be sold along the Marine Drive, but after a tourist died at Dariyanagar on 1 August 2026, the district administration suspended all parasailing and said no operator had ever been licensed. I wouldn’t do it.
Swimming
The main town beaches are swimmable in the dry season (November to April) when the sea is calm. The waves have real size and power, and there are strong currents: exhilarating for confident adults, dangerous for children without close supervision. The sand near the waterline is dark and very fine, which surprises some visitors.
⚠️ SWIM WITH CARE
Drownings happen every year, including three tourists swept away at Himchari in October 2026. Swim only at the main town beaches where lifeguards patrol, follow their flags and whistles, never swim at remote beaches along the Marine Drive, and stay out of the sea in the monsoon (June to September) and in rough weather.
The Marine Drive
The road south from Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf runs about 80 km along the coast. Built by the army and opened in 2017, it’s described by the district administration as the world’s longest marine drive. Hiring a CNG auto-rickshaw, a car or a motorbike for a half or full day along it is one of the best things you can do here.
Every few kilometres a turn-off leads to a small, largely empty beach. Stop at whichever one calls to you. The road, the hills to the east and the ocean to the west make outstanding scenery all the way.
- Hire a CNG auto-rickshaw for a half day (town, Himchari, Inani and back) or a car with driver for a full day; prices vary with the season, so agree the fare before you set off.
- Start before 9am to beat the midday heat and reach Inani when the light is best.
The Dried Fish (Shutki) Market
Sunglasses on, nose prepared: Cox’s Bazar’s dried fish market is one of the most pungent and fascinating markets in South Asia. Dozens of kinds of fish, many unrecognisable to outsiders, are laid out to dry and then sold by the kilo. Shutki is a staple of Bangladeshi cooking and a point of fierce regional pride in the south, and people come here specifically to buy it as gifts for relatives back home. Ask any rickshaw driver for the shutki market, and go in the morning when it’s busiest.
Sunset on the Beach
Whatever else you do, be on the beach at sunset. There’s no land between you and the horizon, so you watch the sun drop into open sea. In the dry season it looks almost impossibly large as it reaches the waterline.
- Laboni Beach: walk to the waterline and face west for the widest open view.
- Kolatoli Beach: less crowded than Laboni at this hour, and just as good.
- Himchari: the most dramatic vantage point, with the ocean below and the hill behind you.
💡 FIND A QUIET STRETCH
Start walking from Kolatoli heading south, with the ocean on your right, and keep going until the crowds thin. A quiet 100-metre stretch of beach is possible even in peak season.
Where to Eat in Cox’s Bazar
Cox’s Bazar has one signature food experience you can’t skip: fresh fish barbecue at night.
As the sun goes down, the beachside restaurants come to life. Whole fish, prawns, lobster and shellfish are laid out on ice outside. You choose your fish, agree the price per kilo (always ask before they start cooking), and it arrives grilled over charcoal with rice, salad and chutneys.
- Rupchanda (silver pomfret): the most prized fish here, delicate and almost boneless. Order it fried or grilled.
- Loitta (Bombay duck): strange name, great flavour. Try loitta shutki bhuna, a dried Bombay duck curry, if you’re adventurous.
- Chingri (prawns): grilled with garlic butter is the standard, and very good.
- Lobster: at the better restaurants near Kolatoli; prices vary by size, so agree the price first.
Where I’d Eat
- Poushee: some of the best traditional Bangladeshi food in town.
- Shalik: near Dolphin Square, good for everything from morning tea to late-night barbecue.
- Mermaid Cafe: popular with international visitors, with seafood alongside western dishes.
- Jhaubon: reliable, affordable local food.
- Prasad Paradise: known for its barbecue.
Prices change with the season, but street snacks from the beach carts are cheap, a local meal of rice, fish curry and dal is very affordable, and a barbecue dinner depends almost entirely on which fish you choose.
Where to Stay in Cox’s Bazar
Cox’s Bazar has everything from basic guesthouses to beach resorts, but demand outstrips supply on peak weekends and holidays. Book two to four weeks ahead for November to February, and two to three months ahead for national holidays and Eid.
