LANGKAWI, 6 June 2022: Nine Malaysian artists created 14 gigantic sculptures depicting the island’s myths and mystical creatures and dumped them in the sea.
The sculptures were anchored off the coast of Pulau Pasir following a ceremony on 22 May. Commissioned by the National Art Gallery’s Seabound Initiative the gigantic sculptures will serve as artificial reefs to support the recovery of marine life while providing a unique underwater attraction for scuba divers.
Tourism leaders are positioning Langkawi as a water sports hub focusing mainly on ASEAN’s scuba divers and clubs through social media campaigns. If successful, underwater sculptures could become welcome additions adding variety to Langkawi’s dive sites. It’s a development that may encourage scuba dive agencies to spice their itineraries with dives to sunken art objects.
Scuba diving is the standout attraction for tourists visiting Pulau Payar Marine Park, a cluster of islands just a short transfer by ferry or tour boat from Kuah, Langkawi’s main town and the entry point for ferries from the mainland and Penang. The Pulau Payar islands reopen for divers this month after a two-year hiatus following the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.
Deals on scuba lessons
For those new to scuba diving, Langkawi’s dive tour companies offer instructions from pool to sea through internationally recognised certification programmes.
In June, Ninety Nine Islands Diver’s Facebook page introduces scuba diving that will get you from the swimming pool to Langkawi’s exciting underwater world through recognised certification courses.
To attract beginners keen to explore the diving experience, the company offers instruction under the PADI certification for MYR999 down from MYR1699.
PADI instructors take you through the lessons in three days to graduate with a PADI Open Water Diver certification, the most widely-recognised scuba qualification worldwide.
For more details, visit Ninety Nine Islands Diver’s Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/ninetynineislandsdiver
Langkawi’s top six spots for scuba diving
Travel Triangle’s diving tips and blog identify the six best scuba diving spots in Langkawi.
House Reef Dive Site
This is a reef site on Pulau Payar Island at a depth from 15 to 18 metres and a visibility of 10 to 20 metres.
Coral Garden Dive Site
The dive site is located near the southern part of Payar Island, with an average depth of about 15 metres and a visibility of 10 meters.
Grouper Farm Dive Site
The popular dive site is located right beside Coral Garden, near the southern end of Payar Island. The reef is completely covered with hard corals and can be explored to a depth of 15 metres.
Kaca Sunken Boat Wrecks Dive Site
A small island, Kaca located east of Payar offers one of the most popular diving sites where divers can explore sunken wrecks, mostly fishing boats.
Lembu Rocks Dive Site
A short seven-minute boat trip from the Marine Park Beach area, the dive site is recommended for diving beginners.
Pulau Segantang Dive Site
Segantang Island is located 12 km west of Payar Island, a 20-minute boat trip from Marine Park Beach and is recommended only for experienced divers looking for larger fish that thrive in deeper waters.
For full details visit https://traveltriangle.com/blog/scuba-diving-in-langkawi/
