Top 14 Sea Beaches in Bangladesh You Shouldn't Miss!

The sea beaches of Bangladesh run along the Bay of Bengal in three clusters: the long sand of Cox's Bazar and the Marine Drive down to Teknaf, the Chattogram coast around Patenga and Sitakunda, and the remote mangrove beaches of the Sundarbans and Kuakata in the south-west. This guide covers 14 of them, from the busy town beach in Cox's Bazar to Kotka, where deer walk out of the forest onto the sand. For each one you get the district, how to get there, the best months and the catch that local operators rarely mention.

If you are building a wider trip, pair this list with our guide to the most beautiful islands in Bangladesh and the Cox's Bazar destination page. Most of the beaches below sit within a day's drive of either Cox's Bazar or Chattogram, so two bases cover ten of the fourteen.

How this list was put together: We grouped the beaches by the base you would travel from, then checked each one's location, access route and seasonal rules against district information, the Forest Department and recent Bangladeshi press reports in October 2026. Three entries in older versions of this article had the wrong location (Bashbaria, Mandarbaria and Laboni), and those are corrected here. Rules for Saint Martin's Island and the Sundarbans change from season to season, so treat those two sections as a starting point and confirm before you book.

• Beaches covered: 14
• Cox's Bazar sand strip: ~120 km
• Marine Drive to Teknaf: 80+ km
• Best beach months: Nov–Feb

Quick comparison of sea beaches in Bangladesh

Sort the beaches by base and crowd level, then jump to the full entry.

The 14 best sea beaches in Bangladesh, beach by beach

Cox's Bazar Sea Beach, with sand running roughly 120 km towards Teknaf, is the obvious first choice, and Inani on the Marine Drive adds coral stones at low tide. Saint Martin's Island has the clearest water, Kuakata shows sunrise and sunset from one shore, and Kotka and Mandarbaria are remote Sundarbans beaches reached only with a forest permit.

Cox's Bazar Sea Beach

Cox's Bazar is the beach most travellers mean when they say "the sea beach in Bangladesh". The sand runs for roughly 120 km from the town south towards Teknaf, and it is regularly described as the longest unbroken natural sand beach in the world. The town section is split into named points: Laboni at the northern end, then Sugandha and Kolatoli, where most hotels stand. Each point has its own entrance, umbrella chairs, photographers and snack sellers.

The best way to use the beach is to walk it early. Fishing boats come in around dawn, the sand is firm at low tide and the crowds of the afternoon have not arrived. Sunset at Sugandha and Kolatoli draws thousands on holiday weekends, especially during Eid and the winter school break. For a quieter evening, walk south past Kolatoli towards Himchari, where the hotels thin out.

Swimming needs care. Lifeguard teams patrol the main points, and the Daily Star has reported rip currents and shifting channels around Kolatoli, Sugandha and Laboni. Swim only between the flags, and stay out of the water when red flags are up or the tide is going out.

• Area: Laboni, Sugandha and Kolatoli points, Cox's Bazar town
• Best time: November to February; monsoon seas are rough
• Getting there: Flights from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar airport, or overnight bus and train
• Stay: Kolatoli and Marine Drive hotels; see our beach hotel guide

The country's most famous beach is the natural first stop. Go at sunrise for photographs and swim only where lifeguard flags are posted.

Inani Beach

Inani sits on the Marine Drive in Ukhia upazila, roughly 25 to 30 km south of Cox's Bazar town depending on where you start. The road runs between the green hills of Himchari on one side and the sea on the other, and the drive itself is half the reason people go. What makes Inani different from the town beach is the flat, dark stones that appear at low tide. Locals call them coral stones. They are slippery and sharp in places, so wear sandals with grip.

Check the tide table before you go. At high tide the stones disappear and Inani looks like any other stretch of the coast. At low tide you can walk out among them and find small rock pools. The water here is often calmer and clearer than at Kolatoli in winter, which makes it popular with families. Several resorts now line this part of the Marine Drive, so Inani works as a quiet base for two or three nights.

