Gazetted as a national park in 2010, this 3,990-acre coastal woodland was established to protect the shoreline from tidal waves and cyclones. Slender jhau trees, coconut palms, and mangrove varieties like gewa and keora grow along sand dunes and tidal creeks. Walking paths wind through the tree canopy to quiet stretches of coast away from central beach crowds. Shaded picnic clearings sit near the forest department beat office. Carry drinking water as there are no vendors inside the woodland.
- Best time
- November to February
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry free; motorbike ride from central beach roughly ৳100–150 round trip
How to get to Kuakata National Park
About 4 km west of central Kuakata beach. Motorbikes, easy-bikes or an hour-long walk along the beach access the forest gate.
Patuakhali town is about 295 km from Dhaka, around 6 hours by road. Every way to get there is in the Patuakhali guide.
More to see in Patuakhali
Photo: Fahimrb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Kuakata Sea Beach কুয়াকাটা সমুদ্র সৈকত
An 18-kilometre sandy coastline facing south, known as Sagar Kannya, where both sunrise and sunset view over the water.
- Best time
- November to March
- Give it
- Half a day
- Cost
- Beach access free; motorbike beach ride about ৳300–500 for a multi-spot tour
Photo: ANKAN, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Kuakata Ancient Well and Buddhist Temple কুয়াকাটার প্রাচীন কূপ ও সীমা মন্দির
The historic freshwater well dug by early Rakhine settlers that gave Kuakata its name, beside a Buddhist monastery.
- Best time
- October to March
- Give it
- About an hour
- Cost
- Entry free; small donations welcomed at the temple; rickshaw roughly ৳20–30
Photo: Zahid Asif, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Majidbaria Shahi Mosque মজিদবাড়িয়া শাহী মসজিদ
A single-domed brick sultanate mosque built in 1465, the oldest surviving architectural monument in Barishal division.
- Best time
- October to March
- Give it
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Entry free; auto-rickshaw from Patuakhali town roughly ৳150–200 each way