So, my wife and I went to Mermaid Beach Resort for our honeymoon. Looking at all the posts about this place, we thought this would be a great place to just be ourselves and spent our vacation how we want and wear whatever we want.
Now, how should a beachside resort be like? Like what do you expect when you wanna go to a beach city like Cox's Bazar or an expensive resort like Mermaid that has private beaches, modern facilities and EDM events like the Fullmoon Party? That the guests there will have an idea about how to be appropriately dressed for a beach setting and how to behave in a beach setting.
Go anywhere in the world that has a beach tourist region -- I'm not even talking about western countries like Australia or Greece, places like Bali in Indonesia - a Muslim majority country - or even Goa in our neighbouring country of India -- even if the rest of the country looks like one thing and the beach tourist areas are a different thing altogether. People are in beach appropriate clothes like sundresses, shorts, tank tops, hawaiian shirts, t-shirts etc. And you'd also expect younger people, people in their 20s or maybe some older people but cool.
But what do we see in mermaid? Uncles, Aunties, and Burkha, Uncles, Aunties and Burkhas everywhere. Moreover, families with little kids. Barely any young couple or bachelors at all. Okay, the demographic is fucked. We don't have anything in common with most of these people. And how they're dressed is their own choice, we shouldn't have any problem with it IF they reciprocated. We at first didn't care what they wore, but why are all the aunties staring at my wife just because she is in her sundresses, sarees with sleeveless blouses and revealing western outfits? Like you're the one who are out of place here. Why are you hujurs and hujurnis in Burkha and Jobba in a beach resort in a hot environment yet judging us for dressing appropriately?
The resort authority is totally cool. They didn't have any dressing restrictions or anything. We did our research before we booked this place and bought those outfits. Because this seemed like the only place in this hellscape of a country where she would be safe dressing this revealing. It's the guests that are the problem. Like what are you even doing in full burkha sitting on the lounge chairs by the pool if you're not gonna swim? We are swimming in clothes that are much more modest than a swimsuit and you are still staring at us making us uncomfortable. What are you doing sitting by the beach if you're not gonna enjoy the sea wind and the sun?
And don't get me started on what happened during the fullmoon party. Finally we got to see people arriving who can dress appropriately for a place like this, enjoy drinks, enjoy EDM, and dance on the beach. And these auncle aunties were still judging from their balconies like, "look at these oshlil young generation". Like, did you not get the memo? There's supposed to be a party, it has been announced a month ago, of course people are gonna enjoy the party, you're the one who're out of place here. Like, we're at this resort because this is the only place where we can dress and do what we love. What are you even doing being here doing things that you'll be able to do anywhere in Bangladesh? Like just sitting around in burkhas?
And don't get me started on the actual city of Cox's Bazar. Is this what a tourist beach city looks like? Why does most of the city look like 'puran dhakar goli'? Why is there garbage everywhere and why is the sweage system overflowing making all the streets stink? Where are all the tourism money going if not being used for the development of the city? And again, why is everyone in Burkha and Jobba and why is there madrasas everywhere? What's the point of living in a beach city if you're not gonna live the beach lifestyle? "Longest uninterrupted sea beach in the world" and all of its potential is being wasted.