View from the Maheshkhali boat terminal, Cox's Bazar

Photo: Falsegeek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Maheshkhali Island

Maheshkhali is a hilly island just across the channel from Cox’s Bazar, known for its hilltop Adinath Temple, Buddhist monasteries, salt fields and betel leaf gardens. Plan a half day by boat.

About Maheshkhali Island

A short boat ride from Cox’s Bazar brings you to a very different side of the coast. Maheshkhali is the only hilly island in Bangladesh, a place of fishing villages, mangrove-lined creeks, shrimp ponds and salt pans, where Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist communities live side by side.

The main sight is the Adinath Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva on top of Mainak Hill, reached by a flight of steps with views over the island and the sea. Below it, the Rakhine Buddhist community keeps colourful monasteries and pagodas. The island is also famous across Bangladesh for its betel leaf (paan), grown in shaded gardens of bamboo and straw, and for salt worked by hand on flat pans in the dry season.

The crossing itself is part of the fun, passing fishing boats and mangroves on the way out from the jetty. Back on the mainland, finish the day with sunset at Laboni Beach or Kolatoli Beach. On our private tours a guide goes with you on the boat and arranges a local rickshaw on the island.

Things to do

  • Adinath Temple

    Climb the steps of Mainak Hill to this hilltop Shiva temple for views over the island and the channel.

  • Buddhist monasteries

    Visit the Rakhine community’s monasteries and pagodas, with their carved wood and colourful decoration.

  • Salt fields and paan gardens

    See salt being raked on flat pans in the dry season and walk past shaded gardens where betel leaf is grown.

  • Boat crossing

    The ride across the channel passes fishing boats and mangroves, a good chance for photos of coastal life.

Getting there

From Cox’s Bazar: speedboats and slower wooden boats leave from the jetty in town. The speedboat crossing is short, usually under half an hour depending on tide and weather.

On the island: rickshaws and auto-rickshaws take you to the temple, monasteries and villages.

Where to stay

Stay in Cox’s Bazar and visit Maheshkhali as a half-day trip. There are very few places on the island suited to visitors.

More to see in Cox’s Bazar

Tours that visit Maheshkhali Island

Questions

How long does a Maheshkhali trip take?

A half day is enough for the crossing, the Adinath Temple, a monastery and a short drive through the villages.

Is the boat safe?

Speedboats are quick and lifejackets should be provided. We avoid crossing in rough weather and during storm warnings.

Can non-Hindus visit the Adinath Temple?

Yes, visitors are welcome. Remove your shoes, dress modestly and follow your guide’s lead inside the temple.

When is the best time to go?

November to March, when the sea is calm and the salt fields are being worked.

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