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| Snorkelling
or Scuba Diving at Tenggol Island |
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Tenggol Island is
part of the fabulous Terengganu Marine Park and is reached
in approximately 45 minutes by speedboat. The island
is famous for its tropical jungle, sandy white beaches
and most of all, the untouched coral gardens and rare
species of marine life which makes it one of the best
places for diving in Malaysia. There are over 20 dive
spots which offer unforgettable under water experiences
for beginners and exciting adventures for experienced
divers. Brand new diving equipment may be rented from
the Water Sports Centre and our experienced dive Instructor
can even certify you for your PADI Open Water Diver
licence as part of your holiday. If you would like to
get the PADI licence, the book can be sent to you directly
so you are able to study the dive theory at home rather
than while on holiday.
The dive season starts on 1 March and finishes on 31 October of every year.
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| Tenggol
Island map |
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| *Dive
images courtesy of Richard Smith, dive instructor at Tanjong
Jara Resort. The images have all been taken while diving on
Tenggol Island. |
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| Underwater
Videos |
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Moonracker
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Turtle
Point
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Tokong
Timur
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Snorkelling
at Tenggol
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| Marine
Life |
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Pulau Tenggol is a
small island in the South China Sea off the East Coast
of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Terengganu. The
island forms part of the Terengganu Marine Park and
is still a well-kept secret amongst the diving community.
This means the reef is in almost perfect condition and,
for people in the know, it is considered the best diving
in Peninsular Malaysia. Pulau Tenggol and its surrounding
dive sites offer unforgettable under water experiences
for the beginner and exciting adventures for experienced
divers.
Tropical latitudes give the clear waters around Pulau
Tenggol an extraordinarily rich seabed and possibly
the greatest marine biodiversity in the world. With
over 20 different dive sites, and a myriad of hard and
soft coral, diving excursions at Tanjong Jara Resort
provide a varied changing seascape. Dense colonies of
brain coral cover the ocean floor merging with a variety
of sponge and leather coral forming colourful coral
carpets. Lobed pore coral blossom into impressive mushroom-like
structures spanning 3 metres wide and 3 metres deep.
Gorgonian gardens of different varieties fan out across
the seabed and submerged balconies of staghorn create
intricate and fragile labyrinths.
More than 20 different dive sites present you with colourful
marine life including soft and leather corals, and a
variety of hard corals. The underwater world is home
to an incredible collection of nudibranchs, sea turtles,
the giant double-headed parrotfish, yellowtail fusiliers,
trevallies and napoleon fish, to name a few. Sightings
of eagle rays, black-tipped reef sharks and large barracudas
are common. There are also sightings of large pelagics,
whale sharks and manta rays generally at the beginning
and end of our diving season (March, April, September
and October) which is the best time to dive at Tenggol
Island.
The formations underwater are very impressive with giant
rocks and boulders, sometimes creating exciting swim-throughs
and channels. Strong currents let the divers fly over
the reef, accompanied by curious batfish and often meeting
enormous schools of hunting trevallies.
With so many different dive sites around we can almost
guarantee that the group you are diving with is the
only group you will see on your dive that makes the
diving here very personal and special.
Our brand-new twin outboard engine speedboat covers
the distance of about 20 nautical miles to the island
in a spectacular 45-minute ride.
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•
Discover Scuba Diving
If you don't have the time for full diver training, but
would like to experience the ease and thrill of diving,
join us for our half or full day program. Our instructors
will teach you basic theory and familiarise you with the
equipment before accompanying you on a beautiful, controlled
dive to limited depth (maximum 12 metres).
Schedule and Prices - One day/RM500.00 for two dives
• Open Water Diver
The Open Water Diver Course is for the beginner or uncertified
diver and will give you all the required knowledge and
skills necessary to make your diving safe and fun.
The first two days are devoted to diving theory and practice,
with five academic modules, four short quizzes, the final
exam, five pool sessions and a 200 meter swim test. We
can send you the book in advance, before your stay, so
you don't have to study the dive theory while on holiday.
