Touring Pulau Besar

World Travel Diary — By NikhilBhide on May 23, 2009 at 22:55

palau-besar

Pulau Besar, a part of Langkawi archipelago, is a picturesque island with lovely coastline. Located between Pulau Basah and Pulau Bunting southwest of Langkawi, the island is known for its unique geology. Also known as Island of Big Lion, it features steep hilly land carpeted with verdant tropical forests. A visit to Besar is always exhilarating.

Landscape
The island is made of sedimentary rocks, said to be among the oldest rocks harking back to 500 million years. The southern part of the island is largely rocky and lacks soil, while the northeastern part is made of limestone outcrops. The island has some distinct flora and fauna. Waving landscape made of rocks makes it a bit different from other islands.

As Forest Reserve
Thanks to abundance of flora and fauna, Pulau Besar was declared as a forest reserve in 1988. While moving through the jungle, one would come across creatures like Macaques, Eagles, Monkeys, Deer, Iguanas, Lizards, Mouse Deer, Peacocks, Hornbills and various other animals. Trekking would be a nice activity to explore the forest. One can enjoy the panoramic view of wildlife sanctuary and creatures from observation posts.

Camping and Treks
Seasoned trekkers love to camp and trek in Pulau Besar. Observation points, rest areas and campsites are located inside the park. Building of hotels or chalets has been disallowed to preserve the natural surroundings of the island. For camping, one has to bring own tents and equipments. For the uninitiated, wooden walkways and paths have been made on the island shores. One can trek easily on these.

Activities
One can pass some pleasant time on the tranquil beaches of Besar. One could just lie down basking in sunlight, or go for swimming. The water temperature here is ideal for activities like swimming and snorkeling. You are also suggested to take good quality goggles, beach umbrella and lunch box with you. Besar is not a routine tourist place and you would find hawkers on the coastline. If you are well prepared, you will be able to enjoy Besar to full. If you enter the sea when it is at low tide, the coral bed of island comes into view.

Permit Needed
Tourists are required to obtain a permit from the Fisheries Department of Malaysia to tour Pulau Besar.

Dinesh Patairya is a seasoned traveler. He has been writing on travel and tourism for years for several online and offline publications. Currently he is working for YourAsianVacations.com

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