Dive Sites

Pulau Payar, Langkawi

About 35 kilometres from the west coast of Kedah state is a cluster of 99 islands collectively known as Langkawi. The name Langkawi actually belongs to the largest inhabited island in the group. In addition to the island's many land and underwater natural beauty, Langkawi's duty-free port status has provided visitors with another reason to visit the island.

Diving

A number of diving operators can be found either located within a hotel or at dive centres around Pulau Langkawi. Most diving is done around Pulau Payar Marine Park Group of islands. Strict conservation laws enforced by Marine Park Rangers around the islands have resulted in prolific marine life. A unique highlight in Pulau Payar is the presence of up to 20 juvenile black tip sharks providing excitement to the many snorkellers who visit the Marine Park centre. Although at times the plankton-rich waters can be reduce visibility, the abundance of fish makes up for it, fusiliers, jacks, black tip sharks, barracudas and groupers are sighted on a regular basis. Coral life is a mixture of hard and soft corals. Pulau Kaca is a favourite for easy, shallow wreck diving, with dozens of sunken fishing trawlers providing refuge for a variety of marine animals. The Pulau Payar group of island offers the best diving along the west coast.

Pulau Payar

Pulau Payar is located south east of Langkawi and north of Penang Island. No form of accommodation is available on the island; only the Marine Park centre occupies its solitary beach. Speedboats or catamaran shuttle divers from Langkawi to Pulau Payar Marine Park within an hour.

The best diving is to be found from the western tip to the southern and eastern portion of Pulau Payar.

Coral Garden

Coral garden is located on the western tip of Pulau Payar. This dive site features both hard and soft corals along the island's rocky terrain with depths from 5 to 18 metres. Visibility averages between 5 to 15 metres. Huge boulders carpeted with dendronephthya soft corals offer numerous crevices that attract marine life seeking refuge from predators. Fish life is abundant, with damsels, fusiliers, lion fish, schooling jacks and occasional huge groupers.

Grouper Farm

Suitably named, this dive site located towards the southern end of Pulau Payar is home to small schooling fish nervously darting about due to the presence of numerous groupers. Hard corals dominate the seascape with the reef top gradually slopping down to about 15 metres to the sandy bottom. If a slight current is present, a drift dive is the best approach to this site, but watch out for spiny sea urchins.

Pulau Kaca

Situated towards the east of Pulau Payar is some easy wreck diving off Pulau Kaca. Dozens of sunken fishing trawlers are found around Pulau Kaca creating artificial reefs. Rocky topside topography gives way to hard coral growth at 5 metres and slopes to a sandy bottom at about 18 metres. A diver does not require any bearing to locate the wrecks, as he is bound to encounter the scattered vessels in almost any direction. Coral blocks on the sandy bottom are inhabited by abundant small reef fishes, mollusks and nudibranchs. Try to maintain good buoyancy, as the sandy seabed is littered with sea urchins.

Pulau Segantang

This twin rocky outcrop is located 13 kilometres towards the west of Pulau Payar. Pulau Segantang features steep rocky terrain plunging into the sea to a sandy bottom at 20 metres. Nurse sharks, barracudas and jacks are very common here. Fusiliers will curiously swim around intruding divers. Here, hard corals and sea fans are found on the slopes between 15 to 20 metres. Lobsters, moray eels and mollusks are also commonly observed.

Getting There

Langkawi is easily accessible by air, sea, road and rail from various gateway points. Langkawi's international airport links to various countries and has several daily flights from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore. Ferry services are also available from Kuala Perlis, Kuala Kedah and Penang. The best way to get around the island is to hire motorcycles or cars that are easily available for rental from the airport and Kuah town centre.