Langkawi Diving & Snorkeling

In Langkawi, snorkelling and diving can be done in the Pulau Payar Marine Park, which is 19 nautical miles off Langkawi Island. Langkawi does not have any proper dive or snorkelling spots, but Pulau Payar is a fantastic place for such activities that some consider even on par with Tioman and Redang. The simplicity of the setup and arrangement for these activities also make it very accessible for amateur divers.

Snorkeling

There are daily trips to Pulau Payar that start in the morning with a pick-up from your hotel, on to Kuah Jetty and a 1-hour trip to the island. Many tour operators offer this service which may be booked from counters in Kuah Jetty next to the car park and waiting area. Snorkelling gear is provided in the packages and you get a snorkel and a pair of flippers.

Once you’ve reached the jetty, you can simply jump into the water and begin snorkeling. Indeed, the rich coral gardens in the immediate waters are wonderful, teeming with small and colourful creatures such as fish, shrimps and eels. Look out for the baby black-tipped sharks that come often to these waters. The water gets to around 4-meters deep before you reach a line of floats that has been suspended from one side of a cape to the jetty, for safety purposes.

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is another activity that’s offered by the tour operators to Pulau Payar. Once you book a trip to the island, the operators will approach you on the ferry to see if you’re interested in scuba diving. The dive masters provide a one on one guide for those who decide to take up on the offer, so that those who have never dived before can do so.

The deeper waters where the operators bring you hold a richer variety of large fish. Guided by experienced divers, you’ll see schools of large fish including barracudas, cod and snappers which are absent from the shallow waters of the beach in Pulau Payar. After an hour or two in the deep water, the divers will head back to Pulau Payar for some fun and relaxation.