• Area: Ukhia, Cox's Bazar district
• Best time: November to March, at low tide
• Getting there: CNG auto-rickshaw, hired car or local bus along Marine Drive from Kolatoli
• Bring: Sandals with grip for the stones

Inani, with its coral stones off the Marine Drive, fills a half-day trip from Cox's Bazar. Time your visit for low tide and stop at Himchari on the way back.

Saint Martin's Island Beach

Saint Martin's Island is the only coral island in Bangladesh, and its beaches have the clearest water in the country. The west beach is the place for sunset, while the southern tip near Chhera Dwip has rocks, tidal pools and fewer people. Since 2024 the government has managed the island as an ecologically critical area, and access is controlled.

The environment ministry has opened the 2026-27 season (notice confirmed October 2026) from 1 November 2026 to 15 March 2027. Visitor numbers are capped at an average of 3,500 a day, each visitor pays a Tk 100 environmental conservation fee, and authorised tourist ships sail only from the Nuniachhara jetty in Cox's Bazar; the old Teknaf route is not in use. November is for day trips only, with overnight stays allowed in December and January (for February to mid-March, check the latest Department of Environment notice before booking), and every visitor needs online registration and a QR-code travel pass. Rules are reviewed every year, so confirm the details with your ship operator before you book.

Plastic, loud music, beach bonfires and walking on coral are all banned, and the rules are enforced. Carry your rubbish back to the mainland.

• Area: Bay of Bengal, south of Teknaf
• Season: 1 Nov 2026 to 15 Mar 2027 (as of Oct 2026)
• Getting there: Authorised tourist ship from Nuniachhara jetty, Cox's Bazar
• Rules: Daily cap, Tk 100 fee, no plastic, no coral collecting

No beach in the country has clearer water, but access is seasonal. Book the ship and registration together, and do not plan on staying overnight in November.

Patenga Beach

Patenga is Chattogram's city beach, about 14 km south of the centre at the mouth of the Karnaphuli River, beside Shah Amanat International Airport and the naval area. It is a concrete-edged promenade more than a sandy beach, and it is not a place for swimming: ships wait offshore for the port and the current at the river mouth is strong.

People come for the evening. Families walk the embankment, food stalls sell fried crab and pitha, and planes come in low over the water. If you have one evening in Chattogram, this is the easy outing. Arrive before sunset and leave before the late traffic on the airport road.

• Area: South Patenga, Chattogram
• Best time: Late afternoon, October to March
• Getting there: CNG or ride-hailing from the city centre, about 14 km
• Swimming: Not advised: shipping lane and river current

Come in the evening for a stroll and street food, and combine it with the Chattogram city sights in our port city guide.

Kuakata Beach

Kuakata, in Patuakhali district, is famous because the curve of the coast lets you watch the sun rise and set over the sea from the same beach. The main beach is about 18 km long. For sunrise, head east to Gangamati; for sunset, the western stretch towards Lebur Bon is the usual spot. Motorbike riders on the beach will take you to both for a negotiated fare.

The Padma Bridge cut hours off the road trip from Dhaka, which is roughly 300 km away by road, and overnight buses and launches to Patuakhali or Barishal now link with road transport onward. Kuakata is calmer and cheaper than Cox's Bazar, with Rakhine villages, a Buddhist temple and fish-drying yards nearby. The beach has lost sand to erosion in recent years, and parts of the main front are lined with sandbags, so the most attractive sand is a short ride from the town centre.

• Area: Kuakata, Kalapara upazila, Patuakhali
• Best time: November to February; clear skies for sunrise
• Getting there: Bus via the Padma Bridge, or launch to Patuakhali or Barishal
• On the beach: Motorbike hire to Gangamati and Lebur Bon

You can watch sunrise and sunset from the same sand here. See our Kuakata page for hotels.

Parki Beach

Parki lies on the south side of the Karnaphuli mouth in Anwara upazila, across the river from Patenga. Rows of casuarina (jhau) trees shade the sand, and on weekdays it feels far emptier than Patenga. It sits about 28 km from GEC Circle by road, and the trip has historically taken up to two hours because of traffic on the river crossing.

