Kuakata Sea Beach is the 2nd largest sea beach in Bangladesh after Cox’s Bazar Sea beach. Kuakata (Bengali: কুয়াকাটা) is a beach town known for its panoramic sea beach. It is in southeastern Bangladesh and is the number of sizeable tourist destinations in the country. Kuakata beach is a sandy expanse 18 kilometers (11 mi) long and 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) wide. From the beach, one can have an unobstructed view of both sunrise and sunset over the Bay of Bengal.
The name Kuakata originated from the word ‘kua’ the Bengali word for “well” which was dug on the seashore by the early Rakhine settlers (Burmese tribes) in quest of collecting drinking water. They landed on the Kuakata coast in the 18th century after being expelled from Arakan (Myanmar) by the Burmese extremests. Afterward, it has become a tradition of digging wells in the neighborhoods of Rakhaine tribes for water.
Locally known as ‘Sagar Kannya’ (Daughter of the Sea) is a rare scenic beauty spot on the southernmost tip of Bangladesh. Kuakata in Latachapli union under Kalapara Police Station of Patuakhali district is about 30 km in length and 6 km in breadth. It is 70 km from Patuakhali district headquarters and 320 km from Dhaka. At Kuakata excellent combination of the picturesque natural beauty, sandy beach, blue sky, huge expanse of water of the Bay and evergreen forest in really eye-catching.
Kuakata is a natural beauty, with the silent sandy beach, making it a perfect destination for travelers who prefer a calm environment. The sun rising and setting in the Bay of Bengal makes it a unique place in this region. The crimson sun provides the perfect view of the beautiful nature. The beach is very long and it is one of the best beaches in the subcontinent. The calm sea provides a surrounding that cannot be found anywhere on this earth except this place.
According to the 2011 Bangladesh census, Kuakata had 2,065 households and a population of 9,077. Kuakata is a place of pilgrimage for Hindu and Buddhist communities. Innumerable devotees arrive here at the festivals of ‘Rush Purnima’ and ‘Maghi Purnima’. On these occasions, the pilgrims take holy baths at the bay and participate in the traditional fairs. One may visit a 100-year-old Buddhist temple where the statue of Goutama Buddha and two 200-year-old wells are located.
Kuakata is truly a virgin beach-a sanctuary for migratory winter birds, a series of coconut trees, sandy beach of blue Bay, a feast for the eye. Forest, boats plying in the Bay of Bengal with colorful sails, fishing, towering cliffs, surfing waves everything here touches every visitor’s heart. The unique customs and costumes of the ‘Rakhyne’ tribal families and Buddhist Temple of about hundred years old indicate the ancient tradition and cultural heritage, which are objects of great pleasure Kuakata is the place of pilgrimage of the Hindus and Buddhist communities.
On the eastern end of the beach is Gongamati Reserved Forest, an evergreen mangrove forest and snippet of the original Kuakata. (When the Rakhines settled in the area in 1784, Kuakata was part of the larger Sundarbans forest. However, the Sundarbans is one-hour away by speed boat.) As a mangrove forest, Gongamati, like the Sundarbans, offers some protection against tidal surges. However, it too is being threatened by logging and deforestation. The best way to reach the forest is by foot or bike along the beach, where flag-flying fishing boats can be seen trawling the coast. Visiting Gangamati in the late afternoon is a perfect time to watch the sun cast shadows on the exposed mangrove roots.
There are many people who come to this place for diving. Diving in this region is a unique experience. Visitors can avail of the diving gear from the local agencies. They rent the types of equipment at a very reasonable rate. There are several diving sites they can select from. Fatrar Dip is a very famous island in this place. There are so many people who come to this place. Visitors can reach this place by ferry or by boat. Known for its scenic beauty this is one of the top tourist places in the region. Rakhain Market is a very old market that is located near to this place. If visitors want to take some artifacts from this place as a memory to their home then this is the perfect place where they and get the best products at a very reasonable rate. Jhaubon is very beautiful place at Kuakata. Jhau bon is close to the sea beach. Jhau forest is created by Government initiative. Tourists or travelers can visit there by walking. Jhau bon is surrounded by many Jhau trees and coconut trees. This place is better to see the sunrise scenery at Kuakata. There is a nice Eco-park at Jhaubon area of Kuakata.
Kuakata is the only beach in the world where travelers can enjoy sunrise and sunset views from the same beach. To enjoy the sunrise from the Kuakata beach one should wake up very early in the morning. At the evening of the day, the traveler will enjoy the attractive sunset. The excellent sandy beach of Kuakata fascinates thousands of tourists to watch both Sunset and Sunrise on Sea. This pleasant environment is often visited by tourists who also make a trip to another surrounding destination. Kuakata is an eye-catching sea beach on the southernmost part of Bangladesh. The long and wide beach at Kuakata has beautiful natural scenery. Kuakata is also the reservation of winter birds.
There are several kuas (well) in the place. This place has a fascinating history of wells as the name came from the wells dug by the Rakhine settlers. Some of these wells which were dug several years back are still there. The local authorities were quite successful in preserving these historical sites. These wells remind us of the hardship faced by the Rakhine people who came to this wonderful land from Myanmar in search of a haven and settled here forever.
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