The remaining two days conclude with four open water training
dives under the supervision of your instructor, that allow
you to enjoy the tropical reefs of Tenggol Island.
After completion of the course, you will become certified
as an internationally recognized PADI Open Water Diver.
Schedule and Prices - Three to five days/ RM1600.00
• Advanced Open
Water Diver
Here you have the chance to expand and continue your diving
knowledge and experience in the care of a PADI instructor.
You will complete two core dives - underwater navigation
and deep diving - after receiving academic training in
these areas. You will also select and complete three elective
dives in areas such as multilevel diving, wreck diving,
night diving, drift diving, photography, underwater naturalist,
boat diving and search and recovery.
The Advanced Course consists of two or three day trips
to Tenggol Island. You choose what option interests you
the most! If you have difficulty deciding, your instructor
will help you choose the specialty training that is right
for you.
Schedule and Prices - Two or three days/RM1500.00
• Emergency
First Response
The PADI Emergency First Response - a basic course in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency care - teaches
you simple, logical steps that you can take to assist
somebody who needs help. With practical application and
hands on experience this course becomes beneficial for
both diver and non-diver. The PADI Emergency First Response
course meets the certification requirements for several
PADI courses along with being an internationally recognised
First Aid Course. There is also now a Care For Children
Course, which is perfect for parents with young families.
Schedule and Prices - One day/RM450.00
• Rescue Diver
The PADI Rescue Diver course is designed to develop the
necessary knowledge and skills for you to effectively
perform rescues and assists, manage diving-accident situations
and render proper medic first aid. You'll find the course
enjoyable and highly interesting, although the nature
and context in which such training may be used is quite
serious. The primary objective of this course is to prevent
the need for use of rescue skills. A good diver does not
only solve problems, but prevents them in the first place!
You will do five Academic Sessions and twelve Open Water
Training Exercises over a minimum of three days. The PADI
Rescue Diver rating is a prerequisite for all PADI leadership
programs and the Master Scuba Diver Course.
Schedule and Prices - Three to five days/RM1200.00
Note: Equipment is provided for all the diving courses
and a snack lunch at Tenggol Island is included.
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Some of the Best Dive Sites
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Some divers call it the most
beautiful, definitely it is the most spectacular
dive site. You follow the whole stretch of the
west coast of Pulau Nyireh, the second biggest
island of the Tenggol group. Soft and hard corals
change here; sandy bottom in between, the southern
and the northern ends are rock formations. You
start in the south and go with the current to
the north. Depending on the tide, you are either
gently carried ahead or you are steered over
the reef, looking for protection to make a stop
to look around. Batfish are everywhere, schools
of trevallies, turtles, lots of blue spotted
stingrays and occasionally there is even the
rare shovel nose shark seen. Maximum depth:
24m.
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So called because a peak
in the coastline spreads the oncoming current
either in the northern or southern direction.
Make sure you enter the water at the right spot
to meet the boat at the appointed place, as
the current will certainly help you along! Despite
the current, not a really strenuous dive as
you always follow its course. At the southern
end you can enjoy protection from the current
behind some big rocks before you keep on moving
further. Although it can be deeper, the enjoyable
location about 10-15m depth. Maximum depth:
30m.
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Generally a gentle drift
dive, you drop in at the Northern end and drift
over a carpet of soft coral with a few large
hard coral structures which are the 'cleaning
stations' for the resident reef fish. You are
likely to meet right at the beginning a big
resident barracuda. Nudibranchs, blue spotted
sting rays, while turtles and big humphead parrotfish
at the southern end are the highlights here.
Maximum depth: 22m.
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This site is one of the most
amazing sites around Tenggol Island. The formations
of coral include hard coral structures 5-10
metres tall and an abundance of soft and leather
corals. The site gets its name as halfway through
the dive you go through a V-shaped gap, which
brings you out to an open area that looks a
bit like the moon. The dive finishes with a
flat plateau at 12-14 metres which is home to
a couple of resident turtles.
