Diving in Malaysia is in no way inferior to diving in Egypt. Coral reefs, the most beautiful inhabitants of the deep sea, and sometimes the most dangerous of them – all this will decorate your vacation and show new perspectives for underwater travel. Sea attractions of Malaysia will attract even experienced divers, and excellent service will complement the beauty of the sea, and will appeal to the most demanding tourist.
Pulau Payar (Langkawi)
About 35 kilometers off the west coast of Kedah is a group of 99 islands called Langkawi. The name Langkawi actually refers to the largest inhabited island of this group of islands. In addition to the natural beauty of the island and the sea, Langkawi’s duty-free port status is another reason to visit this island.
Diving
Diving schools are located either in your hotel or in the diving centers on Pulau Langkawi. The most popular diving site is Pulau Payar Marine Park. The variety of marine life in the park is made possible by strict environmental laws, which are enforced by park rangers. Pulau Payar’s unique attraction is about 20 young blacktip sharks entertaining the many snorkelers who visit the Marine Park. Although sometimes visibility in the water is reduced by plankton, a huge number of fish make up for this deficiency. Fusiliers, small jackfish, blacktip sharks, barracudas and groupers (sea bass) are constantly swimming here. There are two types of corals in the park – hard and soft. Pulau Kaka is a popular place for simple diving in shallow water (4-6 meters), where dozens of sunken fishing trawlers are home to many marine animals. The Pulau Payar group of islands is the best diving off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Pulau Payar (West coast of Peninsular Malaysia)
According to Clothingexpress, Pulau Payar is located southeast of Langkawi and north of Penang Island. Accommodation on the island is not possible, as only the Marine Park is located on the shore of the island. Boats or catamarans transport divers from Langkawi to Pulau Payar Marine Park in about one hour. The best place for diving is from the western tip of the island to its southern and eastern parts.
Coral Garden
The Coral Garden is located at the western end of Pulau Payar. This dive site along the rocky shore of the island has both hard and soft corals with depths ranging from 5 to 18 meters. Visibility varies from 5 to 15 meters. In the crevices of huge boulders covered with soft corals, many marine animals hide from predators. There is also a wide variety of fish – damselfish, fusilier fish, lion fish, schools of jack fish, and sometimes huge groupers come across.
Grouper Farm
This dive site on the southern tip of Pulau Payar is home to small schools of fish that swim very fast, fearing large numbers of groupers. Hard corals predominate here, and the gentle slope of the coral reef reaches the sandy bottom at a depth of 15 meters. If there is a slight current it is best to explore the area by drifting, but beware of the spiny sea urchins.
Pulau Kaka
Pulau Kaka is an island to the east of Pulau Payar where you can enjoy easy diving for beginners with a view of the wrecks. Dozens of fishing trawlers dot the seabed around Pualu Kaka, creating artificial reefs.
Pulau Segantang
The steep rocky coastline of Pulau Segantang Island plunges into the sea to a depth of 20 meters. The island is located 13 kilometers west of Pulau Payar. Nurse sharks, barracudas and small jackfish are common here, and funny schools of fusilier fish swim around divers.
Getting
there Langkawi is easily accessible by air, sea, car or train. Langkawi International Airport has flights to various countries and several day flights from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore. The island can also be reached by ferry from Kuala Perlis, Kuala Kedah and Penang. The best way to travel around the island is to rent a motorbike or car at the airport or downtown Kuah.
Pulau Pangkor (Perak) (West Coast)
Pulau Pangkor
You need to drive to Pulau Pangkor and Pulau Sembilan from Lumut, which is a two and a half hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. By boat, you can get from Lumut to the islands in about an hour.
Diving is mainly practiced around the Pulau Sembilan group of islands, which is located 27 kilometers south of Pulau Pangkor. These nine islands are uninhabited and the boat must be booked through local dive centers in Kuala Lumpur. Usually, when the diving season from November to March ends on the islands of the east coast, local divers go to Pulau Sembilan.
Mostly stony corals grow here and there are some large boulders covered with sponges. Fusiliers, small jackfish, parrot fish, Napoleon fish, barracuda, nudibranchs and occasional seahorses inhabit the area.
The most popular diving site is White Rock. It is a steep lone rock with a lighthouse at the top. Visibility is usually better when you are sailing in a small current. The currents here can be too strong for divers, so be careful.
