Starfish

Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea.The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea. However, common usage frequently finds "starfish" and "sea star" also applied to ophiuroids which are correctly referred to as "brittle stars" or "basket stars".There are about 1,800 living species of starfish that occur in all the world's oceans, including the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian as well as in the Arctic and the Southern Ocean (i.e. Antarctic) regions. Starfish occur across a broad depth range from the intertidal to abyssal depths (>6000 m).Starfish are among the most familiar of marine animals and possess a number of widely known characteristics, such as regeneration and feeding on mussels. Starfish possess a wide diversity of body forms and feeding methods. The extent that Asteroidea can regenerate varies with individual species. Broadly speaking, starfish are opportunistic feeders, with several species having specialized feeding behavior, including suspension feeding and specialized predation on specific prey.The Asteroidea occupy several important roles throughout ecology and biology. Starfish, such as the Ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) have become widely known as the example of the keystone species concept in ecology. The tropical Crown of Thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) are voracious predators of coral throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Other starfish, such as members of the Asterinidae, are frequently used in developmental biology.

Pulau Gemia

Terletak kira-kira 800 meter ke utara dari Pulau Kapas di pesisiran pantai Terengganu, Pulau Gemia merupakan sebuah pulau yang menawarkan keindahan pantai yang berpasir putih dan bersih, air yang biru dan tenang, serta hutan-hutan yang kaya dengan flora dan fauna. Semestinya Pulau Gemia menepati segala ciri-ciri kemahuan para pelancong yang menginginkan lokasi penjelajahan yang unik dan tempat yang aman yang indah untuk beristirehat dari kesibukan bebanan kerja dan kesibukan kota.

Pemandangan di Perairan Pulau Gemia
Oleh kerana Pulau Gemia berada di bawah kawasan Taman Konservasi Marin, atau “The Marine Conservation Park” , para pelancong berkesempatan untuk menjelajah di dalam lautan itu sendiri dan berpeluang untuk melihat pelbagai hidupan-hidupan laut yang mengagumkan, seperti terumbu karang dan kehidupan marin lain. Pengalaman mengujakan tersebut dijamin berbeza daripada sekadar melihat daripada kaca akuarium.
Para pelancong juga boleh bersantai di pesisiran pantai, atau mengamati batu-batu yang pelbagai jenis dan saiz di sepanjang pulau tersebut – ataupun lebih hebat lagi melihat anak-anak penyu comel yang baru sahaja menetas. Antara aktiviti-aktiviti lain yang boleh dilakukan di pulau ini adalah seperti scuba diving, berenang, dan snorkeling.

Aktiviti-Aktiviti di Darat
Keseronokan di Pulau Gemia bukan hanya terletak di lautannya yang menakjubkan. Pulau ini juga adalah salah satu lokasi yang terkenal dengan aktiviti perlumbaan. Anda boleh menyaksikan perlumbaan kuda di Royal Savannah ataupun perlumbaan kereta di Scuderia Gem Racing, di mana kedua-duanya pasti akan memberikan anda hiburan yang menyeronokkan kerana anda akan menyaksikan perlumbaan di sebuah tempat yang dipenuhi dengan kehijauan alam - sesuatu yang jarang sekali dirasai oleh kebanyakan pelancong! Bagi peminat-peminat golf, anda pasti akan menyukai The Palmwood Hills 18-hole course yang terletak di barat selatan Pulau Gemia.

Resort Peranginan
Pulau Gemia hanya mempunyai satu resort, iaitu The Gem Island Resort & Spa. Berhadapan dengan Laut Cina Selatan, terdapat empat puluh lima villa yang disediakan oleh resort tersebut untuk disewa oleh pelancong. Setiap villa dilengkapi dengan katil king size, peti sejuk mini, dan segala peralatan lain yang anda perlukan untuk menghasilkan teh Cina yang sedap!

Bagi mereka yang akan bermalam di villa-villa tersebut, televisyen satelit dan penyaman udara juga disediakan bagi memaksimakan keselesaan kepada para tetamu sebaik mugkin. Anda akan menikmati kemudahan dan perkhidmatan bertaraf hotel lima bintang di tengah-tengah keindahan tropikal di sebuah pulau yang bagaikan syurga duniawi!
Di Restoran Samudera milik resort tersebut, anda boleh menikmati hidangan makanan yang lazat sambil menghayati keindahan matahari terbenam – sungguh mengasyikkan! - atau anda mungkin berminat untuk meluangkan masa di Tusita Wellness Spa, yang mana tersedianya perkhidmatan mengurut badan yang cukup melegakan, berendam di dalam jakuzi atau memanjakan badan anda yang keletihan sebagaimana anda mahukan.
Sebagai tetamu hotel, anda juga boleh mencuba pelbagai aktiviti air termasuklah memancing atau ski air. Anda juga akan diberi hak istimewa untuk menikmati keindahan 3 buah pantai persendirian (private beach), sebuah kawasan perlindungan penyu sertas bilik permainan yang disediakan khas untuk kanak-kanak.

Perjalanan Ke Pulau Gemia
Bagi perjalanan ke Pulau Gemia, anda boleh menaiki kapal terbang dari Kuala Lumpur ke Lapangan Terbang Sultan Mahmood di Terengganu. Dari lapangan terbang tersebut, anda boleh mengambil teksi ke Jeti Marang. Setibanya di sana, anda cuma perlu menaiki bot dari jeti untuk ke pesisiran pantai Pulau Gemia yang mengambil masa kira-kira 30 minit. Kemudahan bot dari pulau-pulau berdekatan ke Gemia juga disediakan

Pulau Lang Tengah

• Pencil-Spined Urchin
Photograph by Wolcott Henry
The spines of the omnivorous pencil-spined urchin (Eucidaris thouarsii) extend outward from its body. There are some 700 species of sea urchins worldwide.

