---
type: Place
title: Cox's Bazar
description: Bangladesh's beach city, billed as the longest beach in the world at around 130 km — busier than Harry expected, with quad bikes on the sand and the country's luxury resorts along it.
tags: [coxs-bazar, bangladesh, beaches, hotels, seafood, resorts]
coordinates: {lat: 21.4420, lng: 91.9812}
timestamp: 2026-08-05T12:00:00Z
---

# Cox's Bazar

The beach city on the south-east coast of
[Bangladesh](/countries/bangladesh.md), reached by a short domestic flight from
[Dhaka](/places/dhaka.md) on a small aircraft. It is promoted relentlessly as
the longest beach in the world — Harry says he was told this about twenty times
before he arrived — and runs around 130 kilometres.

His main correction on arrival is that it is not the quiet seaside village he
had pictured. From the roof of his hotel it reads as a proper city, busy and
built up, with the resorts strung along the front.

## The beach

Working and recreational at once. Quad bikes and ATVs for hire on the sand,
which Harry rates well above the usual rental machines, plus jet skis and
horses. Local fishing boats with a distinctive curved hull sit along the water.

## The Sayeman Resort

The luxury end, and the most expensive room in the bundle. What the top suite
includes:

- A piano, a lounge, a dining area and 360-degree views over the beach.
- A **private hot tub**, switched on by calling reception.
- A **private sauna and steam room**, in addition to the shared ones downstairs.
- Netflix, marble bathroom, and a shower open to the sky.

Downstairs: an infinity pool over the beach, a kids' pool, poolside dining,
spa, bar, and a gym that Harry found completely empty because every guest was
at the pool.

## Seafood

Cox's Bazar is where Harry finally eats seafood in Bangladesh, which he
concedes he should have done sooner given the coastline.

- **Bombay duck**, battered and fried, caught the same day — effectively fish
  and chips.
- **Prawn curry** in a creamy coconut sauce, the best thing he eats there.
- **Dried fish**, the pungent staple sold in the markets. He is straightforward
  that it isn't for him and suspects it belongs in a dish rather than on a
  plate.
- Fried fish pakora as a starter.

Breakfast runs Bengali, Sri Lankan — including kottu — and Western. The Bengali
options are heavy enough that he calls them closer to brunch, and spicy: his
summary of the country is spice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

## Harry's tips

- Don't come expecting a village. It's a city with a beach attached.
- Eat the seafood. It's the coast, and he waited too long.
- Ask reception to turn things on. Hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms here are
  switched on to order rather than left running.

## Source

- [$1000 Luxury Seafront Hotel Bangladesh 🇧🇩](/videos/0NvamrpFdtA.md) —
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NvamrpFdtA