Sarawak’s lengthy coastline is unfortunately devoid of pristine waters like those in Sabah and East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, except for a few small locations at the extreme south west. One spot that shines out is the Talang Satang Marine National Park, which has the attraction of being a turtle sanctuary
The part of South China Sea just outside of the Santubong peninsula has a relatively clean and clear waters around several islands known as the Pulau Satang Besar and Pulau Satang Kecil. Farther out to the west off the coast of Sematan and Lundu town is the twin islands of Talang Talang Besar and Talang Talang Kecil where the waters are also pristine. Together this group of islands are called the Talang Satang National Park, and is the only marine park of Sarawak.
Access to the Satang Besar island is via a 40 minutes drive to the fishing village of Santubong, where the boat operators will take visitors in their outboard engined boats for the 30 minutes ride across the South China Sea to the island. From the distance, Pulau Satang Besar looks like a turtle with a large head surrounded by clear blue sea. This stretch of the estuary of Santubong River is also where the elusive Irrawaddy dolphins of Sarawak hang out. Sighting of this endangered mammals of the sea is not unusual but a keen eye and with help from the experienced boatman chances of seeing them is definitely higher.
Day-old hawksbill turtle. Park warden may allow you to handle them if there was hatchings during the night before.
The star attraction here is the hawksbill turtle sanctuary and conservation program initiated by the Foresty Department. Wire fencings ring the sandy beach where the turtle eggs are buried and awaiting the hatching. Baby turtles when hatched are quickily kept in protective containers to be release into the sea under the cover of darkness to avoid falling prey to predators.
It is amazing that when the baby turtles when they survive the ordeal of crossing seas and oceans come back decades later to lay eggs at the exact spot where they were born!
View from the ground of the park HQ with nice park bench under the shade
The rocky stretch just a few minutes walk from the sandy beach of the park HQ
The hatchery is fenced up to prevent intruders.
Approaching Satang Besar island is like looking at a picture of a South Pacific island, with blue clear water, sandy beach and a thickly forested mountain in the background. The island is surprising large and according to the boatman, take about an half and hour to circumnavigate it.
A rocky outcrop is only 5 minutes walk form the park HQ, and the waters here are quite clear for snorkeling when the sun is shinning and visibility is about 10 feet deep. The corals are not spectacular or colourful but they do have quite a number of marine life like fishes, crabs, sea urchins.
Great write up and pictures, I hope in January the turtles come up from the sea, I want to meet them!