Three Days in Cox's Bazar: A Plan That Actually Works

Day 1: Arrival, Kolatoli Beach, and Sunset at Sugandha

Most visitors arrive on the Cox's Bazar Express from Dhaka, which rolls in around 7am after a 10-11 hour overnight run (second-class seat about Tk 550/US$5; a berth Tk 1,200/US$11). From the station, a CNG auto-rickshaw to Kolatoli Point costs Tk 150-200 (US$1.40-1.80) and takes 10 minutes. Check into a hotel along Kolatoli Road — the Hotel Sea Crown (doubles from Tk 3,500/US$32) and Hotel Kollol (from Tk 2,500/US$23) are reliable, walkable to the beach, and have generators for the load-shedding. Drop your bag and walk to the sand by 8am.

The beach at Kolatoli is widest and calmest before 10am. The water is gentle, the light is soft, and the beach is nearly empty save for a few fishermen. Swim between the red and yellow flags; lifeguards are present from 8am to 5pm in season. Avoid the horse and ATV touts — a 20-minute horse ride starts at Tk 500 (US$4.50) but the animals are often underfed and the ride is along a crowded strip. If you want a quieter stretch, walk 10 minutes south to Sugandha Beach, where the sand is cleaner and the crowds thinner.

Lunch at Poushee Restaurant on Main Road: their bhorta platter (Tk 250/US$2.30) and fresh pomfret (Tk 600/US$5.50) are among the best value in town. After lunch, rest during the hottest hours. At 4pm, take a CNG to Himchari (Tk 300/US$2.70, 25 minutes) for the hilltop view and the small waterfall — it's thin in dry season but the coast panorama is worth the trip. Return to Sugandha by 5:30pm for sunset; the beach here faces west and the light is spectacular. Dinner at Jhawbon Restaurant (thali Tk 300/US$2.70) near Kolatoli. Sleep in Kolatoli.

Day 2: Marine Drive South to Inani — The Full Day

Leave at 7am sharp. The Marine Drive from Kolatoli to Inani is 28km and takes about 1 hour without stops. You have two options: hire a private car with driver for the day (Tk 4,000-5,000/US$36-45, negotiate the night before through your hotel) or take a CNG (Tk 1,500-2,000/US$14-18 return, but they will wait and you must agree the full day). Do not attempt this on a rented motorbike unless you are experienced — the road has blind curves and wandering cattle. The drive itself is the attraction: jungle on one side, empty beach on the other, with viewpoints at Patuartek and Himchari.

First stop: Himchari, 8km south of Kolatoli, by 7:30am. The beach here is rocky and dramatic; climb the steps to the top of the hill for the view. 20 minutes is enough. Next, continue to Patuartek Beach (12km further, 25 minutes), a quiet crescent where you can park and walk. This is the best swimming beach on the drive: gentle slope, fewer people, and a small tea stall. Stay 45 minutes. By 10am you should be at Inani Beach, 28km from Kolatoli. Inani is known for its coral stones and clear water. The beach is wide and the water is shallow far out. Swim, but watch for the sharp coral underfoot.

Lunch at one of the simple shacks behind Inani beach — grilled rupchanda (pomfret) with rice and dal costs Tk 500-700 (US$4.50-6.30). After lunch, drive 10 minutes north to Himchari Joypur, a quieter stretch with no vendors. Or visit the nearby Inani Fisherman's Village to see the drying nets and buy fresh shrimp (Tk 800/US$7 per kg) to have cooked at your hotel. Head back by 3:30pm to avoid driving in the dark; the Marine Drive has no streetlights. Stop at the Himchari waterfall on the way back if you skipped it. Evening: return to Kolatoli, dinner at Mermaid Café (fish and chips Tk 450/US$4) or a simple biryani at Kohinoor (Tk 250/US$2.30). Sleep in Kolatoli again — changing hotels for one night is not worth the hassle.

