Beautiful Sunset At Perlis Beach

By Adnan Jahaya KANGAR (Perlis, Malaysia), Feb 24 (Bernama) -- If you are looking to enjoy clear blue waters and white, sandy beaches, the Perlis beach may disappoint you. Its beach is brown and muddy. Yet,thousands throng the beach every day for its breathtaking view, particularly during sunset. It is also a favourite playground for the local children. The Perlis beach stretches over 17 kilometres, from Kuala Perlis to Kuala Sanglang, but famous spots are in Kuala Perlis, Kurong Tengar and Kuala Sungai Baharu. MAGNIFICENT SUNSET Nature lover Mahmud Said, 60, felt that the view of the sunset was so mesmerising that it would render one oblivious to the muddy beach. "The beach may be muddy, but the view is priceless," he said while photographing the sunset at Kurong Tengar. The muddy beach also presented a bounty for the fishermen there as shellfish like “mentarang” and “siput retak seribu” liked to hide in the thick sludge. Visitors would start flocking the stalls along the road by the beach from 5pm for to enjoy popular fares like “laksa” and grilled fish while watching the sunset. Others preferred to perch on the large rocks that barricade the beach for a clearer view of the sun setting across Koh Yao, an island off the waters of Thailand. During the high tide, the waves would crash against the barricade, splashing those nearby with salty seawater. Still, many found the view worth getting a little wet for. Rosma Mohd Ali, 24, from Alor Setar, said she and her family would rarely pass up the chance to lounge at the beach when visiting Perlis. Her family visited the beach monthly, although Pantai Merdeka in Kedah had bluer waters and far whiter sands. "We would go to Perlis in the morning to shop in Wang Kelian or visit relatives. In the evening, we would stop by the beach," she said. Visitors normally disperse after dusk sets in, some heading home while others make their way to the nearby Al Husain Mosque to perform their Maghrib prayers. The US$3.29 million (RM12 million) floating mosque is a new tourism landmark at Kuala Perlis. KURONG TENGAR’S GROWTH The writer found the journey from Kuala Perlis, soon to be a maritime city, to Kuala Sanglang to be anything but boring. Those traversing the stretch may want to stop by Kampung Kurong Tengar, where they can hire a sampan service to take them on a scenic route across a river. Visitors who decide on staying a little longer can choose from one of the 15 chalets at the village, which was once an area visited by leatherback turtles. The chalets, managed by Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), offer comfortable accommodation at a reasonable rate. Near the village is Kampung Sungai Berembang, once known as the “belacan village”, as many of its residents were involved in the shrimp paste industry. Sungai Berembang, which borders along Kurong Tengar, is also a paddy planting area. The next destination would be the traditional fishing village Kampung Kuala Sungai Baharu, a location for sighting the new moon for Ramadan and Syawal. Kuala Sungai Baharu is also known as a location for buying fresh sea produce. There are also chalets there run by the Fishermen Association of South Perlis. BIRDS’ HOME Those traveling between Kuala Sungai Baharu and Sanglang may wonder about the tall and windowless buildings along the beach. The concrete buildings, some nearly five-storeys in height, are actually nesting areas for swiftlets. The tiny birds’ nests are edible and contribute to Malaysia’s lucrative bird’s nest farming industry, which buyers include China. Meanwhile, fans of the “nira nipah” (palm sap) drink can enjoy the fresh drink at a nipah farm in Kampung Tanah Timbul, Sanglang. The farm, which sits at the end of the beach, is where visitors can also enjoy the popular local fare like laksa. -- BERNAMA