Pulau Bidong I Dive Sites
The dive
sites in Bidong consist of fringing reef & a few submerged reef. At present
there are no developments on the island except for a jetty & some buildings
at University Malaysia Terengganu beach where a research center is located.
Expect healthy hard corals at shallow reefs eg. Acropora sp. & Porites. Wreck
dives can be done here & also muck diving at the sandy area in Merang.
Most dive sites here are expose to tidal current & there’s always an alternative dive site for divers to enjoy easy dives. A well plan dive is required for diving in these waters whether it’s shallow or deep dive.
Seamonkey Dive Masters sometimes will organise exploration dives especially on the eastern part of the archipelago which consist of boulders & slopes.
1. Heritage Row
Depth : 10-16 meters
A great spot for check out dive & beginners. A few man made structures were deployed here for a plan to make an underwater museum. Unfortunately the project didn’t complete for some reasons. Divers can experience to see a Keris, Tepak Sirih, Batu Bersurat Terengganu, Perahu Sekuci, Tengkolok & Pintu Gerbang which reflected the Terengganu’s Malay Heritage.
Small portion of coral growth can be seen & a few patch reef around this site. Experience divers will opt for the deeper & sandy area for rarities.
September 2010 an effort in conjuction of coral reef awareness by a corporation with certain organization was held at this site. A bus & a truck were placed as artificial reef at 10-12 meters depth. The action sparks controversial among certain enviromental watchers, organizations & diving community. Nevertheless it also creates a fun location to dive and perfect for buoyancy training
2. Vietnamese Wreck
Depth : 18 meters
This site can be dive directly from a mooring buoy or a dive from Heritage Row. Evidence of the Vietnamese refugees with a few wrecks tied together & sunked purposely. Coral growth can bee seen here on all of the steel wrecks with variety of reef fishes ; big eye squirellfish, puffers, porcupines, damselfishes, white eyed moray eel, yellowtail fussiliers & occasionally schooling yellowtail barracuda.
Divers should be aware of sharp debris & sometimes fishing lines. There are also old fishtraps here set by fisherman as these area are out of Marine Parks boundary.
3. The Jetty
Depth : 7-12 meters
The jetty was completed in Oct. 2009 & it offers interesting dives to novice & experienced divers. Its also suitable for training dives. There’s a buoyline deployed straight to a sandy bottom by the dive centre around 10 meters from the jetty for trainings. Under the jetty offers exciting scenery for wide angle photography & the schooling pickhandle barracudas will just swim around divers. A well navigate dive can lead divers to the Vietnamese Wreck. On shallow portion healthy reef with parrotfishes can be seen patrolling. There’s not much of surface traffic here but doesn’t mean divers have to neglect launching SMB’s during ascending.
4. Midway Reef
Depth : 10-20 meters
Also known as Karang Seler or Karang Selat among fisherman. An exciting huge area of submerged reef & can’t be covered on a single dive. Exposed to tidal current & sometimes can be really strong. Recommended to use the mooring line while descending. With bedrocks & boulders making it a beautiful reefscape. With its profile divers can enjoy swimming with huge school of neon fussiliers & variety of reef fishes. Pelagics such as trevally can be seen here. Exploring the outer reef is rewarding occasionally the jenkins ray & discoveries of nudibranchs. There’s a few portion of this reef covered with Dendronepthya soft corals. A slow & close observation dive will offer divers new discoveries.
5. Karah Point
Depth : 6 – 18 meters
This is a great area for a nice slow no current dive. There’s a buoyline attached to the bottom around 12 meters makes descending easier for beginners or divers can start their dive from the shallow gentle slope till the bottom. Plenty of staghorns with cardinal fishes seeking shelter & nice boulder corals. In between corals a handful amount of clams can be seen. With its massive healthy barrel sponges, makes this site suitable for wide angle photography.
