Saint Martin's Island

Teknaf · Cox's Bazar District · Bangladesh

Saint Martin's Island is Bangladesh's only coral island and its sole true tropical diving and snorkelling destination, a small teardrop of land sitting in the northeastern Bay of Bengal just eight kilometres from the Myanmar coast. Known locally as Narikel Jinjira — Coconut Island — this three-kilometre-long island supports the northernmost coral reef system in the eastern Bay of Bengal, a fact that makes it both scientifically important and delightfully unexpected for divers accustomed to thinking of Bangladesh solely in terms of rivers and floodplains. The underwater landscape is modest by Maldivian or Indonesian standards, but it holds genuine charm. Rocky reef formations extend from the island's western and southern shores, their surfaces colonised by over sixty-six species of hard coral including brain corals, staghorn corals, and massive porites. Between these formations, sandy channels harbour sea cucumbers, starfish, and the occasional octopus. The reef fish community includes butterflyfish, angelfish, damselfish, parrotfish, and several species of wrasse, all in surprisingly healthy numbers given the island's growing tourism pressure. Sea turtles are Saint Martin's most celebrated marine residents. Olive ridley and green turtles nest on the island's beaches, and both species can be encountered while snorkelling in the shallow waters, grazing on sea grass or resting on sandy ledges. Conservation efforts led by local organisations and the Bangladesh Forest Department have helped protect nesting sites, though challenges remain from light pollution and beach development. Diving infrastructure on Saint Martin's is basic but improving. A handful of operators offer guided snorkelling tours and introductory scuba experiences, primarily on the calmer western side of the island. Experienced divers should bring their own equipment and manage expectations regarding visibility, which typically ranges from five to fifteen metres and is best during the dry season from November to March. What the island lacks in crystal clarity it compensates for with the sheer novelty of diving in Bangladesh — a country not yet on any diver's radar but slowly building the foundations of a marine tourism industry that could, if managed sustainably, become an important conservation tool for its fragile coral ecosystem.