After a long wait, Saint Martin’s Island is set to reopen to tourists. Visitors will be allowed to travel to the coral island from 1 November to 15 March next year. However, overnight stays will be permitted only in December and January. Tourists will also need a travel pass to visit the island.
The information was announced in a directive issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 25 October. Under the directive, tourist vessels will continue to depart for Saint Martin’s Island from the Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) jetty at Nuniyachhara in Cox’s Bazar town, as before.
However, the daily cap on tourist arrivals has been increased this year. A maximum of 3,500 tourists will be allowed to visit Saint Martin’s Island each day. Each visitor will have to pay an environmental conservation fee of Tk 100.
An interministerial meeting on tourist access to Saint Martin’s Island was held at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 12 October. On 25 October, the ministry’s Environment-2 wing issued directives to the relevant ministries and departments to implement the decisions taken at the meeting. The directives retain the provisions of a notification issued by the ministry on 22 October 2025.
Under the 2025 notification, tourists will be allowed to visit Saint Martin’s Island only during the daytime in November and must return on the same day. Overnight stays will be permitted in December and January.
Sabreena Rahman, senior assistant secretary at the ministry, told Prothom Alo, “The provisions of the previous notification will be followed.”
This means that although the period during which tourists can visit Saint Martin’s Island has been extended this year, the rules governing overnight stays will remain unchanged from last year.
Meanwhile, tourists will again need a travel pass to visit Saint Martin’s Island. An official of the Bangladesh Tourism Board told Prothom Alo that visitors would need to obtain a travel pass, as they did last year. Technical preparations are underway in this regard.
Last year’s notification also imposed several restrictions to protect the island’s environment and biodiversity. These include:
No lights may be switched on at night on the beach or in adjoining areas.
Activities that generate noise and the organisation of barbecue parties are prohibited.
Entry into the keya forests, as well as the collection, purchase and sale of keya fruit, is prohibited.
Activities that harm the island’s biodiversity—including sea turtles, birds, corals, snails, mussels, starfish, horseshoe crabs, seagrass and algae—are prohibited.
Motorcycles, jet skis and similar vehicles are prohibited on the beach.