Marine Park Centre

Redang is the first of the Malaysian Marine Parks to have a Marine Park Centre. Established in 1990, the Centre is located at Pulau Pinang, just off the southern tip of Pulau Redang. It acts as a focal point of administration and management and also provides facilities for research and education purposes.

This is one of the most popular snorkelling destinations due to the large number of fishes and marine life that are resident here, including giant groupers and moray eels. Almost all resort snorkelling packages will include a trip to the Marine Park Centre. Admission is RM5 per adult per entry (children pay RM2.50). Usually the resort operator will collect this fee from visitors.

Boats will drop visitors off at the jetty, which is used by many as the jump-off point for snorkelling. There is also a shipwreck to the east of the jetty, probably the only wreck shallow enough for snorkellers to explore.

Most visitors will just spend all their time in the water. For those who don't want to wet their feet, you can head for the beach and explore the island. Turn right and follow the broadwalk all the way to the end, then go left up the hill. There is a hiking trail on which will bring you to a viewing tower at the top of the hill near a lighthouse, where you can get a nice panorama of Redang island across the channel.

If you turn left at the beach and walk all the way to the northeastern corner of the island, there's a small rocky outcrop including a mound made up of bits and pieces of broken coral. From here, you have a good view of both the northern and eastern shores of Pulau Pinang as well as Redang across the channel.

Most of the buildings in the Park Centre are for Marine Park staff and visiting researchers. There is an exhibition centre open to visitors where baby turtles from the park's hatchery are sometimes put on display. From the jetty, head towards the beach and turn left at the broadwalk. A little further down from the hall at the end of the broadwalk is the park's turtle hatchery.


For movie buffs

The hit Chinese romantic comedy movie 'Summer Holiday' (not related to the famous 1963 Cliff Richard movie) starring Sammi Cheng and Richie Jen was partly shot on Redang.

The original 'Mo Mo Cha Inn' (More More Tea Inn) featured in the movie was located between Redang Reef and Redang Beach resorts, where Laguna Redang now stands. The actors stayed at Redang Holiday while filming on location.

The original inn was in quite a dilapidated state and in danger of collapsing, so the owners of Laguna tore it down and rebuilt a replica which now serves as Laguna's gift shop. The coconut tree on which the 'More More Tea Inn' sign was hung on the movie set is still standing in front of the Laguna Resort main building.

This movie, released in 2000, probably contributed much to the recent popularity of Redang.


Sunset

Sunrise is something not to be missed, even if the thought of waking up at 6am in the morning is not your idea of a holiday! Those living at Pasir Panjang or Teluk Kalong have front row seats to a breathtaking view, provided the weather is good and there are few clouds in the sky. The best sunrise occurs when there are no clouds in the sky, but such situations are rare.

On a clear night, gaze at the heavens and be amazed at the myriads of stars in the night sky. Look long enough and your eyes will adjust to the darkness, revealing even more stars. If you're lucky, you might even see a few shooting stars. If you're into stargazing, bring your star maps and spot all your favourite constellations and nearby planets. And if you're a really serious stargazer, bring a telescope - we even managed to spot one of Mar's moons!

Bring your torchlights and go beachcombing at night, especially if the tide is out. Among the rocks and tide pools you'll spot crabs, hermit crabs, mudskippers, tiny crustaceans and other small active nocturnal creatures.


Turtle watching

3 species of turtles visit Redang to nest. The most common is the Green turtle followed by the Hawksbill turtle. The Olive Ridley turtle is becoming increasingly rare in Malaysian waters.

Nesting period for Green turtles is between March to December with a peak in August, and January to September for Hawksbills and Olive ridleys with a peak in May. Favourite nesting spots in Redang include Pasir Chagar Hutang, Pasir Mak Simpan, Pasir Mak Kepit, Pasir Bujang and Teluk Dalam.

Visitors can also sign up as volunteers with the Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Group, where they will get to stay at their basic campsite in Chagar Hutang and help out in their research work. Check their website for more details.


Trekking

Trekking through island trails in Pulau Redang is probably one of the best ways to appreciate the island's flora and fauna, some of which are rare species. The simplest trek is along the road connecting Berjaya to the Kampung jetty which will take you past the village, airport and Redang river. Along the way, you'll see sheep, goats and other domestic animals and flora like pitcher plants and mangrove forests. Large monitor lizards can be found at the river.

There is a moderately well trodden and marked path between Pasir Panjang and Teluk Dalam, where Berjaya Redang Beach is located. From Pasir Panjang, this trail can be found behind Redang Bay, Ayu Mayang, Pelangi & Coral Redang resorts and emerges at a mangrove swamp which leads to the far corner of Teluk Dalam Besar, the empty beach next to Berjaya's beach. On this trail, you'll get to see large dipterocarpus trees.

For the more adventurous, check with your resort staff how to get up to hilltops and rocky cliffs along the eastern ridge that offer spectacular overhead views of Pasir Panjang and Teluk Kalong. If you intend to go off the beaten track, you should get a guide to lead you to avoid getting lost. With mobile signals now easily available on the island, bring a mobile phone with you when you trek just in case you need to call for emergencies.


Source: www.redang.org