Let's visit Saint Martin's Island in Bangladesh.

 

Let's visit Saint Martin's Island in Bangladesh.

Saint Martin is the only coral island in Bangladesh. It is located in the southernmost part of the mainland of Bangladesh. St. Martin's Island is a small island of 16 square kilometers, 120 kilometers from the district town of Cox's Bazar. St. Martin is also called Coconut Ginger in the local language. The island is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Bangladesh. Combined with the endless blue sky and the blue waters of the ocean, rows and rows of coconut trees make this island unique, which attracts the travel thirsty.

Way to Saint Martin:

Most ships from St. Martin leave Teknaf. So if you want to go to St. Martin, it is convenient to go to Teknaf in Cox's Bazar district. St. Martin can be reached by ship or trawler from Teknaf. If you want to go from Dhaka, it is convenient to go directly to Teknaf by bus and from there to St. Martin by ship / trawler. If you plan a trip to Cox's Bazar, you can go from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar and then from Teknaf to St. Martin. Or you can take the MV Karnafuli Express directly from Cox's Bazar to St. Martin. At present MV Bay One has been launched from Chittagong to St. Martin. All possible routes to St. Martin are detailed below.

Road from Dhaka to Teknaf:

Teknaf can be reached directly by bus from Dhaka. From Gabtali, Kalabagan, Fakirapul, Sayedabad and Abdullahpur in Dhaka, buses to Shyamoli, St. Martin's Transport, St. Martin's Hyundai, Royal Coach, Tuba Line, S Alam, Modern Line, Green Line etc. go directly to Teknaf. Fares usually range from Rs 1050 to Rs 2200 depending on the bus and class. If you just want to go to St. Martin then it is better to take a direct bus from Dhaka to Teknaf. The bus leaves between 8-10 pm and reaches Teknaf at 8 am.

 

The way to Teknaf via Cox's Bazar:

You can come to Cox's Bazar from Dhaka first and then go to Teknaf from Cox's Bazar. From Dhaka many buses of Green Line, Sohag, TR Travels, Shyamoli, Hanif, Saudia, Eagle, S Alam, Silk Line, St. Martin etc. leave for Cox's Bazar every day. Bus fares are usually between 900 to 2500 rupees. Cox's Bazar can also be reached by direct flight from Dhaka.

From Cox's Bazar to Teknaf: You can go to Teknaf from Cox's Bazar by renting a local bus / micro / jeep / CNG. The bus fare from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf is 150 rupees and CNG fare is 250 rupees per person. Depending on the situation, it takes about two hours to reach Teknaf. If you want to catch the ship in the morning, you have to leave Cox's Bazar for Teknaf by 8 am.

 

 

Photo credit-Wikipedia

Road from Chittagong to Teknaf:

At 12 o'clock in the night, S Alam and Saudia bus left Cinema Palace in Chittagong for Teknaf. Besides, some buses from GSE Garibullah Shah Mazar and Dampara also run on Chittagong-Teknaf route. The bus fare from Chittagong to Teknaf will be 550-1200 taka.

 

How to get from Teknaf to St. Martin:

Generally, several ships ply daily from Teknaf to St. Martin from November to March. Ships plying the Teknaf-St. Martin route include Kerry Sindabad, Kerry Cruise & Dine, MV Farhan, Atlantic and more. It takes two to two and a half hours to travel from Teknaf to St. Martin.

Depending on the class and quality of the ship, the fare from St. Martin varies from 750 to 1800 taka. Ships depart from Teknaf Jetty every morning at 9.00-9.30 for St. Martin. Return from St. Martin at 3.00-3.30 pm. Ship tickets to and from St. Martin are usually round trip. You must specify when to return the ticket.

Ships usually sail from November to March / April. Other times 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. Trawlers, speedboats and freight trawlers leave from Teknaf Namarbazar Bridge or Jetty Ghat. The fare to St. Martin by trawler is 250-350 rupees. It varies from season to season. It takes about 3 hours. Trawlers or speedboats do a lot of rolling, so getting on a ship is the best way.

