The longest beach in the world is located in Bangladesh. Cox’s Bazar boasts up to 125km of uninterrupted, unbroken sandy beach.
Fast facts
Name: Cox’s Bazar
Length: 100km (62.5mi) – 125km (77.5mi)
Location: Chittagong Division, Bangladesh
Longest beach in the world
Cox’s Bazar, in the south-eastern corner of Bangladesh, is home to the world’s longest beach in terms of uninterrupted natural sea beach. The region is popular with Bangladeshi and international tourists.
The beach’s official length varies according to different sources with the minimum being 100km and the longest being 125km.
Located on the Bay of Bengal, the beach takes its name from the town of Cox’s Bazar situated 100km (60mi) south of the major city of Chittagong.
The town was named after 18th-century British East India Company captain Hiram Cox, who oversaw the settlement of Arakanese refugees from the conquest by Myanmar (Burma) in 1799.
A chain of hills runs parallel to the sea for almost the entire length of the beach. Additionally, a number of natural and manmade attractions can be found along the beach including cliffs, waterfalls, coral islands, historic temples, a game park and tribal villages.
The beach has also developed into a surfing destination with a number of surf schools set up along its coast. Cox’s Bazar is often described as the biggest surf town in the Indian sub-continent.
One of the most established surf schools is the Cox’s Bazar Lifesaving and Surf Club which notably caters to teaching young Banglashedhi girls to surf – a highly unusual activity for girls in the conservative Muslim country.
Recently, Cox’s Bazar has become synonymous with the refugee crisis in neighbouring Myanmar. Over one million Rohingya refugees are currently housed in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camp having fled their homes in Myanmar.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.