Marine Park
Dotting the South China Sea about 45 kilometres off the long Terengganu coastline, Pulau Redang and its neighbouring islands were officially declared a marine park in 1991.
The marine park consists of nine islands:
Pulau Redang, Pulau Pinang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Lang Tengah, Pulau Perhentian Besar, Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Susu Dara and Pulau Kapas.
The seas around these islands have a fascinating variety of marine life and are excellent for underwater exploration and photography. The unspoilt table coral formations are spectacular as are the sea cucumbers found in abundance on the ocean floor.
There are five notable dive sites off Redang. These include Tanjung Lang and Tanjong Tokong, north of Redang which have a variety of corals, including hydrozoans, anthozoans and a great number of sea fans and sea whips.
The other dive sites are at Tanjung Gua Kawah, Pasir Panjang and Batu Mak Cantek. Visibility is generally excellent for diving extending up to about 30 metres in fine weather conditions. Visitors to Pulau Redang have a choice of accommodation facilities ranging from budget to international standard hotels. The premier properties on the island is the 152-room Berjaya Redang Beach Resort.
The authorities have laid down park regulations to protect the marine environment in Redang. We can help by obeying these rules and communicating them to friends and family who visit. As visitors, we have the privilege to enjoy the natural beauty of the coral reef environment and its aquatic inhabitants. With this privilege comes the responsibility to guard, care for and protect this fragile environment.
The coral reefs at Redang are the main attraction for the thousands of visitors each year. To protect the corals from damage and to preserve them for future visitors to enjoy, it is the responsibility of each visitor to look after the coral reefs.
Reefs in Redang and all over the world are already under attack from pollution, global warming and ocean acidification. If nothing is done to stop the current rate of destruction, there may be no coral reefs left by the end of the century. Visitors don’t need to add to the damage through their careless and thoughtless actions. We can all learn and choose to avoid or minimize damage caused by our activities. We can each make a positive difference when we visit by following these 3 simple rules.
1. Leave things where they are
Don’t take them with you.
- Do not remove anything whether dead or alive such as seashells, corals and fishes either as souvenirs or collectibles.
- All marine life, whether dead or alive, plays a part in sustaining the health of the coral reef ecosystem. Everything is recycled, nothing is wasted. Even dead coral, coral rubble and empty shells can provide protection and homes for many species of organisms.
- Don’t catch fish or other marine life even if you intend to release them later. You may stress, injure or kill them in the process.
- Do not kick, kneel, stand or step on corals as this may break them.
- Snorkellers should avoid going near corals when the water is too shallow to prevent unnecessary physical contact. When adjusting or clearing your mask or snorkel, do it while floating or swim clear away from corals before doing so.
- Divers should ensure good buoyancy and control. When near corals, bend your knees so that fins are pointing upwards and fin gently using the frog-kick. Make sure gauges and other equipment are secured so they are not dragged over the reef. Do not use knifes or sharp objects to anchor yourself on coral when fighting currents or when steadying yourself to take photographs.
3. Keep the beach and sea clean
Avoid littering.
- Throw rubbish into rubbish bins, not on the beach or into the sea. Help to clear the beach and sea of any litter you come across.
- Litter on the beach can get washed out to sea and may harm animals that consume them mistakenly. A Queensland university study found that marine rubbish was the leading cause of death among sea turtles in 2007.
- Polluted waters can reduce the amount of sunlight needed by corals to survive. Many detergents for cleaning and washing are also harmful to coral reefs and should not be used in beach showers and wash areas outside where they can seep into the soil and be discharged into the sea.