Flying Fish Articles

Members Website


Members Websites
Scorpio Anchorages in SE Asia

Sea Topaz- East Malaysia

Mike Bickel’s Maps and blog from Malaysia https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zsKsu2T32IgI.kn5iNKJk6yI0&ie=UTF8&hl=en-GB&t=h&msa=0&z=8



Admiral Marina, Port Dickson – 02°28.75'N, 101°50.40'E
Bass Harbour, Langkawi ( S W Approach) – 06°14.00'N, 99°53.90'E
Hole in the Wall – 06°25.88'N, 99°52.25'E
Kuah Town – 06°18.60'N, 99°50.74'E
Kuala Bernam – 03°44.78'N, 100°59.00'E
Lumut (Dinding River) – 04°10.73'N, 100°39.72'E
Monkey Beach, Langkawi – 06°11.21'N, 99°47.26'E
Pangkor Island – 04°10.73'N, 100°33.33'E
Pangkor Island Marina, Lumut – 04°12.70'N, 100°35.80'E
Pangkor Marina Island – 04°12.67'N, 100°36.03'E
Penang (Tanjong City Marina) – 05°24.90'N, 100°20.70'E
Port Dickson Marina, Port Dickson – 02°28.70'N, 101°50.40'E
Port Klang (southern entrance) – 02°50.60'N, 101°16.10'E
Port Klang, anchorage off the north docks – 03°02.40'N, 101°20.20'E
Pulau Besar, Water Islands – 02°06.29'N, 102°20.00'E
Pulau Gabang Barat, SW tip of Langkawi – 06°11.16'N, 99°47.31'E
Pulau Pisang Islands – 01°27.55'N, 103°15.27'E
Rebak Marina, Langkawi – 06°17.74'N, 99°41.89'E
Straits Quay Marina, Penang – 05°27.46'N, 100°18.83'E
Telaga Marina – 06°21.82'N, 99°41.00'E
Version

PILOT NOTES Malaysia


Splinters Apprentice Saltram 36 length 10.94m draft 1.8m

Beth Bushnell

16-Jul-01
General Information

Malaysia is very easy to check in. There is no charge and you are issued a 2month visa on arrival. There is no restriction on the length of time a boat can stay in Malaysia. This means it is an excellent base from where to travel as you can go in and out with no paperwork necessary to leave the boat behind, just make sure you have a copy of your ships papers and if possible something showing where the boat is ie payment slip for mooring fees or the like as airlines are not supposed to let you board, on your return to Malaysia, without a valid ticket back out of the country! Manchester airport seems to be the worst for this but others have had difficulties soon resolved with valid paperwork.

Officially when travelling within Malaysia from port to port you should check in & out at each port of call. What usually happens is boats check out from say Singapore to Langkawi. They then stop enroute but don’t bother to visit officials. With the sole exception of Port Dickson no one will chase you up to check in, officials just do not come out to see boats at anchor or in marinas. If you intend stopping somewhere for more than a month it would probably be a good idea to formally check in.

Visa renewal from Langkawi can be done by taking the local ferry to Satun, Thailand ,a 50 min trip, and returning on the same ferry(!) or a later one. There is no need to move the boat but moving between Thailand and Malaysia is readily accepted.

Its only 120 mile to Phuket but lots of boats take 2-3 weeks to make the journey. The Thai and Malaysian officials do not get at all upset by this!

Lumut, Dindings river; lat 04°05’90n long 100°40’15E Yc welcoming, pontoons with water and electricity or go 2miles upriver on the R side and you will see yachts on moorings this is Mr Chans. The cost is 4RM a night, there are showers, water, rubbish bins ashore at the clubhouse and Mrs Chan does meals in the evenings which are excellent at 5-9Rm. Beer is 9RM a large bottle. V friendly with liveaboards around. If you stop say hi to Peter on Murianne for us. Piles for drying out are available; watch the tide height it is tight, 40RM a day, pressure washer available to hire.


