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On our first night in Langkawi, I’d asked my roommate, a journalist from a local English daily, what we would be doing the next day. He told me that we’re going to take a cruise to some island and stop for a bit for some snorkelling around the area. While I imagined that we were going to be travelling on a similar luxurious yacht like we did during our sunset cruise earlier in the day, I wasn’t really looking forward to it. This was mainly because I don’t really enjoy an island/beach holiday as I’d spent my growing up years not far from a beach in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, a region that is well known for its pristine white sandy beach.
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View from Kuah Jetty |
When the morning came, it turned out that we were going to be taking a ferry from Kuah Jetty, along with other holidaymakers, to Pulau Payar (Payar Island), which is a marine park in Langkawi. The marine park is made up of 4 different islands that are part of Langkawi archipelago but the main and most popular one is Pulau Payar.
There were probably around 100 other passengers travelling in the old ferry but it wasn’t that bad. The journey took just over an hour before we arrived at Pulau Payar where we were promptly given our lunch pack and snorkelling gears (mask, snorkel and safety jacket).
There were probably around 100 other passengers travelling in the old ferry but it wasn’t that bad. The journey took just over an hour before we arrived at Pulau Payar where we were promptly given our lunch pack and snorkelling gears (mask, snorkel and safety jacket).
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Our lunch pack |
To be frank, I was not overly impressed with Pulau Payar when I first arrived, mainly for 3 reasons:
- The majority of passengers ended up in the very small beach area near the jetty where we got off. A few – travelling on a different package – went to a different spot for some diving activities. So the place was a bit crowded to my liking;
- Lunch was included as part of the package but there wasn’t really any choice to choose from and it might not be to everyone’s liking. Okay, so while this might not be a big issue to most, just wait until you’re hungry from all the swimming and snorkelling, if you know what I mean, heh! You might want to bring along some food and/or snacks; and
- The jetty, the wooden planks/walkways appeared to be rather dilapidated and the changing room/toilets definitely could do with some maintenance/upgrading work too. Unfortunately, there’s probably nothing much any visitor can do about this last point.
All was not lost however. There are hiking trails for those who are adventurous and wish to explore the island. I didn't do this, heh, but I did ditch the beach and walked along the (somewhat dilapidated) wooden walkways for a bit to get away from the crowd and was rewarded with these beautiful and calming views.
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This was the point when I started to appreciate the beauty of Payar Island. The three earlier "problems" were completely forgotten and soon after, all other worldly problems *coughs* were also gone the moment I went into the water for some snorkelling.
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Friendly baby shark |
Unfortunately, I didn’t have an underwater camera/ camera gear with me so underwater photos are rather limited. Besides, I was busy convincing a couple of friends who don’t know how to swim, to take the plunge and go into deep water rather than just hanging out by the crowded beach. And yes, I managed to convince one of them after much persuasion, haha!
For those who are used to snorkelling at other places, like Redang Island on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, this may not seem much. However, for those who're into diving, I was told that Coral Garden, a secluded section of the marine park that is covered with bright, multi-hued soft corals, is one of the best diving spots in the area.
For those who are used to snorkelling at other places, like Redang Island on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, this may not seem much. However, for those who're into diving, I was told that Coral Garden, a secluded section of the marine park that is covered with bright, multi-hued soft corals, is one of the best diving spots in the area.
Further information:
Tickets/Package to Pulau Payar (Payar Island) Marine Park can be bought over the counter at Kuah Jetty in Langkawi, subject to availability. At time of visit, the package cost MYR190 per person and the ferry leaves the jetty at around 10.30 a.m. and departs from Pulau Payar at around 3 p.m.
A Thank You and Disclosure Note
I was in Langkawi at the invitation of Tourism Malaysia Kedah and Firefly, a Malaysian airline that flies twice daily between Subang Airport (in the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur) and Langkawi. The sponsorship however has in no way affected my review of the places that we went to.
A Thank You and Disclosure Note
I was in Langkawi at the invitation of Tourism Malaysia Kedah and Firefly, a Malaysian airline that flies twice daily between Subang Airport (in the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur) and Langkawi. The sponsorship however has in no way affected my review of the places that we went to.
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Have you been to Pulau Payar or Langkawi? If you have, what do you think of it, and what did you like best about it?
So, ended up you did not snorkel?
ReplyDeletePandai berenang tak? haha
Of course lah I did. Tak baca betul2 ni... haha!
DeleteAla tak perasan part the moment I went into water tu .. aha
Deletepakai life jacket tak?
I will plan my Langkawi trip & go to Payar Island :)
ReplyDeleteIgnore the crowd, and you'll have fun, esp in the water! ;)
Delete