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The beautiul island o Pulau Redang lies about 45 km north-northeast o Kuala Terengganu, or 22 km o Tanjung Merang, the closest point on the mainland. The Bugis people rom Celebes, Indonesia were believed to be the irst settlers on the island. Many o their descendants are now working the tourist trade in Redang while others have moved to the mainland.
Over the years, Redang has grown to be one o the most popular destinations or tourists and divers due its pristine nature and rich marine environment. In 1991, the Redang archipelago was gazetted as the Pulau Redang Marine Park, becoming a protected site under the Government.
The Redang archipelago constitutes the islands o Pulau Redang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Paku Besar, Pulau Paku Kecil, Pulau Kerengga Kecil, Pulau Kerengga Besar, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Ling and Pulau Pinang.
Pulau Redang at 7 km long and 6 km wide is the largest island. The highest peak is Bukit Besar at 359 meters above sea-level. Only the bigger islands like Redang, Lang Tengah, Perhentian and Kapas have resort acilities or visitors. What to Do
The island is rich in lora and auna, perect or eco-adventures. Even being on the island is an experience itsel as you can watch the sunrise rom the beach, admire the multitudes o stars on a clear, night sky, snorkel, skin-dive or scuba dive to see the marine lie, charter a boat round the island or go trekking. Then there’s the customary relaxation on the warm, sandy beaches! Myths & olklore
Visitors can explore or themselves the many mysterious sights on the island, such as the inexhaustible pool o water at Pasir Gontang, or the beach at Pasir Mak Kepit which they locals believe smell o a ragrance let behind by a princess many years ago.
Other sights include Batu Gajah which are huge boulders on a hill believed to once have been sea elephants; Tok Kong and Batu Surat, rocks said to contain magical spirits and Tanjung Telaga Batu, a piece o rock that is said to grant wishes. Marine Park
Visitors can come here to learn about marine park conservation besides engaging in their own diving and snorkelling activities. The sea bed around the island holds a magniicent variety o lie, including moray eels, giant groupers and clown ish. There is also shipwreck close to the jetty which is perect or exploration through snorkelling.
Many resorts will oer snorkelling in their packages. Pasir Panjang, which is a nesting bay or baby sharks, is the top place to snorkel. Scuba-diving is the second most popular activity; the waters are crystal-clear and you can glimpse all manner o sea creatures in the water. Resorts on the island do oer scuba equipment and diving classes to cater to all ages.
You can also kayak around the island and play beach volleyball, but jet-skis and water-skiing is banned to protect the tranquillity and quality o the marine environment. ishing is also banned but outside a two-mile boundary around the island, angling is permitted. Turtle-Watching
There are three species o turtles that come to Redang to nest – the Green Turtle, Olive Ridley and Hawksbill. Green turtles next between March to December with a peak in August, and January to September or Hawksbills and Olive Ridleys in May. The nesting points include Pasir Chagar Hutang, Pasir Mak Simpan, Pasir Mak Kepit, Pasir Bujang and Teluk Dalam.
Visitors can also visit SEATRU, a large green turtle nursery and turtle conservation centre, perhaps even volunteer to help in collecting eggs and incubating them till they hatch upon which the baby turtles will be released into the sea. Jungle-Trekking
There are several trails to explore the rainorest on the island, conveniently located behind some o the premier resorts. Going o the beaten track will lead you to scenic hilltops and rocky clis that oer panoramic views o the island and sea. A guide is recommended or these kinds o journeys.
Redang’s mangroves are also home to a rich variety o coastal lie. Creatures you can see here include crabs, mudskippers, birds, monitors and much more. Deeper within the orest, visitors can glimpse rare orchids and beautiul trees. As it is a small island, only tiny animals such as the mouse deer, monkeys, some bats and jungle rodents can be seen, but it is still worth checking out.
Birds that can be seen here include the olive-backed sunbird, dark-necked tailorbird, terns, pink-necked pigeon, switlets and white-bellied sea eagles. Black-nest switlets and white-nest switlets oten make their nests in the many clis and sea caves on Redang. The bird’s nests are collected during certain times o the year as they are believed to hold therapeutic properties when ingested in soup orm. |
