The secret island of Palau Lang Tengah

Palau Lang Tengah was a real tropical dream. Located off the east coast of Malaysia, it lies on the gorgeous South China Sea and is a part of the Redang, Gem and Perhentian islands cluster. The nearest mainland Malaysian town is the intrepid Kuala Terengganu, and it is an ideal getaway for those seeking solitude. Pulau Lang Tengah is fairly small and with only four hotels catering to its guests, the tropical island guarantees peace of mind like no other. My visit to Lang Tengah island was an impromptu one, and it was one boring evening at my shoddy beach homestay that I decided to leave Kuala Terengganu, or KT, for somewhere else. While the city was attractive enough with a lovely Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque, gorgeous Chinatown, and kampong-style old-fashioned Malay houses, its food was the real star.

Pulau Lang Tengah trip plan

From the blue-tinted Nasi Kerabu (rice eaten with dried fish and other condiments), an amazing array of most sumptuous seafood dishes to drool-worthy fried crabs, I had eaten till I could have burst at Malaysia’s lovely eastern city. However, with time, even the most delicious dish started to feel familiar, and after more than a week-long stay at KT, I hunted for options to break the monotony. The lovely Redang, Perhentian, and Gem islands immediately popped up on the search list, but the rush of tourists there put me off. After being in a Malay city for more than a week, I eagerly looked forward to some solitude, and throngs of alcohol happy beach bums preferring the large islands did not exactly promise that. It was a bit disappointing since Malaysia had some of the finest beaches in Asia, and just when I was ready to give up, the tiny Palau Lang Tengah featured on the map like a minuscule dot. Located between Palau Redang and Palau Perhentian, Lang Tengah boasts excellent reefs, rich marine life, rainforest, and pristine beaches. Moreover, only four resorts catered to the travelers visiting Lang Tengah, and that tempted me enough to head for it the next morning.

A choppy boat ride

Now obscurity and serendipity come at a price, and access to Palau Lang Tengah proved just that. Connected with the Malaysian mainland by ferries from the nearby Merang Jetty, a 45-minute ride through the usually choppy South China Sea took me to the island. Even the jetty was difficult to locate, and on that early Sunday morning, an expensive taxi from KT drove me past swaying palms and mangrove swamps to the sleepy fishing hamlet of Tanjung Merang. The boat jetty was a few minutes outside the village, and I trudged between a tangle of squid baskets, drying shrimps, and wet fishing nets to bargain for a ride. Speedboats and fishing trawlers lay scattered all over the shingled, littered patch of sand, offered transfers for various prices, and fishermen smoked lazily among purple beach petunias. I opted for a speedboat, keeping the unruly South China Sea in mind, and it turned out to be an excellent idea. The sea was one of the roughest I had ever experienced, and after a hellish hour bumpy ride, I  finally landed on the boat pier of the idyllic Lang Tengah island.

Pulau Lang Tengah – ´´serendipity´´

Palau Lang Tengah in Bahasa Malaysia meant an “Eagle resting on the middle island,” and the first sight revealed a patch of dense emerald rising out from a deep blue sea. Circlets of white sand and purple boulders ringed the crystal clear water, and it was a sight worth braving the choppy sea transfer. My hotel, the D’Coconut Lagoon Resort, stood on one side of the small island, and I fell in love with it as I  walked over the barnacle-encrusted wooden pier to check in. The rooms at the D’Coconut Lagoon Resort, however, were nothing special, but it was cheap and had an infinity pool overlooking the sea. Isolation was its real highlight, and the resort had neither phone nor wifi connectivity. It was pure bliss, and being slightly late in the high season, I shared the solitude with just two other guests. Thus began my charming Palau Lang Tengah days with late breakfasts, long walks in the rainforest, reading books, and counting stars. The island had the blessing of a delicious silence, and apart from the rustling of waves, nothing ever marred its gentle cocoon.

Lazy, idyllic island days

With the weather god being kind to me during my stay, I spent my Lang Tengah days swimming in the warm water, chasing Nemo, and keeping a lookout for turtles coming out to nest. Being a part of the turtle conservation project and a marine park, the sea around Lang Tengah was unusually clear, and fluffy tropical flowers dropped silently upon the silky stretch of sand. Many times, I was lucky enough to have the beach to myself and shared the sun with shy monitor lizards. It was closest to a tropical paradise of my dreams, and every evening, as I watched small red crabs scurry over the wave-dashed rocks, I let the winds carry my prayers of gratitude. Someone wise superbly quoted that the impulse to travel is one of the hopeful symptoms of life, and my brief solo break at Palau Lang Tengah was nothing short of a rejuvenating yoga for the mind.

Follow the rest of the Malaysia series

• KUALA LUMPUR PHOTO ESSAY
• FOOD TOUR IN KUALA LUMPUR
• CHARMING GEORGETOWN
• GEORGETOWN PENANG STREET ART
• GEORGETOWN PENANG STEEL SCULPTURES

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