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Malaysia’s Redang IslandAn Emerald Amidst a Turquoise SeaBy Rick Millikan
Disembarking the comfortable passenger ferry, my wife and I ambled along the rustic dock, boarding open-air buses that shuttled guests to island resorts and campsites. Riotous jungle covered most the island; however, the central community had little vegetation. Its small sheep and herds of mangy brown goats may have grazed and pruned the greenery away. On a sparse field, village children played soccer. A little monkey scrutinized the game from a roadside mailbox. The ride ended at Berjaya Resort embracing a wide sandy cove. Our Malay bungalow nestled amid a florid Eden populated by melodic birds, chubby geckos, high jumping frogs and meter-long monitor lizards. With so many natural deterrents, pesky insects were conspicuously absent.
In a sudden swirl of color, electric blue damsels darted out of antler coral refuges. As yellow and white butterfly fish swooped over, white striped, neon orange anenome fish nervously scurried back to their green tentacled abode. Brightly hued parrotfish pecked away at snowy coral in a gritty feast, literally pooping out sand. Reacting perhaps to my intrusion, a black and white batfish hovered in a crevasse. Thoroughly exploring the local reef, I returned beach side to recount this “timeless” adventure.
Filled with cultural insights and rewarding experiences, our terrific weeks in Malaysia had culminated with two special island days. On this emerald isle set amidst turquoise waters, I discovered the splendor of Malaysia’s exotic South China Sea. Photo Credits: Chris & Rick Millikan If you’re going: Tourism Malaysia: Malaysia Airlines Berjaya Redang Beach Resort |
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TM
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Malaysia’s northeast, verdant exotic isles dot the South China Sea. Powdery
white beaches and warm turquoise waters lay just beyond Terengganu’s own
long stretch of sandy shoreline. Pulau Redang offered an ideal end to a
terrific vacation.
Redang
Island and nine neighboring islands comprise an extraordinary marine park.
Great dive spots surround the island. A canopied wooden boat took us to
nearby Pulau Penang. Donning fins, mask and snorkel, I entered warm
crystal waters. Swimming over goatfish scavenging along the sandy bottom, I
approached the reef’s edge. Seeing numerous cobalt blue and silver sea
cucumbers sleeping “like logs”, I contemplated the relaxed pace of such
marine animals. Only a rock’s deep grooves hinted the passages of slow
moving sea urchins. If the giant clams were sucking in mini morsels, their
corrugated lavender-blue lips said nothing. The extraordinary brain, table
and antler corals looked more like dormant plants than industrious animals.
Dining
under the stars we discussed China Sea history from piracy to present day
concerns. “I’d heard how locals once used exploding bait. After using
dynamite, they gathered the stunned fish. Wreaking more havoc, these blokes
harvested tropical fish and coral for sale to aquarium suppliers. I was glad
to learn how marine life is now being protected,” smiled a new Aussie chum.
Malaysians have become very conservation oriented, establishing
comprehensive marine parks and strictly enforcing laws preserving amazingly
rich marine environments. In a country surrounded by water, seafood has
always been an important resource and popular in steamboat soup cuisine,
stir-fries, and Terengganu “fish dogs”. We discovered international resorts
offer a delightful array of local fish, shrimp, scallops and squid in
extensive Malay, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and European buffets. 
The
next day, I swam from our palm-fringed beach to explore Redang’s own
dazzling sea life. The numerous varieties of fish proved extraordinary. The
vast majority of Earth’s reef life began in these waters. A tremendous
biodiversity resulted from South East Asia’s ideal conditions for
evolution. Now protected, the exquisite marine life again flourishes.
Unsurprisingly, acquaintances reported dive sites teeming with barracuda,
sharks, and beautiful soft corals. Others raved about vivid encounters,
including turtle sightings on a ’round the island snorkel trip. We all took
home terrific memories.