Narikel Jinjira
Saint Martin,
in season.
A coral island at the southern edge of Bangladesh, about eight kilometres long, in the Bay of Bengal off Teknaf. People come for the water, the reef at low tide, and a few slow days.
Take the scenic view.
FIRST HELLO
The northern shore
Get your bearings around the northern end of the island. Ask your resort to confirm your arrival point and the best way to reach your room.
Find your island stay ↗Drag to explore · use + / − to zoom. Area pins are approximate; confirm your resort’s exact location before travelling.
The season
November through March.
Those are the months the sea is usually calm enough for tourist boats. December and January are the busiest. From late spring into the monsoon, crossings are often suspended by the authorities. The notice changes from year to year — confirm this season’s sailing before you book a room or leave Cox’s Bazar.
Chera Dwip, the sandbar at the southern tip, is a walk or a short boat depending on the tide. Ask on the island the morning you want to go, and leave time to come back.
The crossing
Teknaf, then the water.
- Reach Cox’s Bazar by air from Dhaka, or by road.
- Continue to Teknaf. The marine drive is the scenic road; local transport is the ordinary one.
- Cross from the Teknaf jetty by ship or speedboat. Tickets and the day’s schedule are announced each season. Fridays and holidays are crowded.
- Ask your resort where they meet arriving boats. The island is small, but luggage and a wrong jetty still waste the first hour.
On the island
Cash is more reliable than a card. Electricity often follows generator hours. Drinking water is usually bought. Coral and shells stay on the reef. A room with a sea view in a photograph is not always the room that is free — ask.