Saint Martin's is the most beautiful and only
coral island in Bangladesh. It is one of the best Eco-Tourism Destinations
among the others. It is called the marine paradise of Bangladesh. It is
situated in the northeast part of the Bay of Bengal, just about 9 km south of the
Cox's Bazar-Teknaf peninsula and 8 km west of this northwest coast of Myanmar.
The island forms at the southernmost part of Bangladesh and at the estuary of
the Naf River that divided Bangladesh and Myanmar marking being the
international borderline between the two countries. The island is locally
called as “Narikel Jinjira”
that means Coconut Island, where a considerable amount of coconut grows in this
island. Someone called it “Daruchini Dip” due to its lovely
landscape and illusive crystal blue water of this Bay of Bengal that
surrounding the island. The location of Saint Martin's Island is on the getaway
in Bangladesh. The surrounding coral reef of the island has an extension named “Chera Dwip”.
The
pioneer human settlement started in the island just about 250 years ago by some
Arabian sailors
who
named the island “Zajira”. Within British period, the island was named St.
Martin’s Island. The population of the island is about 7500 and the main
profession of this people is fishing. Besides algae collection, tourism
services etc are the common profession of the inhabitants. Water transportation
is a possibility to reach this island, boats and ships (mostly for tourists)
from Teaknaf. The major goods for daily livelihood for the inhabitants sourced
from the mainland Bangladesh.
From
1989 to 2004, non-residential Bangladeshis and foreigners were only allowed to
visit the island. However, it has changed and now residential Bangladeshis are
also allowed to visit the Island. There is no electricity supply from the
national grid in your island. The tourist hotels of the island run ongenerators.
It
is possible to walk around the island in a full day because it measures only 8
square km, shrinking to about 5 square km during high tide. You will get the
right weather usually from November - February to visit this island. From March
to July, the weather of the region may well be rough. Very often, cyclone can
strike during these times. The island was seriously harmed by the devastated
cyclone in 1991 and yet has fully recovered, and was untouched by the 2004
tsunami.
In
the past few years, St. Martin's visitors have raised dramatically. St Martin’s
Island is perfect for tourists who wish to revive escaping the monotony of a
robotic daily your life. The island is all about sun, sea and palm trees.
During the tourist season, the island comes alive with the water and beach
sports, with beach parties and bonfires lighting up the evening sky. The island
is very suitable for scuba dive driving. One may also enjoy engine boat or
speed boat tour in the very crystal blue water around this destination. Though
there is no security problem for the visitors, one can pop down to the Coast
Guard station for any variety of security helping. There is no land phone but
mobile phone network is available. So you can communicate with the world
perhaps even you can browse Internet from your wireless devices.
In
the past few years, St. Martin's visitors have raised dramatically. St Martin’s
Island is perfect for tourists who wish to revive escaping the monotony of a
robotic daily your life. The island is all about sun, sea and palm trees.
During the tourist season, the island comes alive with the water and beach
sports, with beach parties and bonfires lighting up the evening sky. The island
is very suitable for scuba dive driving. One may also enjoy engine boat or
speed boat tour in the very crystal blue water around this destination. Though
there is no security problem for the visitors, one can pop down to the Coast
Guard station for any variety of security helping. There is no land phone but
mobile phone network is available. So you can communicate with the world
perhaps even you can browse Internet from your wireless devices.
Chera Dip is a coral based island adjacent to St. Martin but divided during
tides. You can go to Cheera Dip from St Martin’s island by local motorboats or
visitors boats. A lot of Corals of various species - living and dead form the
land of the island. There can be described as small bush which is the only
green part of Chera Dip enhancing the landscape of this island. There is
certainly no permanent inhabitant in Chera Dip. So it is advisable to the
tourists to go there early and come back from evening. To enhance your
enjoyment,
you can taste there fry of fresh marine fisheries and green coconut water from
plenty of mobile shops dedicated to tourist services.
Accommodation in St. Martins Island is limited, so you must book hotel before
you plan to go to this Island. You will hardly get a chance to stay in this
hotel for everybody who is a sudden visitor of St. Martins Island. The
remarkable tourist hotels in Saint Martin’s are Hotel Nijhum, Prashad Paradise,
Sraboni Bilash, Samudra Bilash, Vacation resort hotel Simana Parie etc. Booking
of these hotels are also possible from Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox’s Bazaar. All
these hotels are situated adjacent to Seashore. From these hotels lobby or veranda,
you can enjoy the illusive breeze and romantic sound of Sea. There will be some
other motels and hotels established recently in St. Martin’s for tourist
accommodation. Besides, the local fishermen and inhabitants even rent their
well decorated rooms for tourists accommodations purpose. If you are lucky
enough, you can spend the exotic moonlit occasion at St. Martin’s Island. The
beauty of Full moon in St. Martins Island cannot be expressed in words, if an
individual there at that time.
In
the past few years, St. Martin's visitors have raised dramatically. St Martin’s
Island is perfect for tourists who wish to revive escaping the monotony of a
robotic daily your life. The island is all about sun, sea and palm trees.
During the tourist season, the island comes alive with the water and beach
sports, with beach parties and bonfires lighting up the evening sky. The island
is very suitable for scuba dive driving. One may also enjoy engine boat or
speed boat tour in the very crystal blue water around this destination. Though
there is no security problem for the visitors, one can pop down to the Coast
Guard station for any variety of security helping. There is no land phone but
mobile phone network is available. So you can communicate with the world
perhaps even you can browse Internet from your wireless devices.
You can go there by sea truck, local motorboat and / or tourist boats.
Currently, five shipping liners run daily trips to the island, including
Keary-Sindbad, Keary Cruise & Dine, Shahid Sher Niabat, L C T Kutubdia and
Eagle from Teknaf. Beside a shipping liner recently inaugurate there service
from Cox’s Bazaar. Tourists are able to book their trip from Dhaka, Chittagong
or Cox's Bazar. You need to fly or take a direct bus down towards Cox's Bazaar,
and then take a bus to Teknaf, which is the most southern police station of
Bangladesh. You may well go by rail to Chittagong and then a bus from
Bahaddarhat station to Teknaf via Cox’s bazaar. From my have experience, it is
better to travel sea truck from Teknaf and take an open dock ticket to enjoy
the adventure and thrill of this mighty Bay of Bengal. You will have a chance
as a bonus to enjoy the green hill tracts of Taknaf to soothe your eyes in the
west and Mayanmar borderline in the east remember when you are in open dock of
a sea truck in Naf River and estuary. Sea trucks leaves Teknaf every morning at
9. 00 morning, and return from St. Martin Island in the same day at 3. 00 pm.
Package Tour to Saint Martin Destination
Beside Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, a number of renowned local Tour
Operators arrange package tour to Saint Martin Island from Nov to February. It
is a wise decision especially for foreign tourists to hand over all headache of
journey, accommodation, foods or anything else to anexperienced Tour Operator
to visit the amazing tourist heaven Saint Martin’s island, Bangladesh.
Accommodation:
Name and Phone Numbers
1. Motel Nijhum
Also
known for the reason that St. Martin Resort
Ph:
+88-018-9051164
2. Blue Marine Resort
Ph:
+88-0187 060065, +88-02-9556251
3. Semana Pereye Resort
Ph:
+88-017-20693980
4. Hotel Prince
Ph:
+88-017-11276250
