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Malaysia - Islands

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Islands and beaches are definitely the natural assets of Malaysia. Blessed with white sandy beaches, these paradises can be found along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia has beautiful coral islands of glistening beaches and tall palm trees overlooking the clear blue waters of the sea. The main lure is the rich marine life and spectacular coral reefs. The best of these islands are Pulau Tioman, Pulau Langkawi, Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Rawa, Pulau Sibu and Pulau Redang.

These islands offers a host of aqua activities like fishing, skin diving, scuba diving, snorkeling, lobster hunting, underwater photography, wind surfing and boating. Catch the golden sunrise, clear emerald blue sea and miles of golden sandy palm fringed beaches. Dive underwater for the mesmerizing coral gardens and thriving marine life's.

Pulau Langkawi
Pulau Langkawi, also known as the Island of Legends is situated in the State of Kedah. You have to get on a boat/ferry to reach the island and the journey there is leaves a wonderful impression...a panoramic view of all the little islands which you will slowly pass by and the emerald green waters surrounding it. There are 104 small islands with Pulau Langkawi being the largest of them all. There are many mystical tales, legends and folklore associated with this island. Langkawi holds different meanings to different people. Some love it for its beautiful sandy beaches, one is even well-known for it's black sand which glitters in the sun, like soft charcoal, while some love its uniquely shaped rock formations and the limestone coastline. Others cannot resists its flora and fauna still abundant with its natural dense tropical rain forest. The Malaysians and tourists from neighboring countries also come here to shop in this duty-free paradise. For those who love snorkeling, this place has abundant corals to feast your eyes upon.

Pulau Rebak lies on the east side of Langkawi. It's a private island consisting of 383 acres of lush pristine forest and has a spectacular view of the Straits of Melaka, overlooking the Andaman Sea. It's name is derived from the Rebak tree, found in abundance on the island. On the South western tip of Pulau Rebak is Rebak Marina Resort.

Tioman Island
Set like a glittering jewel amidst the South China Sea, Tioman Island, the largest of a group of 64 volcanic islands, beckons the visitor with its white beaches and crystal clear azure seas. A sense of excitement and mystery pervades the island and the visitor will be enchanted by the picturesque beauty of this tropical paradise. Populated by friendly villagers who live an unhurried lifestyle, Tioman Island has a way of making your troubles seem like a thousand miles away. Considered one of the world's ten most beautiful islands, Tioman made its movie debut as the setting for the paradise island of "Bali Hai" in the film "South Pacific". This volcanic island has steep slopes of lush green vegetation and a multicolored profusion of orchids and other tropical flowers. Stunning waterfalls cascade down these tropical slopes and make their way down through secluded sandy beaches to the clear blue waters and its iridescent coral reefs. Untouched with its natural beauty, Tioman Island draw thousands of tourist yearly to its beaches. Sun lovers and those who are fascinated by sea shells will find the miles and miles of palm-fringed beaches a sheer delight with their myriad varieties of these lovely sea creatures. You can spend hours just languishing on the white pearly beach, looking up the sun for the perfect tan. Popular beaches include the ones around the villages of Tekek, Genting, and Salang. A walk on one of these beaches at sunset is truly enchanting and will simply take your breath away.

Pulau Sipadan
Acknowledged as one of the best diving and unique spots in Southeast Asia, Pulau Sipadan is located off the small coastal town of Semporna on Sabah's eastern coast. Just 15 feet from the beach, the water turns indigo blue as the sea drops abruptly to 2,850ft deep! It is rather awe-inspiring. Myriad of colorful tropical fish swim in the warm water near the surface whereas huge groupers nose about. Moreover, the water gets so dark that one would not really know what lurks below. This famous feature won Sipadan island a "Best Beach Dive in the World" award in 1993.

The sea is overflowing with marine life. The main attraction for divers is the rich and unique variety of corals both soft and hard. Reef fish of every shape and hue can be found in these waters. Colorful butterfly fishes, angel fishes, damsel fishes of electric blue and bright orange colors inhabit the coral reefs, thus adding to the splendor of the underwater havens.

Between April and September, the Green and Hawksbill turtles will come ashore in droves to nest in the soft golden sands of Sipadan. When you dive during this time, you are bound to encounter these harmless denizens of the deep.

A beautiful white-sand beach fringes Sipadan but the real beauty of this island is in its waters. The season for diving is from mid-February to mid-December. Visibility ranges from 60 feet to over 200 feet. Several dive spots have even been identified and given exotic names after the variety of corals and marine life that are unique to these spots. There is the "Hanging Gardens", the "Barracuda Point", and the exciting "Turtle Cavern".

Professional diving companies operate on the island, complete with water, electricity, food, drinks, and comfortable accommodation for an unforgettable experience. To get there, one can take the 45-minute boat ride from Semporna.

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