Saint Martin Island or (St Martin Island) is one of the coral islands of Bangladesh. At present it is located in the south of mainland Bangladesh. Saint Martin is a small island covering 17 square kilometers 120 km away from Cox’s Bazar district. In the local language of the area, St. Martin is called Coconut Gingera. Natural beauty
The beautiful island has become one of the tourist destinations of Bangladesh and other countries. Along with the blue sky, coconut trees stand united in rows. The island of Saint Martin has made a special place in the hearts of the thirsty people. Today I will share with you some things about Saint Martin.
Travel expenses to Saint Martin
Before traveling anywhere you must have an idea of its cost. Today I will tell you the details of St. Martin trip with cost. How you go, where you travel, where you stay, what you eat, etc. will depend on your expenses.
During the peak season (December to January) or holidays, other expenses, including accommodation, will be slightly higher. Here is an idea of how much it will cost to travel from Dhaka to Saint Martin, including accommodation and food in cheap and good quality hotels. From which you can have some idea about the cost.
| Expenses | Details |
|---|---|
| Travel expenses | Bus Ticket – Tk 2200 (Non AC), Tk 2,800-4,400 (AC) inclusive. Ship/Boat Fare – Tk 850 (open deck), Tk 1100-1600 (AC) inclusive of round trip. Chera Dwip – Tk 200 to and fro by trawler. Local Travel – Van fare to St. Martin’s market or nearby is Tk 150-200. Other expenses – 2000 Tk. |
| Food expenses | Day of journey- Dinner at journey Break 100-200 Tk. 1st Day-Breakfast Tk 60-100, Lunch Tk 120-220 and Dinner/Bar Tk 200-300. 2nd day-breakfast 60-100 taka, lunch 120-220 taka. Return day- dinner at break 100-200 taka. *If desired, it is possible to eat and drink at a lower cost. Going to the hotels inside the market and eating simple food will reduce the cost a lot. |
| Lodging expenses | Standard hotel/resort couple room or double bed 1500-3000 taka. Fair quality hotel towards market 800-1200 taka. Fares will go up a bit more during peak season and public holidays. If a few people are together in one room, the cost will be reduced. Excluding peak season and holidays will cost less. Besides, if you want to stay at a lower cost, you can stay at the local people’s house for a small amount of money, for this you have to search and talk. |
How to go St Martin Island
St. Martin is generally accessible by ship/trawler from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar. If you want to go from Dhaka, it is convenient to go directly to Teknaf by bus and from there by ship/trawler to Saint Martin. All the ways to go to Saint Martin from all places are detailed below:
How to go from Dhaka to Teknaf
Teknaf can be directly reached by bus from Dhaka. From Gabtali, Kalabagan, Fakirapool, Syedabad and Abdullahpur of Dhaka, Shyamli, St. Martin Paribahan, St. Martin Hyundai, Royal Coach, Tuba Line, S Alam, Modern Line, Green Line etc. buses go directly to Teknaf. The fare usually ranges from Tk 1050 to Tk 2200 depending on the bus and class. If you only want to go to Saint Martin then it is best to take a direct bus from Dhaka to Teknaf. The bus departs between 8-10 pm and reaches Teknaf by 8 am.
How to go from Coxbazar to Teknaf
Teknaf can be reached by hiring a local bus/micro/jeep/cng from Cox’s Bazar. Bus fare from Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf is Tk 150 and CNG fare is Tk 250 per person. It takes about two hours to go to Teknaf depending on the condition. And if you want to catch the morning ship, you have to leave for Teknaf from Cox’s Bazar early in the morning (before 6 am).
How to go from Chittagong to Teknaf
S Alam and Saudia buses leave from Chittagong Cinema Palace at 12 midnight for Teknaf. Besides, some buses ply from GSE Garibullashah Shrine and Dampara on Chittagong-Teknaf route. It will cost Tk 550-1200 to go by bus from Chittagong to Teknaf.
How to go from Teknaf to Saint Martin
Several ships/ships operate daily from Teknaf to Saint Martin, usually from November to March. Ships plying Teknaf-St Martin route include Carey Sindabad, Carey Cruise & Dine, MV Farhan, Atlantic etc. It takes two hours to two and a half hours to go from Teknaf to Saint Martin by ship.
Depending on the class and quality of the ship, the ticket fare to and from St. Martin ranges from Tk 850 to Tk 1600. Ships depart Teknaf JT wharf daily at 9.00-9.30 am for Saint Martin. Return from St. Martin at 3.00-3.30 pm. Sheep tickets to Saint Martin are usually round trip. You have to mention when you will return while booking the ticket.