Upscale
Sayeman Beach Resort (Kolatoli): a Cox’s Bazar landmark on the beachfront, with a pool and good service. Check Sayeman Beach Resort
Royal Tulip Sea Pearl (Inani): away from the busy town beaches, with sea-facing rooms and a resort feel. If you want peace, this is the one. Check Royal Tulip Sea Pearl
Mermaid Resort (Himchari): south of town at the foot of the Himchari hill, with a pool and the most scenic setting of the lot. Check Mermaid Resort
Mid-Range
Hotel Sea Crown (Kolatoli): my personal favourite for location and price. Beachfront, with excellent views from the upper-floor balconies, and usually much cheaper than the Sayeman next door. No pool. Check Hotel Sea Crown
Long Beach Hotel: a little inland, but good rooms for the price, with a pool and buffet breakfast. The best fallback when the beachfront is full. Check Long Beach Hotel
Ocean Paradise: a five-minute walk from Kolatoli beach, with a pool and some ocean-view rooms. Check Ocean Paradise
Good Value
Hotel Seagull (Laboni): a long-standing large beachfront hotel facing Laboni beach, with a pool and buffet breakfast.
💡 BEACHFRONT OR TOWN?
If you want to wake up and be on the sand in three minutes, pay for a Kolatoli or Laboni beachfront hotel. If a 10-minute walk is fine, town hotels can save you a third or more. Cox’s Bazar town is small; nothing is truly far.
Cox’s Bazar Itinerary
One Day in Cox’s Bazar
- 6.30am: walk to Sugandha beach. It’s quietest at dawn, and the light is golden.
- 9am: head south on the Marine Drive. Stop at Himchari (about 12 km) and climb the hill.
- 11.30am: continue to Inani (about 16 km further) for the rocks at low tide; swim if conditions allow.
- 1pm: lunch at Inani or back in town.
- 3pm: back on the main beaches to rest, swim, or ride a quad bike.
- 5.30pm: sunset on Laboni Beach; stay until the sky goes dark.
- 7.30pm: barbecue dinner at Kolatoli. Pick your fish and watch it go on the grill.
Two Days
Spread the one-day plan over day one. On day two, visit the shutki market in the morning and the Buddhist temples of the town’s Rakhine community, then take the Marine Drive further south past Inani towards Teknaf, where the scenery gets wilder. Finish with sunset and dinner on the beach.
Three Days and Beyond
Add a trip to Saint Martin’s Island, Bangladesh’s only coral island. Ships now leave from Nuniarchhara jetty in Cox’s Bazar town, not Teknaf, during the season from 1 November to 15 March, and you need a travel pass. My Saint Martin’s guide has the current rules.
How to Get to Cox’s Bazar
Cox’s Bazar is in the south-east corner of Bangladesh, about 400 km by road from Dhaka and close to the Myanmar border.
By Air
Flying is the most convenient option. Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, NovoAir and Air Astra fly from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Cox’s Bazar Airport (CXB) several times a day, in about an hour. Book early for November to February and Eid, when flights sell out. A new terminal began handling domestic flights in late September 2026 as part of the airport’s upgrade to international status, though regular international flights hadn’t started at the time of writing.
By Train
Three direct trains now link Dhaka’s Kamalapur station and Cox’s Bazar on the line that opened in December 2023:
- Cox’s Bazar Express (overnight): leaves Dhaka at 11pm and reaches Cox’s Bazar at about 7.20am, stopping only at Dhaka Airport and Chattogram. The return leaves Cox’s Bazar around midday.
- Parjatak Express (daytime): leaves Dhaka at 6.15am and reaches Cox’s Bazar at about 2.40pm; the return leaves Cox’s Bazar in the evening.
- Mohanagar Express (from October 2026): leaves Dhaka at 8.30pm and reaches Cox’s Bazar at about 6am, with more stops along the way; the return leaves Cox’s Bazar at 9am and reaches Dhaka at about 6.30pm. Its day off is Sunday.
- Fares: Shovan chair seats are the cheapest, followed by Snigdha AC chairs and AC cabins; check current fares when you book.
Book on eticket.railway.gov.bd or the Rail Sheba app; tickets go on sale a few days ahead and weekend AC seats sell out fast. Schedules change from time to time, so check the times when you book. The overnight train is my favourite way to do this route: board after dinner, sleep, and wake up in Cox’s Bazar in time for the morning beach.
