Kuakata Sea Beach travel guide

Photos by visitors

At a glance

Length

About 18 km

Special feature

Sunrise and sunset from the same spot

Location

Kalapara upazila

Nickname

Daughter of the Sea

History and details

Kuakata's name is tied to the history of the Rakhine people. In the late 18th century Rakhines driven out of Arakan (Myanmar) for political reasons came to this coast by boat and settled. To get fresh water they dug a well (kua) here — hence the name 'Kuakata'. That old well is still preserved next to the Buddhist temple in the Rakhine village.

The roughly 18 km beach faces in such a way that both sunrise and sunset over the Bay of Bengal can be seen from here; very few places in South Asia allow this. That is why it is called the 'daughter of the sea'.

The area was badly hit by Cyclone Sidr in 2007; much of the beach's casuarina forest and coconut groves has been lost to erosion. Since the Padma Bridge opened it is only 5–6 hours from Dhaka by direct bus, so visitor numbers have grown many times over.

Things to do

• Watch the sunrise at Gangamati Char at dawn
• Watch the sunset at the west beach or Lebur Char in the afternoon
• See the well and Buddhist temple in the Rakhine village
• Ride along the beach by motorbike to all the spots
• Eat fried crab and sea fish

How to get to Kuakata Sea Beach

Walk from the Kuakata bus terminal.

Patuakhali is about 270 km from Dhaka; the journey takes 6–7 hours (to Kuakata).

• 🚌 By bus: Direct buses to Kuakata via the Padma Bridge (Sakura, Green Line, Hanif), non-AC ৳700–900, AC ৳1,200–1,800.
• 🚢 By launch: Launch from Sadarghat to Patuakhali/Kalapara, then bus to Kuakata.

Where to stay

• Sikder Resort & Villas
• Hotel Graver Inn
• Parjatan Holiday Homes
• Plenty of budget hotels (৳1,200–3,000)

What to eat

Fried sea fish and crab, Rakhine food

Good to know

• Go to Gangamati Char for sunrise and Lebur Char or the west beach for sunset
• Don't swim out too far
• Buy handwoven cloth from the Rakhine village

More to see nearby

• Gangamati Char (10 km)
• Fatrar Char (1 hour by trawler)
• Mishripara Buddhist Vihara (8 km)
• Lebur Char (6 km)
• Dried-fish village and shell market

More places to visit in Patuakhali district

• Fatrar Char — A mangrove forest like part of the Sundarbans, west of the beach.
• Gangamati Char — The best place for sunrise; red crabs and casuarina forest.
• Mishripara Buddhist Vihara — One of the subcontinent's large Buddha statues, in a Rakhine village.
• Lebur Char — A char where river meets sea, known for sunsets and crabs.

Location on the map