Saint Martin's — Narikel Jinjira, the coconut island — sits nine kilometres off the tip of the Teknaf peninsula and is the only coral island in Bangladesh. It is small enough to walk around in a few hours, and the water is the clearest in the country by a distance: turquoise over sand, deep blue past the reef line, and on a calm day you can see your feet in chest-deep water.
Around ten thousand people live here year-round, most of them fishing families, and their island has been under pressure for a long time from a tourist trade it was never built to carry.
It is now the most tightly controlled destination in Bangladesh. Access is seasonal, a government travel pass is required, and a daily visitor cap applies. None of that is negotiable once you reach Teknaf, so build the trip around the rules rather than the other way round — and check them again close to your dates, because they have changed more than once.
The rules, first
Current policy restricts the season sharply: November is day trips only, December and January allow overnight stays, and the island closes to tourists in February. A daily cap of around 2,000 visitors applies, and every visitor needs a travel pass issued through the official government portal before travelling.
That sounds heavy-handed until you see why. At the peak, the island was taking several thousand visitors a day onto eight square kilometres with no waste treatment and a single shallow freshwater lens — the tourism was quite literally consuming the place.
On the island: no lights on the beach after dark, because green and olive ridley turtles nest on these sands and hatchlings follow light to the sea. No vehicles on the sand. Single-use plastics should not come off the boat with you. Boats run from Teknaf and sail only in fair weather, so allow a spare day at either end in case the sea has other ideas.
What the island is actually like
Eight square kilometres of coconut palm, coral rock and sand, with one main track running north to south, a cluster of guesthouses at the north end where the boats dock, and fishing families who live here all year and pull their boats up on the western beach.
The north end is where everyone lands and where most of the noise is. Walk twenty minutes and it stops. Walk to the southern tip at low tide and the crowds vanish entirely — flat coral shelves, tide pools, and the sound of nothing much at all.
Chhera Dwip, a detached islet off the southern end, is reachable on foot across the reef at low tide or by boat, and it is the wildest part of the island: no buildings, no shade to speak of, and a scatter of coral rock and driftwood. Take water and check the tide before you set out, because the crossing closes behind you.
Eat the fish. Boats come in through the afternoon and the guesthouses grill whatever landed — coral fish, tuna, lobster in season — and it is the best seafood in Bangladesh.
A fragile place
The coral here is degraded, and much of what visitors take for reef is rubble. The fresh water supply is a thin lens under the island that turns brackish when it is over-pumped. Waste management is minimal, and what is not burned tends to end up in the sea. This is exactly why the caps and closures exist.
So: bring back what you bring in, including bottles. Skip the shell, coral and starfish souvenirs entirely — they are collected live and selling them is illegal. Use water as if it were scarce, because it is. Do not stand on coral when you snorkel.
The island is worth protecting, and the restrictions that make it awkward to visit are the only reason there is still something here to visit.
Saint Martin's Island in pictures
Things to do in Saint Martin's Island
Walk the island
North to south takes a few hours along the shore and shows you every side of it.
Chhera Dwip
The detached southern islet, reached on foot at low tide or by local boat.
Snorkelling at the coral shelf
Limited but worthwhile at slack tide on a calm day; bring your own mask.
Fresh seafood
Grilled coral fish, lobster and squid at the beachfront kitchens.
Sunrise and sunset from the same beach
The island is narrow enough to do both without moving far.
Night sky
With beach lighting restricted for turtles, the stars are exceptional.
Best time to visit
The access window is November to January under current rules: day trips in November, overnight stays in December and January. February is closed and the monsoon months have no boat service.
Ideal months
When to avoid: February, when the island closes to tourists, and May to September, when boats do not run.
- Rules change between seasons — confirm the current policy before booking flights.
- The daily cap means passes for weekends and holidays go early.
How to get there
Dhaka to Cox's Bazar by air1 hour flight
Fly to the coast, overnight, then continue by road to Teknaf.
Cox's Bazar to Teknaf by road2.5 hours
Along the marine drive to the ferry ghat; leave early to make the morning boat.
Teknaf to the island by ship2–2.5 hours
Passenger ships cross in season only. Departure and return times are fixed and weather dependent.
Travel tips
- Apply for the travel pass through the official portal before you travel; boats check it.
- Book accommodation ahead in the overnight window — the cap makes walk-ins risky.
- Carry cash. There is no ATM on the island.
- Bring a torch, and keep it off the beach after dark for turtle nesting.
- Take all plastic back with you; the island cannot process it.
- Build a spare day into your plan — rough weather cancels sailings.
Nearby attractions
Teknaf
Ferry port
The departure point, at the southern tip of mainland Bangladesh.
Cox's Bazar
2.5 hours from Teknaf
The main beach town and usual base before the island.
Read the guideInani Beach
On the road to Teknaf
Rock formations and quiet sand on the marine drive.
Saint Martin's Island: common questions
Do I need a permit for Saint Martin's Island?
Yes. Every visitor needs a travel pass issued through the official government portal, and a daily visitor cap of about 2,000 people applies. Boat operators check passes before boarding.
When can I stay overnight on Saint Martin's?
Under current rules, overnight stays are allowed in December and January only. November is day trips only, and the island closes to tourists in February. Confirm before booking, as the policy is reviewed each season.
How do I get to Saint Martin's Island?
Fly or drive to Cox's Bazar, continue by road to Teknaf, then take the seasonal passenger ship — about two hours each way. There is no service outside the winter season.
Is the snorkelling good?
Modest. The reef has been degraded by years of heavy visitation and fishing, but on a calm day at slack tide the shallow coral shelf is still worth an hour with a mask.
Where to go next
Chattogram Division
Cox's Bazar
The longest natural sea beach in the world — 120 kilometres of unbroken sand, best experienced away from the crowded main strip.
Khulna Division
The Sundarbans
The largest mangrove forest on earth, and the only one where tigers swim between islands. Three nights on a live-aboard boat is the way to see it.
Sylhet Division
Srimangal
The tea capital of Bangladesh: rolling green estates, seven-layer tea, rainforest trails at Lawachara and the easiest slow days in the country.
Travel to Saint Martin's Island with a local team
We handle permits, transport, guides and the timing that makes the difference between a good trip and a wasted one.
Sources and further reading
- St. Martin's Island — Wikipedia
- Ecologically Critical Area — Wikipedia