Among the enchanting dive spots is the Coral Garden, an area covered with bright, multi-hued soft corals. Just off the beach, one can indulge in the thrilling experience of feeding baby sharks.

A unique highlight in Pulau Payar is the presence of up to 20 juvenile black tip sharks providing excitement to the many snorkelers who visit the Marine Park centre. Although at times the plankton-rich waters can reduce visibility, the abundance of fish makes up for it, fusiliers, jacks, black tip sharks, barracudas and groupers are sighted on a regular basis. Coral life is a mixture of hard and soft corals. Pulau Kaca is a favourite for easy, shallow wreck diving, with dozens of sunken fishing trawlers providing refuge for a variety of marine animals. The Pulau Payar group of islands offers the best diving on the west coast.

Coral garden is located on the western tip of Pulau Payar. This dive site features both hard and soft corals along the island’s rocky terrain with depths from 5 to 18 metres. Visibility averages between 5 to 15 metres. Huge boulders carpeted with soft corals offer numerous crevices that attract marine life seeking refuge from predators. Fish life is abundant, with damsels, fusiliers, lionfish, schooling jacks and big groupers.

Suitably named, this dive site is located towards the southern end of Pulau Payar and is home to schooling fish nervously darting about due to the presence of numerous big groupers. Hard corals and sea fans dominate the seascape with the reef top gradually sloping down to about 15 metres to the sandy bottom. If a slight current is present, a drift dive is the best approach to this site.

Situated towards the east of Pulau Payar is some easy wreck diving off Pulau Kaca. Dozens of sunken fishing trawlers are found around Pulau Kaca creating artificial reefs. Rocky topside topography gives way to hard coral growth at 5 metres and slopes to a sandy bottom at about 18 metres. A diver does not require any bearing to locate the wrecks, as it is bound to encounter the scattered vessels in almost any direction. Coral blocks on the sandy bottom are inhabited by a whole spectrum of reef fishes, mollusks and nudibranchs.

This twin rocky outcrop is located 13 kilometres towards the west of Pulau Payar. Pulau Segantang, features steep rocky terrain plunging into the sea to a sandy bottom at 20 metres. Nurse sharks, barracudas and jacks are very common here. Fusiliers will curiously swim around intruding divers. Here, hard corals and sea fans are found on the slopes between 15 - 20 metres. Lobsters, moray eels and mollusks are also commonly observed.

From Kuala Kedah

Pulau Payar is accessible from Kuala Kedah by speedboat and catamaran. It takes approximately an hour to reach the island. Tour operators can organise cruises and diving tours to the neighbouring islands in the Marine Park.

From Langkawi

Visitors can get to Pulau Payar from Kuah Jetty by catamaran or speedboat. The catamaran takes about 45 minutes to get to Pulau Payar while the speedboat takes an hour. It is advisable to book the catamaran service a day before the trip. Apart from the fare, a levy of RM5 for adults and RM2.50 for children is charged for entry to the marine park. For further information on the catamaran service, kindly contact Langkawi Coral at 049667318 or Coral Island at 04966 1368.