Pinang; not the world’s best anchorage dirty and subject to wash. We always visited Pinang by ferry from Langkawi. It is a fantastic place to visit and good cheap accommodation easily found, we can recommend the Hotel Malaysia a/c rooms with facilities for 69RM. If you stop shopping is good.


Langkawi; YC not recommended subject to wash and is breaking up but can get fuel here 80sen a litre. Fuel is cheaper by can from the Petronas shed next to the YC.

Moorings are for rent 10Rm a day. Dingy to shore can be awkward at low water.

Langasuka Boat Club has moorings 10 RM and has water, dingy pontoon, laundry area. This is inside the large breakwater near Rebak island and the bar is next to the ferry/taxi stop for Rebak. This was rumoured to be changing hands.

There are lots of good anchorages around the islands, some like Hole in The Wall are bullet proof and many boats spend the SW monsoon at anchor. Anchorage of Kuah town is easy but at times uncomfy due to ferry wash and there is a long fetch in S winds. Water can be got from Langasuka YC. Dingys left on the beach near the Eagle statue or in the lagoon nearer town.


Rebak marina lat 06°17’60N long 99°41’80E. Entrance can be difficult to spot it is on the south side of the island, look for a small breakwater with a red light and a small green beacon on starboard. 2msin entrance at low water springs excellent shelter, full facilities with water and elec to each berth. Showers, pool, restaurant, bar, laundry, hard standing with 65ton travel lift. Marina shop has some basics but there is a free ferry on a Friday to Langasuka where a van sells veggies, bread, fruit and some frozen meat mainly pork, chicken, and prawns. This is an excellent marina. In 2000 we paid approximately 3.5pounds a day, inclusive of water and electricity. It is a gathering place for boats going west and east.

Taxis to Kuah cost 15RM or if more than 4 people 3.50Rm each. Share taxis around town are 2RM each whatever the distance. Fisal hires cars from Langasuka. There is no paper work just cash on the nail 40RM half day, 50RM full day, these do vary so negotiate. Good shopping in Kuah, recommend Cold Storage, Pok Brothers for frozen meats and salmon! Chinhoo good for boat bits. Dr Chew is a first class dentist speaks good English and is cheap and quick.

Port Dickson Marina, Port Dickson
A well maintained fully serviced marina with fuel dock. Swimming pool, restaurants, hotel. http://www.admiralmarina.com.my See the web site for approach waypoints. It can be a lee shore in the SW monsoon making an afternoon entry interesting as you turn beam on to the swell to enter. There is a chandlery and repairs are possible to organise here. A boat may be left unattended. Shops are a bus or taxi ride away. It is a port of entry. The marina will do this for you for a charge or it is possible to do it alone.


Monkey Beach, Langkawi
A lovely peaceful anchorage between P. Gubang Darat and Langkawi in 8-15m mud. Well sheltered. No facilities. Monkeys often seen on the beach hence the name. Approach from north or south.

Pangkor Island Marina, Lumut
New marina getting established. Exceptionally helpful manager/owner James Khoo is always willing to talk deals and goes out of his way to help. Showers and loos but no laundry yet. Fuel dock is planned but at present fuel delivered to boat by jerry cans (provided). Hard standing with hydraulic lift, pressure wash and good cradles. There is an undercover DIY facility (drop mast) with power and water. Entry point to pangkor marina:- N 04 ' 12.767 ' E 100 ' 35.100 '. Initial approach half tide up until you know the best water. It is possible to anchor outside the marina in 5m mud.

The ferry to Pangkor island is next door with cafe, small shops and bus to Lumut. A Best Western Motel is across the car park doing special rates for yachties. James organises regular trips to Tesco to suit. A bus runs direct from Sitiawan (15min taxi ride) to KLIA http://www.pulau-pangkor.com/transport-in-perak.html Good place to leave the boat safely. The marina website is being rebuilt http://marinaisland.com

Pangkor island has good anchorages for swimming and snorkelling.

