Saint Martin: Only Coral Island in Bangladesh
Saint Martin’s Island, the only coral island of Bangladesh, is the southernmost part of Bangladesh. The 17-kilometer long island is 120 kilometer away from Cox’s Bazar town. The locals call it Narikel Jinjira. The Island which has clear blue water, coral reef and all its exquisiteness and beauty awaits, has become one of best places for the tourists for its beauty. Traveling people are attracted by endless blue sky, blue colour water of sea and coconut trees in rows in the island.
How to Get to Saint Martin’s Island
If you want to go to Saint Martin’s Island, you will must come to Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar. You can go to the island by using ship or trawler from Teknaf. Below are possible all ways to get to Saint Martin’s Island.
How to Get to Saint Martin’s Island from Dhaka
You can go to Teknaf from Dhaka directly by bus. The buses of Shyamoli, Saint Martin, Eagle, Hanif, S Alam, Modern Line and Green line paribhan left Dhaka every day for Teknaf. The fare for these buses is Tk 900-Tk 1200 as per class. If you want to go only Saint Martin, it will be better for you to choose direct bus (Dhaka to Teknaf). You will broad on night coach bus around 8pm-10pm and will be able to reach Teknaf with 8am morning.
How to Get to Saint Martin’s Island from Dhaka via Cox’s Bazar
In this case, you will have to come to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka. Then you will go to Teknaf from Cox’s Bazar. Many buses like Shyamoli, Saint Martin, Eagle, Hanif, S Alam, Modern Line and Green line paribhan left Dhaka every Dhaka. The bus fare is Tk 1000 -Tk 3000. But you will reach Cox’s Bazar chiefly if you choose Non-AC bus. If you want to avoid the long bus journey from Dhaka, you can catch a train to Chittagong. Besides, you can go Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka by air.
How to Get to Saint Martin’s Island from Cox’s Bazar town
Any tourist can go to Teknaf by faring local bus, microbus, jeep and CNG-run auto-rickshaw from Cox’s Bazar town. You will have to count Tk 150 for bus fare while Tk 250 for auto-rickshaw fare to go to Teknaf from Cox’s Bazar for the two-hour long journey. If any tourist wants to trip the morning’s ship to go to Saint Martin, he or she will have to leave Cox’s Bazar town for Teknaf by 6am.
How to Get to Saint Martin’s Island from Chattogram
The buses of S Alam and Saudia Paribahan left Chattogram from Cinema place of the port city for Teknaf 12am midnight every day.
How to Get to Saint Martin’s Island from Teknaf
Several ships including Keari Sindabad, MV Farhan and Atlantic left Teknaf for Saint Martin every day morning from November to March. The trip with ship takes time two and half hour on average. The ship fare along with return ticket is Tk 500-1500 as per class. The ships left Teknaf Jetty ghat around 9am-9.30am every day and return Teknaf from Saint Martin 3pm-3:30pm. If anyone can not present at Jetty ghat in due time, you will miss the ship. Otherwise, he or she will have to return Teknaf by trawler which is risk for all. If any tourist can travel for Saint Martin from April to October, he or she will go to the island by trawler or Speedboat. But the traveling is not safe in this time. The winter is the best time to go to Saint Martin.
What will you eat and where to eat
The most sweet and tasty food of Saint Martin is coconut. Those who like fish can have it such as Coral, Hilsha, Rupchanda, Lobster and Kalachanda. If you like fish barbeque, restaurants will manage it for you. Besides, if you want to eat dry fish, there are many dry fishes like Loita, Chhuri, Rupchanda and Kachnki.
Where will you stay at night in Saint Martin
There is several high-quality hotels and cottages for spending night in Saint Martin such as Blue Marin Resort, Coral View Resort, Praasad Paradise Resort, Neel Digante Resort, Price Heaven Resort, Labiba Bilash resort, Dream Night Resort and Sayari Eco Resort. The hotel room fare for spending one night is Tk 1500-Tk15000 as per class. Besides, many families manage to stay their houses for tourists. Visitors will get a room by Tk 250-300 for passing one night. But it will vary on season as tourists come to the island in winter season when hotel room fare is more than that of other seasons.
What will you see in Saint Martin
The island can be seen from at least 3 km from the sea. As it approached the island, anyone will get lost in the blueness of the ocean. The island stands humble with her beauty and absolute peaceful ambiance. The main beach is pretty peaceful and breezy with abundant coconut trees and hedges here and there.
If you plan for spending one day in the island, you will to have first take a hotel room after getting down from ship. You can go to Chhera Dwip taking some rest at hotel after having launch. You can get your lunch on the beach as fishermen sell fried fish, freshly caught from the ocean. The menu would include prawns, crabs, and pamphlets.
The Chhera Dwip is about five kilometer south of Saint Martin. You should start for Chhera Dwip before 4pm if you want to see sunset in Chhera Dwip. You can go to west beach or main beach in Saint Martin as there is clean water in the beach. You can bath here if you want. You can see cottage of Famous novelist Humayun Ahmed located near the main beach. If you like barbeque at night, the hotels are the best for fish barbeque as they provide fresh fish. You can eat in local hotel if you like it. Next day, you will broad your fixed ship by 2.30pm for returning Teknaf.
The second beach on the other side of Saint Martin island is actually a remote beach with rocks. It’s a rocky beach, where we enjoyed the sunset and played football on the beach. After sundown, the whole island closes off their businesses. So, getting food early is advisable. And at night you can walk the beach to build your appetite.
However, it will be good for tourists who will plan for spending one day in the island as they will get enough time. By maintaining the island, Saint Martin island can be the most exclusive tourist destination in Bangladesh.
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