PULAU KAPAS

 

Pulau Kapas is located nearby the city of Kuala Terengganu at the eastern part of the peninsula. Compared to nearby islands like Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Redang, it is a lovely small island with beautiful, quiet, unspoiled sandy beaches; cool and clear blue waters, swaying coconut trees and caves with swallows nests.

Pulau Kapas has a few excellent dive sites where you can spot numerous fish species and many sea turtles. There is even a beautiful World War II Japanese ship wreck waiting to be explored. In the open sea, divers will come across Shark Point and Turtle Point. Those into wreck diving will find the waters surrounding Pulau Kapas intriguing. Snorkelling and underwater diving is popular along stretches of shallow coral reefs of the island’s western shore. Berakit reef is located on the eastern side of Pulau Kapas. Two large boulders with coral growth are home to a number of reef fishes such as damsels, wrasses, blennies and gobies. This is also a good site to observe groupers and if lucky, bamboo sharks can be seen resting under crevices. North of Pulau Kapas is Pulau Gemia. The depth profile of the reef around this island varies between 5 to 16 metres with hard corals carpeting the seascape. Darting about the acropora hard corals gardens are chromis, damsels, wrasses, and parrotfish. Occasionally, a school of bump head wrasses will graze through the coral rubble foraging for food.

May till August is squid jigging season. During this period of time you can go for squid jigging activities which can be arranged during the evening. The boat operator who is on a Squid jigging “Candat Sotong” trip will rig his boat with many neon light or florescent tube around a few long pole stuck on both side of his ship Roof like a big Wing. The lights that illuminate the water, will attract squids to gather in the shaded area under the boat. Deep-sea fishing and Diving trips through Platinum Charters can be arranged at many places on the island. Our experience Captain and guide will be able to bring you to those locations.

The best time to visit Pulau Kapas is between April and October. However, in October it might already be too late. The northeast monsoon blows from November to March; resorts are closed during this period. Because of this monsoon, the underwater world is a lot less beautiful as visibility is bad and there are currents.