Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar – named for an 18th-century British East India Company captain – is a place dear to most Bangladeshis' hearts. As everyone you meet will tell you, it's the longest continual natural beach on the planet (a whopping 125km), and the place where the country likes to come to relax.

You'll find tourist facilities here that are better than most places outside Dhaka, but don't expect a slice of southern Thailand. In fairness, the beach isn't a world wonder, but swapping the pollution of the cities for the fresh breeze off the Bay of Bengal is still invigorating, and the chance to see Bangladesh at play will give you a fun lesson in how the country likes to see itself.