Back-to-basics island getaway
MINIMALIST: Tourists are drawn to Pulau Besar’s unspoilt beach, pristine waters, and simple way of life
CITY folk who want to enjoy the tranquility an island can offer will find Mersing a glittering gem.
The drive to Mersing from Johor Baru takes about two hours.
At Mersing, one will see a row of shops along Jalan Abdullah in the Mersing Kanan area. The shops sell food products made by the locals, such as Abdullah Ishak, 24, who works at Perusahaan Keropok Haji Puteh, owned by his family.
"I started working after I finished my secondary education. I have always aspired to be a businessman.
"The price for keropok lekor varies according to the market price of fish such as sardines, wolf herring, and sea bream which are used to process the fish snack," he said.
State Tourism, Domestic Trade, and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said Mersing town has the potential for a shopping destination.
"Tourists can drop by for a shopping excursion before taking the ferry to the islands. I hope the locals will take the opportunity to offer more quality products to tourists," he said during a two-day working visit to Mersing and Pulau Besar recently.
Pulau Besar is accessible from the Mersing jetty, and the jetty is a 20-minute walk from Mersing Kanan or five-minute ride on a motor vehicle.
The journey to Pulau Besar takes about 30 minutes by speedboat and an hour by ferry.
The island has about 40 residents, most of them are pensioners.
There are three resorts on the island -- Aseania Beach Resort Pulau Besar, D' Coconut Island Resort and Mirage Island Resort Pulau Besar.
The island was also featured in a Swedish reality television series Expedition Robinson.
Visitors will be mesmerised by the clean beach and pristine water surrounding the island, making it an ideal getaway for those who enjoy basking in the sun.
Standing on the jetty, one can delight in the sight of fishes swimming in the sea.
The 165.4m jetty was upgraded recently with an allocation from the Federal Government under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
Motor vehicles are prohibited on the island.
The island has a dimly lighted walkway which is romantic at night.
There are fruit bats hanging on the coconut trees on the island.
When the weather is fine, star-gazers can look up and find a sea of twinkling stars dotting the night sky,
Other recreation activities include jogging, beach volley ball, jungle trekking, snorkeling, kayaking and cycling.
The island also has a large hammock, wooden swings and buoy swings for children.
Rastam Osman, 91, rejoiced when the old jetty was upgraded.
"It used to be a wooden jetty that needed to be repaired frequently.
"Boats can now dock at the jetty, even during low tide, making it convenient to load and unload goods onto and from the boats," he said.
Another islander, Norhaida Amir, 19, who lives here with her husband Mohd Nor Ramli, 22, said the upcoming Sultan Iskandar Marine Park information centre on the island, a project under the East Coast Economic Region, will provide job opportunities for youths.
Holidaymakers Oliver Boehm, 46, and his wife Agnes, 42, said they were drawn to the peace and beauty of the island.
Another tourist, Kirsten Elen, 26, from Belgium, vacationing in one of the resorts, said she felt rejuvenated.
"Although there is Internet service, there is no television in the resort so visitors spend most of their time outdoors," Kirsten said.
Crystal clear waters surround the island.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
MINIMALIST: Tourists are drawn to Pulau Besar’s unspoilt beach, pristine waters, and simple way of life
CITY folk who want to enjoy the tranquility an island can offer will find Mersing a glittering gem.
The drive to Mersing from Johor Baru takes about two hours.
At Mersing, one will see a row of shops along Jalan Abdullah in the Mersing Kanan area. The shops sell food products made by the locals, such as Abdullah Ishak, 24, who works at Perusahaan Keropok Haji Puteh, owned by his family.
"I started working after I finished my secondary education. I have always aspired to be a businessman.
"The price for keropok lekor varies according to the market price of fish such as sardines, wolf herring, and sea bream which are used to process the fish snack," he said.
State Tourism, Domestic Trade, and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said Mersing town has the potential for a shopping destination.
"Tourists can drop by for a shopping excursion before taking the ferry to the islands. I hope the locals will take the opportunity to offer more quality products to tourists," he said during a two-day working visit to Mersing and Pulau Besar recently.
Pulau Besar is accessible from the Mersing jetty, and the jetty is a 20-minute walk from Mersing Kanan or five-minute ride on a motor vehicle.
The journey to Pulau Besar takes about 30 minutes by speedboat and an hour by ferry.
The island has about 40 residents, most of them are pensioners.
There are three resorts on the island -- Aseania Beach Resort Pulau Besar, D' Coconut Island Resort and Mirage Island Resort Pulau Besar.
The island was also featured in a Swedish reality television series Expedition Robinson.
Visitors will be mesmerised by the clean beach and pristine water surrounding the island, making it an ideal getaway for those who enjoy basking in the sun.
Standing on the jetty, one can delight in the sight of fishes swimming in the sea.
The 165.4m jetty was upgraded recently with an allocation from the Federal Government under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
Motor vehicles are prohibited on the island.
The island has a dimly lighted walkway which is romantic at night.
There are fruit bats hanging on the coconut trees on the island.
When the weather is fine, star-gazers can look up and find a sea of twinkling stars dotting the night sky,
Other recreation activities include jogging, beach volley ball, jungle trekking, snorkeling, kayaking and cycling.
The island also has a large hammock, wooden swings and buoy swings for children.
Rastam Osman, 91, rejoiced when the old jetty was upgraded.
"It used to be a wooden jetty that needed to be repaired frequently.
"Boats can now dock at the jetty, even during low tide, making it convenient to load and unload goods onto and from the boats," he said.
Another islander, Norhaida Amir, 19, who lives here with her husband Mohd Nor Ramli, 22, said the upcoming Sultan Iskandar Marine Park information centre on the island, a project under the East Coast Economic Region, will provide job opportunities for youths.
Holidaymakers Oliver Boehm, 46, and his wife Agnes, 42, said they were drawn to the peace and beauty of the island.
Another tourist, Kirsten Elen, 26, from Belgium, vacationing in one of the resorts, said she felt rejuvenated.
"Although there is Internet service, there is no television in the resort so visitors spend most of their time outdoors," Kirsten said.
Crystal clear waters surround the island.
~News courtesy of New Straits Times~
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