 

 

Resorts and hotels in St. Martin:

St. Martin has a variety of quality resorts, hotels and cottages for overnight stays. It is convenient to book in advance when going on vacation. But if you want, you can go there and fix the resort of your choice. Popular resorts in St. Martin include:

Blue Marine Resort: Blue Marine Resort is located very close to the ferry terminal on St. Martin's Island. Rent for AC-equipped double bedroom at Blue-Marine Resort is Rs. 15,000 and non-AC Rs. Contact: 01817 060065

 

Prasad Paradise Resort: A picturesque palace paradise as you cross the Blue Marine Resort through St. Martin's Market and head further north. It will cost 2000-5000 taka to rent any one of the 16 different types of rooms. Contact: 01995 539248, 01883 626003

 

Blue Horizon Resort (Blue Horizon Resort): Blue Horizon Resort is located on the south corner of St. Martin's Island, a short distance from the jetty. The GE type house of the resort on the blue horizon will cost 1500-5000 taka to stay in different types of boxes. Contact: 0173 005 1004

 

Prince Haven Resort: Adjacent to the North West Beach Palace Yards, the Prince Haven Resort has a total of 24 rooms and a restaurant. Room rent at Prince Haven Resort is Rs. 1,500-3,500. Contact: 01995 539 246, 01883 626 002

 

Labiba Luxury Resort: The current name is The Atlantic Resort. Located on the west beach, overnight at the resort There are 43 rooms for accommodation. And to stay here you have to spend 3500 to 12000 rupees. Contact: 01700 969 212, 01834 267 922

 

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Dream Night Resort: Located at the far end of West Beach, Dream Night Resort accommodates 2 to 4 people per room. If you want to stay in this resort, you have to spend 1500 to 3500 rupees. Contact: 01825 656326, 01730 235002

 

Sayari Eco Resort: Sayari Eco Resort located in Nazrul Para, South Beach is unique in its aesthetics. Sari Eco Resort offers accommodation in 18 different rooms in taka. 1500 to 3000 per night. Contact: 01610 555500

 

There are also Coral Blue, Mermaid, Dipantar, Emerald Resort, Sea Coral, Sea Inn, Hotel Sagar Par, Riyadh Guest House, Hotel Dream Coral, Shravan Bilas and Sunset View etc.

 

Where to eat in St. Martin:

Usually most of the resorts have food arrangements. Find out in advance if the resort you are staying at has catering facilities. Bengali food has been arranged almost everywhere with various items of marine fish. The resort has barbecue facilities. There are several food hotels near St. Martin's Market. You can eat from them if you want. If you want to return from day to night, you will find food in the market hotels of that area.

Some of the hotels and restaurants you can visit are Kerry Marjan Restaurant, Beach Point, Hotel Aller Dan, Bazar Beach, Assam Hotel, Sea Beach, St. Martin's, Comilla Restaurant, Real Restaurant, Haji Selim Park, St. Martin's Tourist Park. , Hotels, etc., but you have to look at the food and the price.

 

What to eat in St. Martin:

The most famous thing in St. Martin is the dab, which is both sweet and delicious. At least one dab test should be done when visiting St. Martin. For those who like to eat fish, St. Martin's Coral, Sundari Poya, Hilsa, Rupchanda, Lobster, Kalachanda etc. are waiting for different types and flavors. All resorts and hotels have the opportunity to buy barbecue with fish of your choice. And if you have the opportunity, you can try kura (local chicken is called kura). There are endless stocks of dried fish like light, bangles, rupachanda, kachki etc. You can also eat watermelon when it is hot.

 

What to do and what to see:

Those who return from St. Martin day after day may regret it later, so it is best to stay in St. Martin for at least one day. This delightful trip will always fascinate you as you get to see the whole island.

Day Long Trip: For those who want to take a day trip to St. Martin due to lack of time, get off the ship and take a van directly to West Beach or Main Beach without wasting time. For this you have to pay 150 to 200 rupees for a van. It takes 20 to 25 minutes to walk here, but it would not be a waste of time to travel all day. This place is good for diving, so if you want to come to the beach, you can soak your body in clean water. Whatever you do, remember that you must be free before 2 o'clock or you will not have time to eat. And of course you have to get on the ship before 3 o'clock. If you have time, you can visit Humayun Ahmed's cottage near Main Beach. This type of trip to St. Martin will limit your time so come to St. Martin with at least one day plan.

