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� The People � Beaches & Reefs �
Activities � Chagar Hutang Turtle Research Unit �
� Stay � Getting There �
Still relatively undeveloped and
unspoiled, the island provides excellent opportunities for snorkeling,
scuba diving and jungle trekking to keep you occupied or just relaxing
along the glistening white beaches.
Pulau Redang, approximately 7km in length 6km in width, is the largest
of a cluster of nine islands; Pulau Pinang is much smaller and there are
seven islets, Pulau Kerengga Besar, Pulau Kerengga Kecil, Pulau Paku
Besar, Pulau Paku Kecil, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Ling (also called Pulau
Chipor) and Pulau Lima.
The People
Redang Island is a home for a community of nearly 250 fisherman families
who are believed to be the descendents of the settlers (the Bugis were
reputed to be formidable warriors and skilled seafarers). Coming from
the Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia, to escape from the many clan wars
there. Their village lies at the left bank of Sungai Redang estuary,
approximately 3 kilometers inland.
 Beaches
& Reefs
The best beaches are probably those located at Teluk Dalam ('Deep
Water Bay'). This bay has 2 distinct stretches of beach, one at Teluk
Dalam Kecil where Berjaya Beach Resort is located and the other at Teluk
Dalam Besar where there are currently no resorts. The water here is
clear and calm with sandy bottom which is excellent for swimming. The
two beaches are separated by a hilly outcrop. A road built on top of the
hill provides easy access between the two beaches. A jungle path also
connects the beach at Teluk Dalam Besar to Pasir Panjang, a trek that
can be covered in about an hour.
 Pasir
Panjang beach is essentially one long stretch of sandy beach shaped like
a birdwing or 'V' where one wing forms the northern stretch while the
other the southern stretch, both wings meeting at Tanjung Tengah in the
centre. Coral reefs line most parts of the eastern shore from Pasir
Panjang all the way down to the south of Teluk Kalong, so most resorts
would have easy access to house reefs just off the beach. The best house
reefs are arguably those in Pasir Panjang. There are 3 house reefs:
around Tanjung Tengah where Shark Bay is located, at Tanjung Mak Cantik
where Redang Reef resort is located and in front of Redang Holiday. All
of them are easily accessible regardless of which resort you stay at in
Pasir Panjang. Next best are the house reefs at Teluk Kalong.
At Berjaya Beach Resort in Teluk Dalam Kecil, the house reef is further
out from shore towards the sides of the bay, making it less easily
accessible.
Activities
Sheltered within the Pulau Redang Marine Park, the waters here abound
with marine life. At mid-day, when the rays of the sun penetrate the
sea, brilliant hues of coral, anemones and clams may be seen. with 500
species of live corals, more than a thousand species of invertebrates
and almost 3000 species of fishes which includes manta rays, stingrays,
sharks and the occasional whale sharks, it is a paradise for diving and
snorkelling.
Apart from snorkeling and diving, one can trek around the trails in the
northern part of the island and visit the fishing village on stilts at
the estuary of the Redang River.
 Chagar
Hutang Turtle Research Unit
Pasir Chagar Hutang lies in a bay at the northern end of the island.
There are no through roads and the only way to get there is by boat or
trekking through unmarked jungle. This is a nesting site for turtles
that come ashore to lay their eggs. A turtle could lay as many as 8
times in one season that lasts from April until late September. Here
volunteers help out in a conservation programme for the turtles. The
islanders believe that magical beings known as 'Orang Bunian' inhabit
the area. It is believed that these 'beings' grant wishes in return for
offerings brought to them by those who seek their help.
Stay-in Redang Island
There are no bad beaches in Redang. Regardless of where you stay (except
at Berjaya Spa Resort which does not have a beach as it is located on a
hill), you'll always find soft, fine white sand beneath your feet.
Stormy weather and strong waves can deposit debris and broken coral on
the beach but over time, the sandy beach is restored when new sand is
deposited.
There are different types of accommodation to suit different needs
ranging from campsites and budget resorts all the way to 4 star resorts.
There are currently 15 resorts and 1 campsite on Redang, with two new
resorts under construction. At the lowest end of the budget are the
campsites while Berjaya Beach, Laguna Redang and Coral Redang resorts
round off the higher end of the budget scale. Most resorts offer
acceptable standards of accommodation with air-con rooms and attached
bathrooms. An increasing number are also equipped with hot showers.
Standards are improving all across the board as resorts continue to
renovate and upgrade themselves to compete with one another.
 All the resorts are located at Teluk Kalong and Pasir Panjang on the
eastern side of Redang, except for Berjaya Beach Resort at Teluk Dalam
in the north and Berjaya Redang Spa Resort in Teluk Siang in the south,
face the Marine Park Centre.
Teluk Kalong also offers more privacy and quiet with fewer resorts
spread out across it: Redang Kalong & Redang Inn are the only resorts at
Teluk Kalong Besar, while at Teluk Kalong Kecil, Wisana is on its own
little stretch of beach with Mutiara and the campsite sharing the
neighbouring beach, both beaches separated by a rocky outcrop.
With so many resorts located at Pasir Panjang, it can get very busy
during peak season, especially around Tanjung Tengah. Resorts located at
the southern and northern ends of Pasir Panjang offer more peace and
quiet as there is less passer-by traffic.
The Berjaya & Laguna resorts are at the top of the comfort scale. The
next group of resorts on the comfort scale are Coral Redang with its
very lovely villas. Redang Beach with its cozy chalets and Redang Beach
are probably next in line with the rest of the other 'budget' resorts
following closely behind. Berjaya resorts are exclusive and with access
to two long stretches of beach at Teluk Dalam, guests at Berjaya Beach
should have no problems finding their own private, quiet space on the
beach.
Getting There
Located 45km of the coast of Kuala Terengganu, Redang Island is
accessible by boat from Merang Jetty. Different speedboats are attached
to different resorts on the island. If you have booked with a resort on
the island, more than likely the appointed boat will already be there
waiting for you. Some boats belong to the resort and is therefore easy
to pick out with the resort's name clearly printed. But many are hired
boats and belong to private operators so just inform the boatman which
resort you are staying at, and he will direct you to the right boat.
Delay is a normal occurrence. There have been occasions when passengers
had to wait quite a while for other guests delayed enroute, so be
prepared! Pulau Redang is roughly 22km from the Merang Estuary and the
boat ride takes approximately 45mins.
RELATED LINKS
Diving in Redang
Redang is one of the most popular diving destinations in Peninsular
Malaysia. The dive sites around this island rarely exceeds 20 meters and
is favorable to divers of all level. Most dive sites in Redang are
located within ten minutes boat ride from the resort areas.
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