Travel Essentials Saint Martin

Let's lost in island

Saint Martin’s, the one and only coral island of Bangladesh, is a small island measuring eight square kilometers. The visible landmass sinks during the tide. Alternatively called the pearl of the sea, it is about 10 km from the mainland at teknaf. The safest means of transport is the government-owned ferry which takes around two hours one way. Tourists have the option to spend a few hours and return the same day or stay for one or two days. Due to ferry’s timing, one and a half days tour is practical. Relaxation and fun on the picturesque place of blue sky and coconut trees, swimming in crystal blue water, snorkeling in the lagoon, and walking in the fresh air will be a lifetime experience. The seafood with its variety and taste has an appeal. There are a good number of hotels, guest houses, and eateries. There are a scuba diving facility and a sea turtle hatchery. Since it is a small island one can tour the entire area on foot in a few hours. The permanent residents of the island, numbering around 8,000, are all fishermen.

Tourism:

Saint Martin Island has become a tourist spot, and Eight shipping liners run daily trips to the island. Nowadays, tourist has become friendly to Eco tourism. Consequently, eco friendly resort- Josnaloy Beach Resort has become popular to them. Tourists can book their trip either from Chittagong or from Cox's Bazar. The surrounding coral reef has an extension named Chera Dwip. A small bush is there, which is the only green part. People do not live on this part, so it is advisable for the tourists to go there early and come back by afternoon.

A number of efforts have been proposed to preserve the several endangered species of turtles that nest on the island, as well as the corals, some of which are found only on Narikel Jinjira. Pieces of the coral reef are being removed to be sold to tourists. Nesting turtles are sometimes taken for food, and their hatchlings are often distracted by the twinkling lights along the beach. Fish, a few recently discovered, are being overfished. Every year the fishermen must venture further out to sea to get their catch. Most of them use motorless boats.

It is possible to walk around the island in a day because it measures only 8 km² (3 sq. mile), shrinking to about 5 km² (2 sq. mi) during high tide. The island exists only because of its coral base, so removal of that coral risks erosion of the beach.^[

Saint Martin lost 70% of its coral reef between 1980 and 2018 due to anthropogenic factors.^[18]

 https://beautifulbangladesh.gov.bd/district-destination/coxsbazar/island/18