Date: Tuesday, February 06, 2024
Place: Cox's Bazar
Introduction
It's a rarity for me to feature any product or service on my blog. But I am going to write about a service that I have experienced a few day ago. I always believe that I am late in many things but I never forgot to mention those.
Origin and beginning
Essentially, my desire was to explore into the Southern area of Cox's Bazar and I searched the way to accomplish it. Then I came to know about Aquaholic Tourist Caravan which offered same service. We had multiple options such as Chander Gari or regular cars, but they
were less suitable due to the absence of food and toilet facilities.
Consequently, we opted for the Aquaholic Tourist Caravan.
Due to maintenance on a bridge, the bus was unable to travel through the city. Initially, we traveled to Upal, and from there, we proceeded to the bridge using a vehicle known as Chander Gari. The journey lasted around 45 minutes, proving to be quite delightful given the morning ambiance. I could enjoy the view of the sea with the hills behind me.
Sonar Para Beach
After we reached the specified place, we spent more than 30 minutes at Sonar Para Beach, which was fantastic. Unlike the busy beaches of Cox's Bazar, this place was very quiet and peaceful. Everyone took lots of photos, and for me, places with fewer people are the best.
The bus
The bus design was ideal for the tour because the colors matched its
purpose perfectly. I admired the designer for this. The design's beauty
spoke volumes about the service. I chose the upper deck seats to have a
clear view of everything around me.
Journey by bus and about the journey
The bus journey started around 11 AM and everything
unfolded seamlessly. The weather was pleasantly clear and warm but a
refreshing wind provided relief from the heat. During the outbound journey, my seat was on the side of the sea, while on the return trip, I got views of the rolling hills. I skipped the opposite site and only focused on enjoying the serene view of the sea.
About Patuartek
After a while, we arrived at Patuartek Beach and it was seemed like a mini Saint Martin. The only exception was the hill that was absent in Saint Martin's land. While other bus passengers were excited to see the coral, my excitement
was subdued. Because I had already spent four days exploring Saint Martin
prior to the tour. However, my attention was drawn to the panoramic hill view, which added to the beauty of the scene.
Journey towards Teknaf Zero point
Our journey towards Teknaf resumed after 12 pm. The roads gradually
became less crowded as we traveled further. The journey was quite
peaceful, with the wind providing pleasure and the music adding extra
enjoyment to the ongoing moments.We encountered a variety of sights, from Jhau trees lining the seaside to salt cultivation, sunflower farms, red crabs, and much more. Some places seemed incredibly exotic and one-of-a-kind. Shampans, a type of fishing boat, were seen everywhere, amplifying the vibrant atmosphere as fishermen performed their duties. The place felt quiet with fewer people and lots of natural beauties. We were fascinated by the lush landscapes surrounding us. Every moment there was a peaceful break from city hustle. It reminded us of the
special coordination between humans and nature. As it's a border area with Myanmar, we proceeded through several checkpoints, one by one, getting closer to our final destination with each crossing. As we got closer, we spotted tall hills in the distance, towering over
the landscape. I loved and enjoyed the moment, surrounded by the beauty of nature, with the sea, coral, boats, and hills all around me.
About Teknaf Zero Point
The bus arrived at Teknaf zero point around 1 pm. I noticed that beyond this point, there was no concrete road; instead, there was a brick road leading further south. The area was restricted, and tourists were not permitted to go beyond that point.We visited the beach, which was incredibly beautiful and devoid of
crowds once again. Everyone was busy taking pictures on the beach. There
was a slight smokiness in the air.
There were many holes where baby crabs sought shelter, and a variety of
sea shells were scattered around the area. The southern side had a
particularly high concentration of these features.
About Lunch Break
We only traveled a short distance before stopping for lunch. After our break, we went back to the beach, where we saw lots of Shampans (fishing boats) and fishermen getting ready to fish using their traditional methods.
About A coral Beach
We went to the beach near Mathabanga Puraton Union, which is known as a
coral beach. The upper deck shelter of the bus was removed, turning it
into an open-deck bus. I had a fantastic view of the entire sky, which
was an amazing experience. During the journey, I had the opportunity to see rolling hills in the distance, which was a delightful experience. This view was something I had missed when we first arrived at our destination.The beach had a lot more rocks compared to
Saint Martin's, and they were densely packed, creating a unique
landscape.
Sunset at Patuateak
Later on, the bus head back to Patuateak Beach to catch the
sunset. When we arrived at the beach, it was around 5:05 PM, and the
atmosphere was surprisingly peaceful despite the large crowds. I felt a
sense of calmness wash over me as I took in the serene moment.
After a while we again went towards Patuateak Beach to see the sunset. Finally we reached our final destination of the beach. it was almost 5.05 PM and The moment was quite calm even though there was a lot of crowds but I felt quite calm. Since it was the final day of our 8-day holiday, I also felt a bit disheartened. However, the view of the hills opposite Patuateak looked absolutely amazing, which lifted my spirits.
Ending
After enjoying the sunset, we made our way to Sonar Para Beach to catch
the Chander Gari, which would take us back to the main city of Cox's
Bazar. And that wraps up our day.
It was a full-day tour that we thoroughly enjoyed. They provided us with
all the meals, including lunch, soft drinks, breakfast, tea, and
evening snacks. For breakfast, we had apples, sandwiches, and water,
while lunch included rice with three other curry dishes. Our evening
snacks consisted of chicken fries and buns. The overall quality of the dishes was excellent, with freshness and
deliciousness combined. It was truly a great experience to enjoy such
high-quality food in those locations where good restaurants were not available.
The washroom facilities were impeccably clean and well-maintained. The
seats on the bus were very comfortable for the journey. The best aspect
was that all the couples were part of the tour, which meant there was no
extra noise or disturbance. This created a calm and peaceful atmosphere
throughout the trip.The music they played added an extra flavor to the journey.