Port Klang, anchorage off the north docks
Anchor tucked in to the island shore in 5m mud. Tide rode but no swell. This is a useful overnight anchorage on passage. The strong tides running past Port Klang can be used to good effect and the shipping lanes and shallows around One Fathom Bank avoided. There are many other anchoring options in this area amongst the mangrove channels.

Rebak Marina, Langkawi
A well established marina rebuilt following the Tsunami with boat hoist, hard standing/repair facilities. Ashore are loos, showers, laundry, gym, swimming pool, hotel reataurant and the yachts own cafe. There are good walks around the island, watch the snakes. Monkeys are a problem periodically. A good place to leave a boat. The marina is situated on an island off Langkawi island. Free ferries run regularly to Langasuka from where Taxis or car hire to Kuah can be obtained. Every friday there is a “veggie run” when a local trader brings fruit, vegetables and some meats to Langasuka.

There is no fuel dock. The nearest is at the Royal Langkawi YC or the fuel barges off Kuah town.
Straits Quay Marina, Penang
New marina in a Hotel /leisure development. Only 40 berths so need to book. There are shops and restaurants on 3 sides so it can be noisy and you are “on Show” all the time. Hence boats are requested to be well presented at all times. Not suitable for repair work but very safe. Tesco is 5 mins walk and from there buses run regularly into Georgetown. A small lounge area is provided with coffee and wifi. Mobile/internet signal can be iffy due to surrounding buildings.

http://www.straitsquay.com/find_out_more/straits_quay_marina

Approaching by sea, vessels should locate and pass close to the Wreck Buoy in position 05° 28.43’N 100° 19.09’E and proceed down the approach channel (dredged to -3m below chart datum) keeping the leading marks (05° 27.46’N 100° 19.025’E) in line bearing 180°. Start your starboard turn towards the entrance when 100m short of the front leading mark. The southern extremity of the main breakwater is marked at night by a green flashing light. Continue to turn 180° to starboard round the end of the breakwater and enter the marina basin heading North, leaving the lighthouse tower to port.

Pangkor Marina Island
MALAYSIAN LAY-OVER ; PROS AND CONS.

We 're coming to the end of a years ' boat layover and limited maintenance period in Pangkor, Malaysia.

This is a part of the world that many sailors reach and then have to think long and hard about their options. At the moment the choices are shipping your boat through the Red Sea to Turkey at great expense, staying here for a while - for ever in some cases) to cruise Thailand and the west coast of Malaysia or braving South Africa. I thought these were the only choices until I saw a notice pinned on the board next to the toilets advertising a posse of armed guards for hire to protect your passage through the Red Sea. The picture on the flyer showed a lovely ocean sunset but at the guard rail in silhouette stood a man with an assault rifle. It 's a fair bet that this wasn 't the kind of boat safety that the Hiscocks had in mind when they romanced us with their cruising adventures in the 50 's.

We needed somewhere to haul out our 45 foot steel sloop "Kakadu" and store it for about 6 months duration and settled on Pangkor Marina in Malaysia. We chose Pangkor on a combination of price, ease of yacht paperwork for leaving a boat, facilities, ability to work on the boat ourselves and transport to and from the area.

Unlike Thailand, once your yacht is in Malaysia you can leave it here for several years with no extra paperwork. We met people on boats in the yard that have done just that. The downside is that there are several yachts scattered about the yard in an uncared for state that almost look abandoned.

When I say 'yard ' I mean a gritty uneven fenced off piece of ground on an artificial island of reclaimed land called Marina Island Resort. There are grand and luxurious plans for this island and the marina is intended to be a feature of it but there seems to be a haphazard and disjointed air to the development, some parts of it that are finished stand empty and forlorn amongst the weeds starting to rot before they ever get used and rusting pieces of rebar and electrical cables sprout from the pavement in strange places.

But it does all work...sort of.

There is a small marina with a partial breakwater that fails to totally prevent the wash created by the regular ferry to the holiday island of Pangkor a mile or two off the coast. There is power and water and the staff are helpful.

A small toilet block has 3 toilets with a shower head supplying cold water sticking out of the wall in the loo cubicle itself and 3 outside unscreened wash basins - cleaned occasionally, which are used by everyone including the workmen. But you can at least have a cool shower at the end of the day.

