A broken ship in ship breaking yard Chittagong

Chittagong

Chattogram Division runs from the port city of Chittagong to the hills of Bandarban and the long beach of Cox’s Bazar, with the Buddhist ruins of Cumilla to the north. Allow a week to see the best of it.

About Chittagong

Chattogram is the most varied of Bangladesh’s eight divisions. In one trip you can walk through a busy port city, sleep in the hills among Indigenous communities and watch the sun go down over the Bay of Bengal.

Chittagong, officially Chattogram, has been a trading port for centuries and handles most of the country’s sea trade. Start at the Bayezid Bostami Shrine, whose pond is home to rare black softshell turtles, then visit the Ethnological Museum, the best introduction in the country to Bangladesh’s Indigenous peoples. The Chittagong War Cemetery is a quiet garden of Commonwealth graves, and the colonial Central Railway Building recalls the Assam Bengal Railway. Fishery Ghat is at its busiest at dawn, and north along the coast at Sitakunda old ocean ships are taken apart by hand; the yards are restricted, but the roadside markets give a sense of the scale.

To the southeast, Bandarban is the most accessible part of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, with viewpoints such as Nilgiri and Nilachal above forested ridges. Further south, Cox’s Bazar has one of the longest natural beaches in the world, from Laboni and Sugandha to Kolatoli, and boats cross to Maheshkhali Island.

In the north of the division, Cumilla has the 8th-century Shalban Vihara monastery at Mainamati and the Maynamati War Cemetery. It sits on the main road from Dhaka, so it makes an easy stop on the way south.

Things to do

  • Visit the turtles of Bayezid Bostami

    The shrine’s pond is home to black softshell turtles, a species almost extinct in the wild, cared for by devotees for generations.

  • Learn about the hill peoples

    The Ethnological Museum shows the dress, tools and homes of Bangladesh’s Indigenous communities, a perfect introduction before visiting the Hill Tracts.

  • See the ship-breaking coast

    At Sitakunda, huge ships are run aground and dismantled by hand. Access to the yards is restricted, but the salvage markets along the highway are open to visitors.

  • Watch the boats at Fishery Ghat

    Before sunrise, fishing boats unload their catch on the Karnaphuli River. It is loud, busy and one of the best photo stops in the city.

  • Pay respects at the War Cemetery

    The Commonwealth War Cemetery holds the graves of soldiers who died on the Burma front in the Second World War, in a peaceful hillside garden.

Getting there

By air: flights from Dhaka to Chittagong take under an hour, with many departures a day. There are also some international flights to the Middle East.

By train: intercity trains from Dhaka take about five to six hours and are a comfortable way to see the countryside.

By road: about five to six hours from Dhaka on the main highway, more in heavy traffic.

Onwards: Bandarban is about two and a half to three hours by road from Chittagong city. Cox’s Bazar is about four hours by road, an hour’s flight from Dhaka, or around nine to ten hours on the direct train from Dhaka that opened in late 2023. Cumilla lies on the Dhaka to Chittagong highway, two to three hours from Dhaka, so it makes an easy stop on the way south.

Where to stay

Most international-standard hotels are in the central areas of Agrabad and GEC Circle, close to restaurants and the business district.

In Bandarban, simple town hotels and a few hillside resorts with valley views are the base for Nilgiri, Nilachal and Meghla. In Cox’s Bazar, hotels line the beach road from Kolatoli south towards Inani, and rooms fill quickly on Bangladeshi public holidays.

If you are going on to Bandarban or Cox’s Bazar, we usually plan one night in Chittagong. We suggest hotels that fit your budget when we send your tour price.

Places to see in Chittagong

Tours that visit Chittagong

Questions

How many days do I need in Chittagong?

One full day covers the main sights. Add a second day if you want to visit the ship-breaking coast at Sitakunda or the Buddhist sites outside the city.

Can I visit the ship-breaking yards?

Access to the yards is restricted and permission is rarely given to visitors. You can see the coast and the salvage markets along the highway.

Is Chittagong the same as Chattogram?

Yes. Chattogram is the official spelling since 2018, but Chittagong is still widely used in English.

What is the best time to visit Chittagong?

November to February, when it is dry and mild. The monsoon from June to September brings heavy rain and occasional flooding.

Do foreigners need a permit to visit Bandarban?

Rules change from time to time. Some areas of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, including parts of Bandarban, need advance permission for foreign visitors and can close at short notice. We check the current rules and arrange what is needed.

How do I get to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka?

The quickest way is a flight of about an hour, with several departures a day. Intercity trains have also run from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar since late 2023, taking around nine to ten hours. By road it is about four hours from Chittagong.

Can I swim at Cox’s Bazar?

Yes, in the guarded areas at the main beaches such as Laboni, Sugandha and Kolatoli. Rip currents are common, so swim only where lifeguards are on duty and follow their flags. From June to September rough seas often stop swimming altogether.

Is Cumilla worth a stop between Dhaka and Chittagong?

Yes. Shalban Vihara, the Mainamati museum and the Maynamati War Cemetery fit into half a day on the drive south, so Cumilla needs no extra night. Try its famous rasmalai before you leave.

Plan my trip WhatsApp