Relaxation and Seafood on a Budget!

Two weeks ago, a group of us joined a two-day-one-night trip organized by NUSSU Travel Service, to Kukup, Malaysia. We were in search of a good spot to spend a quiet weekend – before the stress of tutorials and labs began. Kukup is a small fishing town, facing the South China Sea, where time moves at its own pace. Life there seems slower, and people seem more relaxed.

We ate seafood (very affordable for the morning’s catch!), almost every meal. After lunch on the first day, we explored the town’s only street and found some snacks – various types of crackers (prawn, fish, seaweed, sweet potato), coconut cookies, and my personal favourite, Mamee Monster. We were constantly eating throughout the trip; the hostel owner was a good cook. She made an assortment of local snacks for teatime, and endless dishes for lunch and dinner.

Photo credit: Jeremy Zhang

The hostel we lived in was located at 29 Air Masim, Kukup, Pontian; its friendly and secure atmosphere evoked memories of home as we entered. The place was surprisingly clean and had good air-conditioning. The bathroom was the most fascinating, yet disturbing experience for some of us. All, if not most of the wastewater, seemed to empty into the ocean below. You could see water sloshing out of the bottom of houses. It was quite a sight for all of us!

Like every other house in the area, our hostel was built on stilts over the water. At low tide, the water receded so much that we were all able to see the muddy mix of garbage and the remnants of the residents’ belongings such as a few pots. We even found a bicycle lying in there… we wondered what happened to the person riding it? Did they end up in the mud too, with the mudskippers?

The mudskippers were the coolest creatures we have ever seen. They are a type of fish that is able to breathe outside of water, and move about by gliding across the muddy surface, resembling ice-skaters! Only during low tide can one see them demonstrating their amazing abilities.

After lunch, we went to visit a ‘kelong’ off mainland Kukup. A ‘kelong’ is a form of offshore, wooden platform built without nails! Fishermen use ‘kelongs’ for fishing purposes. It was an interesting experience walking on the floating platforms, and peering into areas that contained captured fishes and other live sea creatures. Someone brave from our group held a horseshoe crab, a baby shark, and a blowfish.

At the hostel, there was a karaoke machine, DVD player, and television, so we were never bored. Once we got tired of singing and watching television, we tried our hand at ‘Mahjong’ – a traditional 4-player game originating from China. It is very similar to the game of dominoes – involving a tremendous amount of skill, strategy, and patience. We had loads of fun understanding and playing it… many of us stayed up early into the next day, too engrossed with the game to think of sleep.

Some of us went out at night for a walk about the town. We could hear the voices of families singing Chinese karaoke in their homes. In the tranquility of the night, we saw fishermen walking towards the pier with fishing rods and nets. Some waved hi or gave us a friendly nod when we turned to smile or see where they were headed. People seemed much friendlier in this small town.

The next day, we took a ferry to Pulau Kukup National Forest Reserve. We went during low tide, so we had the chance to see the mangrove trees with their tangled maze of roots sticking up above the mud. There was a nice boardwalk with surprisingly not too many mosquitoes. There was a suspension bridge over a river at the start of our walk. We all tested our courage by walking across the swaying planks of wood and supporting rope. At the end of the boardwalk there was a platform high above the tops of the trees. Gazing at the island from that height up gave us a new perspective on how large the island really was, and it was much more expansive than we suspected.

Photo credit: Kara Johnson

Overall, the trip was well worth it. We learned to dodge the motorcycles on the tiny road, saw houses on stilts, and enjoyed the beauty of the mangrove forest. Of course we ate excellent seafood, and had the experience of visiting a ‘kelong.’ Kukup is very different from Singapore, yet it is really close by. It takes only 3-4 hours, depending on traffic.

To get there: Take SBS Bus 170 from Kranji MRT Station; at the Malaysian Immigration checkpoint, transit to SBS Bus 170 that goes to Larkin Bus Terminal. At Larkin, take a bus to Pontian (RM4); at Pontian, take a cab (RM4) or bus (RM2.20) to Kukup. The whole trip cost not more than RM100.