THE ISLANDS OF LANGKAWI

Diving at Pulau Payar
Pulau Payar boasts of a spectacularly beautiful dive site at its rocky

southwestern end called "Coral Garden"; where rocky slopes are nearly fully covered with brightly soft coral, and dark green tree like

dandroid and multitudes of sea fans and cone shells thrive

in its deeper waters.

The Pulau Payar Marine Park is the first marine park to be established off

the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It includes the islands of

Pulau Payar, Pulau Lembu, Pulau Segantang and Pulau Kaca

which are surrounded by coral reefs.
 

None of the island is inhabited, except by on-duty officers of the Fisheries Department, who enforce the law. Fishing, either for hobby or commercial,

is strictly prohibited around the islands
 

Water temperature: 26°C (79°F) to 29°C (84°F)
Suit: 3mm or 5mm shortie
Visibility:5 to 15 metres (15 - 45 feet)

Other popular spots are the flat terrain to the east of the island, and the

area to its west around Pulau Segantang that offers steep diving condition.

The latter also provides an added incentive: you can literally have

various sea creatures as company as you swim and explore. 

The park offers a variety of diving conditions, from flat terrain to

more challenging steep slopes.

Don't be surprised by the sheer number and variety of sea squirts, sea slugs,

hermit crabs, feather starfish, sea anemone, lion fish, barracudas,

rainbow runners, rock fish and ghost fish out to befriend the

curious and admiring diver.

Would you like to meet a 1m long barracuda called Mustafa? He lives just under the jetty at Palau Payar. He's nice, big, friendly and a little old. He'll give you a big toothy grin. Other than Mustafa, you can see lots of his other buddies, black tipped sharks, banner fish, frolicking brown groupers, clown fish and schools and schools of greedy rabbit fish.

Type of Diving
Coral gardens in flat terrain to the east of the islands and sloping walls

to the west around Pulau Segantang

Marine Life
Black-tip reef sharks, groupers, barracuda, parrotfish, pufferfish, angelfish, bannerfish

When to Go
Langkawi is a year round destination, but the rainy season from

June to September can cause rougher seas and lower visibility,

July and August are the worst months for rainfall
 

• Island Hopping  • Pulau Payar  • Other Islands  • Diving at Pulau Payar •