Photo: Saddamacademy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sugandha Beach
About Sugandha Beach
Sugandha Point lies a short way south of Laboni Beach, and for many Bangladeshi visitors it is the heart of a trip to Cox’s Bazar. The road down to the sand is lined with stalls selling pearls and shell jewellery, Burmese pickles, dried fish and souvenirs, and the closer you get to the beach the stronger the smell of frying seafood.
The food is the reason to come. Stalls lay out the day’s catch on ice, from pomfret and prawns to crab and squid, and fry it to order with spices. Point at what you want, agree the weight and price before it goes in the pan, and eat at a plastic table with the sea in front of you. Your guide can recommend a stall that is busy with locals, which is the best sign of freshness.
The beach itself is wide and flat, with deckchairs, beach bikes and photographers. It gets very busy at weekends and on public holidays, and stays lively after dark when the stalls light up. For a calmer stretch with larger hotels, continue south to Kolatoli Beach.
Things to do
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Seafood dinner
Choose fish, prawns or crab from the iced displays and have them fried while you wait. Agree the price first.
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Souvenir stalls
The approach road sells shell crafts, pearl jewellery, dried fish and Burmese pickles. Prices are flexible.
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Evening on the sand
Hire a deckchair under an umbrella and watch the sunset, then stay as the stalls light up after dark.
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Beach photos
Wide, flat sand and big skies make this a good spot for sunset photos, especially at low tide.
Getting there
From Dhaka: fly to Cox’s Bazar in about an hour, or take the direct train or an overnight coach. Sugandha is a short ride from the airport.
In Cox’s Bazar: tuk-tuks and battery rickshaws run along the beach road, or walk along the sand from Laboni.
Where to stay
Hotels around Sugandha Point and the nearby lanes are handy for evenings at the stalls. For quieter, larger sea-view hotels, look a little further south around Kolatoli.
More to see in Cox’s Bazar
Tours that visit Sugandha Beach
Holiday Tours
Explore the Natural Beauty of Bangladesh
Price on request
Questions
Is the seafood at Sugandha safe to eat?
Busy stalls with a quick turnover are generally fine. Choose fish that looks fresh, ask for it cooked through and eat it hot.
When are the food stalls open?
They are busiest from late afternoon into the evening, especially at weekends and in the winter season.
Can I walk from Sugandha to the other beaches?
Yes. Laboni is a short walk north and Kolatoli is a short walk south along the same beach.
Is Sugandha very crowded?
On Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays it can be packed. Weekday mornings are much quieter.