Overview

With its bright beaches, tropical rainforests, wild Asian elephants, rolling hillside scenery and ethnic diversity, the Chittagong Division is in many ways an essential part of the Bangladesh travel experience. Because of its diversity and geography, it requires a trip all on its own.

Chief among its destinations is the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Although several travel advisories still label the CHT an ‘unsafe’ place to travel, it is a designation that this gem of a travel destination surely does not deserve. With 11 different ethnicities living in villages dotting the hills, it is an amazingly ‘pure’ destination to visit, the least discovered place in a country still totally unknown by the Western world.

Next down the list of division destinations is the precious tract of forest that forms the Teknaf Game Reserve, where Bangladesh’s last population of wild Asian elephants still ambles in and out of the forest. The reserve lies at the southern tip of the world’s longest natural beach, known popularly as Cox’s Bazaar. Much of this beach remains undeveloped and unexplored by all but the hardiest of travellers, as the dirt road traversing this 90km stretch of beach is only tractable by motorcycle or four-wheel drive jeep.

The mangrove at Cox’s Bazaar town has long been replaced by a jungle of hotels; serious overdevelopment and crowding issues means that responsible travellers would best avoid the resort at the northern tip of the beach and make their way south. A similar fate has also befallen St. Martin’s Island, although there are still areas of the island where boatloads of domestic tourists do not spoil the tranquillity that exists here.

Highlights

• Trekking in the Chittagong Hill Tracts – remote and rugged, but absolutely gorgeous and virtually unexplored by Western travellers. The region is slowly opening up to more tourists, but for the time being there are still restrictions and permissions required to travel in this area, and there may be some difficulties dealing with local police and army forces at various checkpoints along the way. Bottom line: if you’re at all adventurous the destination is worth it!
• Teknaf Game Reserve – A chance to glimpse wild Asian elephants and trek in a pristine bit of rainforest tucked away at the southeast tip of mainland Bangladesh.
• Any stretch of the beach away from Cox’s Bazaar – while the beach resort at Cox’s Bazaar suffers from fairly rabid overdevelopment, the rest of the beach remains fairly pristine and very rural.

Chittagong
Capital of the division but not really worth stopping longer than you have to! Very crowded, noisy and polluted. Best as a transit location and rail terminus for access to the Chittagong Hill Tracts, where there are plenty of opportunities for trekking in the hills.

Cox’s Bazaar
Bangladesh’s beach destination, but also overcrowded with domestic tourists. Best enjoyed by travelling further southward along the beach, where long stretches of empty beach are inhabited with some of the most remote villages Bangladesh has to offer.

Bandarban
The jewel in the crown of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Picturesque Shangu River, surrounded by hills, predominantly Buddhist culture. Totally unexplored trekking opportunities, including Kewkradang, one of Bangladesh’s highest peaks. Others have also trekked to Tajingdong, which is in competition for being known as the highest mountain in Bangladesh.

Rangamati
Picturesque Kaptai Lake, with plenty of boat journey options available. Also the best place to enjoy a wide selection of indigenous food and hard drinks, a real rarity inside the supposedly ‘dry’ nation of Bangladesh. Meals at Peda Ting Ting, a restaurant on the lake, are easily one of the hill tracts’ best dining experiences.