Parki is a picnic beach. Families bring food, children play in the shallow water at low tide, and a few stalls sell snacks and drinks. Facilities are basic, so carry water. You can watch the large ships queueing for Chattogram port from here.

• Area: Anwara, Chattogram
• Best time: Weekdays, November to March
• Getting there: Road via the Karnaphuli crossing, about 28 km from GEC
• Facilities: Basic stalls; bring water and shade

Parki makes a quiet escape from Chattogram under the casuarina trees. Avoid Fridays, when local crowds peak.

Kotka (Katka) Beach

Kotka is in the south-eastern corner of the Sundarbans, about 90 km from Mongla port, and it is a beach you reach only by boat as part of a Sundarbans trip. Behind the sand is a grassland where spotted deer graze in the morning, and a forest watchtower gives views over the canopy. Tiger tracks are found here, and the beach is inside a protected forest, so you walk only with an armed forest guard.

Every visit needs a permit from the Forest Department, arranged through a licensed tour operator. Trips run from Khulna or Mongla on multi-day launches, and Kotka is usually combined with Kochikhali and Jamtola. The forest closes to visitors for part of the monsoon breeding season each year, so check dates before planning. See our Sundarbans travel guide for how these tours work.

• Area: Sundarbans East, Bagerhat
• Best time: November to February
• Getting there: Tour launch from Khulna or Mongla, 2 to 3 days
• Permit: Forest Department permit and guard required

Wildlife is the draw at Kotka, and a forest permit is required. Book through a licensed Sundarbans operator, who handles the permit and guards.

Bashbaria Beach

Bashbaria is in Sitakunda upazila, north of Chattogram city, about 32 km from the city by road and around 2.5 km from Bashbaria bazar on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway. Older articles placed it near Kuakata, which is wrong. The beach is mostly mudflat and short grass, and its best-known feature is a long pier stretching into the sea, which became a sunset spot for Chattogram day-trippers.

The coast here faces Sandwip channel and the water is murky, so this is a place for walking and photographs. At high tide the water rises close to the pier; at low tide the mud stretches far out. Combine Bashbaria with Guliakhali and the Sitakunda hills and waterfalls for a full day out of the city.

• Area: Bashbaria, Sitakunda, Chattogram
• Best time: Late afternoon, October to March
• Getting there: Bus to Bashbaria bazar, then CNG about 2.5 km
• Swimming: Not recommended: mudflats and currents

Photographers come for sunset from the pier. Wear shoes you can wash, because the mud is deep in places.

Laboni Point, Cox's Bazar

Laboni is the northernmost of the main beach points in Cox's Bazar town and the closest to the old town and markets. It is part of the same long beach as Sugandha and Kolatoli. Some older guides wrongly describe it as a separate 120 km beach. The access road is lined with stalls selling dried fish, pearls, shell crafts and clothes from the Burmese markets.

Laboni is crowded and commercial, with horse rides, beach bikes and photographers. It suits a short evening walk if you are staying in the north of town. Lifeguard flags apply here too, and the Daily Star has named Laboni among the beach zones where rip currents are a concern.

• Area: North end of Cox's Bazar town
• Best time: Evenings, November to February
• Getting there: Rickshaw or easy-bike from anywhere in town
• Nearby: Burmese markets and dried fish stalls

Laboni suits shopping at the Burmese market and a short sunset walk. For quieter sand, head south along the Marine Drive.

Guliakhali Beach

Guliakhali is about 5 km from Sitakunda town and looks unlike any other beach in Bangladesh. There is no sand. A carpet of green grass runs to the sea, cut by small tidal channels and dotted with keora trees. When the tide comes in, the channels fill and the grass becomes a patchwork of water and green.

It is a photographers' favourite and gets busy on Fridays. Paths across the channels are muddy, and the tide comes in faster than many visitors expect, so keep an eye on the water if you walk out far. Local boats sometimes offer short rides through the mangrove channels.

