WHEN
March to OctoberWHERE
Johor’s east coastHOW
From Mersing town,
take a speedboat for
about two hoursEXPERIENCE
THE ISLANDS
OF JOHORyield a chance encounter with these giant fish:
Bumpheads weave a transparent cocoon before
they sleep to keep their scent from predators,
and this nocturnal sight is as impressive as that
in the daytime.
Batfish, Moorish idols, hawkfish, groupers
and coral trout are other common inhabitants,
as are the resident whitetip reef sharks and
grey reef sharks. Leaffish and the odd-looking
crocodilefish might also be spotted. Corals
crowd the reef in a riot of colour: Large black
corals and barrel sponges vie for attention with
gigantic soft tree corals, as well as anemones
and their playful clownfish.
The Islands of Johor
The southern state of Johor is blessed
with beautiful islands located far from the
mainland. Pulau Aur boasts pristine deep
waters teeming with pelagic fish, while
Pulau Lang offers sightings of green turtles,
bumphead parrotfish and blue-spotted
stingrays, a common inhabitant of the
Malaysian coast. The corals in this area shelter
a colourful variety of reef fish, cephalopods
and crustaceans, as well as the beautiful but
elusive Spanish dancer nudibranch.
Adventurous visitors will want to seek
out the Zero wreck located south of Aur.
Thickly encrusted with corals, this sunken
above Corals off the
coast of Sipadan Islandbelow A diver has a
close encounter with a
sea turtle in the waters
of Pulau AurJapanese fighter plane is home to teeming
marine life like the comical dogface pufferfish,
which prefers to swim solo and attracts
plenty of attention for its elongated face
and box-like body.PHOTO © SHUTTERSTOCK