St. Martin Island, Cox-Bazar.

 

The St. Matins Island is wonderful place in Bangladesh. It's a clean and peaceful place of Bangladesh. St. Martins Island is one of the most naturally beautiful places and only coral island of Bangladesh. Total area of the small island is only 14 km and 20km distance from the mainland of Shahpari Island on the southern tip of Teknaf. First settlement started about 250 years ago by some Arabian Sailors and named as ‘Zajira’. Subsequent the local settlers named as Narikel Jinjira. During British occupation the island was named as St. Martin Island. The St. Martin’s island is all about sun, sea and palm trees .The natural and beautiful scenery of the island is very much exotic especially at night. Actually the St. Martins is a very small island. It’s so small that you can walk around the whole island in a day. It’s about 8 sq. kilometers. Shrinks to 5 sq kilometers. during the high tide. The majority of the 7000 islander’s live mainly from fishing, and within the October and April neighboring fishermen bring their catch to the St. Martins temporary wholesale market. Other staple crops are rice and coconuts and some vegetables. Also algae is collected and dried than they sell in Myanmar. At present St. Martin's Island has  a popular tourist spot. At present, three shipping liners run daily trips to the island, including Sea-Truck and Keary-Sindbad. Tourists can book their trip either from Chittagong or from Cox's Bazar. Another surrounding coral reef to the island has an extension named Chera Dwip. During the last 5 years St. Martin's visitor population has increased dramatically.