A SMALL turtle hatchling slowly pushes her head out of the fine white sand in the glass box. A few others follow suit, perhaps awakened by my sneaky look through the glass walls of the turtle lab.
But this not an ordinary lab. This is SEATRU Turtle Lab, Malaysia’s first-of-its-kind turtle lab located at the airy and spacious lobby of an exclusive tropical island retreat in Pulau Redang, The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort.
Launched last year, the lab is sponsored by The Taaras and is manned and equipped by University Malaysia Terengganu’s Sea Turtle Research Unit.
The objective of the laboratory is to gather data and use it to improve sea turtle hatchery management, such as the optimum type of sand as well as on sea turtle hatchlings, particularly on their digging and swimming habits. Since it is located within the lobby building, the lab gives resort guests the opportunity to witness sea turtle conservation first-hand during their vacation at The Taaras and as well as contribute to the conservation work by donating or adopting a sea turtle through SEATRU’s adoption programme.
I find it commendable for The Taaras to commit a building space and facilities to SEATRU in the cause of conserving this gentle and graceful aquatic creature.
But the turtle hatchling or the lab is not the reason I’m checking in at this beautiful resort, located at the opposite end of the island’s most populated area, Pasir Panjang beach.
LIFE AT THE OTHER SIDE
Although the eastern side of Pulau Redang — crowning jewel of Terengganu’s tropical islands, where the lively Pasir Panjang beach is located — is home to most of the island’s accommodation, the northern side is said to have the best beach at Teluk Dalam Kecil.
Overlooking the grand vista of Teluk Dalam Kecil, The Taaras which claims to offer contemporary barefoot luxurious experience, is my home for the next three days.
Accommodation available are cliff-side rooms and suites overlooking the clear blue waters of the bay and private beach below, as well as timber garden suites that nestled amidst a tropical garden.
Despite the exclusive cliff view my room affords, I am initially wary of the thought of having to walk up and down the cliff throughout my stay. But that is until I find out that there is a regular buggy service to shuttle guests to and from the cliff-side rooms.
But the exclusive tropical retreat does not bring me to this part of the island. The sole purpose of my stay is to participate in the Redang Island Conservation Day, a yearly marine conservation event hosted by the resort aimed to preserve the marine environment and coastal areas of Pulau Redang.
The packed schedule aside, I am actually more intrigued to explore this part of the island while learning what the event aims to conserve.
THAT SHALLOW LITTLE BAY
The private beach overlooking Teluk Dalam Kecil is perhaps one of the most picturesque beaches on Pulau Redang. The almost white sand is powder-fine. Its shallow aquamarine waters allow sunlight to cast patterns onto the sand below.
It is when I join the underwater clean-up dive that I get to view the thriving coral reef underneath the sparkling azure water, a collection of both soft and hard corals brimming with multitudes of colours. Although much of Pulau Redang’s popular dive spots are found near the eastern side of the island and around its other eight smaller islets, diving near Teluk Dalam Kecil has its own attractions.
One such example is a shipwreck found at a depth of 20m. Located near a shallow part of the reef and with no strong currents, the wreck is easily accessible by novice divers and makes for the perfect first-time wreck diving experience.
As one of the spots marked for the event’s underwater clean-up dive, I scour the area around the shipwreck along with other diver participants, peering into every nook and cranny of the reef looking for trash.
I begin to realise the severity of plastic marine pollution as my net bag begins to fill up with all manner of plastic waste and bottles. In mere moments, the net bag is so packed with trash that it becomes unwieldy and heavy. To keep my bouyancy, I fill a large plastic bottle with air from my tank using my alternate second stage and tie it to the net bag.
Clean-up dives may seem like a mere attempt to improve the aesthetic appeal of dive spots, but in actuality it improves the health of a marine eco-system.
One of the most disturbing impacts of marine plastic pollution is the ingestion, suffocation and entanglement of marine life, with many species such as sea turtles mistaking plastic waste for prey and then dying with plastic-filled stomachs.
SANCTUARY OF ITS OWN
Another example of The Taaras’ support for environmental conservation is its day trip for guests to Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary, located near the northern tip of Pulau Redang — a mere 15 minutes boat ride from the resort’s floating pontoon jetty.
