120 km of unbroken coastline · 80-km Marine Drive · fresh seafood · gateway to Saint Martin's Island. Bangladesh's most popular destination, updated November 2026.
Bangladesh's most visited destination — and much more than the main beach. The Marine Drive, Inani's rocks, Himchari's trails and the seafood all justify the trip on their own.
Getting there
Flight 45 min · Bus 10–12 hrs · Train → Chattogram → bus
Getting around
CNG auto-rickshaw · private car (Marine Drive) · motorbike taxi
Where to stay
Kolatoli Beach (mid-range best) · Laboni (budget) · Marine Drive (upscale)
Budget per day
Budget $25–45 · Mid-range $60–120 · Upscale $150+
Best season
Nov–Feb: ideal. Mar–May: hot. Jun–Oct: monsoon (avoid for first trip)
Time zone
BST (UTC +6) — same as Dhaka
Book flights early for Nov–Feb
Seats fill 3–4 weeks ahead. Fares spike close to date.
Saint Martin's is seasonal
Ships typically run Nov–Jan only. Plan this before everything else.
Avoid peak domestic holidays
Eid and winter school holidays turn Laboni Beach into a crush.
Carry small notes
Beach vendors rarely have change for large notes. ৳20–100 notes for street food.
Cox's Bazar is a 120-km continuous coastline with four distinct stretches. Most visitors only see Laboni — and miss the best of it.
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80 km from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf — Bay of Bengal on your left, forested hills on your right. One of the best coastal drives in South Asia.
Km-by-km stops
Cox's Bazar
Start. Fill up, buy snacks.
Himchari
National Park + waterfall + hilltop view.
Inani Beach
Rocky shoreline — best photography stop.
Teknaf
Naf River border. Ships to Saint Martin's.
Drive south in the morning (best light), return north at sunset.
How to do it
Hire a private car for the day (৳2,000–3,500). Your hotel can arrange this. Motorbikes are popular for shorter sections. Don't take a CNG for the full circuit.
Best direction
South in the morning, northbound return in the late afternoon for the best light hitting the water.
Beyond the beach — early morning markets, the full Marine Drive and the right seafood in the right place.
80 km along the Bay of Bengal — sea one side, green hills the other. The signature Cox's Bazar experience.
Full day · ৳2,000–3,500 hired car
Laboni Beach at 6 AM — empty, golden and cool. Completely different to the afternoon crowds.
Early morning · Free
Rocky coral formations and clear water — most photogenic stretch. Best at low tide.
2–3 hrs · ৳500–800 CNG return
Boats return before 7 AM — a working market, not a tourist attraction. One of the best 'local life' stops.
6–9 AM · Free to browse
1,729-hectare park 18 km south — trails, seasonal waterfall and the best hilltop sea views.
Half day · ৳100 entry + transport
Seasonal ships from Cox's Bazar jetty. Bangladesh's only coral island. Plan a minimum of one night.
Overnight+ · ৳1,750–1,850 ship
One of Bangladesh's best eating destinations. Fresh seafood at beach prices — cooked to order.
Seafood
Grilled lobster
Freshly caught, charcoal-grilled. Order by weight — confirm price first.
King prawn bhuna
Tiger prawns dry-cooked in spices. A restaurant staple all along the coast.
Pomfret / rui curry
Fresh coastal fish in Bengali-style mustard sauce.
Shutki (dried fish)
Intensely flavoured local specialty — the defining polarising taste of the coast.
Street Food
Fuchka
Hollow crispy shells with tamarind water and potato — universally loved.
Chotpoti
Chickpea + potato stew with egg, tamarind and chilli. Filling and cheap.
Bhel puri
Puffed rice with vegetables and chutney. Beach vendors serve it all day.
Fresh coconut
Served from the husk along the beach. ৳30–50 per coconut.
Where to Eat
Kolatoli road restaurants
Best variety for seafood by weight — mid-range, open-air.
Laboni Beach stalls
Plastic chairs on the sand. Cheap, fresh, atmospheric.
Hotel restaurants
Ocean Paradise and Long Beach have reliable upscale kitchens.
Marine Drive dhabas
Roadside tea stalls along the drive. Stop for cha with a sea view.
