Cox's Bazar District is a district in the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh. It is named after Cox's Bazar, which is one of the world's longest natural sea beaches (120 kilometres (75 mi) including mud flats). It is located 150 kilometres (93 mi) south of Chittagong. Cox's Bazar is also known by the name Panowa ("yellow flower"). Another old name was Palongkee. The modern Cox's Bazar derives its name from Captain Cox (died 1798), an army officer who served in British India. It is one of the fishing ports of BanglDESH
As one of the most beautiful and famous tourist spots in Bangladesh, the major source of economy in Cox's Bazar is tourism. Millions of foreigners and Bangladeshi natives visit this coastal city every year. As a result, a large number of hotels, guest houses and motels have been built in the city and coastal region. Many people are involved in hospitality and customer service orientated businesses. A number of people are also involved in fishing and collecting seafood and sea products for their livelihood. Various kinds of Oyster, Snail, Pearl and their ornaments are very popular with tourists in seaside and city stores. A number of people are also involved in the transportation business for tourists. Cox's Bazar is also one of the few major spots for aquaculture in Bangladesh.[12] Along with Khulna, it is considered a major source of revenue from foreign exchanges. Beside a mix of small-scale agriculture, marine and inland fishing and salt production are other industrial sources from this region that play important roles in the national economy.
Tourist attractions near the town
Shemon Local hotels arrange beachside accessories for the tourists at Cox's Bazar
The beach is the main attraction of the town. Larger hotels provide exclusive beachside area with accessories for the hotel guests. Visitors in other hotels visit the Laboni beach which is the area of the beach closest to the town. Other than the beach there are several places of interest near the town which can easily be visited from town center.
Aggmeda Khyang: a large Buddhist monastery, and a place revered by around 400,000 Buddhist people of Cox’s Bazar; and the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The main sanctuary is posted on a series of round timber columns. It has a prayer chamber and an assembly hall along with a repository of large and small bronze Buddha images and a number of old manuscripts.
Ramu: about 10 km from Cox’s Bazar,[13] is a village with a sizeable Buddhist population. The village is famous for its handicrafts and homemade cigars. There are monasteries, khyangs and pagodas containing images of Buddha in gold, bronze and other metals inlaid with precious stones. One of the most interesting of these temples is on the bank of the Baghkhali river. It houses not only interesting relics and Burmes handicrafts but also a large bronze statue of Buddha measuring thirteen feet high and rests on a six feet high pedestal. The wood carving of this khyang is very delicate and refined. The village has a charm of its own. Weavers ply their trade in open workshops and craftsmen make handmade cigars in their pagoda like houses.
Dulhazra Safari Park: This safari park is an extension of an animal sanctuary located along the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar road about 50 km from Cox's Bazar town. The sanctuary itself protects a large number of wild elephants which are native to the area. In the safari park there are domesticated elephants which are available for a ride. Other animal attractions include lions, Bengal tigers, Crocodiles, Bears, Chitals and lots of different types of birds and monkeys.which is wonder full project to attract the tourist
The beach
Cox's Bazar beach: regarded as the world's longest natural beach.
The main attraction of Cox's Bazar is the long sandy beach that stretches from the mouth of the Bakkhali river going all the way to Teknaf. Although commonly known as Cox's Bazar beach, it stretches far beyond the area designated as Cox's Bazar town.
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Tourists and accommodation
Cox's Bazar, arguably the best tourist spot in Bangladesh, is visited by a large number of tourist from Britain, America, Korea, Japan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and many more countries each year. Though there is no specific record in Bangladesh Porjatan Corporation (BPC) on how many people usually visit Cox's Bazar each year but an AFP report says that during the winter 10,000 available rooms in the beach area hotels usually remain occupied almost seven days a week.[14] Accommodation near the beach varies from an expensive range to a reasonable price. Many private hotels, BPC Motels and two Five Star hotels [1] are located near the beach.
Places of interest along the beach
Cox’s Bazar, mostly famous for its beautiful sea beach and the sunset, has several other attractions, including:
Himchari
Laboni Beach: This is the main beach of Cox's Bazar and is considered the main beach due to the fact that it is closest to the town. Close to the beach, there are hundreds of small shops selling souvenirs and beach accessories to the tourists.
Himchari: Located about 18 km south of Cox’s Bazar[13] along the sea beach, is a nice place for the picnic and film shooting. This picnic spot is famous for its waterfalls. The road to Himchari runs by the open sea on one side and hills on the other which makes the journey to Himchari very attractive. Its another attraction is the Christmas tree.
Enani Beach: Located 35 km south of Cox’s Bazar, this white sandy beach is located within Ukhia Thana.[15] This beach is famous for its golden sand and clean shark free water which is ideal for sea bathing. Most tourists prefer to come down here for relaxing because it is free from the crowd of tourists that is usually seen at the Laboni beach.
Climate
The annual average temperature in Cox's Bazar is 34.8 °C and a minimum of 16.1 °C. The climate remains hot and humid with some seasons of temperate weather. The average amount of rainfall is 4285 nm.
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Economy and development
The major livelihood of Cox's Bazar district is tourism. Millions of foreign and Bangladeshi natives visit this coastal city every year. A number of hotels, guest houses, and motels have been built in the city and coastal region and the hospitality industry is a major employer in the area.
A number of people are involved in the fishing and collection of seafoods and sea products. Oysters, snails, searls and jewelry made from shells are popular with the tourists in the seaside and city stores. A number of people are also involved in the transportation business for tourists. Many people of the district are farmers.
In 2002, a surfing club was initiated at Cox's Bazar by a local Bangladeshi. It has now extended to holding an annual competition including locals and foreign tourists. This is the first surfing initiative in Bangladesh's history.
