Saint Martin
Island
Saint Martin is a union of Teknaf Upazila. The island is spread out in north-south direction. The ghat is located on the eastern side of its northern part. This means we are walking towards the west from the ghat. The road from the ghat goes straight towards the west. In the middle of this east-west road, there is a road that goes from north to south, but it doesn't go all the way.
It is not known when the island was first identified by humans. It is said that thousands of years ago, the mountains of Teknaf once extended as far as St. Martin's. St. Martin was separated from the mainland by a cyclone and an earthquake and sank. Much later, islands began to emerge there.
It is said that the northern part of the island wakes up first. In the 18th century, some Arab traders used the island as a resting place while traveling from Chittagong to Southeast Asia. They named the island Jazeera, which means "island" or "peninsula" in Arabic. Over time, the people of Chittagong and its surrounding areas came to know this island as Jinjira.
Around 1890, some Bengalis and Rakhine people came to settle on the island. They were mainly fishermen. As far as is known, 13 families were the first inhabitants. They chose the northern part of the island. Over time, this island became a Bengali-dominated area. They planted a large number of coconut trees on this island to protect themselves from storms. Over time, the entire island eventually became a 'coconut-dominated' island. As a result, the local inhabitants began to call the northern part of the island as Coconut Jinjira. Around 1900, the British Survey team accepted the island as part of British India. In the survey, they named the island St. Martin after the then Divisional Commissioner of Chittagong, O. M. Martin, who was the Commissioner of Chittagong Division from 1938-1940, instead of the local name.
The trawler comes from Teknaf. The fare is 300 taka per person one way. It is mainly for locals. Speed boat leaves Teknaf for Shah Parir Island. Fare is 600 taka per person.
How to reach Saint Martin
Our journey begins in Cox’s Bazar (কক্সবাজার) — the world’s longest natural sea beach and the main gateway to Saint Martin. We traveled from Cox’s Bazar Nuniyar Chora Ghat. The real adventure starts! We board one of the Saint Martin ships such as Baro Awlia, Karnafuly Express, Keari Sindbad, Keari Cruise & Dine, or Bay One Ship — depending on the season. As the ship departs Nuniyar Chora, the journey across the Maheshkhali Channel begins, offering breathtaking views. The sea gradually turns deep blue as we enter the Bay of Bengal, and you can feel the wind, waves, and excitement of the open sea.
The Cox’s Bazar to Saint Martin ship journey takes around 6 hours, depending on weather and tides. Onboard, travelers can enjoy snacks, sea breeze, and stunning views of flying seagulls that often follow the ship. The experience feels like a movie — with endless blue water, sunshine, and the distant sight of Saint Martin Island appearing on the horizon.
Many visitors take photos and videos during this part of the journey, capturing the iconic Bay of Bengal waves, ships cutting through the sea, and the excitement of reaching an island paradise. It’s one of the most beautiful sea routes in Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশের সমুদ্রপথ).
As the ship approaches Saint Martin Jetty (সেন্টমার্টিন জেটি), you’ll see fishing boats, coconut trees, and the calm lagoon water. Locals welcome tourists with smiles, offering to help with luggage or suggesting hotels and resorts nearby. The air feels different here — fresh, salty, and peaceful. This is the gateway to Saint Martin Island, where your island adventure officially begins!
Once you step onto the jetty, you can see the clear shallow sea water where coral stones and small fish are visible beneath the surface. It’s truly a magical arrival experience.
Day-12: Saint Martin
Rip Current
The corner facing north-east. Waves are coming from both directions. This place is part of the rip current. Now what is rip current? The waves are coming towards the shore from both sides. And they are going towards the sea through the middle. This means that if you land in this middle place, you will be pulled into the sea. Even if you are an Olympic swimmer, you will not be able to reach the shore.
Some university students drowned in this area a few days ago. So if you are caught in a rip current, try to swim parallel to the beach instead of trying to reach the shore.
Coral
Saint Martin is called the only coral island in Bangladesh. The stones you see on the beach are coral stones. Coral means coral in Bengali.
What is coral stone?
Although coral stones look like ordinary stones, they still have some differences.
How to identify coral stone?
Ordinary stones of the same size are heavy. And coral stone is light. Ordinary stone is solid. Coral stone is porous like a sponge. If you pour a little vinegar on coral rocks, it will create some bubbles. Ordinary stones are made of various minerals such as granite, limestone or basalt. Sometimes they are also made from volcanic lava. However, an interesting fact is that coral stones are made by a marine invertebrate animal. They are called coral polyps. A coral polyp is usually 1 to 3 millimeters in size, which is about the size of a sugar grain or sesame seed. However, they can form huge coral reefs, which are visible from space. Coral reefs are called coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, is made entirely of coral polyps and is the largest living structure on Earth, larger than the Great Wall of China!
Wild Almond
They sell a type of nut here. They call it kath badam. It's not actually a nut - it's usually the seed or fruit of a tree. The scientific name of the tree is "Sterculia foetida". The tree's common names are bastard poon tree, Java olive tree, hazel sterculia, wild almond tree, or skunk tree. The tree is a softwood tree that can grow up to 35 meters tall.
Evidence suggests that the seeds are edible, but absorbent, and should be roasted before eating.
Various parts of the plant, including the seeds, bark, and leaves, have been used in traditional medicine to treat diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, and skin diseases.
The oil extracted from the seeds is used in soap making and as a lubricant.
West Beach Sunset
West beach Sunset of saint martin is beautiful. Must watch this on your journey.
Chhera Island
Island
There is a small adjoining island that is separated at high tide, called Chhera island (Chhera Dip). You can walk to Chhera Dip during Winter Season.
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