St. Martin is the only coral island in Bangladesh which is a small island of 16 sq km in the southernmost part of the mainland and 120 km away from the district town of Cox's Bazar. In the local language, St. Martin is also called Coconut Ginger. This island with its unique natural beauty has become one of the tourist destinations in Bangladesh. The combination of the blue sky and the blue water of the sea, the rows of coconut trees have made this island unique.
How to go
If you want to go to St. Martin, first you have to come to Teknaf in Cox's Bazar district. Teknaf can be reached directly by bus from Dhaka. Buses from Dhaka's Fakirapul and Sayedabad to Shyamli, Saint Martin Paribahan, Eagle, S Alam, Modern Line, Green Line etc. go directly to Teknaf. The fare for this 10-12 hour journey is usually between 900 to 2000 rupees depending on the bus and class. Or you can come to Cox's Bazar from Dhaka first and then go to Teknaf from Cox's Bazar. Many buses from Dhaka to Green Line, Sohag, TR Travels, Shyamoli, Hanif, Saudia, Eagle, S Alam, Silk Line, St. Martin etc. leave for Cox's Bazar every day. Cox's Bazar can also be reached directly by air from Dhaka.
And if you want to go from Dhaka to Chittagong by train, you have to travel from Dhaka to Sonar Bangla, Turna-Nishitha, Subarna Express, Mahanagar Prabhati / Godhuli, Chittagong Mail by train at your convenience. Then every hour cars are available from Bahaddar Hat or New Bridge area of Chittagong to Cox's Bazar. S Alam, Saudia, Unique etc. buses can be used to get good service among them.
You can reach Teknaf from Cox's Bazar by renting a local bus or micro / jeep. It takes about one to two hours from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf. Ships like Kutubdia, Kerry Sindabad, Eagle, Sundarbans etc. come and go from Teknaf to St. Martin every morning. There are also several trawlers and speedboats plying this sea route. The journey from Teknaf to St. Martin by ship takes two to two and a half hours. Depending on the class of the ship, the up-down fare is around 550-600 rupees. Ships depart daily from the jetty for St. Martin at 9.00-9.30 am and return from St. Martin at 3.00-3.30 pm. So if you do not arrive at the jetty early, the ship is likely to be missed. And in such cases there is no way but to return to the trawler which is dangerous. Those who spend the night in St. Martin get a chance to return the next day on a ship that is already mentioned on the ticket.
The ship usually runs for five months from November to March. If you go to a time other than this time, you have to go by trawler or speedboat. The rest of the time, except the winter season, the sea is rough, so travel is not safe at this time.