In addition to the yard is a large covered shed which has space for about 10 boats. This is good to keep off the sun and monsoon rains off but there are drawbacks. The work in the yard is unregulated and a lot of grinding, metal cutting and welding takes place, much of it under this cover leading to flying toxic dust, metal shavings and noise. We managed to keep on good terms with our neighbours as we underwent our paint job by asking them not to grind when the paint was wet but it was a tricky balancing act. Clean up is also unregulated and piles of junk, rusting boat parts, metal debris and litter abound. When I couldn 't stand it any more I swept it all up.

Boats are lifted in and out on a modern sealift which lifts the boats from below on two padded hydraulic arms either side of the keel, rather than suspending them from two strops. Much of the chocking equipment and cradles are old and rusty and frames to fit your boat are cobbled together with spot welds and webbing straps in a way that may cause an engineer concern. However we 're not engineers... They slap your boat and kick the frame to test it and walk off with a cheery smile. It worked for us; our boat didn 't fall down!

The yard is totally open to anyone but some security is provided by having the lights left on in the covered area all night and by night watchmen who did come to see what was going on if you arrive home late in taxi. Having said that, when our boat was unattended we had two pairs of binoculars and an empty wallet taken.

Basic yacht services are on offer but not immediately obvious. They tend to operate out of unmarked shipping containers on a casual basis. Cell phone was the way to communicate once you had tracked them down. There are a couple of good diesel mechanics, Bulat and Motu (Motu especially tracked down problems like a tenacious bloodhound and explained them to us). There is an expert knowledgeable rigger, Chris, here when he 's not cruising himself, a good topside and deck painter, Jimmy, who knows his stuff and does good work with quality materials (especially considering the circumstances) and another good painter, Joe, who is also good for below the water line work but will do topside work as well. These were all charming people but work schedules are 'aspirational ' and in reality dictated by monsoon rains and whether staff turn up for work - and they often don 't.

There are three main religions in the region; Hindu, Christian and Muslim and everyone gets each holiday off - and Chinese New Year. So you need time; plenty of it. If you were working on a tight schedule this is not the place to come. Sometimes demand outstrips supply and we saw some boaters unable to get the help they required with scraping and painting hulls. It does mean that you get to see some interesting festivals while you wait for the work to get done.

Yacht parts and spares are almost unheard of here. There are two or three hardware shops in town that you may be able to get general nuts, bolts and hoses and an electrical store but specialist boat supplies have to be ordered in by post which is inconvenient and expensive. Generally the system works but once in a while your package ends up in Ipoh over an hours drive away and you have to go up there to get it. Also there are tax problems with certain carriers for reasons I can 't fathom but you need to get local advice before having stuff shipped ... and everyone here needs stuff shipped. It 's a hot topic of conversation on a 'drinks in the shed ' night.

The costs for our 45 foot boat were 90 Malaysian ringgit, (about £18), per day under cover and 47 MyR (£9) per day in the yard. A haul ‘out and in’ is listed at 1710 MyR (£342) and pressure wash 180 MyR (£32). Prices are going up as the area benefits greatly from the closure of the Red Sea to yachts. If the Red Sea were to become safe again things might look very different.

There are 3 or 4 well priced restaurants on the island close to the marina and a row of shops off the island about 15 minutes walk from the marina with basic food stuffs and vegetables and a great budget curry house. The town centre and 2 large supermarkets and a large western style mall with a good food court are about ten minutes drive away with no buses so car hire and taxi are the only options.

Car hire comes in two types: the 'rent a wreck ' variety that it 's best to use only around town in case it breaks down and better models for more cash up front if you fancied a trip to the Cameron Highlands.

Also the marina staff kindly lend out their cars from time to time.

In the monsoon seasons the rain can be dramatic and the gritty yard turns into a series of ankle deep puddles. Some cruisers dig little drainage ditches to take the water away but they can still be seen stood scraping in ankle deep water. There are also mosquitoes and dengue has been a big issue here this year. One of the mechanics has just recovered from it. I used to find mosquitoes a mere annoyance but now am on the lookout for the large black and white striped Aedes egypti species that is a daytime biter and carries dengue.

