From Langkawi to Sipadan Glimpses of Malaysia PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ Text by Peter Symes Photos by Michael Aw Peter Symes Gunild Pak Symes & Malaysia Tourism PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ Depending on your yardstick, or which encyclopedia you consult, Malaysia boasts a collosal coast- line — 4,675 km. This area includes 2,068 km for Peninsular Malaysia and 2,607 km for eastern Malaysia, which covers the northern half of the island of Borneo. Among these long coastlines, from Langkawi to Sipadan, we find some of the world’s best and most renowned dive sites. 5 X-RAY MAG : 3 : 2005 PHOTO: MICHAEL AW Glimpses of Malaysia or most divers, Malaysian diving means Fthe island of Sipadan off Sabah in Borneo — even novices tend to get that glazed look on their faces when the word “Sipadan” is uttered. Sipadan is still a true gem, but the environmental restraints, Malaysia! which always meant that the island had limited space to offer, have recently been increased. Authorities have forced a number of dive operators to vacate their structures on the island. Sipadan, Mabul and Layang Layang are all famous names, but maybe the time has come to PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ take a further look at what Maylasia has PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ to offer? Aside from so many new dive Spa at Pangkor Laut Resort Pitcher Plants Sunset at Tanjung Rhu River, LangKawi Details of decoration on fishing boat sites just waiting to be discovered, there are also an incredible amount of excit- ing adventures above water. This country boasts cultural and natural riches like few Thailand other territories. While this magazine may be primarily Kudat for divers by divers, diving is not just diving Layang- wrecks anymore. It would be gross negligence not GRAPHIC: PETER SYMES Layang Mantanani Pulau Langkyan to take at least a brief look at a few of the Tunku Abdul Pulau Perhentian cultural and land excursions that can be Rahman Park conveniently and easily included in a dive Langkawi & Pulau Redang Pulau Tiga Pulau Payar trip to the region. Be it her dense, mysterious Labuan rainforests once haunted by head-hunters Pulau Tengol Sabah and now the home of proboscis monkeys, Pulau West Miri hornbills and of course orang-utans, or Pinang Malaysia the exciting, dynamic capital of Kuala ( 11 states) Mataking, Lumpur, where modernity rubs shoulders East Pulau Kapalai, with tradition and where you can shop till Sembilan & Talang Malaysia Mabul & PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ Tanjung Salang Sipadan you drop before exploring the vibrant res- Pulau Jarak Datu Kuala Lumpur at night taurant scene, or the white sand-fringed Pulau Tioman Sarawak resort islands of Penang, Langkawi and Kuala Pangkor, with villas built on stilts over Lumpur the water in the manner of a traditional Borneo Malay fishing village — all over Malaysia Pulau Aur you’ll find coral reefs, tropical jungles and Pulau Sibu friendly locals who speak English as well as Malay. Borneo is also home to Mount Singapore Indonesia Kinabulu, the region’s highest summit. In this way, Malaysia can be likened to a treasure trove of adventures. Some gems are already found and polished while oth- ers are still waiting to be discovered. It is so hard to choose — there are so many Overview of the main dive destinations within good dive operators in the area that it is Malaysia and the sites described in this article impossible to be equally fair to everyone who deserves an overview here. PHOTO: PETER SYMES Orang-Utan in the Sepilok reserve PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ 6 X-RAY MAG : 3 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL EQUIPMENT & NEWS ECOLOGY PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Malaysia has a tropical Glimpses of Malaysia climate with an average of PHOTO: PETER SYMES 32°C and water tempera- ture 28-30°C all year round. The best diving season on the west coast is from October- The West many other smaller islands. up Malaysia’s oldest Marine marine life. Studies by the November to January- Coast Langkawi And you can guess that Park sanctuary, have been ‘World Wide Fund for Nature’ & Pulau Payar the beaches are a huge protected since 1985. The (WWF) showed diverse marine February, exactly the opposite Langkawi, a cluster of 99 attraction. The most popular park has been called a life including 36 genera of to the east coast where the islands separated from beach hangouts in Langkawi shining example of how hard corals, 92 other marine mainland Malaysia by the are Pantai Cenang, Burau proper conservation, good invertebrates and 45 genera season starts again in March. Straits of Malacca, is a district Bay and Pantai Tanjung Rhu. management and the of fish. of the state of Kedah in Pantai Cenang is the more promotion of eco-tourism Northern Malaysia and lies happening place where you can safeguard a healthy approximately 