Day 3: Ramu, the Markets, and a Final Beach Morning

Start with a final beach morning at Kolatoli or Sugandha, 7-9am. Then check out by 10am and store your bags at the hotel. Take a CNG to Ramu, 16km east of Cox's Bazar on the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar Highway — 30 minutes, Tk 400 (US$3.60) one way. Ramu is a Buddhist village with several old monasteries. The Ramu Central Sima Vihara and the nearby temples are peaceful and free to enter; dress modestly (cover shoulders and knees) and remove shoes before entering. There is a small museum with ancient manuscripts. Allow 1.5 hours. This is a good half-day trip but not a full day; skip it if you are short on time and prefer more beach.

Back in Cox's Bazar by 1pm, have lunch at Poushee or Jhawbon. Then walk through the Burmese Market (Bazarghata) near the main road. It's a maze of shops selling imported cosmetics, clothes, and snacks from Myanmar and Thailand. Prices are fixed in most shops, but you can bargain 10-20% on clothes. A good souvenir is a lungi (Tk 350/US$3.20) or a jar of Burmese thanaka paste (Tk 150/US$1.40). Avoid the electronics — they are often refurbished. Before you leave, buy some dry fish (shutki) from the market near the beach; 500g of high-quality churi costs Tk 600 (US$5.40).

At 4pm, return to the beach for one last swim and sunset. If your train leaves in the evening, the Cox's Bazar Express departs around 8pm; if you are staying another night, consider moving to a hotel near Inani for a quieter final evening — but only if you have your own transport the next morning. For most people, the best plan is to sleep in Kolatoli on all three nights. It centralises everything, and the beach is right there. If you have an early morning flight from Cox's Bazar Airport, the airport is 5km north of Kolatoli (Tk 200/US$1.80 by CNG, 15 minutes) — check in 1 hour before departure.

Where to Sleep: A Night-by-Night Breakdown

You do not need to change hotels in Cox's Bazar. The beach strip from Kolatoli to Sugandha has dozens of options, and staying put saves you packing time and transport costs. For budget travellers, Hotel Kollol (Tk 2,500/US$23) and Hotel Sea Princess (Tk 2,200/US$20) are clean enough, with fans and cold water. Mid-range: Hotel Sea Crown (Tk 3,500-5,000/US$32-45) has a pool and sea-view rooms; say yes to a higher floor for the breeze. For a splurge, the Sayeman Beach Resort (from Tk 8,000/US$72) is the most reliable four-star on the strip, with a private beach section and a good breakfast.

Book ahead in December-February, when Bangladeshi tourists flood the coast. In monsoon (June-September), many hotels drop rates by 40% and the beach is wild and empty, but swimming is dangerous and the Marine Drive can flood. If you want Inani instead of Kolatoli, the Inani Resort (Tk 6,000/US$54) is the only mid-range option directly on the beach, but you will need your own transport for everything. For one night, it is a lovely escape; for three nights, it isolates you from restaurants and the main beach buzz.

Avoid the touts at the bus and train stations who claim to have a 'brother's hotel' — they take a commission and the properties are often far from the beach. Use a booking site or call directly. Also skip the beachside bungalows that look charming in photos but have no generator: Cox's Bazar has frequent power cuts, and a night without a fan in April is unbearable. My rule: stay in Kolatoli, book a room above the ground floor, and confirm the generator works before you pay.

What to Skip, and Why

Skip the Himchari waterfall in the dry season (November-March) — it is a trickle and the stairs are crowded. Also skip the 'Burmese' cultural shows advertised around town; they are amateur and overpriced. The submarine cable landing station at Jhilongja is not open to tourists. And do not bother with the overcrowded Laboni Point for swimming; the currents there are stronger than at Kolatoli or Sugandha, and the beach is narrower. If someone offers you a 'dolphin-watching' boat trip, decline: the dolphins are rarely seen and the boats are unsafe.

You can also skip the expensive seafood platters at the big hotels — the same fish is available at Poushee or Jhawbon for half the price. What you should not skip: a morning at Sugandha, the Marine Drive to Inani, and a half-day at Ramu if you have any interest in Buddhist history. Three days is enough to see the coast without rushing. If you have a fourth day, use it to go further south to Teknaf (80km, 2.5 hours by car) and the Naf River, but that is a separate trip.