• Area: Muradpur, Sitakunda, Chattogram
• Best time: October to February, late afternoon
• Getting there: Bus to Sitakunda, then CNG about 5 km
• Watch: Tide comes in fast through the channels

The green carpet of grass under the keora trees rewards photographers. Check the tide and walk out on a falling tide, never a rising one.

Mandarbaria Beach

Mandarbaria is on the western edge of the Sundarbans in Shyamnagar upazila, Satkhira. Older articles placed it in Cox's Bazar by mistake. Few visitors make it here, with clean sand backed by mangrove forest. Sources give its length anywhere from 8 to 17 km.

Boats leave from Nildumur ghat in Burigoalini during the October to February season, and the trip passes through Sundarbans channels. Because the beach is inside the forest, go with an operator who arranges the forest permit and guard. There are no facilities at all, so it is a trip for people who are happy with a full day on a boat.

• Area: Shyamnagar, Satkhira (Sundarbans West)
• Season: October to February
• Getting there: Boat from Nildumur ghat, Burigoalini
• Permit: Forest permit via a licensed operator

Expect an empty beach on this remote mangrove coast. Pack food and water for the whole day.

Shamlapur Beach

Shamlapur lies in the Baharchhara union of Teknaf upazila, south of Inani along the coast. It is a working beach. Brightly painted wooden fishing boats are pulled up on the sand, and in the morning crews haul nets and sort the catch right on the beach. Photographers come for the boats and the light.

Facilities are minimal, and this is a conservative village, so dress modestly and ask before photographing people. Reach it by CNG from the Marine Drive or from Teknaf; local drivers know the turning.

• Area: Baharchhara, Teknaf, Cox's Bazar
• Best time: Early morning, November to February
• Getting there: Hired car or CNG via Marine Drive
• Etiquette: Ask before photographing fishermen

Come in the morning, while crews are hauling nets, for photographs. Combine it with Inani on a Marine Drive day trip.

Teknaf Beach

Teknaf is at the southern end of the Marine Drive, where the Naf River meets the sea and Myanmar lies across the water. The beach west of the town is wide, clean and usually empty, with fishing boats and casuarina trees. Teknaf used to be the departure point for Saint Martin's Island, but tourist ships now leave from Cox's Bazar instead.

Visitors still drive the Marine Drive to Teknaf for the road and the quiet beach at the end of it. Security is tighter near the border, so carry identification and follow any checkpoint instructions. The Shah Porir Dwip point at the very tip is the last stop.

• Area: Teknaf upazila, Cox's Bazar
• Best time: November to February
• Getting there: Marine Drive from Cox's Bazar, about 80 km
• Carry: Passport or national ID for checkpoints

Treat Teknaf as a road trip to the end of the country. Start early to have time at Inani and Shamlapur on the way.

Sonadia Island Beach

Sonadia is a low, sandy island in Maheshkhali upazila, about 15 km north-west of Cox's Bazar town, separated from Maheshkhali by a tidal canal. It has no hotels and almost no shops. The beach is long and empty, and the mudflats are known for migratory shorebirds in winter.

Getting there takes planning. Boats from Cox's Bazar's No. 6 jetty go to Maheshkhali, and from Ghatibhanga a boat crosses to Sonadia on the tide; private speedboats from Cox's Bazar are faster and more expensive. Many people visit on organised camping trips; see our camping sites guide. Take everything you need, including water and a torch.

• Area: Maheshkhali, Cox's Bazar
• Best time: November to February for birds
• Getting there: Boat via Maheshkhali and Ghatibhanga, tide dependent
• Stay: Camping only; no hotels

Birders and campers have Sonadia largely to themselves. Confirm the tide-dependent boat time the day before.

SponsoredGet the bookingMentor appPrice-drop alerts and all your bookings on your phone.Get the app

How to reach the beaches from Dhaka

Every beach in this guide is reached through one of three gateways: Cox's Bazar, Chattogram or the south-west via the Padma Bridge. Choosing the right gateway first saves a day of travel. The beach cards above give the last stretch for each beach; this table covers the main journey from Dhaka.

