How to reach Saint Martin's Island (and when not to)
Guides · · 2 min read
Bangladesh has one coral island, and getting there takes a little planning. The reward is a place where the day ends with fishing boats rather than traffic.
The season decides everything
Ferries run roughly November to March. Outside those months the sea is too rough and services stop. Rules on visitor numbers and overnight stays have changed in recent years, so check the current position before you book anything - this is the one part of the trip that is worth a phone call.
The route
Everything goes through Teknaf:
- Dhaka to Cox's Bazar - train, night coach or a short flight.
- Cox's Bazar to Teknaf - about two to three hours by road along the coast.
- Teknaf to Saint Martin's - roughly two hours by ferry.
Travel Crew AI plans that chain for you: pick Saint Martin's Island as your destination and the plan shows the road leg and the crossing as separate steps, with the times and costs of each.
Do not make it a day trip
The day boat gives you a few hours on the island, most of it in the busiest corner near the jetty. Stay a night and the island empties after the last ferry leaves. Walk south towards Chera Dwip in the morning, when the tide is out and the coral is exposed.
Practical notes
- Cash. Card acceptance is patchy and the machines are unreliable.
- Power. Most places run on solar and generators with fixed hours.
- Water. Bring more than you think; bottled water costs more on the island.
- Rubbish. Take yours back to the mainland. The island has no real capacity for it.
Two or three days
Two nights is the sweet spot: one to arrive and swim, one to see the island properly, and an early ferry back with enough of the day left to get to Cox's Bazar.