Write up about Kapas island and Capt's Longhouse or The Lighthouse !
The Asian Pacific Post: Tue, May 17 2005
Marang where you take boats to Pulau KapasA little island not more than 20 minutes away by boat from the sleepy village of Marang, on the east coast of Malaysia, Pulau Kapas (Cotton Island) basks idyllically as it has for over 270 million years.This little haven in the South China Sea is a pleasant getaway for locals during weekends and the intrepid traveller who shuns the trappings of luxury for a soulful sojourn.Pulau Kapas is a small island, just over 2 kilometres long and 1 kilometres at its widest point.On the edges of the island, colourful reefs extend out into the deep, blue sea where a host of marine life continues to build and live in these rich , exuberant gardens of the sea. Pulau Kapas began to take shape some 270million years ago when the sea level was way below what it is now. Over a long period of time, sedimentation from the land was washed out into the sea, adding layer upon layer, which then formed a strip of elevated land. Eventually this area formed into an island and seeds and pollens that drifted along with the wind and the sea, settled on the drier grounds, giving life to a complete ecosystem as we see on Pulau Kapas today.The coral reef probably started its life in the early beginnings of Pulau Kapas. It is this beauty that for so many years people have come to enjoy. As a marine park, the coral reefs and its marine inhabitants have been given full protection from any adverse activity that may destroy their habitat, and that includes fishing.This is the place to really indulge in snorkelling. There is a wonderful snorkelling spot around the rocky outcrops just to the southern end of the long stretch of beach. The water here is shallow and it is best to wear a lifejacket. In some places the water level at low tide may only be as shallow as 2 feet.For the advanced snorkellers, a dip in the coral gardens is a delight especially on nights when the moon is full. The entire scene transforms itself and introduces a host of nocturnal marine life that are rarely seen during the day. The corals extend their feeders out in full bloom to capture tiny plankton washed in from the open sea, the nudibranchs leave their hiding place to feed on the coral polyps and squirrelfishes come out to play.It is here that in March every year, The Lighthouse opens its doors welcoming nature lovers from all over the world. The Lighthouse is a backpackers delight.www.journeymalaysia.com/islandkapaslight.htmIts owners, according to "caretaker" Nordin Hamdan or simply Din, are Canadian-German entrepreneur Yan Neuhoff and his Malaysian partner Sharif Abbas. For the three of them, The Lighthouse is not a money-making venture, rather it's a revered lifestyle.What started as a getaway for themselves and occasional lodging for families and friends, The Lighthouse gradually received paying guests from 1992, "and I've been taking care of it since then and it's like my own home," says Din with a passion. With his sun-burnt skin and unkempt long hair, 44-year-old Din is a typical backpacker. "But I've even been mistaken for an Orang Asli (native)" he quips.The common area in this hideaway is called the Tropical Hut, with the soft sand as the floor and abstract batik cloths and flags from all over the world as the "walls".There's a dormitory sandwiched between two rows of four rooms on each side. The dorm has 24 single beds. At the back of the house are common toilets and bathrooms. Water for bathing is pumped from the ground while fresh water for drinking and cooking is brought from Marang on the mainland. Generator sets supply the electricity. The place adopts the concept of a Borneo longhouse and Malay kampung house. The kitchen and dining area is in a separate airy bangsal (shed).Activities in Pulau Kapas centre around the island's main jetty about 350 metres from The Lighthouse. Two stalls near the jetty provide respite for hungry visitors.Batu Tenggara, Harmoni Beach and Batu Berhala are part of the island's Long Beach. Beyond it, are Batu Payung, Safari Beach and Derdak Beach, altogether spanning some 3.5 kilometres. Across Safari Beach and just five minutes by speed boat lies the secluded Pulau Gemia or Gems Island. The sea in between is home to stunning coral gardens and other marine life.Trekking for about 45 minutes through untamed jungle will take one to the uninhabited side of the island to the unspoilt nature and to the many birds that have claimed the area as their sanctuary.In the open sea, divers will come across the Shark Point and Turtle Point. Those into wreck diving will find the waters surrounding Pulau Kapas intriguing.Japanese boats and boats plying the route from Singapore carrying rice sags during World War II have sunk in the area.So how did Pulau Kapas get its name The cottony white sand After all, kapas means cotton.LINKShttp://www.malaysiasite.nl/kapaseng.htmhttp://www.pulaupulau.com/kapaspac.htm
