From FB, we got connected and I ended up on a trip with 10 other divers, some veteran, some like me, a newbie. The trip was over a holiday weekend, Deepavali, but being end-season dive, it was off season. I got hooked up with 2 young veteran divers and we car-pooled all the way to Kuala. Dungun.
K. Dungun is about 4 to 5 hours by car via the new East Coast Higway, approximately 300km from my home. We set off at the wee hours at 2:00am, taking a careful,slow and leisure drive. It was wet and dark and it took us a good 6 hours (having make a few pee stops) to finally reach K. Dungun at 8:00am. Off the jetty we went as we reached the quaint little town
View from the jetty, the bridge across Sg Dungun
After the long drive, our hunger growls were heard. Just across the jetty was a stall, manned by 2 ladies selling local Trengganu breakfast. Of course the staple nasi lemak was there tempting our buds. Then there was nasi briyani too. Fried meehoon and fried chicken were amongst others. I could not resist and had both nasi lemak and nasi briyani, served with simple onion sambal,pickle/jeruk, hard boiled egg, anchovies and peanuts. I could not resist adding on one local delicacy made of glutinous rice with fish flakes filling, wrapped in a nipah leave and grilled for that oomph. I forgot what it was call but it was something new for me.
My breakfast + 1 glass of Kopi = RM5.00
We boarded the boat at 9:00am. It was a small ferry boat. The boat ride was not choppy and I slept all the way there. When I woke up, we were approaching the island, greeted by the staff upon reaching the shores of the island.
The resort where we bunk up
The island was as "fairytale" as it could be, palm trees, soft sea breese, fine sand, rippling waves, clear blue-green water, a fishing boat, sunshine and all. The sun was shining hard on us. The weather was good. The sea was inviting.
Clear water, can see right down the sea bed, even 5m deep
No time was wasted. Since our rooms were allocated while in the boat, we quickly got our room keys and checked in. Immediately my room-mates and I changed into our "wet gear" and we are all ready to go.
Our first (check-out) dive was before lunch. I joined a group of newbies where we did the shore dive as our check-out dive, while others went on a boat dive. I had the luxury being guided the dive instructor/organiser himself.
BCDs in the divecentre.
The dive centre was well equipped with various dive gears; BCDs, regulators, air tanks, wet suits, etc. Most of the veteran divers brought their own gear, while some of us rented.
Veteran diver suiting up, ready to go.
Our dive schedules.
Our package was 5 boat dives and 1 shore dive over 3D2N stay. For the price we paid, it was a reasonable package. There is no lack of dive sites in Tenggol. Some of the sites we went were Teluk Nakhota, Tanjung Gemok, Tokong Timur and Tanjung Api.
Dive sites around Tenggol
Among the many creatures we saw, I was fascinated by nudibranch. Tenggol is a nudis haven, not the mention whale sharks too. Unfortunately at the time we were there, the family had move on southwards. (a school was sighted in Tioman). It was a different world under the sea, a world of its own.
Nudibranch (photo credit R. Biddle)
Nudibranch egg (photo credit R. Biddle)
Spanish dance, a flatworm(not a nudi) (photo credit R. Biddle)
When not diving, the idyllic island just lull one into the surroundings.
On a sunny afternoon by the quite beach
A fishing boat anchored not far from some shore reefs.
Seahorse pendant made out of discarded shell.
After lunch, we took a break from diving. The next dive was usually late afternoon, around 4pm. In our free and easy time, for most of us, it was siesta time. Being Asians, our siesta was under the shade of the coconut tree rather than under the sun
My afternoons were with with Theodore, the resident squirrel. He never stayed still. It was a challenge to photograph him and I had no food in hand, which was the only time he stayed still. He was totally at ease with humans, being brave enough to jump onto me to check out if my camera was edible.
Theodore nibbling away
When night comes, the sky was filled with colours of the rainbow, watching it changed from a hue of bright red to dark purple hue. It was a fun time taking various shots and exposure levels with my camera. If only I have a superwide angle lens...
After a long hot day, a dip in the water was a relief
The dining area was airy, nice romantic light, just short of the ambience. When not diving, this was one of my fave hang out, since this place is where the food was.
Dining area, lights on approaching dusk
Our meals were simple local dishes, nothing to shout about but it fills our hungry stomach. All meals were served based on room number and number of occupants in a room. Our room is supposed to have four but one room occupant joined another table and we had more than ample food. (3 people eating for 4). All our meals (except for breakfast) are rice based, serve with chicken or fish, vegetable, soup and fruits. Dinner was better than lunch, having more dishes. I ate to my fill, being me, I chomped down anything edible.
Fish balls, stir-fry cabbage, sambal ikan kembong, sambal sotong, watermelon serve with rice.
On the day we depart, the sun was strong. There was no dive on departure day. Whilst waiting for the boat, we hung around, had a long breakfast.
Fine sand, we were all ready to leave
Good pics, great write up!!! Keep up the good work
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