Wicked Weasel Snorkeling in the Perhentian Islands
The Snorkeling in the Perhentian Islands is Amazing
By MaryLou Driedger
A barracuda swam right by me. I went snorkeling in the Perhentian Islands. The Perhentians are just off the coast of Malaysia, near the southern border of Thailand. The resorts there are scattered and nothing palatial. Local fishermen hold the title to the two small islands and they aren’t reliable landlords given to renting or not renting their property on a whim. Resort owners are wary about putting too much money into building up their businesses fearful their rental agreement could be abruptly terminated. On a morning walk along the beach of the Big Perhentian Island, I came across many derelict properties left to fall into ruin.
The islands are at the mercy of monsoons from November to February. Everything shuts down during those months. No one has a permanent home on the Perhentian Islands because they are inaccessible for too much of the year. However the islands’ limited accommodations and shortened tourist season means the snorkeling and dive sites have remained relatively pristine. There are an abundance of under water areas with countless varieties of corals and masses of colorful fish.
Although we did rent a boat one day to visit deeper dive sites the snorkeling right in front of our resort called Tuna Bay, was fascinating. I admit I’m a bit of a snorkeling junkie. There are two reasons for this. First of all swimming is the only sport at which I am better than my husband. It makes me feel good that while he needs to go ashore or clamber back in the boat exhausted from fighting the current with his less than stellar swimming skills, I can ‘go the distance’ when it comes to swimming and snorkeling. Secondly I just can’t get over the fact you can stick your face into the water and this whole new ever changing world lies beneath you. I spent so much time and energy snorkeling that I sank exhausted into bed by 9 o’clock every night. On the Perhentians going to bed early is no problem- since there is virtually no tourist infra structure and consequently no night life. The access to alcohol is also limited since devout Muslim resort owners don’t really like to serve alcohol and hire non-Muslim staff to do so only as a concession to tourists.
My second day of snorkeling this rather large grey fish with a long protruding snout swam right underneath me. I popped out of the water and told my friend who was snorkeling nearby that I’d just seen an interesting fish and described it to him. “I saw it too”, he said. “That was a barracuda. Didn’t you recognize it?” I’m glad I didn’t know it was a barracuda since someone told me later they can move with lightning speed and sometimes mistake humans for prey.
I did however recognize the huge green sea turtle we came upon on our snorkeling boat trip. The Perhentians are home to a large but rapidly declining population. Conservation efforts to preserve the turtles have been initiated. Our snorkeling guide pointed the turtle out and it took a few minutes for me to see it camouflaged by the ocean floor. Then it lifted off the sea bottom and began to swim. We followed the turtle for quite a distance till it finally rose to the surface and sped away.
Several other people in our traveling party saw a shark- another Perhentian snorkeling attraction. I missed that, but the possibility of a shark sighting may just be what draws me back to the Perhentians for another visit some day.
http://www.maryloudriedger.com/index.php
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=MaryLou_Driedger
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Snorkeling-in-the-Perhentian-Islands-is-Amazing&id=3066558
