Cox's Bazar, Coastal municipality in Chittagong Division, Bangladesh
Cox's Bazar is a coastal city in Chittagong Division that stretches along the Bay of Bengal and is shaped by its beach. The long sandy coastline lies between low hills to the east and the open sea to the west, while simple hotels and restaurants line the waterfront promenade.
Captain Hiram Cox founded the settlement in the late 18th century as a refuge for people fleeing from present-day Myanmar. The place later developed into a coastal town where trade and fishing shaped the economy.
Local crafts like weaving and salt harvesting continue to shape daily work in the coastal settlements, where residents live in simple houses close to the shore and depend on fishing. Buddhist temples in nearby villages show the religious influence of this part of Bangladesh, with pilgrims from the region visiting the old prayer sites regularly.
Visitors reach the city most easily through the airport, which offers regular flights from Dhaka, or via the road connection from Chittagong. The best time to travel is between November and March, when the weather is dry and temperatures become more comfortable.
The region houses the largest concentration of refugee camps worldwide, where hundreds of thousands of people from Myanmar have found shelter. These camps lie outside the city center and clearly shape the northern part of the surroundings.
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