By Bus
Overnight coaches run from Dhaka (Sayedabad, Arambagh and Kalyanpur) to Cox’s Bazar in about 9 to 12 hours, longer in holiday traffic. Green Line, Shyamoli, Hanif and Saintmartin Hyundai are among the operators, with non-AC and AC seats and pricier sleeper coaches. Most leave between 9pm and 11pm. Book a day or two ahead on Shohoz or the operator’s own site.
Getting Around Cox’s Bazar
- CNG auto-rickshaws for town and short trips. Agree the fare before you get in.
- Hired car or CNG for the Marine Drive, Himchari and Inani; hotels can arrange reliable drivers.
- Easy bikes and rickshaws along the beach roads for short hops.
What to Pack for Cox’s Bazar
- High-SPF sunscreen: the sun on an open beach is intense and shade is scarce.
- Light, modest clothing: Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country; bring a light cover-up for walking through town.
- Flip-flops or water sandals: you’ll be taking your shoes on and off all day.
- A reusable water bottle.
- Cash: most beach stalls and small restaurants are cash only. There are ATMs in town.
- Seasickness tablets if you’re taking the ship to Saint Martin’s.
- A power bank: long beach days drain phones quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Cox’s Bazar sea beach?
About 120 km, running south from Cox’s Bazar town towards the Teknaf peninsula. It’s widely described as the world’s longest unbroken natural sandy sea beach.
When is the best time to visit Cox’s Bazar?
November to March, when it’s cool and dry and the sea is calmer. November to February is peak season. Avoid June to September, when the monsoon makes the sea rough and swimming dangerous.
How do I get from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar?
By air in about an hour (Biman, US-Bangla, NovoAir and Air Astra), by one of three direct trains (Cox’s Bazar Express, Parjatak Express or Mohanagar Express) in 8.5 to 9.5 hours, or by overnight bus in 9 to 12 hours.
Which beach in Cox’s Bazar is best?
Laboni for atmosphere and sunsets, Sugandha for families, Kolatoli for beachfront hotels, and Inani, about 28 km south, for a quieter, cleaner beach.
Can you swim at Cox’s Bazar?
Yes, at the main town beaches in the dry season when the sea is calm, between the lifeguards’ flags. The waves and currents are strong, people drown every year, and you shouldn’t swim at remote beaches or in the monsoon.
Is Cox’s Bazar safe for tourists?
Generally yes. Take the usual precautions: keep valuables in your hotel, avoid isolated stretches of beach after dark, and agree transport fares in advance. The Rohingya refugee camps in the district, near Ukhiya and Teknaf, aren’t open to independent visits.
How far is Saint Martin’s Island from Cox’s Bazar?
Ships to Saint Martin’s now leave from Nuniarchhara jetty in Cox’s Bazar town during the season (1 November to 15 March), and you need a travel pass. See my Saint Martin’s guide for the current rules.
Can I use cards in Cox’s Bazar?
Better hotels and some restaurants take cards, but most beach stalls, markets and small restaurants are cash only. There are ATMs in town.
Is alcohol available in Cox’s Bazar?
Not openly. Bangladesh is a Muslim-majority country; a few hotels have arrangements, but there are no beach bars serving alcohol.
Explore More of Bangladesh
- 🏝️ Saint Martin’s Island: Bangladesh’s only coral island, the natural next stop
- 🏙️ Places to visit in Dhaka: Mughal forts, rivers and world-class architecture
- 🍃 Sreemangal: tea gardens, rainforest and the seven-layer tea
- 🏔️ Sajek Valley: the hill station of the Chittagong Hill Tracts
- 🏛️ The National Monument in Savar: the best half-day trip from Dhaka
- 📸 Old Dhaka: the old heart of the capital
- 🌊 Birishiri: clay hills and blue lakes near the Indian border
A Final Word
Cox’s Bazar isn’t a perfect destination by the standards of resort luxury. The water isn’t turquoise. The development along the seafront is uneven. The beach stalls can be pushy. None of that matters once you’ve stood at the waterline at sunset with the beach stretching away in both directions and the Bay of Bengal filling the horizon.
Come for the scale. Stay for the fish barbecue. Leave having understood why Bangladeshis love this place the way they do.
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