What a Saint Martin tour package usually covers, the ten questions to ask before you pay anyone, and how to put the same trip together yourself, step by step.
Many people go to Saint Martin's Island on a tour package from Dhaka or Chattogram: one price for the bus, the ship, the room and some meals. Packages can be convenient, but they vary a lot, and the cheapest one isn't always the best deal. Here's what to check in any package, and how to plan the same trip yourself.
Overnight stays depend on the season's rules. 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.
What a package usually bundles
Every package is different, but most are built from the same pieces:
- Travel from Dhaka or Chattogram to Cox's Bazar (often an overnight bus)
- Ship seats from Cox's Bazar to the island and back
- A room for one or more nights
- Some meals
- Local transport on the island, sometimes a trip to Chera Dip
The price depends on which of these are included, and how good each one is. Two packages at the same price can be very different trips.
Ten questions to ask before you pay
- Are overnight stays allowed on these dates this season?
- Which ship, which seat type, and does the ticket carry the official travel pass with a QR code?
- Does the ship leave from Nuniarchhara jetty in Cox's Bazar? (Last season tourist ships didn't sail from Teknaf.)
- How do we get to Cox's Bazar, and do we arrive in time for the 7 am ship?
- Which hotel or resort exactly, and at which end of the island?
- Is the room attached-bathroom or shared, and how many people share it?
- Which meals are included?
- Is the Chera Dip trip included, and is it timed for low tide?
- What happens if the ship doesn't sail because of the weather?
- How much is the advance, and what is refunded if we cancel?
A good organiser answers all ten clearly and in writing. Be careful with any package that promises things the season's rules don't allow, like a tourist ship from Teknaf or a barbecue party on the beach at night.
Plan your own trip in five steps
- Pick your dates when overnight stays are allowed; Sunday to Thursday is quieter.
- Get to Cox's Bazar by bus, train or plane, ideally the evening before.
- Book the ship from Nuniarchhara jetty: it leaves at about 7 am and takes about 5 to 6 hours.
- Book your stay, and choose which end of the island you want: the busy jetty side or the quiet south.
- Add the extras you want: meals, a candlelight dinner, a bike or auto around the island.
Our guide on how to go to Saint Martin covers steps 2 and 3 in detail.
Steps 3 to 5 in one chat
If you stay at El Marena Eco Resort near Chera Dip, we can do most of the planning with you in one WhatsApp chat. We don't sell a fixed package; you choose the pieces:
- Your stay: a duplex cottage for up to 4 (৳4,000–৳6,000, breakfast included), a single cottage for 2 (৳2,000–৳3,000) or a tent for 2 (৳1,000–৳1,500).
- Your ship seats: we book them with your stay, and confirm the current fare before you pay (last season from ৳3,500 per person, return).
- Extras: a candlelight dinner on the beach, seafood barbecue, a bike or auto around the island, all paid separately.
You get a clear price for each piece, and you only pay for what you choose.
Package or your own: which costs less?
It depends on your group. Travelling alone, a package that puts you in a shared room may cost less. As a group of four, planning your own trip and sharing one duplex cottage often costs less per person, and you choose exactly where you stay. Our article on what a Saint Martin trip costs has example budgets, and Saint Martin resort prices compares rooms.
A simple plan from Dhaka
- Night before: travel from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar.
- Day 1, 7 am: ship from Nuniarchhara jetty; arrive around midday and ride south. Check-in from 1:00 pm.
- Day 1, evening: sunset over the rocks, seafood at the resort.
- Day 2, early: low-tide walk to Chera Dip. Check-out by 12:00 pm (noon).
- Day 2, about 3 pm: ship back to Cox's Bazar, then home.
Start planning
Send us your dates and group size on WhatsApp and tell us what you'd like included. How booking works is in how to book a hotel in Saint Martin.
