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IT was a crisp and gorgeous day, and there were fewer than 100 people on Inani Beach, a wide swath of powdery white sand stretching from horizon to horizon along Bangladesh’s southeastern tip. It is part of a sandy stretch that measures 75 miles tip to tip, and is often called the world’s longest beach, but it felt more like the loneliest.
I was lounging on a rented deck chair for several hours last April on sand as soft and flat as the Bay of Bengal itself, spread out like a freshly paved road. Rows of spindly firs swayed in the salty breeze. And the only interruptions were the young Bangladeshis who would fetch me a lukewarm cola for a small baksheesh, or tip.
There are no Jet Skis, no motorboats and no cars — just the splashing of the bath-warm water. Pedal-powered rickshaws idled on the dirt road. Wooden fishing boats bobbed gently on the dark green water, like pirate ships of yore. It was so quiet, in fact, that wearing headphones would seem somehow rude, even if you were listening to George’s Harrison’s “Bangladesh.
I was lounging on a rented deck chair for several hours last April on sand as soft and flat as the Bay of Bengal itself, spread out like a freshly paved road. Rows of spindly firs swayed in the salty breeze. And the only interruptions were the young Bangladeshis who would fetch me a lukewarm cola for a small baksheesh, or tip.
There are no Jet Skis, no motorboats and no cars — just the splashing of the bath-warm water. Pedal-powered rickshaws idled on the dirt road. Wooden fishing boats bobbed gently on the dark green water, like pirate ships of yore. It was so quiet, in fact, that wearing headphones would seem somehow rude, even if you were listening to George’s Harrison’s “Bangladesh.
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Bangladesh cuisine is not unlike Indian food — curries, spicy stews, nan-like breads — though with less variation. Bangladeshis eat with their hands, and utensils are not available at most restaurants.
For authentic, inexpensive meals in Cox’s Bazar, try the misnamed Pizza Palace often in English and Bengali) at the corner of Motel and Sea Beach Roads: there’s no pizza on the menu, but the curries are delicious.
For sunset dining, take a 140-taka rickshaw ride out of town to Angel Drop Restaurant (Marine Drive Road, Kalatali New Sea Beach; 880-171-441-416). The snacks are fine, but the scenery is spectacular.
Speedboat ferries to Moheshkali leave all day for about 100 taka; they depart when the boat is full. Ask a rickshaw driver to take you to “the dock,” or just say “Moheshkali.”
For authentic, inexpensive meals in Cox’s Bazar, try the misnamed Pizza Palace often in English and Bengali) at the corner of Motel and Sea Beach Roads: there’s no pizza on the menu, but the curries are delicious.
For sunset dining, take a 140-taka rickshaw ride out of town to Angel Drop Restaurant (Marine Drive Road, Kalatali New Sea Beach; 880-171-441-416). The snacks are fine, but the scenery is spectacular.
Speedboat ferries to Moheshkali leave all day for about 100 taka; they depart when the boat is full. Ask a rickshaw driver to take you to “the dock,” or just say “Moheshkali.”
