St. Martin Island

Legend has it that in the early part of the seventh century an Arabian merchant ship fully loaded with cinnamons was hit hard by a huge submarine rock near an atoll during a foul weather and was broken asunder scattering cinnamon sticks all over the island, thus giving birth to the name of “Daruchinir Deep” meaning the Island of Cinnamons. But local people used to call this landmass Narikel Jinjira, which means the Island of Coconuts, as the island was once fringed with dense groves of coconut palms. During cadastral survey of India in the early part of the last century surveying authority named this coral island as Saint Martin’s Island probably after the name of a British saint.

More than 3000 people arrive at the Saint Martin Island every morning and leave the island the same day by 3 in the afternoon to splurge the daytime to soak up sun-rays and hang around in solitary seclusion on the sea beach surrounded by corals and clear blue water of the sea. Panoramic beauty and the feelings of being amidst pristine marine life attracts many of the visitors to stay there overnight to enjoy sensing and sighting the beauties of darkness with no electric lights around blurring vision. Laying back on a beach chair, gazing at the nocturnal sky studded with a dazzling moon or billions of gorgeous stars, listening to undulating sonic sounds of sea waves, and reflecting on the mysteries of creations, when time is on your side, is an experience that needs to be felt only, not described.

From Teknaf you can cruise to St Martin’s Island with the best and the safest ship Keari Sindbad and reach St Martin’s comfortably in 2 or fewer hours. Keari Sindbad cruise journey is a pleasant one as you will see the spectacular views of Teknaf’s hill on one side and Mayanmar on the other side while it cruises along the Naf River.

Ferries leave the island around 3 pm. Keari Sindbad ferry and you can purchase a round trip ticket; which can same day return or 1-2 days later. Prices are same whenever you return.

How To Reach: Cox’s Bazar District

The accommodation facilities in Cox’s Bazar are remarkable. There are several great hotels in the region. Some of the hotels/motels in Rangamati are listed below for your assistance.
1. Hotel Seagull
Hotel Motel Zone
Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach,Cox’s Bazar
Tel: +88 0341 62480 – 90
Cell: +88 01766666530, +88 0176666653

2. Hotel Sea Palace
Kalatoli Road, Cox’s Bazar
Phone: 880-341-63692, 63792, 63794, 63826, and 63853
Mobile: 01714652227-8, 01979405051-2

3. Saint Martin Resort
Plot # ten, Block- a, Kalatoli Road, Cox’s Bazar
Phone: +88-0341-62862, 64275

4. Hotel Sayeman
Hotel Sayeman Road, Cox’s Bazar
Cell: +88-01711-022088
Phone: +88-0341-63900 -4, 63703 -7

5. Hotel Sea Crown
Marin Drive, Kola Toil New Beach
Telephone: 0341-64795, 0341-64474
Mobile: 01817 089420

Sunrise on the east side of the island, and after a lazy day head over to the west side for sunset. Sunset Point is a rocky peninsula on the northwest corner of the island, near Saint Martin’s Resort, which exists only at low tide — a popular spot if sunset and low tide coincide.

Village life is slow paced — most work happens in the morning and evening, while midday is reserved for drying fish and rice and selling your coconuts. Or, more likely, sitting in the shade chewing paan.

There’s a Sea Turtle Hatchery on the west side of the island south of Shemana Pereye Resort. It’s not officially open to visitors, but it’s usually empty and the gate unlocked. If it’s the right season there will be several bamboo cages in the sand with eggs buried under them — not much to see, but it’s nice to know that good work is being done. This is under the Sea Turtle Conservation Project STURCNET (Sea Turtle Conservation Network).

Stars are amazingly plentiful on a moonless night, due to the lack of electricity on the island.

Rock Beach (Rocky Beach Area), Dhakinmatha, (Last point of the Island). The southern point of the Island has a millions of years old Rock formed from Coral. The area is popular as Rock Beach and can be visited on foot. A 10-15 minutes track can be explored within the area by taking permission from the local land owners to see wild life including lizard, migratory birds and unique sweet water turtles habitat.

Food is a little more expensive here than on the mainland. The food shacks that line the road to the port all cook up similar fare: parothas (Tk 8), omelettes (egg, Tk 20) and vegetable curry (Tk 20) for breakfast, and (fish, dal, rice and veggies at 130 Tk) the rest of the day. Cha is Tk 8.

All of the hotels also have restaurants with basically the same typical Bangladeshi offerings, with higher prices and better quality than those near the port. Chicken is sometimes available but not very tasty, and lobster and crab may be available occasionally at very high prices. The restaurant at Blue Marine Resort and Appayan at St Martin’s Resort are the best on the island.

“Narikel Jinjira Restaurant” is simply the best of the best. We have all heard about “A room with a view” but at NarikelJinjira Restaurant they say “Dine with a view”. The restaurant is located right at the front of the pier. Coming down from the pier you will find the restaurant on the first right side. They specialize in Sea food as well as Bangla, Indian and Chinese. Bar-B-Que is one of the special features they have for late afternoon. They offer buffet as well for large groups (Advanced booking). They have opened this restaurant with the mission to provide quality food for the tourists who visits the island. It has sitting arrangement for more than 200 guests at a time making NarikelJinjira one of the biggest restaurant. Here they want to give you the taste, environment as well as keeping in mind your health. The food is delicious and the interior is sure to catch your eyes. A trained set of people are waiting to welcome you to “NarikelJinjira Restaurant”.

The islanders also sell dried fish, which is a bit more expensive but fresher than those available upshore in Cox’s Bazaar.

Early morning is the best time to get fresh fish from the fisherman near the market, you can often bring it to your hotel chef and ask him to fry it up the way you like, or some places may do a nice evening barbeque. Some places may even give you kitchen access to cook it yourself if you ask.

Arriving from the port you’ll walk through a strip of basic restaurants and shops, and hit a T-junction. Left will take you to the eastern beaches (the cement ends shortly before the scuba dive center), while a right turn will take you along the main cement ‘road’ where most of the hotels and guesthouses are, ending at the north-west part of the island.

At one point a left turn leads around the newly built hospital and into the centre of the island. It’s an interesting walk and eventually leads out to the western beach just north of the Sea Turtle Hatchery, after a couple wrong turns.

Flatbed cycle-rickshaws are the only transport aside from walking. There are no motorized vehicles on the island, not even motorcycles.