Pulau Besar (Johor)
Encyclopedia
Besar Island is an island
off the east coast of Johor
, Malaysia. It is accessible by boat from Mersing town
(approximately 30 minutes). The island's highest point rises some 2000 feet (609.6 m) above the sea level
.
The island which is surrounded by Rawa Island
, Sibu Island and Tinggi Island is characterized by quiet, clean beaches of powdery white sand and crystal-clear azure waters. 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 activities that can harm their natural habitats within 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) around the island.
Rich hues of wild vegetations are dappled throughout with the lush greens of the coconut palms and tropical jungles. There are about 7 - 8 small villages that are still populated by around 100 friendly dwellers who are mostly fishermen.
A local myth was about a fisherman couple who transformed into mermaid
s. This legend is so popular among the local folks that they believed at one time, a pregnant fisherman's wife was craving for a kind of seaweed, that is plentiful in the Mersing waters. After eating, she turned into a mermaid and the heartbroken husband became one too after eating the same seaweed
. Until today, it is claimed that mermaids floating in couples can sometimes be spotted eating seaweed around the island.
This island got its former name, Pulau Babi Besar, (directly translated as "Big Boars Island") from the numerous wild boar
s that roamed the island before man inhabited the place. Nowadays, there is not a single boar on the island and thus, the island was renamed as Besar Island.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
off the east coast of Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
, Malaysia. It is accessible by boat from Mersing town
Mersing
Mersing is a town in Mersing District in the northeast corner of the state of Johor, Malaysia.Mersing town is a lively tourist town visited by Malaysians and foreign tourists....
(approximately 30 minutes). The island's highest point rises some 2000 feet (609.6 m) above the sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
The island which is surrounded by Rawa Island
Pulau Rawa
Rawa Island is a coral island off the east coast of Johor, Malaysia, 16 km by boat from Mersing town. It is popular with tourists from Malaysia and Singapore, who come to enjoy its relatively unspoiled white sand beaches, snorkelling and scuba diving. Nearby islands include Pulau Harimau and Pulau...
, Sibu Island and Tinggi Island is characterized by quiet, clean beaches of powdery white sand and crystal-clear azure waters. 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 activities that can harm their natural habitats within 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) around the island.
Rich hues of wild vegetations are dappled throughout with the lush greens of the coconut palms and tropical jungles. There are about 7 - 8 small villages that are still populated by around 100 friendly dwellers who are mostly fishermen.
A local myth was about a fisherman couple who transformed into mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
s. This legend is so popular among the local folks that they believed at one time, a pregnant fisherman's wife was craving for a kind of seaweed, that is plentiful in the Mersing waters. After eating, she turned into a mermaid and the heartbroken husband became one too after eating the same seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
. Until today, it is claimed that mermaids floating in couples can sometimes be spotted eating seaweed around the island.
This island got its former name, Pulau Babi Besar, (directly translated as "Big Boars Island") from the numerous wild boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
s that roamed the island before man inhabited the place. Nowadays, there is not a single boar on the island and thus, the island was renamed as Besar Island.