Chhera Dwip is the southernmost territory of Bangladesh. This Coral Island has located about 5 km to the south of St. Martin. The island is known to people of the area by the name of Chheradia as well as Siradia. Chhera Island is full of natural corals, natural rocks as well as coconuts. At high tide, a third area of the Island gets submerged. As the blue sea waves hit the rocks, an amazing scene unfolds.
Every year, thousands of visitors come to Chhera Island to take in the blue sky, blue sea, and sunset. The moonlight at Chhera Island creates a magical attraction. Many people choose to camp on the beautiful island at dark night with a full moon.
How to go to Chhera Island
In the direction of Dhaka to Teknaf, if you wish to visit Chhera Island, you have first arrived at Teknaf first. Teknaf is accessible directly with a variety of buses departing from Dhaka. To get to Teknaf via Dahaka Fakirapul, Abdullahpur, Gabtali, and Sayedabad buses, you can choose St. Martin’s Transport, Shyamoli, Eagle, Modern Line, Green Line, S. Alam, etc. Based on the nature of the bus fare typically, the cost is between BDT 1050 and 1050 to 2500 Tk. It takes between 10 and 12 hours to arrive at Teknaf.
The journey from Dhaka To Cox’s Bazar: From Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, you can catch a second bus to Teknaf depending on the time. Numerous buses depart Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar for between Tk 900 to 2,500. In addition, you can travel from Cox’s Bazar by air from Dhaka.
- Cox’s Bazar To Saint Martin Island — Direct Ship Service: See Ticket Price
Trains to Dhaka up to Cox’s Bazar: You can travel from Dhaka to Chittagong via train at Sonar Bangla, Turna-Nishitha, Suborn Express, Mahanagar Prabhati or Godhuli, Chattala Mail. After that, you can take the Cox’s Bazar car at Bahaddar Hat or the New Bridge region of Chittagong. It is possible to travel by bus from S Alam, Saudia, Unique and so on for better service.
Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf: From Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf you can take a local bus or micro/jeep. The trip to Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf usually is one and a quarter to two hours, depending on the weather conditions.
Teknaf to St. Martin: Ships such as Kutubdia, Kerry Sindabad, Eagle, Sundarbans, etc. are able to depart between Teknaf from Teknaf to St. Martin every morning. There are also speedboats and trawlers that travel the sea route. It can take between 2 1/2 hours to travel by vessel between Teknaf up to St. Martin. The cost for the up-down journey is around 600-550 Taka, dependent on the class of the vessel. Ships depart every day from the jetty to St. Martin’s between 9 am between 10 am and 3 pm and return from St.Martin around 3.00-3.30 pm. So, if you don’t arrive early at the jetty increases the chance of missing the boat. Then, those who spend their night at St. Martin get a possibility of returning the following day aboard a vessel that is mentioned within the itinerary.
The ship typically sails during the five months of November through March. Therefore, if you visit St. Martin at other times of the year, you will need to hire either a speedboat or trawler. In the rest of the year with the exception of winter, the sea can be rough and trawlers or speedboat cruises aren’t secure at this point. If you’re an adventurous person, you could enjoy a trip by using a trawler on the high seas.
The journey from St. Martin to Chhera Island Speed boats and motorized trawlers can be rented at St. Martin’s Jetty to Chhera Island. The cost for a trip to Chhera Island usually is based on the time of year. It is possible to go to Chhera Island for between 100 and 200 rupees per head based on the season of tourism. If you have enough time available you can walk out of the shattered island by foot or by hiring a bicycle-based on the exact time of low tide.
Where to eat
In addition to three or two tea shops, dabs and watermelons, there’s nothing else to be found on Chhera Island. If you wish to eat something on the island you must bring food items. You could also return to St. Martin and eat.
Coral, Sundari Poya, Hilsa, Rupchanda, Lobster, Kalachanda, etc. can be enjoyed in St. Martin’s. Some of the most popular restaurants that are located in St. Martin are Carey Marjan Restaurant, Beach Point, Hotel Allah Dan, Bazar Beach, Assam Hotel, Sea Beach, St. Martin’s, Comilla Restaurant, Real Restaurant, Haji Selim Park, St. Martin’s Tourist Park, Hotel Sadeq and many more. But before you eat it is important to be sure of the quality and the cost of the food.
Where can I stay
St. Martin has several comfortable and well-appointed cottages and hotels for stay-overs. Numerous local residences also offer accommodation options for visitors.
Cottages and hotels that are located in St. Martin include: Across the Border, Prince Haven, Blue Marine Resort, Seaside, Palace Paradise, Coral View, Coral Blue, Mermaid, Sea Coral, Blue Horizon, Sayari, Sea Inn, Dream Night, Hotel Sea Par, Riyadh Guest House, Hotel Swapna Prabal, Shravan Bilas, Blue Lagoon, Sunset View, Marine Park under the management of the government, etc. According to the season, the rent ranges between Tk 300 and 4,000, based on the location of the hotel.