8 Things to Do in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

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Are you looking for the best things to do in Cox’s Bazar? Look no further! This post features Cox’s Bazar’s most famous tourist spots.

Cox’s Bazar, in the South of Bangladesh, is home to the longest beach in the world, which is a whopping 120 km (75 mi) long. This was one of my favourite places to visit when I was backpacking in Bangladesh.

Not only are there endless stretches of deserted, sandy beaches around Cox’s Bazar, but this city is also surrounded by beautiful rice paddies and lush greenery.

But without further ado, here are the best tourist spots in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.

Best places to visit in Cox’s Bazar

1. Cruise along Marine Drive

One of my favourite things to do in Cox’s Bazar was to cruise along Marine Drive!

Marine Drive is 80 km (50 mi) long and it follows the coastline. This road will take you along beautiful landscapes on one side and the sandy beach on the other. The most famous beach along Marine Drive is Inani Beach, but there are plenty of other ones too.

You will find plenty of scooter and motorbike rental shops in Cox’s Bazar. Although renting a scooter here is more than worth it, it’s not cheap. I paid 1500 Tk for 8 hours (price non-negotiable). Though the shop I rented it at did tell me there are shops renting scooters for 1300 Tk too.

If you don’t want to rent a scooter or a bike, you can also hire a CNG for the day. This is especially handy if you’re travelling with more than two people.

2. Admire the sampan boats

Bangladesh’s traditional moon-shaped boats look as if they’re coming straight out of a pirate movie and they’re my favourite boats in the whole wide world!

You won’t find them at Cox’s Bazar’s city beach, but you will find plenty of these colourful boats along the coastline of Marine Drive. As sampan boats are still used for fishing today, you might also spot them at sea.

3. Take the motorboat to Maheshkhali Island

Maheshkhali Island is a 15-minute motorboat ride from Cox’s Bazar, and it’s a nice half-day trip from this city.

The main tourist attraction on Maheshkhali Island is the Adinath Temple, which is perched on top of Mainak Hil. This is a Hindu temple that’s dedicated to Lord Shiva. Not far from here (you just need to follow the stairs further up the hill), you will find a Buddhist pagoda as well.

Note that the ghat where the boat drops you at Maheshkhali Island was the only place in Bangladesh where the CNG and rickshaw drivers quite aggressively tried to get me to take a CNG/rickshaw, even after telling them a hundred times that I wanted to walk. Some even tried to convince me by saying the temple is 20 km (12 mi) from there, while it’s only 3 km (1.8 mi) in reality.

4. Go to Sonadia Island (Sonadia Dwip)

Although I didn’t go to Sonadia Island myself (you will read why later), I think it’s still worth mentioning in this post.

Sonadia Island is home to rare species of birds, dolphins, trees and vines. And you will also find patches of mangrove and salt marshes here.

The island is difficult to reach, though, unless you can afford to rent a private boat. If you want to go here using public transportation, you will have to take two CNGs (one for over 20 km/2 mi) and two motorboats. This is the reason why I decided to skip Sonadia Island for now.

Please respect nature and do not dump any trash if you decide to visit Sonadia Island (or any other place in the world). Sadly, people have been dumping trash on this island, which can lead to the loss of its animals and plants.

5. See the Buddha statue in Ramu

If you want to learn more about Buddhism, then Ramu is the place to be. This town is located 10 km (6 mi) from Cox’s Bazar and it’s home to a golden, 30-meter-long, lying Buddha statue.

Besides the Buddha statues, you will also find monasteries, temples, Burmese handicrafts and a rubber garden here.

6. Dine, have lunch or stay at a resort

There are plenty of beautiful resorts along Marine Drive. Though I was travelling on a budget and didn’t stay in one of these myself, I did have lunch in one of the resorts that overlook the beach.

7. Visit Saint Martin’s Island

Cox’s Bazar is the gateway to Saint Martin’s Island, which is argued to be home to Bangladesh’s most beautiful beaches.

Although I think it is possible to visit Saint Martin’s Island as a day trip from Cox’s Bazar, I think it’s better to stay there for a night or two. It takes about 5 hours to reach the island, and there aren’t many boats that go there. If my research is correct, this means that you would only have 2 to 3 hours on the island if you visit it in one day.

I didn’t visit Saint Martin’s Island this time, but according to some fellow travellers that I met in Bangladesh (who were actually the only foreign travellers I met there), it is beautiful.

8. Watch the sunset at the beach

Last but not least, a visit to Cox’s Bazar wouldn’t be complete without watching the sunset over the sea. I found a peaceful, deserted stretch of beach with sampan boats along Marine Drive, and loved watching the sunset here.

With 120 km (75 mi) of beach to choose from, it’s not difficult to find a place you can have all to yourself (if this is something you want, of course – there are busy beaches too).

Best time to visit Cox’s Bazar

The best time to visit Cox’s Bazar is during the Winter months, from November to February. This is when the weather is at its best (around 30°C during the day).

From March onwards, it starts getting hotter. Then, in April, the rainy season starts and at this time of the year, it will be very rainy, hot and humid. So this is not the best time of the year to visit Bangladesh.

How to get to Cox’s Bazar

Cox’s Bazar is located in the South of Bangladesh, 385 km (240 mi) from Dhaka, the capital, or 150 km (93 mi) from Chittagong. You can reach it from both of these cities by:

• Bus: There are many buses (AC as well as non-AC) from Dhaka and Chittagong. Cox’s Bazar is a 5-hour ride from Chittagong or a 10 to 12-hour ride from Dhaka. There’s an overnight bus for the latter.
• Train: The train from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar takes about 9 hours. Do make sure to book your tickets in advance if you want a good seat.
• Private car: You can also reach Cox’s Bazar by private car, but this will be more expensive.

This being said, in my experience trains were always fully booked days (maybe even weeks) in advance in Bangladesh, so I’m not sure if taking the train would be the best option.

Where to stay in Cox’s Bazar

If you want to be near all of the shops and restaurants, the best place to stay in Cox’s Bazar is the Kolatoli area. This is where you will find many, many restaurants and hotels.

If you’re looking for a more peaceful place (and have the budget), you can find plenty of beach resorts along Marine Drive. One of the most famous ones is Mermaid Beach Resort, but it’s also very expensive.

I stayed at Primacy Opelia Beach Resort in Kolatoli, they have nice and clean rooms, and the hospitality here is out of this world!

Things to do in Cox’s Bazar – Final thoughts

Cox’s Bazar was one of my favourite places in Bangladesh! Even though I’m not much of a beach lover normally, I loved this beach because of its awesome pirate boats and endless stretches of abandoned sandy beaches.

On top of that, the lush green surroundings are beautiful too and Bangladesh is home to some of the most hospitable people in the world.

Read more about Bangladesh:
– Backpacking in Bangladesh: A Complete Guide
– Lawachara National Park, Sreemangal: A Complete Guide

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