6. Macha Rock
Depth : 14-20 meters
Named after a Dive Instructor who did a recce dive here & discovered its potential. Start your dive from the shallow reef & descend along the steep slope to 14 meters. Its good to dive here during a mild flooding tide where divers continue to dive against the current exploring the outer reefs & drift back to the shallow area & zig-zagging to the surface. At deep schooling jacks have been spotted & probaply sightings of others pelagic is possible. For macro lovers a slow observation on whips where Xeno crab & zanzibar shrimp can be spotted. Turtles can be seen feeding on the shallow reef with nice school of big eye snappers. A variety of angelfishes can be seen swimming along.
7. Tongkang “The Barge”
Depth : 18 – 20 meters
Tongkang is actually a barge which was carrying building materials & sank here during a bad weather 8 years ago. It is located at 18 meters in upside down position. It’s home to schools of big eye snappers & huge Jenkins ray sheltering under it. A colony of lionfishes can be seen here hovering at the bow. On a great visibility the wreck can be seen fro surface. A negative entry is required here as the mooring line won’t blast due to normal traffic of ferry fro KT-Redang.
8. Tanjung Geluk
Depth : 10 – 24 meters
A nice site to do a drift dive. Start your entry at the headland descend to 20 meters & ride the current. At the shallower area, divers will experience patch reefs with seafans & check your buoyancy. This site is also suitable for deep dive training. Stacks of table corals at the shallow wall offers an interesting atmosphere.
9. Batu Tengkorak
Depth : 10 – 27 meters
One of the best sites in Pulau Bidong Archipelago, Batu Tengkorak is known for its drift diving on the healthy staghorn corals & brilliant view of table corals along the boulders. Abundant of fussiliers & damselfishes swimming against the prevailling current.
As for experience divers heading to the deeper part which leads to an outer reef with boulders & huge seafans. Sweepers sheltering in crevices & sometimes schooling yellowtail barracuda on top. In 2009 the dive crew spotted a juvenile whale shark.
Most dive sites here are expose to tidal current & there’s always an alternative dive site for divers to enjoy easy dives. A well plan dive is required for diving in these waters whether it’s shallow or deep dive.
Seamonkey Dive Masters sometimes will organise exploration dives especially on the eastern part of the archipelago which consist of boulders & slopes.
- Heritage Row
- Vietnamese Wreck
- The Jetty
- Pasir Tenggara
- Teluk Belangga
- Midway Reef 1
- Midway Reef 2
- Macha Rock
- Karah Point
- Southern Tip
- Pasir Cina
- Batu Nangis
- Tanjung Geluk
- Batu Tengkorak West
- Tongkang "The Barge"
1. Heritage Row
Depth : 10-16 meters
A great spot for check out dive & beginners. A few man made structures were deployed here for a plan to make an underwater museum. Unfortunately the project didn’t complete for some reasons. Divers can experience to see a Keris, Tepak Sirih, Batu Bersurat Terengganu, Perahu Sekuci, Tengkolok & Pintu Gerbang which reflected the Terengganu’s Malay Heritage.
Small portion of coral growth can be seen & a few patch reef around this site. Experience divers will opt for the deeper & sandy area for rarities.
September 2010 an effort in conjuction of coral reef awareness by a corporation with certain organization was held at this site. A bus & a truck were placed as artificial reef at 10-12 meters depth. The action sparks controversial among certain enviromental watchers, organizations & diving community. Nevertheless it also creates a fun location to dive and perfect for buoyancy training
2. Vietnamese Wreck
Depth : 18 meters
This site can be dive directly from a mooring buoy or a dive from Heritage Row. Evidence of the Vietnamese refugees with a few wrecks tied together & sunked purposely. Coral growth can bee seen here on all of the steel wrecks with variety of reef fishes ; big eye squirellfish, puffers, porcupines, damselfishes, white eyed moray eel, yellowtail fussiliers & occasionally schooling yellowtail barracuda.
Divers should be aware of sharp debris & sometimes fishing lines. There are also old fishtraps here set by fisherman as these area are out of Marine Parks boundary.
