Aug 03, 2015 11:59 AM
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(Updated Aug 24, 2015 10:26 AM)
Local Friends are Indispensable I feel that we enjoyed our Malaysia years because of friends we made in that country. Otherwise one can miss out on many local enjoyments. One of our dearest friends was the real estate agent who became my husband’s close friend. One day, he and his girl friend took us to Pulau Ketam or Crab Island, near Kuala Lumpur. We took a train (train ticket costs RM4.30) to the Port Klang railway station and, across the tracks, towards the water, there was a small ferry terminal to the left. From there we went by a speed boat. The trip was about 45 minutes and a website says that it costs RM7.
It seems that there are some 15 such ferries a day. The last boat leaves at 5.30 PM on weekdays and at 6 PM on weekends. But speedboats can be chartered at any time, reportedly.
The boat had a video playing Chinese New Year music. Along with the sights whizzing past this show made it a very exotic experience.
Island on stilts The place is a Chinese fishing village, established around 1880 by Teochew and Hokkien fishermen. Apparently, the population grew during World War II when some Taiwanese fled the attacking Japanese. All the buildings are on stilts extending 10 m below the water, as are the streets. There are no cars, only bikes and a few motorbikes. You can, I find, rent bikes for RM5/ day or hire a boat trip to see the mangroves and wander around the waters, viewing the scenery.
Sightseeing There is a fish farm which we did not visit where you can choose a fish for a meal. There is also, I see on a website, a traditional boat maker who makes wooden fishing boats. If you are lucky, you may watch him or just have a glimpse of his woodworking tools. You will come across some temples, which have paintings and murals, some dating back to the founding of the island. In many Malaysian Chinese temples, statues are carved by artists from mainland China. Two of the temples are the Nang Thiam Keng Temple and the Hock Leng Keng Temple. As in other places in Malaysia, many small altars are scattered throughout.
There are enough shops to buy souvenirs or anything urgently needed. If you want you can stay over at Hotel Sea Lion with free WiFi, fan and A/C rooms, and restaurant. It is closest to the pier with a tariff of RM28 - RM98(Double room from RM38).
Or the Pulau Ketam Inn, with free WiFi but only A/C rooms. It is closer to the town and costs RM45 - RM128.
See, Seafood! Of course we ate lots of seafood, especially crabs which are served with implements to crack the shell. And all over the place there are shops to buy dried seafood and seafood flavoured crackers. Even though we ate a lot, we walked it off by exploring and even had room for a fried ice cream before leaving.