Always confirm price per piece or per kg before ordering
Many beach restaurants price seafood by weight without clear menus. Confirm before ordering. Lobster can run ৳2,000–4,000/kg depending on size and vendor.
Starting points — both can be extended by adding one or two nights at Saint Martin's Island.
Day 1
Arrive + Cox's Bazar
Flight from Dhaka → hotel check-in
Fish market browse (evening)
Sunset from Kolatoli Beach
Seafood dinner — grilled lobster or prawn bhuna
Day 2
Full Marine Drive Day
Hire car — full Marine Drive circuit
Himchari National Park + waterfall trail
Inani Beach — rocky shoreline at low tide
Teknaf (optional): Naf River viewpoint
Street food evening back in Cox's Bazar
Day 3
Slow Morning + Depart
Sunrise on beach (6 AM — golden hour)
Fisherman's Wharf fish market (6–8 AM)
Final seafood breakfast
Check-out → airport or bus station
Optional extension
Add Saint Martin's Island (+2 nights)
Seasonal ships from Cox's Bazar jetty. Book before everything else.
Kolatoli Beach area is the best overall choice. Huge range from budget guesthouses to upscale resorts.
Budget
৳1,500–3,500/night
Examples
Hotel Sea Gull
Hotel Mermaid
Hotel Unique International
Area
Laboni Beach area — walking distance to main beach
Notes
Basic AC, clean. Book 2–3 weeks ahead Nov–Feb.
Mid-range
৳4,000–9,000/night
Examples
Saif Cottage
Hotel Cox Today
Royal Tulip Sea Pearl
Area
Kolatoli Beach area — better restaurants, beach access
Notes
Pool, restaurant, sea-view rooms. Best overall value tier.
Upscale
৳10,000–25,000+/night
Examples
Ocean Paradise Hotel
Long Beach Hotel
Sayeman Beach Resort
Area
Marine Drive and Kolatoli — direct beach access, sea-view balconies
Notes
International standard. Book 4+ weeks ahead in peak season.
Prices vary by season. Peak (Nov–Feb) can be 50–100% above off-season. Book 3–4 weeks ahead for mid-range and upscale.
Flying is strongly recommended — it saves 10+ hours versus any overland route.
Dhaka → Cox's Bazar (~45 min). Airlines: US-Bangla Air, Biman, Novoair. Fares: ~৳3,500–6,000 one way. Multiple daily departures.
Dhaka Sayedabad / Kalyanpur terminal. Journey: 10–12 hrs overnight. Operators: Hanif, Shyamoli, Green Line. Fares ~৳800–1,400.
Dhaka → Chattogram by train (5–6 hrs), then Chattogram → Cox's Bazar by bus (2.5 hrs). Total ~8–9 hrs. Good if combining a Chattogram stopover.
Getting around Cox's Bazar
CNG auto-rickshaw
Short hops in town (Laboni ↔ Kolatoli)
৳30–80/trip
Hired car
Marine Drive full day — essential for the road trip
৳2,000–3,500/day
Motorbike taxi
Local errands, faster than CNG for short distances
৳20–50/trip
Practical lessons from helping hundreds of international tourists plan Cox's Bazar trips.
Fly — don't bus
45-minute flight vs 10–12-hour bus. The time saved is worth the extra cost on any trip under 14 days. US-Bangla, Biman and Novoair all fly daily.
Avoid Jun–Oct first trip
Monsoon = rough seas, rain, flooded Marine Drive sections. Nov–Feb is ideal: 20–28°C, calm, clear. Mar–May is hot and peak domestic season.
Hire a car for Marine Drive
CNGs are fine for town hops. For the full 80-km Marine Drive circuit you need a private car — hire one for the day (৳2,000–3,500).
Confirm seafood prices first
Seafood at beach restaurants is often priced per kg or per piece — not listed on menus. Ask before you order. Lobster can run ৳2,000–4,000/kg.
Sunrise over sunset crowds
Laboni at 6 AM is empty, golden and quiet. Come back for sunset from the Himchari hilltop for the best of both.
Saint Martin's: plan first
Seasonal ships (Nov–Jan), limited capacity, QR-code travel passes required recently. Verify current rules and book ships before anything else.
Questions from international visitors. Updated November 2026.
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Custom itinerary around Cox's Bazar, Saint Martin's Island and the rest of Bangladesh — not a fixed group tour.