A good half-day, a poor overnight
Dulahazara Safari Park keeps deer, elephants, big cats and a large bird collection across a forested site off the Chittagong highway. With children in tow it is the easiest half-day away from the beach in the region, and the drive north is pleasant.
Sleeping here makes little sense. The two or three guesthouses are basic, the surroundings are agricultural, and the beach is an hour away. Go in the morning, be out by early afternoon, and sleep on the coast.
Bangladesh’s only safari park
Dulahazara Safari Park sits about fifty kilometres north of Cox’s Bazar, just off the Chittagong highway near Chakaria, on a large forested site carved out of the old Dulahazara reserve. Unlike a conventional zoo, parts of it are drive-through enclosures for deer, gaur and, in the fenced sections, big cats — which is what earns it the safari name and makes it a genuine novelty for Bangladeshi families. There are also elephant enclosures, a substantial bird collection, a reptile house, a crocodile pond and long shaded walking paths between them.
Expectations are worth calibrating. This is a state-run park with limited funding, not a modern conservation zoo: enclosures are basic, signage is patchy and in Bengali, and some of the animals are kept in conditions that visitors used to European or East Asian zoos will find uncomfortable. Judged as a large, shaded forest park with animals in it, on the other hand, it is a pleasant and easy half day.
Allow two to three hours inside. Entry is ticketed at the gate, with a supplement for the safari vehicle through the drive-through sections and separate small charges for elephant rides. Go in the morning: the animals move before the heat, and the site empties out by mid-afternoon on a weekday.
With children, and what to bring
For families, Dulahazara is the most straightforward break from the beach in the region. The paths are flat and wide, there is enough shade to walk at midday, and the drive-through section holds the attention of children who have run out of patience with sand. The site is large, so a pushchair or a willingness to carry a small child is worth planning for, and the distances between enclosures are real.
Bring water, snacks, insect repellent and cash. The food available inside is limited to a few stalls selling crisps, biscuits and soft drinks; the better option is to eat before you come or at one of the highway restaurants near Chakaria on the way back. Keep hands off the fences, do not feed anything — the macaques in particular will take food and then follow you — and keep bags closed for the same reason.
Fridays and public holidays are crowded with domestic groups and the queues at the safari vehicles get long. Any other morning, you will move through the park freely.
Getting there from the coast
The park is about an hour north of Cox’s Bazar by car on the Chittagong highway; a car and driver for the half day runs $25 to $45 including waiting time, which is the easiest option with children. CNGs will do it for less but take longer and are hot and loud on a highway. Chakaria-bound local buses pass the park gate for 50 to 80 taka — tell the conductor Safari Park and you will be dropped at the entrance.
The drive pairs sensibly with the Chakaria area on the same trip if you are heading north anyway, or with a stop at the coastal shrimp farms and salt pans that line the road. There is no reason to combine it with the Marine Drive, which runs the opposite way.
Why almost nobody should sleep here
Two or three basic guesthouses operate near the gate and along the highway, at $18 to $30. They exist for highway traffic rather than for park visitors. The surroundings are agricultural, there is nothing to do once the park closes at dusk, the nearest real restaurant choice is in Chakaria, and the beach is an hour away.
The only sensible reason to take a room is a very early start with small children, or a breakdown in travel plans. Otherwise, visit in the morning from the coast and be back on the beach for the afternoon — the whole excursion fits comfortably into half a day.
Where to book near Dulahazara
We track too few rooms in Dulahazara to rank them honestly. The nearest area we cover in depth is Cox’s Bazar Town — these are its live prices.
Getting here and around
Dulahazara in pictures
Questions about Dulahazara
Is Dulahazara worth the drive?+
With children, yes — it is the region’s only safari park and an easy half-day. Without them, the Himchari hills or Ramu are more rewarding.
Should I stay overnight?+
No. Rooms are minimal and there is nothing to do after the park closes. Visit from the coast.
How long does a visit take?+
Two to three hours inside the park, plus an hour each way from the beach.
