Saint Martins Island Bangladesh: Hidden Paradise Await.

Explore the beauty of Saint Martins Island in Bangladesh, an untouched gem known for its pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters. Plan your visit today!

Saint Martins Island Bangladesh: Hidden Paradise Await.

There is a beautiful island like the picture in our Bangladesh. At one time, people named it Narikel Jinjira because of the abundance of coconuts. It is also known as ‘Daruchini Dwip.’ Our travel story today is about this island, which spans only 8 square kilometers. Saint Martin, located in the northeast of the Bay of Bengal, is the only coral island in Bangladesh.

There is no shortage of interest among domestic and foreign tourists about this island, because they can come here at any time of the year. Additionally, a limited number of tourists can visit each day with permission from the Tourism Corporation. So there is no such hustle and bustle here.

Following recent political changes in Bangladesh, travel to Saint Martin was temporarily suspended for various reasons. However, the government lifted the travel ban at the beginning of 2025. Several new rules and regulations have been introduced into the travel policy. In this article, we will share the dos and don’ts of traveling to Saint Martin, along with our New Year travel experience.

How to Go Saint Martin

This time, our journey to Saint Martin begins from Arambagh, Dhaka. We are traveling in a Volvo bus operated by Hanif Paribahan. The fare per person for the AC bus is 1,800 Taka. It will take us directly from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, from where we will board a ship to Saint Martin. Since we need to catch the ship on time, our bus tickets have been booked according to the ship’s departure schedule.

You should also consider the departure time of the ship and take the car from Dhaka. Otherwise, if you miss the ship, you will face additional inconvenience.

This arrangement ensures we reach the pier on time. We had dinner at Miami Restaurant in Camilla around 1 a.m. Keep in mind that the food prices here are slightly higher than at regular hotels. The silence of sleep on a moving bus enveloped us, and I opened my eyes as we arrived at Dolphin Crossing in Cox’s Bazar at 6 a.m.

You can come here by rickshaw or three-wheeler from Dolphin intersection. It will take 20 minutes, the fare is 200 taka. You can negotiate the price before renting.

There are four other members in our team as travel companions. Recently, due to some issues with vehicle movement on the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road, tourists travel from Cox’s Bazar to Saint Martin via Marine Drive, passing through Inani Jetty. Along the way, you will see mountains on one side, the vastness of the sea on the other, and the road in between. After about an hour’s journey, we reached the Bangladesh Navy Jetty to board the ship.

Journey By Ship

Our ship is called Baro Auliya. It will leave at 10 am. Please bring your ticket and travel pass with you. The fare for the sun deck of the Baro Auliya ship, including the return and return, is 2800 taka per person, which is located at the very top of the ship.

You will get a comfortable chair for 3,000 taka per person. On the ground floor, there are Panorama or Riviera options, which will cost 2,800 taka per person. There is also a Kevin arrangement for families.

Our ship is sailing forward in the blue waters of the endless Bay of Bengal. Most of the passengers have left their cabins and seats and come out onto the open deck of the ship to enjoy the beauty of the sea. A group of seagulls is racing alongside the speed of the ship.

Many tourists are spending their time capturing the humorous scene. Some are offering different foods to the seagulls, which swiftly snatch the food from their hands. Watching this, the little children accompanying the tourists are jumping with joy and expressing their happiness. In the fresh sea breeze, some people gathered in groups and started singing.

At this time, the guide from the Bangladesh Tourism Board gave us various instructions and shared some information for the sake of awareness.

Seagulls primarily eat raw fish.
The packets of food given by tourists, such as chips, bread, etc., are enjoyed by the birds, but they cannot digest them, leading to many birds dying. Therefore, there are restrictions on the type of food that can be given.
The Tourism Board discourages carrying plastic water bottles with tourists.
Even if you carry a water bottle, you must take it with you when leaving the island.

After about 6 hours of sea travel, we came across the Mayan island of Saint Martin. We reached Saint Martin in the afternoon and went straight to the resort.