Interestingly the beach of Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary is actually closed to the public after being gazetted as a turtle sanctuary by the Terengganu state government in 2005, with only SEATRU researchers and volunteers allowed to visit
But through its working relationship with SEATRU, the resort organises educational day trips for its guests to the beautiful turtle sanctuary but only on alternate days as to not adversely impact the delicate eco-system of the area.
Despite being tired after a dive at Teluk Dalam Kecil, I immediately jump at the chance to visit Chagar Hutang when Dr Uzair Rusli, UMT senior lecturer and SEATRU team leader, invites me and a few other participants for a brief visit to the turtle sanctuary.
Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary is a secluded and sheltered bay surrounded by majestic rocky cliffs. Its 350m crescent-shaped beach overlooks clear blue waters and a pristine coral reef — a perfect environment for sea turtles to take shelter and feed before making their way onto the beach to nest.
Listening to Dr Uzair’s passionate briefing on the work done by researchers and volunteers at the turtle sanctuary as well as the bay’s ecological significance, I begin to understand why the sanctuary is such a guarded and protected place. With an estimated one in 1,000 survival rate to adulthood, Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary is undeniably an important centre for the continued survival of sea turtles in Malaysia and South East Asia.
THAT DEEP BIG BAY
Located beside The Taaras and separated by a hilly outcrop is the beach of Teluk Dalam Besar, the bigger yet equally beautiful sister beach of Teluk Dalam Kecil. Although it is possible to walk to Teluk Dalam Besar beach from the resort through a hilltop road, I opt to use the Ceclo paddle boat, an electric assisted pedal boat available for rent from the resort’s activities centre.
The Ceclo boat is a fun and eco-friendly way to explore the nearby beach which is a popular spot to view and even snorkel with sea turtles. Guests staying at other parts of Pulau Redang also come by boats to visit the beach, all attracted to the chance of seeing up close the gentle sea turtles.
Interestingly, Teluk Dalam Besar beach is also connected to Pasir Panjang beach by a 2km jungle trail. The trail is clearly marked. It takes two hours to complete a return journey.
FAST FACTS
The Taaras Beach & Spa Resor
PO Box 126, Main Post Office
Kuala Terengganu,
Terengganu, Malaysia.
TEL 09-630 8888 / 018-220 3222
WEBSITE www.thetaaras.com
STAY 190 stylish suites and rooms in 10 categories
EAT Four outlets - Asean All Day Dining Restaurant, Beach Brasserie, Asean Terrace Lounge and Bayu Bar
DO Well, if the beach does not entice you, the resort has a free-form swimming pool surrounded by a landscaped garden. Otherwise, there are also a gymnasium, a playroom and a karaoke room.
GO Snorkelling, diving, hiking or just lazing around on the beach.
HIGH It’s a five-star luxurious resort!
LOW Not really a wheelchair-friendly resort.
How to get there
Collectively known as the Redang Archipelago, Pulau Redang is a protected Marine Park located 40km away from Kuala Terengganu.
It is easily accessible by a one hour boat ride from Merang Jetty in the district of Kuala Nerus.
REDANG ISLAND CONSERVATION DAY 2019
WITH its objective to preserve Pulau Redang’s marine environment, Redang Island Conservation Day 2019 saw 70 participants, media, sponsors, supporters and volunteers coming together and doing their part for Mother Nature.
Leading the cleanups and sorting the collected trash was Trash Hero Malaysia, a chapter of the international non-governmental organisation Trash Hero World.
The Trash Hero movement seeks to create “heroes” who waste as little as possible, reuse as much as possible and work to preserve and improve the spaces they are in, wherever they may be. Representatives from Berjaya Tioman Resort, Jabatan Taman Laut Malaysia and Polis Diraja Malaysia also came to show their support throughout the three-day event.
Total debris collected during Redang Island Conservation Day 2019: 524.86kg
Total plastic: 246.39kg
Plastic bottles: 4645
Shoes: 315
Fishing traps/ropes: 78.08kg
Plastic straws/lollipops: 47
Toothbrushes: 28
To volunteer at Chagar Hutang Turle Sanctuary, visit http://seatru.umt.edu.my
To join the Trash Hero movement, visit www.trashhero.org