There are plenty of inexpensive and reliable modern buses from Sitiawan town (the closest town adjoining Pangkor, fifteen minutes drive from the marina) to Kuala Lumpur where there is a large international airport with good global links, the trip taking 4-5 hours.

When deciding to leave your boat there is one other thing to consider, especially if you have a lovely new paint job like us and that is the 'dirty rain '. The first rain of the season fell two nights ago and it was filthy; leaving a spattered grey greasy film all over the boat. It washes off with elbow grease and good marine cleaner (Por15 marine cleaner cut right through it) but all rainfall in this region falls through polluted air and eventually causes staining on the boat. All the local fishing boats employ a boat boy to clean them each day and we can see why. Our latest piece of boat equipment is an old fashioned cotton mop which I use on the deck after each rainfall before it dries in grey blotches and streaks down the topsides. If it 's left for a while - a few weeks say - it will stain (see image). If you have an older paint job it may not bother you so much.

So we 're off where the air is clear and the skies bright - New Zealand!

Can we recommend Pangkor Marina to others? Within the provisos listed yes. We 've got the work we wanted done...eventually, and have enjoyed meeting the staff here. James the Marina Manager has been very helpful.

Have we enjoyed ourselves here? Mostly yes, we 've made some great friends and enjoyed the boat yard camaraderie.

Would we come back?...well that 's another story.

Pangkor Marina details:
Contact: James Khoo
Email: jameskhm@gmail.com
Website: www.marinaisland.com
Tel: +60 1655 92800 or +60 1951 24088
Entry point: N 04° 12.655 ', E 100° 35.1 ' (Note. There is a Shallow bar at the Waypoint with about half a mile over less shallow water to the marina entrance which needs to be crossed at or near high tide)
Website: www.marinaisland.com

Langkawi, Malaysia, Lat/Long: 06°20 'N 99°50 'E,

Submitted by: Dick Moore, ALIESHA, January 2008

Langkawi is a miniature cruising ground in its own right. It offers the cruising sailor the chance to provision and replenish stocks of wine, beer and spirits at duty free prices, to buy diesel, obtain chandlery, be hauled and repainted and effect repairs. There are western style restaurants charging European prices; Malay, Indian and Chinese restaurants at much lower prices; three marinas and a host of quiet anchorages. We have listed below some of the places we visited and added comments mostly not found in the Cruising Guides.

Kuah Town in Bass Harbour Lat/Long: 06°18.60’N 099° 50.74’E for the anchorage , good holding in 4-6 metres There is a new local ferry terminal about half a mile NW of the main ferry terminal with a small pontoon where you can moor the dinghy. It is polite to visit the office counter inside and offer to pay – the charges are small and the goodwill engendered is well worth the cost.

From here turn left around the bay. A half mile walk brings you to the centre of Kuah, with local shops selling all kinds of goods. However the main supermarket is in a new shopping mall about half a mile to the SE, towards the main ferry terminal. Taxis can be found here to take your shopping back to the dinghy. We bought large quantities of beer and wines for the crossing of the Indian Ocean and the taxi driver (a Muslim) was reluctant to take us. In the end, however, he overcame his scruples and he said he would drive the alcohol but would not feel able to help us lift it in and out of his boot. We responded that we would be unable to give him a tip!

Just short of the main town a river runs under the road to the sea. Down the road which borders its banks the Kuah Night Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday evening from about 1730 until the customers dry up. This is great fun and a good source of fresh vegetables, fruit, hot local foods such as samosas, satay, fried chicken and nasi goring.

Just to seaward of the main ferry port lies the marina attached to the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club. See www.langkawiyachtclub.com/. Call on VHF Ch 69 for a berth. The staff are charming and very welcoming and helpful. Diesel is available from the pump, a welcome change from having to use jerry cans.

