March 30, 2009

Let's go to Saint Martin(Bangladesh) - (information post)


(To those people who do not know what Saint Martin is--it is the only coral island of Bangladesh and is amazingly beautiful.)

And to those people who know what is it, interested to go there but do not know much about it- I am writing this post for you just to provide some information about the place.

(Disclaimer: all the data are taken from internet, mostly from a site named www.somewhereinblog.net )



You can go Saint Martin Island by bus service and then but trawler or ship. The bus will take you to TEKNAF and then you need to take sea-truck or trawler. Among the non-AC bus, you can travel by MODERN LINE or S.ALAM bus service. It will cost almost 560 Taka (Bangladeshi currency). AC bus service is also available. It is “Saint Martin
Express”, starts from KOLBAGAN, DHAKA. The bus is actually Mercedes. The phone number to contact is 01817210422-3. Its destination is TEKNAF, from where a ship called KEARI SINBAD leaves for Saint Martin Island. It will start at 9:30 from Teknaf and 3:30 from Saint Martin. You need to leave the bus at EAGLE/KUTUBDIUA GHAT, you may ask the supervisor or conductor of the bus to tell you when the particular place comes.

Don’t go to TEKNAF town, because then you need to get back 18 km.
You can have some snacks there, but don’t mind if you don’t find that satisfactory.
You can order tickets from DHAKA for sea-truck. Eagle or KUTUBDIA are the services for sea-truck.

Phone numbers of EAGLE are 01713145584, 01190124127. They have three classes of tickets, lower floor (cost 650 taka), and first floor (cost 700 taka) and executive class (cost 750 taka) (AC). Most people actually enjoyed the view of NAF River after they boarded on sea-truck. I think it is useless to buy tickets for executive class.
The departure time for sea-truck is 9:30 and it will start timely. You can enjoy the amazing views of the river and eventually you will approach the sea, you cannot imagine how much blue the sea can be…



After reaching the island, you may find some vehicle which will offer you a trip to your resort. They will demand 10 taka person, but will take 5 taka if you bargain. Please note, if not contacted earlier, it is very difficult to find a place in good resorts. Yet you may find some people looking for guests for their hotel. They are not very good, but can be used as a place to crash. But don’t give them more than 700 taka.

Here are contact numbers of some resorts…
Blue Marine- 8801819063418, 8801722473613
Obokash- 88028358485, 88029342351 (need to contact from dhaka)
Pacific resort- 8801732434264 (at Saint Martin), 8801712643694 (DHAKA)
Shaibal- 8801815014664




You may find rooms at 700-1000 taka except blue marine, obokash, shaibal. But they will ask a bigger amount firstly, you need to bargain.
You must go to SERA DIP if you go to Saint Martin. You can find engine boat and speed boat. 5/6 person can travel by speed boat. It will charge 1000 taka for up-down. Engine boat will charge 100 taka per person. There is also a submarine faced boat which will cost 200 taka per person.

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