Pulau Lang Tengah is a very small island located between Perhentian Island and Redang Island. This little island is accessible by a 30-minute boat ride from the Merang jetty. According to locals, Lang Tengah takes its name from 'Lang' which comes from helang which means 'eagle' in the Malay language, and tengah, meaning 'middle'. Thus, Lang Tengah means eagles resting on the middle island.

The island is very small indeed. A round-island trip by speed boat takes only 10 minutes. The beach is narrow and land is limited. However, its small size gives it its best advantage - Lang Tengah Island holds only 4 resort operators, ensuring a peaceful visit.

And the winning attraction of this tiny and peaceful island? Some of the best Snorkeling and scuba diving in Malaysia!

Labuan

Wilayah Persekutuan merupakan salah satu daripada negeri yang membentuk Persekutuan Malaysia. Wilayah Persekutuan ditadbir secara langsung oleh kerajaan persekutuan di bawah bidang kuasa Perdana Menteri.

Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan merupakan daerah wilayah persekutuan kedua Malaysia. Pulau Labuan mempunyai keluasan 98 km2. Pulau Labuan terletak sekitar 10 km dari pantai Sabah, dan 2 1/2 jam penerbangan dari Kuala Lumpur, dan lima minit perjalanan bot ke Pulau Papan. Pulau Labuan telah diistiharkan sebagai pusat kewangan luar pantai (offshore financial centre) pada 1990 dan pelabuhan bebas cukai sejak 1956. Labuan mempunyai pelabuhan yang dalam dan besar, yang merupakan punca asal namanya pelabuhan atau "Labuhan".

Pulau Labuan juga mempunyai air yang jernih dan pantai berpasir sepanjang persisiran pantai, menjadikannya destinasi perlancongan yang baik. Pulau Labuan juga mempunyai perairan yang baik untuk aktiviti menyelam dan mempunyai empat destinasi penyelaman skuba.

Pulau Sibu

Sibu Island Johor, Malaysia
The Sibu Archipielago lies only 30 minutes from the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. The scenic cluster of islands is made up of Pulau Sibu Besar, Pulau Sibu Tengah, Pulau Sibu Hujung, Pulau Kukus and Pulau Tinggi, “Pulau” being the Malay word for island. The archipelago is rich in natural beauty and sea turtles crawl ashore here in July to lay their eggs. It is hard to think that this peaceful area was once the site of a Vietnamese refugee camp.

Most of these islands continue to be uninhabited but, luckily, on Pulau Sibu Besar, various resorts have opened their doors, providing a tropical escape for those needing a break from city life.
On Sibu Island, there are the numerous outdoor activities, fishing trips being particularly popular. Scuba diving is also a good option as this area was designated a Marine Park in 1993 for the conservation of the marine life in the surrounding water. The lush tropical vegetation of Sibu is perfect for a bit of jungle trekking. While you won’t need serious equipment to brave the 15-20minute walks that take you from one resort to another, a good insect repellent is a must.

The panoramic sea views, the coral reefs and the white sandy beaches make Sibu a special place, where the only risk is to fall in love with the idyllic island life. Have a peaceful, private holiday, enjoy some sea sports or just relax in paradise. Selamat Datang!

Pulau Perhentian

Perhentian Island consists of two islands with endless stretches of palm-lined beaches, clear water sea and coral reefs. The lush rain forest on the island is just an ideal for jungle trekking. Ping Anchorage package will offer you snorkelling trip with mask, snorkel and float to explore the reefs.

Located at South China Sea east coast of Malaysia, the Perhentian group of islands consists of Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil. Situated 108 km from Kuala Terengganu (1.5 Hours) and 54 km from Kota Bharu (1 Hours). The boat journey of about 30 minute by speedboat and 1.5 hours by slow boat. Pulau Perhentian promises interesting holidays destination with white sandy beach, jungle interior and interesting diving are a sure combination to attract the diver and non-diver. Best month for diving is between March to September. Dive equipment is readily available for rent at almost all dive centers.

Situated 20 km off the coast of Terengganu, the Perhentian group of islands comprises of Pulau Perhentian Besar, Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Rawa, Pulau Serenggeh, Pulau Susu Dara Besar and Pulau Susu Dara Kecil.

'Perhentian' when translated from the Malay language means stop over. Dive operators and resorts are located on both Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil offering various styles of accommodation to suit the visitor's budget and dive packages.

A hop over to these enchanting islands will reward every visitor with the breathtaking view of their natural beauty - countless coconut trees lining their un-spoilt and pure white sandy beaches.

Perhentian Besar
As most of Perhentian Besar's interior is covered by virgin tropical jungle, hiking and trekking are there possible recreational pursuits. A luxury resort here can be booked for accommodation .At trip to this lush and exotic tropical island is a must for all nature lovers and those who enjoy scuba diving, snorkelling, deep sea fishing, swimming, wind surfing, sailing, boating and canoeing.

Perhentian Kecil
Claimed to be one of the best getaway beaches in the world among travellers and tourist. Long beaches (locally known as Pasir Panjang) prides itself with long stretch of sandy beach of fine sand with crystal clear water up to a depth of 20ft. Calm waters make you feel as you are in a very large swimming pool