Tourism Bangladesh
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Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar holds one of the longest unbroken stretches of natural sand beach anywhere in the world, running roughly 120 km down Bangladesh's southeastern coast. It's the country's most-visited destination and the easiest starting point for exploring the wider coastline south toward Teknaf and Saint Martin's Island.

Getting there

From Dhaka, three ways to travel:

  • Flight: about 1 hour direct to Cox's Bazar Airport (CXB). US-Bangla Airlines, Biman Bangladesh, NovoAir, and Air Astra all fly the route, with roughly 8–20 departures a day.
  • Train: the Cox's Bazar Express and Parjatak Express run direct from Dhaka six days a week, taking about 8 hours. This route only opened in December 2023 — before that, there was no direct rail link.
  • Bus: 9–12 hours via the N1 highway through Chattogram, depending on traffic. Dozens of operators run the route, from standard seating to AC sleeper coaches.

Flying is the fastest option by a wide margin. The train is a reasonable middle ground if you'd rather not fly and don't mind the extra hours.

Best time to visit

November through March is the dry season and the best window: daytime temperatures around 20–30°C, calm seas, and minimal rain. April through October is monsoon season, with heavy rainfall and a rougher sea that makes swimming genuinely riskier, not just less pleasant.

What to see

  • Laboni Beach — the stretch closest to town, easiest to reach and usually the busiest.
  • Himchari National Park — hills, waterfalls, and forest about 18 km south, best visited early morning or late afternoon.
  • Inani Beach — roughly 32 km south, known for its coral stones and a quieter shoreline than the main town beach.
  • Marine Drive — the coastal road connecting Cox's Bazar to Inani and on toward Teknaf, worth the drive for its own sake.
  • Saint Martin's Island — Bangladesh's only coral island, reached by boat from the jetty at Teknaf, further south down the coast.

Practical notes

Tourist police maintain an active presence along the main beach areas. Fresh seafood is the local specialty — grilled lobster, fried pomfret, and dried fish (shutki) all show up on menus around town. For visa and entry requirements, safety guidance, and currency exchange, see Practical Info.

Cox's Bazar features in several of our sample itineraries — see Itineraries for full multi-day routes that include it alongside Sylhet, Bandarban, and the Sundarbans. More photos of the area are in the Photo Gallery.