About Redang Island

White sandy beaches, crystal clear blue sea, brilliant underwater world..... Redang Island is located at 45 km offshore of Terengganu. Redang archipelago comprises 9 islands, the Lima Island, Paku Besar Island, Paku Kecil Island, Kerengga Besar Island, Kerengga Kecil Island, Ekor Tebu Island, Ling Island, Pinang Island and Redang Island. This archipelago is abounds with marvelous marine fishes, turtles and coral reefs, ensuring a great snorkelling and scuba-diving experience. Redang Island which is approximately 7km in length 6km in width, is the largest of all other islands in the Marine Park.

The Redang archipelago has been designated as Pulau Redang Marine Parks Malaysia as to conserve the islands’ unique ecosystem. There are 500 species of live corals, more than a thousand species of invertebrates and almost 3000 species of fishes which includes manta rays, stingrays, sharks and whale sharks, all living in harmony in the reefs fringing the islands. It is a real heaven for divers.

Diving enthusiasts and underwater photographers will definitely be entranced by the sights of the islands, which are ranked among the best coral reef in the world. Among the attractions at the twenty over different diving spots, there are shipwrecks near Pinang Island, black coral garden as well as the mysterious submerged chamber, both located in the vicinity of Lima Island. And not Forgetting is the Mini Mount situated between Kerenggan Besar Island and Kerenggan Kecil Island. Redang waters also contains two historic shipwrecks. The H.M.S Prince of Wales and H.M.S. Repulse were sunk here during the WWII, setting the stage for the Japanese occupation of Malaya.

Garden Under The Sea

As the largest island among the Redang Archipelago, Pulau Redang is not only made famous by its white sandy beach but also the world lying beneath this crystal clear water which, is not only paradise for marine life but also for natural lovers. Snorkeling or diving in the sea around Pulau Redang is a breathtaking experience where, the water surrounding Pulau Redang is home to some 3,000 species of fish, 1.000 of species of bivalves and 500 species of reef-building coral.

Coral reefs are found in the shallow as well as the deep water around the islands. They are formed by gradual accumulation and transformation of tiny soft-bodied animals, closely related to sea anemones. One of the very common coral found in the waters of Pulau Redang is Staghorn corals. This reef-building corals are often found in shallow areas. They are green, brown or yellowish in colour and they provide shelter for a variety of small fishes and other sea animals.

In the deeper water there are sea fans, soft tree corals, cup coral and several species of nudibranch. Some deeper rocks are covered with leathery soft corals with some soft tree corals, cup corals, tunicates and sponges. Large giant clams are often found here.

Then on the sand itself are larger soft corals and sea fans, whip corals, table corals, mushroom corals, boulder corals, nudibranch, sea stars, cushin stars and sea urchin.

Perhaps you will agree that the glory of this underwater garden will eclipse if without the existence of fish. Fish chasing each other in the coral or swimming in groups in the dark blue sea like a group of patrolling soldiers, making this garden as fascinating and as colourful as the colour palette of an artist.

Shoaling fish such as jacks and snappers and rabbitfish, or groupers silver barracudas, clownfish, triggerfish, parrotfish, stingrays, hammerheads and Green turtles etc. is always surprises the divers. There have been a few times when divers have spotted a whale shark at Big Mount, one of the popular dive sites in Pulau Redang. And if you are lucky, you might spot a cuttlefish, squid and/or Eagle ray while snorkeling.

The best location for snorkeling on this island is found at the southern coast around the Pulau Pinang and Pulau Ekor Tebu. Below sea level, you will get to see some of the more beautiful sea creatures including the batfish, angelfish, boxfish and butterfly fish. There are also many multicolored creatures that eat off anemone, sponges and bivalves. For diving enthusiasts, there are about 18 dive sites around Pulau Redang, each has its own way to surprise the divers.

Conservation has been taken place by gazetted this island as one of the marine park in Malaysia in order to protect the marine life in this marine paradise. Activities such as fishing, collecting corals and marine life, and anchoring boats directly on the reef are prohibited within two nautical miles of these islands.



Did You Know?



Bioluminescent Ostracods (also know as Firefleas/Sea firefly) Found at front beach of Redang Reef Resort, The guide call as blue sand. Ostracods are microscopic crustaceans, typically 0.2mm to 2mm long but are readily fossilised and can occur in enormous numbers in some sediments. Ostracods inhabit in aquatic environment use bioluminescence during mating where the males will attract females to them. Males ostracods flash in a sequence as they swim to attract females. Bioluminescence is blue colour because all colors of light do not transmit equally through ocean water, so if the purpose of bioluminescence is to provide a signal that is detected by other organisms, then it is important that the light be transmitted through seawater. Blue light transmits best through seawater.