PULAU PAYAR MARINE PARK ( Payar Island Marine Park ) ~ Tommy Todger Explore the colorful underwater world of the Pulau Payar Marine Park on this great day trip from Penang. ( by ferry ) The Pulau Payar Marine Park is situated in the northern part of the Straits of Malacca, 19 nautical miles (35 km) south of Langkawi and encompasses the islands of Pulau Payar, Pulau Lembu, Pulau Segantang and Pulau Kaca which are surrounded by coral reefs. The marine park teems with a diversity of marine life and vegetation, makes up Malaysia’s oldest Marine Park sanctuary. These islands, famous for the varied and colorful marine life that they support, offer the best diving site on Peninsular Malaysia’s west coast. Access is not a problem as speedboats and catamarans ply the route on a regular basis from Langkawi and Penang. At Pulau Payar, the largest of the four islands, you will find the Marine Park Centre, which was set up and operated by the Fisheries Department. Here, useful information can be obtained on the do’s and don’ts while visiting the island. If you are not into water activities, do check out the two hiking trails that have been constructed to enable visitors to explore and enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding sea and beyond. Gazebos, picnic tables, BBQ pits and rest room facilities are also available for public use. Although picnics and camping are allowed, cutting of trees and open burning are strictly prohibited. Nearby is a jetty, and just a short distance away is a pontoon, with facilities for easy access to the reef below. The waters of Pulau Payar have an additional attraction — artificial reefs built from tyres, concrete blocks and old boats, which over the years has developed into mature reefs that are teeming with marine life. For those who do not dive or snorkel, you can still see the spectacular sights below the sea surface from the large floating platform..
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 10:01:39 +0000
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