3. The Jetty
Depth : 7-12 meters
The jetty was completed in Oct. 2009 & it offers interesting dives to novice & experienced divers. Its also suitable for training dives. There’s a buoyline deployed straight to a sandy bottom by the dive centre around 10 meters from the jetty for trainings. Under the jetty offers exciting scenery for wide angle photography & the schooling pickhandle barracudas will just swim around divers. A well navigate dive can lead divers to the Vietnamese Wreck. On shallow portion healthy reef with parrotfishes can be seen patrolling. There’s not much of surface traffic here but doesn’t mean divers have to neglect launching SMB’s during ascending.
4. Midway Reef
Depth : 10-20 meters
Also known as Karang Seler or Karang Selat among fisherman. An exciting huge area of submerged reef & can’t be covered on a single dive. Exposed to tidal current & sometimes can be really strong. Recommended to use the mooring line while descending. With bedrocks & boulders making it a beautiful reefscape. With its profile divers can enjoy swimming with huge school of neon fussiliers & variety of reef fishes. Pelagics such as trevally can be seen here. Exploring the outer reef is rewarding occasionally the jenkins ray & discoveries of nudibranchs. There’s a few portion of this reef covered with Dendronepthya soft corals. A slow & close observation dive will offer divers new discoveries.
5. Karah Point
Depth : 6 – 18 meters
This is a great area for a nice slow no current dive. There’s a buoyline attached to the bottom around 12 meters makes descending easier for beginners or divers can start their dive from the shallow gentle slope till the bottom. Plenty of staghorns with cardinal fishes seeking shelter & nice boulder corals. In between corals a handful amount of clams can be seen. With its massive healthy barrel sponges, makes this site suitable for wide angle photography.
6. Macha Rock
Depth : 14-20 meters
Named after a Dive Instructor who did a recce dive here & discovered its potential. Start your dive from the shallow reef & descend along the steep slope to 14 meters. Its good to dive here during a mild flooding tide where divers continue to dive against the current exploring the outer reefs & drift back to the shallow area & zig-zagging to the surface. At deep schooling jacks have been spotted & probaply sightings of others pelagic is possible. For macro lovers a slow observation on whips where Xeno crab & zanzibar shrimp can be spotted. Turtles can be seen feeding on the shallow reef with nice school of big eye snappers. A variety of angelfishes can be seen swimming along.
7. Tongkang “The Barge”
Depth : 18 – 20 meters
Tongkang is actually a barge which was carrying building materials & sank here during a bad weather 8 years ago. It is located at 18 meters in upside down position. It’s home to schools of big eye snappers & huge Jenkins ray sheltering under it. A colony of lionfishes can be seen here hovering at the bow. On a great visibility the wreck can be seen fro surface. A negative entry is required here as the mooring line won’t blast due to normal traffic of ferry fro KT-Redang.
8. Tanjung Geluk
Depth : 10 – 24 meters
A nice site to do a drift dive. Start your entry at the headland descend to 20 meters & ride the current. At the shallower area, divers will experience patch reefs with seafans & check your buoyancy. This site is also suitable for deep dive training. Stacks of table corals at the shallow wall offers an interesting atmosphere.
9. Batu Tengkorak
Depth : 10 – 27 meters
One of the best sites in Pulau Bidong Archipelago, Batu Tengkorak is known for its drift diving on the healthy staghorn corals & brilliant view of table corals along the boulders. Abundant of fussiliers & damselfishes swimming against the prevailling current.
As for experience divers heading to the deeper part which leads to an outer reef with boulders & huge seafans. Sweepers sheltering in crevices & sometimes schooling yellowtail barracuda on top. In 2009 the dive crew spotted a juvenile whale shark.
 Batu Tengkorak  Midway Reef  Macha Rock  Vietnamese Wreck  Heritage Row  Midway Reef  Tongkang 'The Barge' |
 Karah Point  Tanjung Geluk  Karah Point  Heritage Row  Heritage Row  The Jetty  The Jetty  Tongkang 'The Barge' |
