Sea girl, hearing the word, the mind rushes across Patuakhali to the wide beach. Where you stand to see the gentle sunrise and the wonderful moment of the soft orange Arun sunset. Maybe because of such a special nature, everyone affectionately calls Kuakata the mermaid. Therefore, Kuakat has a special place on the list of travel enthusiasts and tourists. Apart from the vast reservoirs of the sea, the ancient monuments are also mind-blowing. Various Buddhist monasteries and ancient wells are within reach. Standing at the same place, sunrise and sunset can be seen in 12 hours. This 18-kilometre-long beach plays with various shapes and colours in Haram. The scenery of the mermaid changes moment by moment. Red crabs are running around. Mangrove forests grow along the seashore. The time to gather oysters also comes at this seashore. The confluence of the three estuaries of the Manik River in Andhra. On the opposite side are Fatra forest, Shutki village, and red crab pasture. It is as if Char Bijay woke up to accompany them. In that pasture, there is a collection of biodiversity. Different species of domestic and foreign birds including red crab nest in this pasture. A short distance from Zero Point is the tourist village Gangamati. The indigenous Rakhines are also closely related to the Kuakata. It is known that about 200 years ago, after being expelled from Arakan, 150 Rakhine families floated in boats and anchored on the coast of Kuakata. Human settlements were built here by their hands. They dig wells in search of safe drinking water. Fresh and safe water supply used to come from there. And there is a legend that Kuakata is the name of the town near the beach of Patuakhali after that well. According to the traditional rules, the Rakhine people still living on the coast of Sagar continue to weave looms. Srimangal
Buddha Vihara built with Indochinese craftsmanship is made by their hands. Besides, there is Seema Buddhist Vihara in Misripara near Kuakata. A huge statue of meditating Gautama Buddha adorns the temple. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared Kuakata a modern tourist center in 1998. Since then, Kuakata has given a special dimension to the country’s tourism industry. The distance from Dhaka to Kuakata is 320 km. 108 km from Barisal. 70 km from district town Patuakhali and 18 km from Upazila headquarters Kalapara. AC-Non-AC transport buses are plying with Kuakata from different parts of the country including Dhaka since the Padma Bridge was opened. Kuakata is getting crowded during the holidays The sunrise and sunset beaches of the mermaid Kuakata have become popular with tourists. Tourists are enjoying themselves in the salt water of the sea. Durga Puja coincides with the weekend and the tourist crowd is a bit heavier than usual. Rafts of white clouds in the sky, pure southern air, deep blue waters of the sea. Tourists are enjoying the free movement of red crabs on the beach and the beautiful appearance of Kuakata with fascinated eyes. Someone is taking a selfie and keeping the memory alive in the electronic memory of the cell phone or the virtual canvas of social media. Someone is sitting on a beach bench enjoying the boundless mind-blowing form of the infinite ocean. Locals said that the presence of tourists had
increased a lot compared to before. Tourists are visiting various sightseeing spots including Kuakata’s well, Beach’s Lemon Forest, Gangamati Lake, Red Crab’s Char, Misripara Buddhist Vihara, Sri Mangal Buddhist Vihara, and Rakhine Village. Photographers and horse racing on the beach do not stop. Again, many are enjoying various types of sea fish fry and bar-b-que at the beach shops, including crabs and shrimps. Apart from this, the shops of Fuchka Chatpati are also crowded. The concerned tourism traders said that earlier it took 10 to 12 hours to go to Kuakata by road from Dhaka by crossing the ferry. Now the Padma Bridge has been opened, and that suffering has also been reduced. It can be reached here in just 6 hours. So the wanderlust has chosen Kuakata. Md. Madhu Howladar, a small businessman near the beach, said that since the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, more tourists have started coming than before. So sales have also increased. However, there are more tourists on public holidays or special days. Tourist Arifin Faisal said I have been to Kuakata before. It was necessary to cross several ferries to come here. Then there were a lot of ironies. This time I came to Kuakata in just 6 hours. I rested at the hotel for some time and went out to the beach. I visited various sightseeing spots. Tourist Sabuj Shikdar also said Kuakata is one of my favourite places. So whenever I get a holiday, I come here again and again. Md. Zahirul Islam, an owner of Hotel Golden Inn Kuakata, said there is a lot of pressure on tourists due to Durga Puja and weekend holidays. All the rooms in our hotel are booked. Tourists are still booking online or over the phone. Hossain Amir, general secretary of Kwakata Tourism Management Association, Kutum, said that after the Padma Bridge was launched, the arrival of tourists is increasing on public holidays including weekends. Kuakata Hotel-Motel Owners Association General Secretary MA Motaleb Sharif said that Kuakata’s fortunes have returned after the inauguration of the Padma Bridge. Tourists struggle to cope with the pressure of long vacations. He told reporters that we are trying to provide maximum service to the incoming tourists. Manipur Police Station OC Khondkar. Abul Khair said that every day a team of Thana police is working for the safety of tourists. Police are on high alert to avoid any untoward incident. Kuakata Tourist Police Zone Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Ah Khalek said that the tourist police are working in the field to provide round-the-clock security to the tourists.