For a short trip, flying to Cox's Bazar gives you the most beach time. The train is the comfortable middle choice: book seats early, especially for weekends and public holidays. For Saint Martin's Island, travel to Cox's Bazar the day before, because the authorised tourist ships leave from the Nuniachhara jetty on a fixed schedule and registration is checked before boarding. Kuakata and the Sundarbans beaches do not combine easily with Cox's Bazar; treat the south-west as a separate trip.

Which Bangladesh beach suits your trip

If you have three or four days and want a beach holiday with good hotels, base yourself in Cox's Bazar. The town beach covers evenings, Inani and Shamlapur fill a Marine Drive day, Sonadia suits an adventurous extra day, and Saint Martin's is possible in season if you secure a ship seat and registration. Our beach hotels guide and beach resorts guide compare places to stay.

If you are already in Chattogram, Patenga, Parki, Bashbaria and Guliakhali are all day trips. Sitakunda adds hills and waterfalls to the same day. Our guide to places to visit in Chittagong covers the rest of the region.

If you want wilderness, Kotka and Mandarbaria are reached only through the Sundarbans with permits, and Kuakata is the one south-western beach with proper road access and hotels. These trips take longer and cost more per day, but the beaches are close to empty.

If you plan to swim, choose your spot with care. Rip currents and hidden channels make the long Cox's Bazar shoreline risky, and lifeguards have patrolled only a few short stretches near Kalatali, Sugandha and Laboni points, with the service's funding in doubt since 2025. Swim only where lifeguards are posted, keep out of red-flagged areas, and if a current pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore before heading back in. The quieter beaches on this list usually have no lifeguards at all, so treat them as places to walk and paddle, and avoid swimming.

Best time to visit the beaches of Bangladesh

The beach season runs from November to February. Skies are clear, the sea is calm enough for swimming at the patrolled points, and day temperatures are comfortable. March and April are hot and humid but still workable. From June to September the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas, swimming is dangerous, and boat trips to Saint Martin's and the Sundarbans stop or are restricted. Cyclone risk is highest around April to May and October to November, so watch forecasts from the Bangladesh Meteorological Department if you travel in those windows.

Public holidays change the experience more than the weather. During the two Eid holidays and the winter school break, hotel prices rise and Cox's Bazar and Kuakata fill up. A weekday in late January is the calmest time to see the main beaches.

Read this before you swim: The Bay of Bengal has strong rip currents, especially on a falling tide. Drownings at Cox's Bazar are reported every year, usually of swimmers who entered unpatrolled water or ignored flags.

Swim only where lifeguards are on duty, never alone and never after dark. Patenga, Bashbaria, Guliakhali and the Sundarbans beaches are not swimming beaches.

SponsoredAdvertise with bookingMentorReach travellers while they plan their next trip.Start advertising

Practical tips for a Bangladesh beach trip

Wear light, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees, since swimwear is rare on public beaches. Check tide times before visiting Inani, Guliakhali or Sonadia, arrange Saint Martin's ship tickets and Sundarbans forest permits through licensed operators, carry a passport for checkpoints near Teknaf, and take your rubbish back.

• Dress for local norms. Bangladesh is a conservative country. Swimwear is rare on public beaches; most local women swim fully clothed. Light, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees attracts the least attention.
• Check the tide. Inani's stones, Guliakhali's channels and boats to Sonadia all depend on the tide. Ask your hotel for the day's tide times before you set out.
• Sort permits early. Saint Martin's needs an authorised ship ticket and the conservation fee, and Kotka and Mandarbaria need forest permits. Licensed operators handle both; independent visits are not possible in the Sundarbans.
• Carry ID. Checkpoints on the Marine Drive near Teknaf and on Sundarbans trips ask for a passport or national ID.
• Take your rubbish back. Plastic is banned on Saint Martin's and in the Sundarbans. Carry a refillable bottle and a bag for waste.
• Fly in to save time. Cox's Bazar has direct domestic flights from Dhaka. Compare options on our flights page.

Planning a trip to Bangladesh? Read our Bangladesh travel guide, compare hotels in Bangladesh, browse tours or search flights.