Pulau Payar Marine Park, Langkawi

There are not much clear blue water in Langkawi because it is commercialized and polluted by the tourists so I highly recommend you to choose to take a ferry to this island called Pulau Payar Marine Park. I booked this tour at Hotel Bahagia, Pulau Langkawi for only RM80/pax. Normal price is RM150/pax. It is really a deal. It is inclusive one lunch, a bottle water and hotel transfer. Super worth it!

This is the large ferry that taking all the daily tourist here. The journey is about 45 minutes. So you need to wake up early to reach Kuah Jetty by 9.00am. So by 10.00am you will this beautiful island.

This is what I called a blue clear water. So that we can see a lot of fishes! That's what we are here for. 

Err...are those sharks? That's what I am here for! Don't worry that these are baby blacktip reef sharks which are harmless in a sense. Unless you plan to feed them with your hands or provoke them by scaring them, then you are really inviting trouble for yourself because they are not good at differentiating which is the food and which is your hand. So remember: DO NOT feed any sea creatures in the water.

This is how it likes when you are in the water with them.Up close and personal. They will swim away very fast and always keep 3 meters away from you.

While other fishes basically ignore your presence and you can reach them with your arm length but it is impossible for you to catch them. They will swim away before you do it.

Near the beach you will see all those smaller fishes and baby blacktip reef shark. If you are swimming at the dock, you will see a larger fish...I would say HUGE! Can you see the distance between the fishes and the snorkelers? They are that close. This experience you will only get in Pulau Payar and no other place to be as close as this with the larger fishes in whole Malaysia.

This is a medium sized black tip reef shark which is not the maximum size yet. It is one of the large fishes to be seen here when the staffs are starting to throw chicken  meat into the sea. This is why people are interested to snorkel instead of diving in Pulau Langkawi.

I have been up close and personal with a Barracuda before in one of my fun dive. However, a barracuda with 1.5meter long is still my first time. Even the blacktip reef shark has to make space for it. Barracuda is harmless but they will ignore anything in their path in order to get the food they want. This is the dangerous part. The force and the razor sharp teeth can break your bones.

That's the resting point for us. You can keep your belonging with them with a cost! RM40/tub. Do not care how many things you have, as long as can fit in a single tub, you will just need to pay RM40. Wow, that's where they earn money! If you want to avoid this, don't bring anything valuable such as wallet and handphone. Carry a little money and put into a waterproof case which cost around RM10 - 20 at any local diving stores.

Here we go...I can't wait to jump in! Oh by the way, this island does not provide any fresh water except your drinking water. So basically if you want to bath, the water is sea water. Well, I prepared to just dried myself up and wait until I reach the hotel.

Over there is the floating platform and you are unable to swim there. That is the place for diving trips only.

We have swim within the boundary set by the locals and we are not allowed to pick anything from this sea or else you will received a very heavy fine. You definitely will not want that to spoil your vacation mood.

After long hours of snorkeling, why not go for a dive? Show you acrobatic skills here!

We are not allowed to swim anymore after 2.00pm because the larger blacktip reef sharks are scheduled daily to swim around here to search for food. Wow~ Scary!

Overall experience was great and my friend was enjoying every second of it. We reached our hotel at 4.00pm. So basically your one day journey will be used up here. My advice to you all is do not plan a diving trip here because really nothing to see. You will probably see more things by snorkeling. I saw the diving spot where they taken them to see which is just 50 meters away from our snorkeling site. What kind of fishes they can see over there can be able to seen over here too! Plus, the price is not cheap at all. Around RM400/pax.

Total Damage: RM180.00
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Freakout Level: 3/5
Recommended?: Yes, at least once.