On a full moon night the sea and the rocks at the south of the island turn silver. Here are this season's full moon dates, what the moon does to the tide, and how to plan the night.
With almost no lights at the south end of Saint Martin's Island, a full moon lights up the sea, the sand and the rocks so well you can see your shadow. People plan whole trips around it. Here's what to know before you pick a full moon night, from the team at El Marena Eco Resort near Chera Dip.
You can only see the island at night when overnight stays are allowed. Last season (2025–26) they were allowed in December and January, but not in November. When we wrote this (October 2026), the 2026–27 rules hadn't been published.
Full moon dates this season
- Tuesday 24 November 2026, 8:55 pm. If November is again day trips only, you won't be able to see this one from the island.
- Thursday 24 December 2026, 7:29 am. The moon is fullest that morning, so the nights of 23 and 24 December are the ones to plan for.
- Friday 22 January 2027, 6:18 pm, just after sunset.
Times are Bangladesh time, from the moon phase calendar at calendar-12.com. The moon looks almost full for a night or two either side, so you don't need the exact date.
Moonlight or stars?
You can't have both at their best. A bright full moon washes out the fainter stars, so the sky looks less crowded. If you want the sea in moonlight, come around the full moon. If you want the Milky Way and a sky full of stars, come around the new moon, about two weeks either side. Either way, the south of the island is the place: it has very few lights.
The tide is bigger around full moon
Around the full and new moon the tides are larger than usual: high tide comes higher and low tide goes lower (these are called spring tides, as NOAA explains). At low tide more of the rocky shore is uncovered, which is good for the walk to Chera Dip. But the water also comes back higher, so check the tide times, go early and start back with plenty of time. Our Chera Dip guide has the walk.
Keep the beach dark and quiet
The darkness is what makes a moonlit night here special, and the island's rules protect it. Last season lights, loud music and barbecue parties on the beach at night were banned. Bring a torch for the path, but keep it off on the beach, and don't walk far on the rocks in the dark. The full list is in our article on protecting the coral.
A full moon night at El Marena
- Duplex cottages have a lookout tower on top: the best seat for the moon over the sea. See the duplex cottage.
- Tents are near the beach, for a night closer to the sound of the sea.
- Quiet hours run from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am, so the night stays calm for everyone.
- Dinner: fish from the day's catch at our barbecue spot, where you pay only for the food.
A simple full moon plan
- Day 1, around midday: arrive by ship and ride south. Check-in at El Marena is from 1:00 pm.
- Late afternoon: the sunset over the rocks. Around full moon, the moon rises in the east at about the same time as the sun goes down.
- Evening: dinner, then the moon over the water from the lookout or the edge of the beach.
- Day 2, early: a low-tide walk to Chera Dip if the tide suits, then check-out by 12:00 pm and the ship back at about 3 to 3:30 pm.
Book early
Full moon nights are popular, and the ship seats sell out first. Last season every ticket carried a travel pass with a QR code, and no more than 2,000 people could visit a day. The December full moon falls on a Wednesday and Thursday night, when our Sunday to Thursday prices apply; the January one is on a Friday. Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we'll confirm your cottage or tent, and can book your ship seats in the same chat. Our Saint Martin tour plan has more ways to plan the days.