Posted by The Islomaniac at 7:13 PM
The Asian Pacific Post: Tue, May 17 2005
Marang where you take boats to Pulau KapasA little island not more than 20 minutes away by boat from the sleepy village of Marang, on the east coast of Malaysia, Pulau Kapas (Cotton Island) basks idyllically as it has for over 270 million years.This little haven in the South China Sea is a pleasant getaway for locals during weekends and the intrepid traveller who shuns the trappings of luxury for a soulful sojourn.Pulau Kapas is a small island, just over 2 kilometres long and 1 kilometres at its widest point.On the edges of the island, colourful reefs extend out into the deep, blue sea where a host of marine life continues to build and live in these rich , exuberant gardens of the sea. Pulau Kapas began to take shape some 270million years ago when the sea level was way below what it is now. Over a long period of time, sedimentation from the land was washed out into the sea, adding layer upon layer, which then formed a strip of elevated land. Eventually this area formed into an island and seeds and pollens that drifted along with the wind and the sea, settled on the drier grounds, giving life to a complete ecosystem as we see on Pulau Kapas today.The coral reef probably started its life in the early beginnings of Pulau Kapas. It is this beauty that for so many years people have come to enjoy. As a marine park, the coral reefs and its marine inhabitants have been given full protection from any adverse activity that may destroy their habitat, and that includes fishing.This is the place to really indulge in snorkelling. There is a wonderful snorkelling spot around the rocky outcrops just to the southern end of the long stretch of beach. The water here is shallow and it is best to wear a lifejacket. In some places the water level at low tide may only be as shallow as 2 feet.For the advanced snorkellers, a dip in the coral gardens is a delight especially on nights when the moon is full. The entire scene transforms itself and introduces a host of nocturnal marine life that are rarely seen during the day. The corals extend their feeders out in full bloom to capture tiny plankton washed in from the open sea, the nudibranchs leave their hiding place to feed on the coral polyps and squirrelfishes come out to play.It is here that in March every year, The Lighthouse opens its doors welcoming nature lovers from all over the world. The Lighthouse is a backpackers delight.www.journeymalaysia.com/islandkapaslight.htmIts owners, according to "caretaker" Nordin Hamdan or simply Din, are Canadian-German entrepreneur Yan Neuhoff and his Malaysian partner Sharif Abbas. For the three of them, The Lighthouse is not a money-making venture, rather it's a revered lifestyle.What started as a getaway for themselves and occasional lodging for families and friends, The Lighthouse gradually received paying guests from 1992, "and I've been taking care of it since then and it's like my own home," says Din with a passion. With his sun-burnt skin and unkempt long hair, 44-year-old Din is a typical backpacker. "But I've even been mistaken for an Orang Asli (native)" he quips.The common area in this hideaway is called the Tropical Hut, with the soft sand as the floor and abstract batik cloths and flags from all over the world as the "walls".There's a dormitory sandwiched between two rows of four rooms on each side. The dorm has 24 single beds. At the back of the house are common toilets and bathrooms. Water for bathing is pumped from the ground while fresh water for drinking and cooking is brought from Marang on the mainland. Generator sets supply the electricity. The place adopts the concept of a Borneo longhouse and Malay kampung house. The kitchen and dining area is in a separate airy bangsal (shed).Activities in Pulau Kapas centre around the island's main jetty about 350 metres from The Lighthouse. Two stalls near the jetty provide respite for hungry visitors.Batu Tenggara, Harmoni Beach and Batu Berhala are part of the island's Long Beach. Beyond it, are Batu Payung, Safari Beach and Derdak Beach, altogether spanning some 3.5 kilometres. Across Safari Beach and just five minutes by speed boat lies the secluded Pulau Gemia or Gems Island. The sea in between is home to stunning coral gardens and other marine life.Trekking for about 45 minutes through untamed jungle will take one to the uninhabited side of the island to the unspoilt nature and to the many birds that have claimed the area as their sanctuary.In the open sea, divers will come across the Shark Point and Turtle Point. Those into wreck diving will find the waters surrounding Pulau Kapas intriguing.Japanese boats and boats plying the route from Singapore carrying rice sags during World War II have sunk in the area.So how did Pulau Kapas get its name The cottony white sand After all, kapas means cotton.LINKShttp://www.malaysiasite.nl/kapaseng.htmhttp://www.pulaupulau.com/kapaspac.htm
Posted by The Islomaniac at 7:13 PM