Geography
Often termed as the world's longest beach, Cox's Bazar has yet to become a major tourist destination in Asia.
Cox's Bazar district has an area of 2491.86 km². It is located at 21°35′0″N 92°01′0″E and is bounded by Chittagong District on the north, Bay of Bengal in the south, Bandarban District on the east, and the Bay of Bengal on the west. Major rivers include Matamuhuri, Bakkhali, Reju Khal, Naf River, Maheshkhali channel and Kutubdia channel. The area of the city of Cox's Bazar is 6.85 km².
Other tourist attractions near Cox's Bazar
Maheshkhali is a small island (268 square kilometres) off the Cox’s Bazar coast. The island offers panoramic scenic beauty and is covered by a range of low hills, about 300 feet (91 m) high, streatches through the center of the island and along its eastern coastline. The coasts of the island on the west and north form a low-lying tract that is fringed by the mangrove forests.[18] Adinath Temple, a temple of Shiva, and a Buddhist pagoda are also located on this island.
Sonadia Island, a small crescent shaped island of only 9 square kilometres, it is 7-km north-west of Cox's Bazar. The western side of the island is sandy and different kinds of shells are found on the beach. Off the northern part of the island, there are beds of window pane oysters. During winter, fisherman set up temporary camps on the island and dry their catches of sea fish. Sonadia Island supports the last remaining part of mangrove forest in southeast Bangladesh. Sonadia's mangroves are distinct from the well-known sunderbans, due to their development in a coastal lagoon setting rather than in a delta.[19] Another attraction of this island is the sight of game birds migrating here in great numbers during the winter seasons.[18]
Teknaf, a place situated by the side of Naf river is the southernmost part of mainland Bangladesh. This also marks the end point of Cox's Bazar beach. Tourists usually come here to have a river cruise along beautiful Naf river, which flows between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Dead corals at St. Martins Island.
St. Martin's Island, a small island in the northeast part of the Bay of Bengal, about 9 km south of the tip of the Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsula. It is the only coral island in Bangladesh. It is about 8 km west of the northwest coast of Myanmar at the mouth of the Naf River. The local name of the island is "Narical Gingira", also spelled "Narikel Janjina/Jinjera", translated from Bangla, meaning 'Coconut Island'. St. Martin's Island has become a popular tourist spot. Three shipping liners run daily trips to the island. They are Kutubdia, Sea-Truck and Keary-Sindbad. Tourists can book their trip either from Chittagong or from Cox's Bazar. The surrounding coral reef of the island has an extension named Chera Dwip. The island is home to several endangered species of turtles, as well as the corals, some of which are found only on this island.
Chakaria: One of most large area in Cox's Bazar.
References
^ a b Municipal data; Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
^ "The Longest Beach". Retrieved 2008-01-10.
^ "Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh - the World's Longest Beach 120km". Retrieved 2008-01-10.
^ "World's longest beach hidden in Bangladesh". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
^ Cox’s Bāzār. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2008-01-14, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
^ a b c d Siddiqi, Mahibbullah (2003). "Cox's Bazar District". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Societyof Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
^ a b c Chowdhury, Sifatul Quader (2003). "Beach Sand Heavy Mineral". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Societyof Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
^ Alam, Badiul (2003). "Cox's Bazar Sadar Upazila". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Societyof Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
^ Kabir, SM Humayun (2003). "Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Societyof Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
^ "Much needed Submarine Cable - Bangladesh". Bangladesh Development Gateway. 2006-03-02. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
^ Ahmed, Rafique (2003). "Climate". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
^ "The Development of Export-Oriented Shrimp Aquaculture in Bangladesh: a preliminary assessment of moves to more intensive production in southeastern Bangladesh". Retrieved 2008-02-01.[dead link]
^ a b Hossain, Mofazzal (2003). "Cox's Bazar". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Societyof Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
^ "An AFP report by Nadeem Qadir". Retrieved 2008-01-14.[dead link]
^ "Cox's Bazar". Tourist Spots: Beaches. Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
^ a b c Mineral Concentrations and Hydrocarbon Accumulations in the ESCAP Region (1988); Mineral sands in Asia and the Pacific: New York, United Nations, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and Australian Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics; v. 4, 129 p.
^ Sachinath Mitra, Syed Samsuddin Ahmed and Hi-Soo Moon; Mineralogy and chemistry of the opaques of Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) beach sands and the oxygen fugacity of their provenance; Sedimentary Geology, Volume 77, Issues 3-4, May 1992, Pages 235-247.
^ a b Hossain, Mofazzal. 2003. Cox's Bazar. In the Banglapedia. The Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka. P. 145
^ Islam, M Aminul (2003). "Ecologically Critical Area". In Islam, Sirajul. Banglapedia: national encyclopedia of Bangladesh. Dhaka: Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN 9843205766.
Places of interest
Sunset in Cox's Bazar.
Cox’s Bazar, mostly famous for its beautiful sea beach and the sunset, has several other attractions, including:
Aggmeda Khyang,[1] a large Buddhist monastery, and a place revered by around 400,000 Buddhist people of Cox's Bazar Hill Tracts.
Himchari, located about 8 km south of Cox's Bazar, is a picnic spot famous for its waterfalls. Birds and animals roam near the road.
Inani Beach has interesting rocks and coral boulders. It is 32 km from the main beach. There are no facilities so a packed lunch is required.
Coxsbazar Circuit House, located 2 km from Laboni Point, has a good viewpoint. The ocean can be seen from a height, and one can also enjoy the view of Cox's Bazar city.
St. Martin's Island, the only coral island in Bangladesh, is situated at 9 km south of Teknaf. It is a popular tourist spot.