Resorts and Hotels in Saint Martin
St. Martin has a variety of quality hotels, resorts and cottages especially for overnight stays. It is convenient to book in advance if you go on holidays. But if you want, you can go there and fix the resort of your choice. Popular resorts in Saint Martin include –
Blue Marine Resort
The location of Blue Marine Resort is very close to the ferry port of Saint Martin Island. AC double bedroom rental in Blue-Marine Resort is Tk 15,000 and non-AC Tk 5,000, triple red room rent is Tk 3,000 each, six bedroom rental is Tk 4,000 and ten bedroom rental is Tk 5,000. Contact: 01817 060065
Praasad Paradise Resort
Passing the Blue Marine Resort through St. Martin’s Market and moving a little further north is the beautiful Praasad Paradise. 2000-5000 rupees to rent any one of 16 rooms of different types. Contact: 01995 539248, 01883 626003
Neel Digante Resort
Neel Digante Resort is located at the corner of the south beach of St. Martin Island, a little away from the jetty. It will cost 1500-5000 rupees to stay in various types of cottage type rooms at Nil Digante Resort. Contact: 0173 005 1004
Prince Heaven Resort
Adjacent to Palace Paradise located in North Beach, Prince Heaven Resort has a total of 24 rooms and a restaurant. Prince Heaven Resort room rent amount is 1,500-3,500 Tk. Contact: 01995 539 246, 01883 626 002
Labiba Bilas Resort
Current name is The Atlantic Resort. Located on West Beach, this resort has 43 rooms for overnight stays. And to stay here you have to spend from 3500 to 12000 taka. Contact: 01700 969 212, 01834 267 922
Dream Night Resort
Located at the end of the West Beach, Dream Night Resort offers 2 to 4 overnight stays per room. To stay in this resort you have to spend from 1500 to 3500 taka. Contact: 01825 656326, 01730 235002
Sayari Eco Resort
Located in Nazrul Para on South Beach, Sayari Eco Resort is aesthetically unique. Sayri Eco Resort has 18 rooms of different categories for night stay from 1500 to 3000 taka. Contact: 01610 555500
There are also Coral Blue, Mermaid, Deepantar, Panna Resort, Sea Prabal, Sea Inn, Hotel Sagar Par, Riad Guest House, Hotel Sapna Prabal, Shravan Vilas, Sunset View etc.
Where to eat in Saint Martin
Usually most resorts have catering facilities. Find out beforehand if the resort you are staying at has catering facilities. Bengali food is arranged with various items of sea fish almost everywhere. Barbeque facilities are available in the resorts. There are several food hotels near St. Martin’s Market. If you want, you can eat from them. If you want to return in the day instead of staying at night, you can get food in the market hotels in that area.
Some of the hotels and restaurants where you can eat are Carey Marjan Restaurant, Beach Point, Hotel Allar Dan, Bazaar Beach, Assam Hotel, Sea Beach, St. Martin’s, Comilla Restaurant, Real Restaurant, Haji Salim Park, St. Martin’s Tourist Park, Hotel Sadek etc. But definitely check the food and price.
What to eat in Saint Martin
St. Martin’s most famous thing is the Dub which is both sweet and savory. At least one dub test should be done when going to St. Martin’s. For those who like to eat fish, St. Martin’s is waiting with different types and flavors of coral, sundari poa, hilsa, roopchanda, lobster, kalachanda etc. All resorts and hotels have the opportunity to buy and barbecue their own fish. And if there is a chance, you can eat kura (native chicken is called kura). There are also endless stocks of unknown dried fish such as laitta, churi, roopchanda, kachki etc. Besides, if you go during summer, you can try the watermelon there.
Travel tips and warnings
- Saint Martin is our country’s treasure, so don’t do anything to harm nature.
- Mobile frequencies are low in Saint Martin. There may be difficulty in speaking. But Teletalk works relatively well.
- The BGB currently patrols St Martin regularly They often prohibit tourists from staying on the beach or jetty area after 12 midnight.
- Throw garbage in the right place. Please do not throw any plastic/polythene on the beach.
- You can visit on other days than the holidays for cheap St. Martin accommodation and meals.
- With so many hotels and cottages now built on St. Martin, there is no shortage of places to stay.
- Bargain for anything in tourist areas.
- If there are more people, you can book the ship ticket in advance.
- Do not fall into the clutches of brokers. Do everything yourself.
- If you want, Cox’s Bazar can buy St. Martin’s package from various agents.
- The most beautiful view is from the ship’s deck while sailing to and from St. Martin.
- Be careful when going into the sea.
