Islands in Bangladesh

Saint Martin Island Bangladesh

St. Martin Island- The only Coral Island of Bangladesh is located in the Bay of Bengal surrounded by huge black stone.

The total area of this tiny island is only 14 km and 20km distance from the mainland of Shahpari Island on the southern tip of Teknaf.

1st settlement started just 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 characteristic of 12km long sandy sea beach is very pleasant having with gentle slope. Crystal clean water with rich biodiversity and unpolluted nature play the vital role to attract the tourists. The southern trip of the island is forested by some mangrove species like Keya, Khalshi, Kirpa, Horgoza and Jhao. Planted trees are also there with coconut, battle nut , bamboo, mango and other local vegetation. There are now more than 6500 people permanently settled there and their main occupation is fishing. The marine life of the island is very rich with different type of sea fishes like Pamfret, Maccaral, Tona, Gruiter etc. There are also various type of shruips, lobstar, King crab and rare species of giant crab can be found in an ideal habitat. This island is specially attracted the natural scientists to be a safe refuge for hatching of different type of sea turtles like olive ridley turtle, Hocksbill turtle, leatherback turtle and loggerhead turtle.

The island is now accessible by newly introduced of regular Sea Truck everyday at 10 am and return by 3 pm along side with many private fishing trawlers.

There are only few 5/6 private tourist lodge and the only standard Hotel Prashad Paradise has opened up to accommodation the most enthusiastic tourists who ventured to cross the 20 km blue water of the Bay of Bengal bordering the south-eastern side by the Myanmar High Hill ranges and the turbulent waves of the Bay. But the natural surrounding of the remote island is considered as the paradise for the nature loving tourist who can enjoy the virgin coral beach and pass leisure time or go for snorkeling in the blue water. The brilliant sunrise and colorful sun set has no match any where in the world. To enjoy the moonlit might sitting on any black stone along side the beach will be life time experience for any tourist.

The adjacent small island Cheradeep is very attractive for rich marine life shells, pearl and corals.

It is about seven kilometer of Cox's Bazar and about nine square kilometer in area. The western side of the island is sandy and different kinds of shells are found on the beach. Off the northern part of the island, there are beds of windowpane oysters. During winter, fisherman set up temporary camps on the island and Dries Sea fishes, which they catch from Sea.

Nijhum Island Bangladesh

This virgin new island of Nijhum Dwip raised on the estuary of the great Meghna channel in the mouth of The Bay of Bengal. The geographical location has been identified just 2 kilometers south west of Hatia under Noakhali district. This newly accredited island may be called as cluster of islands consist of more than 4-5 small islands like Char Osman, Char Kamla, Corner of Char Osman and isolated from the mainland by Hatia channel.

This island was brought under settlement during 1969 and subsequently the forest department under took massive drive for aforestation by mangrove species. Now this island has been declared as the unique eco-touristic spot for its ideal natural setup with the rich biodiversification factors and the perennial mangrove forest with wild animals like spotted deer, wild boar and rhesus macaque and for the ideal habitat for fish resources. Since south coast is open to the mouth of great span of Bay of Bengal, the appearance of whale sometimes occurred. There are more than eight (8) thousand inhabitants found their permanent settlement in the island and their occupation are mainly cultivation and fishing. There are some NGO like Red Crescent, Proshika, Human Development centre and JAICA are involved with their development projects on this island. Due to its rich natural and biodiversical factors, the touristic potentiality have enormously enhanced. In spite of difficult access and lack of good residential facilities, a few thousand enthusiastic local tourists visit this island during winter every year.

Since there is no regular river transport or passenger route from Dhaka to Nijhum Dwip, it is difficult to organize direct tour program from Dhaka to Nijhum Dwip and Kuakata beach through coastal water ways. The main problem is that there is no navigation light and lusider, there are hundreds of submerged islands due to the constant deposition of silt through the Megna estuary.

Sonadia Island Bangladesh

Moheshkhali Island Bangladesh

This is an wonderful island in the Bay of Bengal in the north-western directions off Cox’s Bazar. The island can be accessible by water boat of 20-30 minutes drive. The island is dotted with forested hills and some mangrove vegetation alongside the coastal beach. The ancient Adinath Temple at the hilltop and the Rakhain villages with their colorful Buddhist temple has got enormous touristic attractions. Millions of Hindu devotees meet together during the festival at the Aditinath Temple (mid Falgun) every year.