Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary

The Teknaf sanctuary covers about eleven thousand hectares of hill forest along the narrow peninsula that runs south from Cox's Bazar toward Myanmar, with the sea on one side and the Naf river on the other, and it protects the last substantial habitat for Asian elephant in south-eastern Bangladesh along with a long list of other species. The forest is semi-evergreen on hill slopes and it has been under heavy pressure: illegal logging, encroachment and the clearance of substantial areas. Marked trails and watchtowers exist and a co-management arrangement involves local villages, but visitor infrastructure is thin.

What's there

• The last south-eastern elephant habitat - the forest the herds still use.
• Semi-evergreen hill forest - the woodland on the peninsula slopes.
• Sea on one side, river on the other - the narrowness of the strip.
• Watchtowers and marked trails - the limited visitor infrastructure.

When to go

November to March. Half a day. A guide is advisable both for finding trails and for safety, since elephants are present. Access to some areas is restricted.

Things to know

Elephants are dangerous and encounters happen; do not walk unaccompanied. The forest has been heavily damaged by clearance. Infrastructure is minimal.

Nearby

Teknaf is at the southern tip; Cox's Bazar lies north.

Key facts