On Friday, Sept. 14, I’ll be in Cox’s Bazaar, but I won’t just be lazing around the beach. I am proudly participating in International Coastal Cleanup 2007, an event where volunteers around the world will spend a day cleaning beaches worldwide.
At 94 km, Bangladesh has the world’s longest unbroken sea beach, stretching from the southernmost tip of Bangladesh at Teknaf, all the way to Cox’s Bazaar. I’ve read in some places that Cox’s might become some kind of Islamic beach holiday resort, which would be pretty interesting as the site of people swimming fully-clothed has always been a curious one. But given Bangladesh’s Islamic sensibilities, it does make sense.
The event is being hosted by Kewkradong.com, and supported by tourism company Delta Outdoors, one of the most intriguing operators I’ve met in Bangladesh so far. Composed of a small group of passionate adventurers who mostly have full-time jobs elsewhere, Delta Outdoors is extremely unique in that their focus is on Responsible Tourism (RT), something sadly lacking in tourism industry worldwide, but especially in Bangladesh. To me, RT means travelling while being conscious of one’s environmental and cultural impact, and also travelling in a way that brings benefit back to the local communities that support the travel. By simply highlighting RT in their marketing policies, Delta Outdoors already has my respect and support as one of Bangaldesh’s best operators.
Are you interested in participating in the cleanup? If so, please let me know… I would like to organize the logistics and costs over the weekend. We will leave Thursday evening (the 13th) and return Saturday night (15th) by overnight bus.
5 Responses and Counting...
nice mikey! but…
The key details are as follows:
We will depart at 2115pm on Thursday, so depending on who is coming I can help to arrange some transport around the city to make it easier (and to make sure we don’t miss our bus).
The price will be no more than 3,500 Tk, but this price should fall as I work out more details. It depends who comes and what kind of transport I’ll need to arrange for the attendees.
I need to get your confirmation by Wednesday morning please.
The plan is below. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!
13 Sept, Thursday:
2115 pm: Gulshanites depart from BAGHA club @ 2115pm (I will arrange transport so we get to the bus on time).
2030 pm: A/C bus departs for Cox’s from bus office in Dhaka.
14 Sept, Friday:
0800am: check in to Chez Lindy
1000am: After some chilling out, breakfast and coffee, let Coastal Cleanup begin!
Lunch time: With the cleanup crew..
Dinner: TBA
15 Sept, Saturday:
Brekkie: cooked by Mikey… yum… will bring real coffee..
Morning: Departure for Moheshkhali (optional)
1130am: For those who are considering.. GMG flight leaves for Dhaka at 1130am, ($75 USD – ouch)
Lunch: With the cleanup crew.. even though we’ll be done cleaning!
Dinner: TBA
2130pm: Depart for Dhaka
16 Sept, Sunday:
0630am: Arrive Dhaka, have transport waiting to take us all back to where we need to go… or straight to work as the case may be..
Price: 3,000 Tk
Maximum group size: 8
Already confirmed: Mikey, Bel, Julie
What’s included:
1) Two breakfasts, two lunches
2) Transfer from BAGHA on Thursday, bus tickets and a ride home on the way back
3) A mattress on Lindy’s floor — a big shout out to Lindy for volunteering her flat for two nights while she’s out of town!
What’s not included:
1) Dinners and alcohol, although I am happy to arrange either for you within reason if you don’t have time
2) Moheshkhali Day Trip — up to you if you want to go or if you prefer just chilling on the beach, cool, will find out price later..
What you need to bring:
1) An offering to leave at Lindy’s place for letting us use her flat.
2) Snacks for the bus, and anything that might help you sleep (music, ear plugs, eye shade, pillow).
3) Any booze you would like for the trip, although some is available in Cox’s.
4) Beach gear, including bathing suit — I’m hearing some hotels have pools but it’s probably best you don’t wear your bikini in this Muslim beach destination.
5) An open mind–but I don’t think that should be a problem if you’re in Bangladesh already!!
What to leave at home:
1) Stuff — you don’t need much for this trip.
“world’s longest unbroken sea beach”?? that too 94 kms… interesting.
hmmm…many people of the world (even our closest neighboring country India) don’t know, the longest sea beach of the world is in Bangladesh. But it’s true and the beach is worth watching
The beach at Cox’s is beautiful. The people living there are kinda weirdoz.
Its a pitty, Bangladesh could make lots of money on foreign tourist. In other muslim countries
Even though not wearing ur swimming suite; just sitting on the beach
with ur cloth on, there are douzens of people looking at the white guy.
Have never been on a beach holiday at such a weird place before in this world. But it was interesting. Will not go again
its possible too (Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia)