Himchari National Park

Himchari lies immediately south of Cox's Bazar where the hills come down close to the beach, protecting about seventeen hundred hectares of tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest on the slopes with the sea on one side and the hill tracts behind. A waterfall drops off the hillside near the road and is the main stop, running strongly in the monsoon and reducing to little in the dry months, and a viewpoint above gives a long view down the coast, with the marine drive running south along the shore below. The forest holds monkeys, deer and a good bird list, though it has been affected by clearance and by pressure from Cox's Bazar. The road down the coast is one of the better drives in the country.

What you actually see

• Hills meeting the sea - forest slopes running down to the beach.
• The waterfall by the road - strong in the monsoon, thin in the dry season.
• The coastal viewpoint - a long view down the marine drive.
• Evergreen forest - the woodland on the slopes behind.

When to go

November to March for travel, July to October for the waterfall to be running, which do not overlap. Half a day. Weekends bring Cox's Bazar crowds. Mornings are cooler.

Honest expectations

The waterfall is dry or nearly so through the main tourist season. The park has been degraded by clearance and by pressure from the resort town. Litter is a serious problem. Facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Cox's Bazar is north; Inani beach lies south along the marine drive.