Checking in and especially out for Thailand is easily done in the buildings adjacent to the ferry terminal. You will need to see (in order) the Harbour Master, Customs and Immigration. There are lots of forms but a smile works wonders.

Telaga Marina Lat/Long: 06°21.82’N, 099°41.00’E Situated on the SW side of Langkawi, Telaga is a modern development of apartments, shops, expe. See www.telagaharbour.com/ Two artificial islands enclose a sheltered lagoon where most yachts anchor with good holding in 2-3 metres.

Ashore there are Customs but (in late 2006) no Immigration officers. We were able to check in on arrival from Thailand but were asked to see Immigration in Kuah when we got there Diesel is available from the fuel pontoon. Go to the Service Station to request that the pumps be manned. The Sail Asia Rally terminates here and it is the location on the Langkawi Boat Show.

Rebak Marina Lat/Long: 06°17.44’N, 099°41.68’E The marina lies in a natural land-locked basin in the south side of Rebak Island, about 4.5 miles south by east of Telaga. See www.rebakmarina .com . Call on VHF Ch69 for berthing. Ashore is an attractive, quiet resort and a yard with travel lift and hard-standing for some 70 yachts.

This is a popular spot to haul and refit. We found (Jan 2007) the rates were much lower than those in Phuket and used the local workmen to antifoul, re-paint the boot-top and polish the topsides. One note of caution: when the boss, Mr Hamid, is on site, the guys get on with their work. When he is away, they do nothing but gossip and fool around. This meant our one-week project extended to 13 days and could have taken longer had we not threatened to deduct the hard-stand charges from the bill. If you want to do all or some of your own work there is no problem.

We stayed in one of the resort’s suites, a luxury we thoroughly enjoyed. A special rate is offered to cruisers whose boats are in the marina or on the hard. If hauled, beware of the local monkeys who will invade your cabins in search of food if given half a chance.

Anchorages: There are several described in Rod Heikell’s Indian Ocean Cruising Guide. Our favourites were:

Hole in the Wall Lat/Long: 06°25.88’N, 099°52.25’E The entrance is a spectacular cleft in the limestone cliffs. Beware a couple of rocks in the entrance, then the water is deep for half a mile until the first branch to port and even a bit further until just before the second branch, to starboard. Anchor and enjoy the peace- except for longtails and speedboats bringing in tourists. Mercifully these stop about 1630.

Just up the starboard branch is a floating restaurant. We didn’t eat there but bought fish and on another occasion prawns to cook and eat on board. Delicious. This is a place to be explored from your dinghy. About one mile up the starboard branch is a cave to starboard. Go though it, under the cliff and into another river which leads back to the sea.

Between Langkawi and Pulau Gabang Barat (SW tip of Langkawi) Lat/Long: 06°11.16’N, 099°47.31’E (approx) Anchor in mud in 5-7 metres in the sheltered channel. You may have a local fisherman or two in their longtails for company.

CRUISING AREA: Singapore to Langkawi via the Malacca Straits

It is about 450 nm from Raffles Marina in Singapore to Bass Harbour in the Langkawi Group. There are plenty of places to stop along the way and many yachts choose to do this trip in a series of day sails. We list below the main harbours and anchorages and in separate Place Reports give some details of the more interesting ones we stopped at.

In October 2006 the IMO declared the Malacca Straits to be free of piracy so no need to worry on that score (not that yachts have been targeted for many years, according to Phil Blake, then the manager of Raffles Marina in Singapore). Most vessels stick close to the Malaysian coast so as to avoid the shipping lanes which are very busy in both directions.

The Malacca Straits are influenced by the seasonal Monsoon winds. Yachts sailing north will probably leave between mid October and the end of December, taking advantage of the NE Monsoon which is usually much reduced in strength by the land mass of Malaysia. Occasional tropical storms of short duration can still be experienced, often accompanied by severe thunder and lightning, especially towards the south.

The prevailing current runs to the NW at under 1 knot. Tides are semi-diurnal and in general run SE on the flood and NW on the ebb. Rates can be up to 3 knots in places and the range can be as much as 3.7 metres. We found the TotalTide program from the Hydrographic Office of the Admiralty excellent.

