Monday, 9 March 2020

Pulau Hantu Besar and Kechil



Finally, we made  a trip to Pulau Hantu!

Some say Pulau Hantu will soon  be reclaimed to make way for future developments. So better explore it while it is still there! Pulau Hantu itself is made up of two islands.  Pulau Hantu Besar and Pulau Hantu Kechil. Both of which are reclaimed and the lagoon between the 2  islands allows one to walk from one to another at low tide. Besar is the Western island and Kechil is the Eastern island.

Map of Pulau Hantu
Each Island has its own lagoon and separating the 2 islands are also a lagoon.

We started our journey from West Coast Pier where we took a Harbourcraft to  Pulau Hantu Besar. The journey itself from WCP to P. Hantu itself  was really nice with fantastic scenery of our port along the way.

West Coast Pier with Harbour Craft counters
RORO vessels on tug

Entrance of Pulau Hantu Besar!

So Pulau Hantu Besar boasts many pavilions, and even toilets with showers! There is no portable toilet though! As for animals, we did not spot any monkeys. Guess thats good! No one to mess with our food!

Pulau Hantu Besar
As it was low tide, the first lagoon we went was the Western Lagoon on Pulau Hantu Besar

Lagoon at low tide. Some yatch anchor outside and guest wade in

Corals

More Corals

A bund protecting the lagoon
Base map taken from  Navionics
As we can see from here, the red line show how our boat traveled to Pulau Hantu. While the blue circle was where some  of the guys that we went together went snorkeling! They said it was not bad! Must try next time! Visibility was not so good but corals underwater were alive and beautiful!


Washroom and shower building at Pulan Hantu Besar. Quite Clean


Center Lagoon!

The Center Lagoon separating the 2 islands boasts a mangrove area, and a  northern lagoon area.
On the center lagoon
At low tide on the center lagoon facing P Hantu Kechil
Spot the Sea Urchin!
Pulau Ular and  Pulau Busing seen from the center lagoon area

The center lagoon is relatively a high area as even with tides at 1.2m, there was still some "dry land"

Finally we walked to the Pulau Hantu Kechil Jetty


Pulau Hantu Kechil  Jetty with P Ular and  P Busing in the background
Pulau Ular and  Pulau Bukom Kechil

Pulau Hantu Kechil
The smaller island, unlike the bigger island does not host a footpath,  so just walk on the grass to get everywhere.

Dive boat north of Pulau Hantu Kechil
My favourite lagoon was the lagoon East of Pulau Hantu Kechil. Not only was it easy to  walk, the corals there were teeming.






Managed to see the  above corals at Kechil lagoon! And below  some photos from Pulau Hantu Kechil lagoon itself!

Intertidal walk out of Pulau Hantu Kechil lagoon

Another awesome picture


We walked so  far out this is the picture of Pulau Hantu Kechil lagoon taken from where we were standing  outside the lagoon 

Pulau Ular and Pulau Bukom Kechil from lagoon of P Hantu Kechil at low tide

Below are other pictures of the trip



Sunset at low tide

P Hantu Besar Jetty during sunset

Night view Pulau Ular and Pulau Bukom Kechil


Bunker barge alongside RORO

All in all, it was really peaceful and nice to be on Pulau Hantu.
Things you can do there include
- Snorkelling
- Intertidal: More corals then marine creatures
- Camping (require permit from SLA)
- Some outdoor cooking

Self explanatory on what documents  are required

To get to Pulau Hantu, first you need to book with one of the Harbour Craft operators at West Coast Pier. Expect about $200 each way and each boat can take 12 pax.

It is better to start and end your journey at Pulau Hantu Besar rather then Kechil. Boat Journey takes about 25 mins.

Below are some  final pictures on information!




Journey from  WCP to Pulau Hantu
Journey from P Hantu to WCP
P Hantu (circled in blue) and its environs (Green are reefs that covers and uncovers)
(Base map: Navionics)

P Hantu in relation to her Southern Island neighbors
(Base Map: Google Maps)

That is all for here!

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