The best resorts here have a view of the sea from their balconies. Especially during high tide, the beauty of the sea increases manifold.

What to Eat

Since we had not made any food bookings in advance, we had lunch at the Panch-Foron Hotel. If you prefer, they can set up a dining table in the open area facing the sea. Additionally, you can enjoy a candlelight dinner with your loved ones. The special dishes include:

Fish barbecue. You can choose your own live fish from the sea for barbecue. Among the local fish, coral, Sundori Poa fish, hilsa and rupchanda fish are very famous.
Saint Marty is famous for coconuts. You can eat the delicious dab here.
Local watermelon. It is available in the hot season.
Local chicken. Its local name is Kora. This chicken is also a popular dish for its taste.

The clear blue waters are the main attraction here. Everywhere you look, there is nothing but blue. The blue of the sky and the sea blend together seamlessly. The shallow, long coastline, marine corals, and the rhythm of the sea waves captivate everyone. The aesthetic coconut tree rows seem to sway with the breeze.

Fishing boats and trawlers anchored on the shore, along with crabs, shells, and seagulls scattered along the beach, are all characteristic of Saint Martin Island. These features make this small island exceptionally beautiful. In the clear waters, jellyfish, various types of marine fish, turtles, and corals are some of the major attractions of the island.

Activity

Scuba Diving: The cost will range from 3,000 to 5,000 Taka.
You can swim in the clear blue water.
Enjoy the beautiful views of both the sunrise and sunset.
Cycling: Saint Martin’s beach is the most beautiful seaside in the country. You can rent a bike from local shops and cycle around the entire island. Cycling is quite popular among tourists for exploring the island.
You can even cycle to the nearby Chera Dwip, but only during low tide. Some people also walk to Chera Dwip.
You can take amazing photos in the long rows of coconut trees on the island.
In Saint Martin, you can see living coral reefs, which protect the island from erosion. At night, if you visit the sea shore and enjoy the waves, you may see a special kind of stone that glows when the waves hit it.

Wildlife

On the secluded beaches of this island, you can spot not only the Olive Ridley turtle but also three other species of both small and large turtles.

You will also encounter red crabs, along with 40 other species of small and large crabs, some of which are incredibly beautiful. There are many starfish of various sizes to be found here, along with over a hundred species of birds, half of which are migratory.
Various sources reveal that Saint Martin is home to 68 species of coral, 151 species of seaweed, 191 species of mollusks or shellfish, 234 species of marine fish, 5 species of dolphins, 4 species of amphibians, 28 species of reptiles, 120 species of birds, 20 species of mammals, 175 species of plants, and 2 species of bats, among many other species.

In the difficult times of climate change, coupled with pollution, the rich biodiversity of this island is slowly fading away. Around Chera Island, adjacent to the main island, there are corals, stones, shells, snail shells, limestone, and several hundred species of marine life.

The excessive pressure of tourism, rampant construction of hotels and motels, indiscriminate deforestation, and plastic waste have had a severely negative impact on the environment of Saint Martin, the country’s only coral island.

Travel Alert

The beach or the island has always been a favorite of everyone. The roaring sound of the sea and the cool breeze stir everyone’s hearts, creating a unique thrill within. The wonderful combination of the sea and the blue sky can be observed there. This is why the desire to visit Saint Martin increases as winter approaches.

However, according to the new rules of the Bangladesh government in 2025, Saint Martin can only be visited in January and February. Although this regulation may be lifted soon by the government. There are several precautions that everyone should follow while traveling to Saint Martin, such as:

Be cautious when walking on slippery stones or corals.
Be aware of the local dogs while walking around the area.
There is no direct electricity connection here. Restaurants and hotels operate on generators. Therefore, if you have a mobile or laptop, make sure to carry a power bank with you.
It is prohibited to dispose of plastic waste, such as bottles or chips packets, in the island area.
Collecting marine corals, stones, seaweed, turtles, etc., to take with you is prohibited for the preservation of biodiversity.
Before traveling, you must obtain a travel pass. Currently, no more than 2,000 tourists are allowed to visit per day.