Pulau Redang (Terengganu) (East Coast)
Pulau Redang
Pulau Redang is an archipelago of nine islands: Pulau Redang, Pulau Pinang, Pulau Ling, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Kerangga Besar, Pulau Kerangga Kesil, Pulau Paku Kesil, Pulau Paku Besar and Pulau Lima. This group of islands is located 50 kilometers from Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Besut. A seven nautical mile zone around this archipelago was declared a marine reserve in 1985. The marine park, located mainly on Pulau Penang, offers various activities for divers.
Big Mountain
Big Mountain is an oval mountain, completely underwater, located 50 meters from the northern tip of Pulau Lima. The mountain is highly regarded among local divers, as it is an interesting place for diving to meet various macro-forms of marine life and even giant whale sharks. Among soft corals, tunicates and colonies of sea anemones live clownfish, trepangs, starfish, moray eels, wrasses, stonefish, groupers and parrotfish.
Pulau Lima
Pulau Lima is located east of Pulau Redang. The West Bank, where the only sandy beach on the island is located, is a great place for snorkelers. Pualu Lima consists of five islets. The best diving in the south, east and north islands. There is a wide variety of hard corals at shallow depths, and at a depth of 18 meters colonies of soft corals already predominate. On Pualu Lima you will see a wide variety of coralfish, damselfish, iridescent wrasse, parrotfish and blacktip sharks.
Mini Mountain
Mini Mountain is a popular underwater coral reef located 100 meters east of Pulau Kerengga Besar. Granite boulders covered with soft corals are scattered along the sandy bottom at a depth of up to 20 meters.
Swallowfish, chromis, butterflyfish, wrasse, rabbitfish, parrotfish and lionfish inhabit this coral garden.
Mini Mountain is a popular place for night diving. Divers will be rewarded with a spectacle of nocturnal sea creatures that search for food around the coral reef.
Terumbu Kiri
Terumbu Kiri is the southern tip of Pulau Penang, where there are several boulders that come to the surface of the sea. The rocky underwater landscape is adorned with both soft and hard corals at a depth of 15 meters and a sandy bottom at a depth of 20 meters. Creatures such as cardinal fish, damselfish fish, chromis, snappers, parrot fish and wrasses live here.
Marine Park
The Marine Park is a wonderful place for scuba diving and snorkelling. There is a park information center on Pulau Penang. Friendly wrasse and bream swim around divers waiting to be hand fed. To the right of the pier lie the wreckage of a sunken ship, the hull of which is overgrown with corals, tunicates and sponges.
How to get
there During the tourist season from March to October, boats depart either from Kuala Terengganu or Merang. However, they do not run regularly and must be booked in advance.
The shortest route to Pulau Lang Tengah and Pulau Redang is from Merang, located 38 kilometers north of Kualu Terengganu. Travel time to these islands by speedboat is approximately 45 minutes.
Kuala Terengganu can be reached from most cities in Malaysia by car or plane.
Pulau Tioman (Pahang) (East Coast)
Pahang
Marine Park in the Pahang group of islands includes such islands as Pulau Tioman, Pulau Renggis, Pulau Sepoi, Pulau Labas, Pulau Soyah, Pulau Chebeh, Pulau Tulai, Pulau Sembilang and Pulau Seri Buat.
The largest island of the Pulau Tioman archipelago, where the local fishing villages are located.
Pualu Tioman
You can get to Pulau Tioman in one and a half to two hours daily by speedboat from Mersing Pier. Most tour operators are located in the western part of the island, where the sea is calmer and closer to the popular diving spots. It is currently the only island where diving schools provide diving courses.
Northeast Pualu Chebeh
Large boulders 25 meters high provide divers with an exciting journey through numerous channels.
Tiger Rock
Tiger Rock is considered one of the best dive sites in Pulau Tioman. This coral reef is worth seeing even though there are strong currents.
Sea Fan Garden at Pulau Tulai
In this garden you will see large colorful fans. Hard corals grow at shallow depths, and even deeper there are huge coral blocks covered with sea fans.
Getting
there You can get to Pulau Tioman in one and a half to two hours daily by speedboat or catamaran from Mersing Pier. There are also direct flights from Kualu Lumpur (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang) to Pualu Tioman.
