Guliakhali Sea Beach
Guliakhali Sea Beach is the name of a picturesque beach in my country. This beach is completely different from our familiar beaches; nature pulls out a totally different form here, which is eye-pleasing and seductive. This sea beach will change your perception of all the so-called known beaches. Unlike other typical sea beaches, Guliakhali Sea Beach is not the sandy type. Here, nature blanketed the beach with a lush green carpet of grass and mangrove trees. This is not the end; nature pulls out a stunning move on the lush green carpet of grass, stitched with narrow water channels. When high tide hits, a harmony of wave and green makes the whole beach vivacious. As a result, travel enthusiasts add the beach to their travel bucket list. Stay till the end of the blog, and I will let you know everything about the beach that will assist you to travel.
How it looks
The appearance of Guliakhali Sea Beach is so appealing that it encourages travel enthusiasts to travel here. Against the vast sea, a carpet of green grass, in which narrow canals have created a unique landscape. Mangrove trees are another example of beauty in this scene, and their breathing roots add the last touch to the artwork. And the art becomes alive when high tide fills up the narrow canals; then nothing compares to its unmatched beauty. The entire beach is surrounded by mangrove trees to compete with the vast ocean, making you feel like you have arrived on a canvas of greenery. If rain hits the beach, then you should thank God for choosing you to see the magical appearance. At the end of the day when the sun goes down, it makes a soothing horizontal view over the vast sea.
Location of Guliakhali sea Beach
Guliakhali Sea Beach stands at Muradpur, Sitakunda Upazila, Chattogram, and from Sitakunda Bazar, it is just five kilometers away. Being located at Muradpur, the beach is also known as Muradpur Sea Beach. Holding the title of unique sea beach of Bangladesh, it has become one of the best tourist places in Chittagong.
Getting There
Chittagong, the biggest port city in Bangladesh, offers convenient access to every other city in the country. As a result, tourists and travelers love to go to Sitakunda by bus or rail. I will describe both; just hang on with me till the end.
Method one: Rail
By train (Subarna Express, Mohanagar Express, Karnaphuli Express), tourists first get down at Chittagong city and then need to take a local bus or taxi to reach Sitakunda.
Method two: Rail
By train (Subarna Express, Mohanagar Express, Karnaphuli Express), tourists first get down at Feni and head out to Mohipal bus stand to catch a bus that goes to Chittagong. On the way to Chittagong, drop down at Sitakunda.
Method three: Rail (budget way)
Take the Chittagong Mail train, whose tickets are issued at counter number 19. It is a local train with a ticket price of 125 taka. As a local train, it stops at almost every stop, and unwanted incidents like theft happen on every journey. And there is no seat plan for passengers; first come, first served. The train departs Kamalapur train station in Dhaka daily at 11:45 p.m. To grab a seat, tourists at least come two hours before the departure time. But the best thing about the train is that it stops at Sitakunda.
Method four: Bus
Take a bus that goes to Chittagong and drop down at Sitakunda. I prefer the bus over the train because it’s hassle-free. If you are on a budget, you can choose method number three to reach Sitakunda.
From Sitakunda
It is very easy to get to Guliakhali Sea Beach from Sitakunda; simply hop in a CNG from Sitakunda Bazzar. The vehicle takes 25-40 minutes, and the cost is 30 to 40 BDT per person. You can also reserve the whole CNG for between 150 and 200 BDT. Tourists must either walk or rent a boat to get to the beach area once the CNGs drop them off near the shore. It all depends on the tide; if you come at high tide time, you have to rent a boat.
Food & Stay
As a tourist spot, Guliakhali Sea Beach is becoming a top dog day by day. So to serve the tourists and travelers, numerous restaurants have recently been established here; even in the beach area, tourists will find some restaurant stalls. For around 150 to 200 BDT, one can have a good meal from these food stalls.
Usually tourists like to visit the beach along with other tourist spots on a day trip. Therefore, staying in a hotel is not required for this. If you have to stay, there are many good hotels in Sitakunda Bazar and Sitakunda Bus Stand. There are no better hotels for tourists to stay in Sitakunda than these two places. And your safety will be ensured at the highest level while staying here. Hotel 99 Residential is a very good hotel located very close to the bus stand. I recommend this hotel because I stayed there for 2 days.
Day trip plan on Sitakunda
By night bus or rail, you would arrive in Sitakunda early in the morning. The Sitakunda bazaar and bus stop are located in the same location. You will take a CNG to Chandranath Hill after breakfast at the Sitakunda bazaar; the cost is 15–25 BDT per person. Chandranath Hill is 1152 feet high; it will take 3-4 hours to conquer it. After conquering Chandranath Hill, you will rent a CNG again and come to Sitakunda Eco Park. The fare will be 250-300 BDT. There are 2 waterfalls inside this eco-park: Supto Dhara waterfall and Sohosrodhara Waterfall. The fatigue of climbing the hill will be relieved by the cool water of the waterfalls. After spending time at the waterfalls till mid-afternoon, you will have lunch at a food hotel outside the eco-park. From there, you will rent a CNG for 150-200 BDT and come to Sitakunda Bazaar. From the bazaar, you will rent another CNG and come to Gulikhali Sea Beach. Spend the afternoon at the beach and come back to the bazaar, have dinner there, and get on the bus.
You will see mountains, waterfalls, and the sea in one day. If you are a group of 3-4 people, a budget of 2000-2500 BDT per head is enough for a nice trip.
Best time to visit
It seems to me monsoon is the best time to witness Guliakhali Sea Beach’s true beauty, when every narrow channel is filled up with seawater and the sea is a little bit unsettled. Also, around monsoon time, weather plays a significant role in making moody skies and serene vistas. Moody skies, serene vistas, green carpets, mangrove trees, channels filled with water, gusty wind, and unsettled sea create unmatchable scenery over the beach. Moreover, tourists will find fewer crowds during monsoon time. So, monsoon and Guliakhkali Sea Beach create something that feels just right that tourists are craving. There are also some disadvantages that exist, like rain, mud, and high tide making movement hard. The sea can get really choppy at times, making it dangerous to go here. Therefore, I ask that everyone examine the tide and weather conditions in advance. Winter is also a good time to visit; a settled sea, clear sky, comfortable weather, and low humidity make it ideal for walking along the green fields and exploring the Keora forest.
Precautions
Though the sea beach is currently run by the Bangladesh Tourism Board and local administration, it has nothing in the name of the facilities. Don’t think of swimming or taking a bath because they haven’t managed to ensure enough lifeguards.
Frequently asked questions
1. Tourist attractions nearby?
Chandranath Hill
Sitakunda Eco-Park
Barabkunda Trail
Bashbaria Sea Beach
Boro Komoldoho Trail
Napittachhara Trail
Khoiyachara Waterfall
Mohamaya Lake
2. Hotel rent in Sitakunda Bazzar?
A decent hotel in Sitakunda Bazzar should cost no more than 1500–2000 BDT. If you put a little bit effort more into searching for hotel, I am sure you can get a good hotel at 1000-1200 BDT.
3. Longest sea beach in Bangladesh?
4. The most beautiful sea beach in Bangladesh?
For me, it’s Saint Martin Island sea beach.
We can’t execute 90% of the plans we make in life. There’s nothing to be disappointed about; life goes on like this. Traveling helps me accept everything and keep my mind calm. You can also try traveling and see if it happens to you.