 

1 night 2 day plan: Those who come to St. Martin with one day plan will have to get off the ship and go to the hotel. After lunch you can return to Chera Island with a light rest. Try to leave before 4 p.m., then you can watch the sunset and return to Chera Island. The sunset on Chera Island is great but don’t be too late after sunset. In the evening, you can head back to the main island to hang out at the market jetty or to have a concert anywhere on the west beach. You can do bar-b-que at the resort at night. Although the price of fish at the resort is a little higher, the fish is fresh. Or you can have a barbecue at a nearby hotel and eat your favorite fish. Take a walk the next morning or return to Chera Island very early in the morning if you did not visit Chera Island the day before. Come back before noon, take a bath, have lunch and slowly board the scheduled ship by 2:30.

 

Travel expenses to St. Martin:

How much each trip will cost is entirely up to you. The cost also depends on how you go, where you stay, what you eat and what you do. Other costs, including food during the peak season (December-January) or holidays, will be a little higher. The cost list is given to give an idea of ​​how much it will cost to travel from Dhaka to St. Martin, including 1 night stay and meals in low cost and medium quality hotels. A little bit from where you can get an idea about the cost of LEA AT.

 

* Travel costs

Bus ticket - Rs. 2200 / - round trip (non AC), including Rs. 2,800-4,400 (AC).

Ship / Rental - RS. 750 (open deck), Rs

Chera Island - Rs

Local Travel - St. Martin's Market Van Rent Rs. 150-200.

Other expenses - money

 

* Cost of food

Day of departure - 100-200 taka for dinner at departure break.

Day 1 - Breakfast 80-100 taka, lunch 120-220 taka and dinner / bar BQ 200-300 taka.

Day 2 - Breakfast 80-100 taka, lunch 120-220 taka.

Return day - 100-200 taka for dinner on departure break.

If you want, you can eat and drink at low cost. Going to the hotel inside the market and eating simple food will reduce the cost a lot.

 

* Accommodation costs:

Standard Hotel / Resort Couple Room or Double Bed 1500-300 0 rupees. On the market side, the average hotel price is 800-1200 rupees. Rents will increase a little more during peak season and public holidays. Having a few people in one room will reduce the cost of sharing. Costs will be lower except during peak season and holidays. Besides, if you want to stay at low cost, local people can also stay at home for less money.

 

St. Martin Travel Package:

Several travel agencies offer seasonal travel packages to St. Martin. Travel packages typically cover everything including the cost of a 1-night or 2-night stay in St. Maarten, the cost of travel and meals. The cost of a St. Martin travel package depends on the quality of the ship you are arriving at, the quality of the resort you are staying at and other amenities. Usually the package price of the tour agency is in rupees. From Rs. 5,500 to Rs. 10,000 per person including persons from Dhaka.

Buying round-trip bus tickets, ship tickets and booking at resorts can be a hassle for many. If you can't get the right pitch, invest in a good capo if you don't want to be frustrated.

 

Travel tips and precautions:

• St. Martin is our country's resource, so don't do anything that harms nature.

Mobile frequency is low in St. Martin. Talking can be a problem. But Teletalk works relatively well.

• Currently the BGB is regularly patrolling St. Martin, they often forbid tourists to stay in the beach or jetty area after midnight.

* Dispose of garbage in the right place. Please do not place some plastic / polythene on the beach.

You can go to St. Martin the next day without going on vacation to stay and eat at low cost.

• Many hotels and cottages have sprung up in St. Martin, but there is no shortage of accommodation.

* Bargain for anything in the tourist area.

* Ship tickets can be booked in advance if there are more people.

Don't fall into the clutches of brokers. Do everything yourself.

You can buy St. Martin's packages from various agents in Cox's Bazar if you want.

* On the way to St. Martin you will see the most beautiful view from the deck of the ship.

Be careful when going to sea.

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