Snorkeling: Pulau Tioman - Malaysian Islands - Malaysia

SALANG REEF
LOCATION: Just swim off on the left side of Salang beach, for about 10 meters before you start to see patches of corals and boulder rocks.

DESCRIPTION: The visibility was superb at noon during my snorkeling excursion. The corals were surprisingly healthy despite the busy water channel with passenger boats and fishing trawlers frequenting the area.

I spotted various specie of butterflyfish and rabbitfish, which I think are quite rare on this side of the country. Nonetheless, the healthy corals indeed proved to be a great breeding ground for these colourful fish. I saw chevron butterflyfish (Chaetodon tritascialis), raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula), triangular butterflyfish (Chaetodon baronessa) and gold-barred butterflyfish (Chaetodon excelsa). Certainly more specie of butterflyfish that one could have seen at any dive spots, I think.

The variety of rabbitfish was also astounding. I spotted virgate rabbitfish (Siganus virgatus) and blue-dot rabbitfish (Siganus tetrazonus). Other types of fish include a rare scribbled filefish (Aluterus scriptus), lowfin chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis) as well as common variety of damselfish.

I also ended up chasing a blue-spotted ribbontail stingray (Taeniura lymma) that was relaxing on the sea floor before it went hiding under a stony coral. Then I saw another one, already hiding.

My effortless swim further revealed more healthy corals at much deeper water, mostly of hard variety such as brain coral (Goniopora lobata), table coral (Acropora sp), staghorn coral, lobe coral (Porites sp), montipora sp. coral, etc.

The information on Malaysian Islands is provided by:

ISLANDS OF MALAYSIA The Independent Travel Guides to Malaysian Islands