Pulau Payar Marine Park

The sprinkling of jade green islands that makes up Pulau Payar lies just 30km south-east of Langkawi. It's just a 1-hour boat ride out to the best marine park on Malaysia's West Coast, making it an ideal choice for a day outing.

This well-preserved, uninhabited marine park extends over a number of islands, with Pulau Payar being the largest. Your base out here is the floating platform moored off Pulau Payar. But the real attraction of this platform lies below sea level. Step into the underwater observation chamber to view the marine life surrounding a reef. Want to get even closer to the swirl of fishes that make these corals their home? Grab a mask, a snorkel and fins and join the spectacle!

Are you into scuba diving? The best diving is along the reef system that skirts the south, east and west of Pulau Payar. Please check with your dive operator what the visibility is like during that time. It can vary from time to time.

There is no accommodation in Pulau Payar as it is a marine park, but that's not really an issue since Langkawi, with all its fine resorts and restaurants, is just a quick boat-ride away.

How to get there
By Sea
Pulau Payar is just 30km south-east of Langkawi Island. You can get there from Kuah Jetty in Langkawi by speed boat or catamaran. The journey takes about 45 minutes.

Bukit Ayer Recreational Forest

Just few kilometres north of the Golf Club and the Snake and Reptile Farm is the Bukit Air Recreational Park. Cool streams meander through rich tropical forest and waterfalls cascade into rocky pools. Well-defined paths allow easy access through the park where the sights and sounds of tropical rainforest await visitors. An excellent location for picnics, the park also provides a camping ground, car parking facilities and all basic amenities.It is an ideal location for nature lovers who enjoy jungle trekking, learning about plants and animals and bathing in waterfalls. Here at the forest, those who prefer to hike can contact the forestry department to follow the trail while those who want to swim can do so at the recreational forest's waterfalls and pools. The forest is also equipped with a camping site and a multi-purpose open area for recreational activities. Hikers should let the department know of their movement for their own safety as the forest is near the Malaysia-Thailand border. The four km trail ends at the Herb Park. The Park has about 700 spesies of herbs including Tongkat Ali, Kacip Fatimah, Misai Kuching, Cekor, Selasih and Halia. The 12ha park that was established in 1998 receives some 200 visitors daily during the school holidays. For those who wish to stay longer at the park, chalets are available at the nearby Putra Bukit Ayer Keroh Resort.

Plan Your Trip - Travel Ideas

Diverse and culturally rich, travel and capture the very essence of Malaysia. From metropolitan Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru to fascinating natural wonders of the world.
Venture to the world's oldest rainforest to marine life of scenic islands of the east coast. Explore the intriguing history of Borneo with its White Rajahs and indulged in its mosaic of indigenous tribes and longhouses, wildlife and mysterious caves. The land has been a magnet for adventurers, travellers and naturalists for a long time.

Malaysia has so much to offer! Stroll along the historic old port town of Melaka, which abounds with the traditional ways of the Malay, Chinese and Nyonya; such settings contrasting with the European influence of the architecturally colonial past. It is also a land of fascinating extremes, where towering skyscrapers look down upon humble longhouses.
Malaysia is home to a bubbling and bustling melting pot of cultures where different people of all races and religions live together in peace and harmony.

Rainforests that have remained unchanged for million of years provide exciting challenge to those seeking hardcore adventure. The unspoilt reefs and azure waters of Sipadan Island evoke all kinds of peacefulness once you delve into its blue yonder. Blessed with natural wonders galore, it is perfect for that ideal holiday breakaway that you have been waiting for. With some of the best beaches and diving spots in the world, Malaysia is a perfect destination to head for your next holiday.

Visit Malaysia 2007

Come 2007, Malaysia will celebrate 50 years of independence. The month of August will be filled with a myriad of parades, cultural performances, street shows and carnivals to commemorate the country's Independence or Merdeka Day on 31st August.
It was on 31st August 1957 when history was made as the Union Jack was lowered and the Malaysian flag hoisted, with the first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj leading the people in the famous shouts of Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka! (Independence!)
For more than 30 years, Merdeka Day celebrations have been marked by parades involving uniformed personnel, corporate players, school children, cultural dancers, athletes and Malaysians from all walks of life. However, in recent years, the event has grown into a much anticipated and exciting month-long celebration nationwide.
This forthcoming Golden Jubilee celebration marks a significant milestone in the history of the nation. Join the enthusiastic crowd at the Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur on the eve of Merdeka Day for the countdown to this momentous event. Another highlight of the year will be the Citrawarna or Colours and Flavours of Malaysia parade, an annual event showcasing the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the country. This will be the grandest celebration for this event yet.
Malaysia invites all visitors to share in the joy and excitement of this momentous occasion. Come and be mesmerised by a unique multicultural populace celebrating 50 years of nationhood in harmony and peaceful co-existance. You will truly be fascinated