Teknaf is the last mainland town in far southeastern Bangladesh, squeezed between the Bay of Bengal, the Naf River, and the hills along the Myanmar border. It is dusty, remote, and rough around the edges, but the setting is one of the most dramatic in the country.
Most travellers know Teknaf only as the jumping-off point for Saint Martin's Island. That sells it short. The Teknaf Wildlife Sanctuary protects a long strip of hill forest where Bangladesh still has wild elephants and macaques. West of town, Teknaf Beach is quieter than Cox's Bazar, with fishing boats, open sand, and hills behind the coast.
The other direction is the frontier. The Naf River marks the border with Myanmar, and the jetties at Teknaf and Shah Porir Dwip look across to the Arakan hills. Salt fields, betel-leaf plots, soldiers, fishing boats, and border stories all sit close together here.
Teknaf is not an easy resort town. Come if the idea of Bangladesh's far edge appeals to you: forest, river, sea, borderland, and a sense of being a long way from the centre.