The
name, Pulau Besar (formerly known as Pulau Babi Besar) is strange
to many despite its idyllic beaches and stunning natural beauty.
The island which is surrounded by Pulau Rawa, Pulau Sibu & Pulau
Tinggi is characterized by quiet, clean beaches of powdery white
sand that promises an amazingly spectacular view.Crystal clear waters
surround the island; Pulau Besar. The waters are so clean that visitors
can even see the many reefs from the surface. To preserve the unspoiled
marine life, the Government has gazetted it as a marine park to
protect around 60 species of marine life from any activity that
can harm their natural habitats within 2 nautical miles around the
island.
The
wild vegetation of the tropical jungle are rich in many different
green colours and the sight of coconut palm dotting the landscape
is a normal one. There are about 7 – 8 small villages that
are still populated by around 100 friendly dwellers who are mostly
fishermen.
Here, you can find many species of the giant cockle that live on
the ocean floor and 6 of them can only be found around Mersing waters.A
number of the surrounding islands such as Pulau Aur, Pulau Pemanggil,
Pulau Tinggi and Pulau Rawa have been identified as new habitats
for the new generation of the giant cockles. These cockles have
a life span of 70 years. They are 1-metre long and can weigh as
much as 200 kilograms. Tourists will be able to set their eyes on
these lovely shelled-creatures while snorkeling in the breathtakingly
picturesque underwater.
Pulau
Besar is surrounded by vistas so beautiful that even a number of
foreign TV stations have flocked the island to savor the natural
wonders and immortalise them in their films. In fact, just a short
time ago, a Hollywood film called the Ocean Lifeguard had chosen
Pulau Besar as its main shooting location.
This
island got its former name, Pulau Babi Besar, (directly translated
as Big Boars Island) from the numerous wild boars that roamed the
island before man inhabited the place. Surprisingly, there is not
a single boar on the island at present and thus, the reason for
the change of name to Pulau Besar. |
