Travel Pictorials "jalan-jalan": 27 August 2005

FINAL ~ Pulau Kapas 220805c: Bye-bye

[NOTE: For a better read, please start at the bottom. Don't ask me why, that's how it works!]

Although I spent two days snorkeling, unfortunately I'm not able to show pics of the huge aquarium under the sea. Yes, I did spot fish of all hues and colours (including Nemo & Gang), pretty corals, ugly gamat and urchins, little crustaceans, fierce-looking cuttle-fish, giant clams, etc. For justice to be done, maybe it's time for me to invest in a waterproof digicam, specifically for underwater photography.

Anyway, Kapas, though not as glamorous (or as exploited) as Tioman or Redang, is a great place to unwind and to be close to nature. But, hey, for a person who hates long boat rides like moi, Kapas is indeed a godsend!

Nope, this pretty one is not ours. Chugging along, it takes 40mins just to do the 6km crossing.

Yup, this is ours. In 10mins we would be on dry land again.

The powerful outboard motor revs up and we hit 45km/h. Bye-bye, Kapas. We'll be back soon enough.

Very calm water, like a huge swimming pool?

Pulau Kapas 220805b: The Denizens

This must be one lonely cat. Very few of them on the island.

Pied Imperial Pigeon or Burung Rawa. Can grow up to half a metre, and a handsome creature indeed.

Another pose.

Pulau Kapas 220805a: The Garbage

Resort's garbage ready for collection, to be disposed off on the mainland.

The garbage truck arrives.

And the garbage-men promptly gets to work. Nope, they do not spill anything on the roadside.

Pulau Kapas 210805n: The Bonfire

A bonfire on the beach. What a way to end a busy day. :-)

Pulau Kapas 210805m: Venus

Venus, the little white dot in the sky.

Pulau Kapas 210805l: Dusk (3/3)

Pulau Kapas 210805k: Dusk (2/3)

Pulau Kapas 210805j: Dusk (1/3)

As the sun sets, everybody and everything comes home to roost.

Pulau Kapas 210805h: The Critters

A hairy gamat, stranded when the water receded. Poor bloke! When snorkeling you can see this critter (and its other cousins) littered everywhere on the sea floor!

Sea cockroaches?

Pulau Kapas 210805g: The Rocks

Pulau Kapas 210805f: The Rocky Beach

Up the hill and down I come, to this beautiful but desolate rocky and stony beach, sandwiched between two huge rocky outcrops. Looks like a good snorkeling spot, for the brave ones.

Craggy, colourful, weather-beaten rocks everywhere.

Pulau Kapas 210805e: The Forested Hill

At the end of the beach, I reach the foot of the hill to start a steep climb.

Pulau Kapas 210805d: The Big Boat

To the right, a fisheries dept's vessel is moored, to remind people who's boss.

Pulau Kapas 210805c: The Jetty

Rounding the craggy rocks, I make for the only jetty on Kapas. Passenger boats seldom use this facility - they just do beach landings right in front of their passengers' chalets. Saves a lot of time! That's my wingman in yellow.

The crystal-clear water is full of colourful sea critters!

I look southwards and decide to go to the far end and climb the forested hill. Let's see what's on the other side, maybe the set for 'Lost'? Who knows. :-)

Pulau Kapas 210805b: The Walkabout

I decide goofing off on the beach-chair in the cool shade is no longer fun, and go on a walkabout, in the hot sun!

A hot beautiful day.

Low tide, and as I walk southwards along the exposed sandy beach, I look back to admire the setting of chalets.

Low tide and the jagged rocks are exposed. During high tide, there's no sandy beach at this spot at all. Instead colourful fish playfully swim between the rocks.

Pulau Kapas 210805a: The Beach Again

As a boatman revs up his engine...

...a youngish but experienced snorkeler emerges from the water...

...and grins at me...

...and, ummm...

...while I, on a beach-chair in the cool shade, observe the going-ons, with a pair of binoculars in hand.

Pulau Kapas 200805d: The Accommodation

Great ambience, shady and cool. Only the garish orange corporate colour seems out of kilter. Otherwise a great place!

A White-rumped Shama (Murai Batu or Murai Rimba). A wonderful singer and a frequent visitor to the chalet compound. Whistle a tune and this bloke will try to imitate the melody!

Cute little chalets, but electricity (from a hard-working diesel generator in the bush) is available only 6.30pm to 7.30am the next day. So why invest in an airconditioned chalet?

Pulau Kapas 200805c: The Sandy Beach

Kids are undetered by the hot sun! Snorkeling can start here - excellent underwater visibility with the odd fish, crustaceans and squids making appearances.

Lazing on a beach chair under the shade is sheer bliss.

Idyllic scene on a Kapas beach. In the background, mountains on the mainland float on azure crystal-clear water and sandy white sand.

Pulau Kapas 200805b: The Boat

This is the boat, or rather the water taxi, which takes me across to Kapas. With twin outboard motors, this puppy can reach 50km/h in good weather and makes the crossing in 10 mins. Life jackets aplenty, no worries.

FIRST ~ Pulau Kapas 200805a: Marang Jetty

Today I find myself having breakfast at the jetty in the coastal town of Marang (see maps below - click them for bigger images), in the company of cats, birds, boats and a sobering sunrise. My mission is to cross the 6-km or so of open sea to the island of Kapas (Pulau Kapas) for a weekend of serious R&R. Come join me!