Monday, June 7, 2010

Scuba Diving in Redang Island Malaysia

Redang Island offers one of the best sites in the world for scuba diving. My first scuba diving experience has been breathtaking. It still gives me chills to think that I have actually danced 20 meters deep in the crystal clear waters of Malaysia.

The island is a spectacular place, with white sandy beaches, warm tropical forests, clear blue waters and amazingly visible coral reefs. It's ideal for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, diving, boating, jungle trekking and canoeing. The underwater paradise is home to around one hundred species of fish and over fifty types of coral. Sea turtles, reef sharks and moray eels can be commonly seen. The unbelievable combination of the blazing sun, warm water, green forests and white powdered sand makes it a heavenly abode.

I instantly fell in love with Redang, the first time I visited it, not only for its scenic beauty but also for the awesome scuba diving experience. My husband and I went for our honey moon to Malaysia sometime back and once we where there, we were thrilled to do scuba diving. So we went to this beautiful resort in Redang, just located near to the Turtle Bay. We thoroughly enjoyed everything. Trekking in the tropical forests was breath of fresh air, snorkeling was fun, food was great but it was scuba diving that we were anxiously waiting for.

So the next day we met a cool diving instructor, who made us fill a legal form. After which he provided us with necessary equipment including the diving cylinder and regulators, rebreathers, diving suits, masks, and swim fins. Then we went to a nearby diving spot named as 'Teluk Dalam' by boat.

At first, when I jumped in the water, the waves pushed me drastically and I lost control for a moment. I started to panic, that maybe this is not my thing. But before I could create a scene my instructor advised me to just take glance under water. So I did! And I would never forget that moment. A whole new world was in front of me. All I could think now was just to go down no matter what it takes.

The Teluk Dalam spot is 15 to 20 meters deep. As we started to sink deep down, I could hear my heart beat through my hurting ears. I could feel the pressure on my ears and it took me a few moments to breathe accordingly. But as we reached the bottom, the striking scene made all my pain disappear straight away. I still can´t believe it, I was there deep down in the pacific ocean, with my husband, on my honeymoon.

The instructor and my husband left me at a spot, to wonder around a little. I decided to stay still for a while and absorb the beauty around me. I could see goby fish hiding here and there. As soon as I emptied the fish food packet in my hand, hundreds of happy coral fish gathered around me, I could touch them and dance along them. It was amazing. There were many stripped angelfish in sight also and few others like sepias, needlefishes, whitetip reef sharks and Napoleon fish.

Next I swam around a little joined by my husband. All I could see was greenery. There were stretches of hard and leather soft coral reefs of incredible shapes and color variations. Fish could be seen hiding in the boulders and rocks. I think I also saw a sea turtle. Just when I thought of staying there forever the instructor waved at us to tell that it's time to go.

As I reached the surface and merged out, it felt like I had been to another planet. The Malaysian marine life is certainly well preserved, offering people a life time experience. About 80% marine species of the total coral triangle are found here.

Having an out of this world experience is really rare. All you need is to scuba dive in the deep Malaysian seas to feel on the top of the world.

Happy diving and don't forget to breathe!


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