Guliakhali Beach

Guliakhali is not a sand beach: it is a stretch of the Chittagong coast where the shore is mud and silt from the delta, covered in a low green sea-grass meadow that is cut through by winding tidal channels and dotted with young mangrove, and that combination of green ground running to grey water is what people come to see and photograph. At low tide the mud flats extend a long way out and the channels are exposed; at high tide the meadow is partly flooded. It became known through social media in the 2010s and is now busy at weekends with visitors from Chittagong, with stalls and boats along the access track. Swimming is not really possible and is not the point.

What you actually see

• Green sea-grass meadow - the ground running down to the water.
• Winding tidal channels - the creeks cutting through the meadow.
• Young mangrove - the trees establishing along the shore.
• Wide mud flats at low tide - the delta shore exposed a long way out.

When to go

November to March. Half a day. Late afternoon for light on the meadow. Weekends are busy with Chittagong visitors. Tide times determine what you see, so check them.

Honest expectations

It is mud, not sand, and swimming is not possible. It is crowded at weekends and litter is a growing problem. The access track is rough. There is no shade and few facilities beyond stalls.

Nearby

Sitakunda and Chandranath hill are east; Chattogram lies south.