Smoke from forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo can partially obscure the sun, reduce visibility to half a mile or less at times and even make breathing unpleasant. While the countries affected talk a lot about finding a solution, in 2006 there was little progress and this problem may continue to detract from the pleasures of making this trip for some years to come.

In the southern half of the Strait the Malaysian coast is mostly low lying and the waters are brown with silt. A little south of Penang Island the topology changes and limestone islets and cliffs begin to appear while the water turns green inshore. Finally, around Langkawi and further north towards Phuket the water turns to blue except where it is shallow.

There are thousands of local fishing boats, ranging from small craft with the inevitable “longtail” engine and propellor shaft to quite large trawlers. At night most of the smaller vessels will not exhibit the correct lights. Many lie to drift nets which usually have a buoy at the far end with a flag and, if you are lucky, a dim light at night. Cross these nets at your peril.

The people are friendly and welcome visitors. The officials are courteous, speak English and are free of corruption so no “presents” are required. Formalities are easy, see Heikell’s Guide (below) for up-to-date details.

The best cruising guide to the area is Rod Heikell’s Indian Ocean Cruising Guide, published by Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson. There is a new Edition, published in 2007. The area is also covered by the Cruising Guide to Southeast Asia Volume 2 by Davies and Morgan from the same publishers and by the Andaman Sea Guide which can be obtained in Raffles Marina, Singapore if not already aboard.

The main places to stop include:

Pulau Pisang Islands , 01deg 27.55”N, 103deg 15.27’E. A night stop, anchor either north or south as the wind dictates but be warned, it may well shift!

The Water Islands , and especially Pulau Besar, 02deg 06.24’N, 102deg 20.00’E. Another night stop.

Admiral Marina, Port Dickson , 02deg 28.75’N, 101deg 50.40’E. This is a good port of entry with officials on site or nearby in Port Dickson, helpful staff and good facilities. It is a good place from which to tour southern Malaysia by ca, visit Kuala Lumpurr and to take a trip to Malacca itself. See Place Report for further details.

Port Klang , southern entrance (Selang Klang Lumut, 02deg 50.60’N, 101 dg 16.10’E as an approach mark. This is a convenient night stop. Upstream in this large river system and port you will find the Royal Selangor YC with pontoon moorings, restaurants and all the facilities of a major club. see www.rsyc.com.my.

Kuala Bernam , approach waypoint 03deg 44.78’N, 100deg 40.59’E, a river supporting a large fleet of trawlers. We arrived with the last of the light and anchored about 5 NM upstream at 3deg51.09’N, 100deg 50.00’E in 5 metres on mud. C-Map was spot on which made life easier.

Pangkor Island, south-western approach waypoint, 04deg 10.73’N, 100deg 33.33’E, the first of the limestone islands. There are three bays on the west side offering shelter but all are plagued by jet skiers during daylight hours and also by flies in the northernmost bay.

Lumut (Dinding River) , entrance inside NE corner of Pangkor Island, 04deg 10.73’N, 100deg 34.72’E. River leads to Lumut Yacht Club with pontoons and moorings and Changs with more moorings, restaurant etc. We didn’t visit.

Pulau Penang, Tanjong City Marina, Georgetown 05deg 24.90’N, 100deg 20.70’E.

2013. The City Marina is now reported to be run down; Fortunately for cruisers a new marina in Penang has been built, with a solid sea-wall protecting the 40 floating pontoon berths. Straits Quay Marina is professionally run by John and his magnificent team. See Crystal Blue report on this and on eating in Georgetown.

A new marina, right in the middle of Georgetown. Penang is a fascinating mixture of cultures, Malay, Chinese and Indian and of the old colonial and the new (Intel, Dell etc all have factories here) See Place Report for more details.

Bass Harbour, Langkawi , SE approach, 06deg 14.90’N, 099deg 53.90’E. Beware shoal patches as you approach entrance. See Place Report for more details.