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A special action dive, but
not really for everyone! The theme of this dive
is current! It starts smoothly, then the current
takes you around, you go with it, against it,
across it, all the time giant schools of beautiful
trevallies keep crossing your path. You find
yourself in a whirl where the current suddenly
drops down, pulling your exhaled bubbles to
the ground. It is pure fun, but requires a high
level in diving experience to enjoy it. Maximum
depth: 35m.
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Start south from Turtle Point
and allow yourself to be gently carried by the
current towards it. A relaxed dive site, with
some current. Look carefully for details, you
will be rewarded by some bright nudibranchs,
the odd turtle and there is a cave at the end
of the site at 5 metres, perfect for the safety
stop. Maximum depth: 20m
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Both these dives start in
most cases at the wind protected northern side
doing a half circle with the current ending
up at the southern side. Big rocks and boulders
covered with hard corals and soft corals create
an exciting under water world with tunnels,
caves and drop-offs. Teeming with marine life
- batfish, yellowtails, trevallies and many
more - it feels like you are swimming in a school
of fish for most of the dive. There is also
a chance of seeing large manta rays and turtles,
along with the humphead parrotfish, Napoleon
wrasse and barracudas, which can be seen around
all of Tenggol's sites. Maximum depth: more
than 30m.
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A very interesting site for
the more advanced divers as it tends to
have strong currents. Dropping in onto a wall
down to 25 metres there are often a large school
of batfish with the odd turtle and napoleon
wrasse around on the northern side. There is
a beautiful ridge with many soft corals and
on the odd occasion you may be lucky enough
to see the large pelagics on their way through
this area, normally these come through at the
beginning and end of the season here (March/April
and September/October). On the southern side
there are many caves and swim-throughs, which
can be done dependant on air remaining. This
is truly a world-class dive site with beautiful
coral and rock formations.
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Tokong Timur is a rocky outcrop
in the sea on the south side of Tenggol Island.
The dive starts at the southern side, which
is often exposed to the wind, making entry and
surface swim difficult. Underwater you are exposed
to an amazing, changing and colourful world,
hard corals are predominant at the sudden slope
downwards, and the variety of fish life is simply
unbelievable. You hit the bottom at about 28m,
but it still extends deeper if you follow it
over the sand. This journey will be rewarded
at about 35m: there is an edge where it goes
even deeper, and suddenly you are surrounded
by hundreds of medium sized barracudas cruising
around you. This is of course a dive for the
very experienced diver, but beginners can stay
at 18m and have a fantastic dive there, when
the surface condition allows them to enter the
water. It is also the best place to see whale
sharks, manta rays and other large pelagics.
At the end of the dive the current brings you
around the western corner to the north side
of the rock where there is more coral carpeting
and a good place to look for nudibrachs on the
safety stop. Maximum depth: 35m.
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The perfect spot for beginners,
students and divers who want to enhance their
diving skills after a long break. The surface
is always calm with hardly any current. Follow
the bay line under water along a beautiful stretch
of soft and hard corals. Look out for the resident
big humphead parrotfish here and the turtles
and nudibranchs, which you regularly meet at
any dive site. Maximum depth: 18m.
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There is a shipwreck just
off the beach in the bay of the island, which
lies at 18-20 metres. This is a very good first
wreck dive for Open Water qualified divers as
it is the right depth with blue spotted rays
underneath a lot of fish life and a large staghorn
coral reef for the end of the dive.
There is another site called 5 Sisters with
five wrecks in a small area but they are deep
at 35 metres max. This dive is for advanced
divers only and we require that all divers have
a dive computer for this site.
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| *Dive images courtesy
of Richard Smith, dive instructor at Tanjong Jara Resort. The
images have all been taken while diving on Tenggol Island. |
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