Unfortunately I had to wake up to go snorkeling early that morning.
Boarding the iffy boats which can't help but get some people nervouse
for the safety record of the boat, we headed to pulau payar an island
more than half way from Penang and lamgkawi. Upon arriving you notice
a huge floating, covered platform. Between the platform and the shore
is the swimming area. Don't go towards the eastern or northern part of
the island. It's roped off, but over there are steer cliffs and deep
waters making a great home for sharks.
Life jackets are available as well as flippers, snorkeling masks, as
well as other miscellaneous equipment available for purchase. The
platform is definitely showing it's age, with two bathrooms at the
back and creaky shower/changing rooms (no soap or shampoo). If you
don't like squat bathrooms or dirty ones, I suggest going to the one
on the boat, which they dock later on. The platform has a main
gathering area with tables for your bags and also a kitchen on the
ground floor. A short walk takes you up to the sundeck. I would
definitely not recommend staying on the platform, as snorkeling is soo
much better. After all you are paying about 350 Malaysian ollars,
about $100.
Don't expect a whole coral reef down here, as the corals seem to groan
against the stress of daily visitors and the lapping water. Most are a
bit brown on the surface, but with many jagged textures. Going into
the water is easy as here are stairs leading to a level surface with
benches where you can push off of. After pushing off, I am always
amazed at the amount of fish. All different colors swarm around me,
while bigger, darker fish lure around on the bottom. Around the
platform is the deepest, about 30 something feet, but never fear, the
closer you swim to the beach, the shallower it gets. Heading towards
the beach, you can search for an underwater anchor which I have found
both years that I have come to pulau payar. Among the corals is so
much life, including sea urchins with huge spikes, and strange blue
LEDs on them? It looked like it, although I am no scientist. Not that
LEDs are science.
A bell rings for lunch on the platform. A seemingly impressive buffet
lines a couple long tables. Fried rice, soup, meats, fish, etc. Are
usually pre packaged and overcooked. Other stuff seems questionable so
it is best not to take it, as you really don't want food poisoning
while snorkeling. The lunch is actually dissappointing, as one would
expect a little more from 'malaysias first reef platform'. Drinks were
also limited to some diluted coffee, and foul tasting water. Lunch
aside, this place is an awesome place for first timers. Boats can
carry you to the beach, if you want to beachcomb, and you can also
watch shark feeding, although I didn't see any shark this year, for
good or for bad depends on your opinion.
After nice showers at the g hotel, we headed right next door to gurney
plaza. If you could rate the shopping malls in terms of price,
fanciness, etc. Your list would would be queensbay first, gurney plaza
second, prangin mall third, and komtar fourth. Gurney plaza is nice
and pretty clean, and we went to the chicken rice shop again and got
the same family fiesta. My sisters stayed at My grandmas house while I
stayed with my parents at the hotel, as I wasn't feeling so great. The
next day would be the last full day in Penang...
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