51 km west of can swim, water ski, jet ski, environment for future Kedah. Only four of the 99 do some sailing, boating and generations. islands are inhabited — Pulau other water activities. Burau At Pulau Payar, the largest Langkawi (the main island), Bay and Pantai Tanjung Rhu of the four islands, you will find Pulau Tuba, Pulau Rebak and have a more relaxed pace. the Marine Park Centre which Pulau Dayang Bunting. Dive-wise, however, it is the was set up and operated PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ 1 Langkawi is a duty-free nearby Pulau Payar Marine by the Fisheries Department. shopping haven offering an Park, about 19 nautical miles If you are not into water attractive range of local and south of Langkawi Island activities, check out the imported goods for those and 32 nautical miles north two hiking trails that have with a yen, dollar or euro for 2 of Pulau Pinang, that holds been constructed to enable shopping. Since Langkawi is the greatest attractions. visitors to explore and enjoy an island, it is surrounded by These islands, famous for the breathtaking views of the beautiful beaches and also varied and colourful marine surrounding sea and beyond. life that they support, offer The waters of Pulau Payar the best diving on Peninsular have an additional attraction: 3 Malaysia’s west coast. artificial reefs built from tires, The park is comprised concrete blocks and old of four uninhabited islands: boats, which over the years 1. Langakawi & Pulau Payar Payar, Lembu, Kaca and have developed into mature 2. Pulau Penang Segantang, which make reefs that are teeming with 3. Sembilan Islands and PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ Pulau Jarak Shark Point Lembu Rocks Goodyear TOP: Ghost pipefish Kaca Reef Lobster Garden Lembu INSET: Langkawi village shops Kaca RIGHT: Diving in Malaysia Pointe GardenWreck Shark Alley Pyramid Alley Rock Platform reef Point Anemone Garden RAAF Beach Segantan Pulau Payar De Tyre Reef Plateau Coral Garden Grouper Farm Pulau Payar Marine Park 7 X-RAY MAG : 3 : 2005 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL EQUIPMENT & NEWS ECOLOGY PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The northern section of the Straits of Malacca, which Glimpses of Malaysia is one of the world’s busi- est shipping channels, may have had its draught altered significantly due to the tsu- nami that hit Asia on the 26th of December 2004, according to a report in the shipping journal, Portsworld. Water depths in parts of the Straits of Malacca could have dropped from 4000 feet (1333 m) before the quake to as low as 100 feet (33 m) and thousands of navigational aides, such as buoys held in place by mushroom-shaped anchors have been carried off to new locations. Old shipwrecks marked on charts had been relocated, joined by new wrecks that would have to be salvaged, moved or charted. PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ Sembilan Islands corals, it is common to see big ter underwater visibility due to its & Pulau Jarak Further south, schools of damselfish. It is also remoteness. Dolphins and sailfish near Lumut lies Pulau Sembilan. a good site for coral scallops have been sighted here, but The dive sites here are generally and nudibranches. Among the beyond that there are probably more challenging due to the prevalent species of fish, we find well-kept secrets unknown to currents and sometimes the visi- parrotfish, angelfish, pufferfish, everyone but the most hardcore bility is not more than 2-3 metres. lionfish and moray eels. divers. Diving depth ranges from 5 m Divers would do well to explor- to 40 m. White Rock, which is ing this archipelago. The dive characterised by a lighthouse, season is busy from November has steep walls to 40 m, where through March, since one can’t groupers and snappers sleep in dive at all on the east coast the crevices and under over- during that time. The diving is hangs. In the open water, it is easy with a maximum depth of not unusual to see barracuda, 15-20 m in the interesting areas, jacks and other big pelagic spe- whereas in the deeper parts, cies. there is mostly sandy bottom. Around Saga, Lalang, Rumbia PHOTO: PETER SYMES There is one submerged reef and Buluh, one finds nice reefs Right in the middle of the off Jarak at about 25 m depth, with lots of table corals and straits, 40 miles (64 km) off Pulau however the currents can be brain corals as well as tentacle Pangkor, lies Pulau Jarak, a small quite strong there. corals. Around the orange daisy uninhabited island that has bet- PHOTO: ‘MALAYSIA’ ABOVE: Fishing boats at Taryung Rhu River, Langkawi. INSET: Fishing boat, Georgetown, Penang. LEFT: Nudibranch Western Malaysia January 2, 2005, that the wave that the quake center and Langkawi, However, official records showed that beach front, which needed cleaning & the Tsunami hit Langkawi was not a tsunami, but effectively providing shelter from the 31 people in Penang drowned after of debris.