Ships to St Martin set sail today as overnight stays resume

Tourist vessels are set to sail to Saint Martin’s Island from today as the government lifts restrictions on overnight stays in the iconic tourist destination for the next two months.

Visitors will be allowed to stay on the coral island until 31 January, subject to strict compliance with the government’s 12-point environmental guideline.

Although the island reopened to tourists on 1 November, overnight stays were prohibited, keeping passenger vessels off the route.

The district administration has now granted permission for four vessels to operate from the BIWTA jetty at Nuniachhara in Cox’s Bazar, allowing up to 2,000 tourists to visit the island daily.

Tourists must book tickets online through a Bangladesh Tourism Board–approved portal, where each ticket contains a travel pass and QR code.

Tickets without QR codes will be considered invalid. Operators report that around 1,200 tickets for today’s first voyage have already been sold.

Hossain Islam Bahadur, general secretary of the Sea Cruise Operator Owners Association of Bangladesh, said all preparations for the season’s first trip have been completed.

“We are committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable journey for tourists,” he said.

He added that extending overnight-stay opportunities to at least four months in future seasons would benefit tourism stakeholders.

Island residents are preparing to welcome visitors after months of uncertainty.

Acting Union Parishad Chairman Fayezul Islam said tourism remains the community’s main source of livelihood.

“Despite our challenges, residents are ready to receive tourists with full hospitality,” he said.

Authorities said the 12 government directives to protect Saint Martin’s fragile ecosystem will be strictly enforced.

These include prohibitions on lighting, loud noise, and barbecues on the beach at night, as well as bans on entering the keya forest, collecting keya fruits, and harming marine life such as turtles, corals, birds, and crabs.

Motorcycles, sea bikes, and all motorised vehicles are prohibited on the beach. Polythene use is banned, and tourists are discouraged from carrying single-use plastics, and advised to bring reusable water bottles instead.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan urged visitors to follow the rules. “Saint Martin’s is a national treasure. Protecting its biodiversity is essential, and we expect full cooperation from both tourists and operators,” he said.