Water is the ultimate life force of this island. Here, everything is au natural, with bathing and toilet amenities connected directly to the sea below you. It is not unusual to see people dumping the remains of their food into the waters, and in the same waters, people fish and kelongs flourish. For those uninitiated, it can be quite a culture shock and will take a while to get used to the locals’ way of living.
But it is a charming island no less. Filled with streaming tourists from neighbouring countries, the silence will be interrupted with people singing and engaging in social gambling. Despite the hustle-and-bustle, serenity still quietly seeps through the activities. During low ti
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But it is a charming island no less. Filled with streaming tourists from neighbouring countries, the silence will be interrupted with people singing and engaging in social gambling. Despite the hustle-and-bustle, serenity still quietly seeps through the activities. During low tide, you can even see glimpses of crabs and mudskippers. The laps and laps of waves add to the tranquility. Surrounded by water, kelongs, and unstructured buildings, it’s truly a nice sight to wake up to in the morning, slowing devouring your breakfast with the sea breeze blowing against your hair.
The highlight of the trip was the fireworks display. Kukup is incidentally one of the rare, remote places in Southeast Asia that you can throw all inhibitions of fire hazards away and enjoy the sparkles and splendor of fireworks live.
Quick Tips:
On the boat ride that takes you to the main jetty, you’ll see the coast lined with thick, beautiful mangrove forestry that gently screams for attention to its surrounding human inhabitation.
We went for the mangrove ride covering a natural mangrove trail and a kelong. Those with keen eyes can see glimpses of mudskippers, crabs, and other marine life at the mangrove. Sadly, the suspension bridge wasn’t for opened to the public. We followed the trail right into the five-storey-high tower. Interestingly, the tourists flouted the warning signs that restrict 10 visitors max per level. Take a climb up and you’ll catch a nice view of the rich tropics around you. Find yourself taller than the crowns of lush green forestry. It’s a nice retreat from the usual concrete surroundings.
Best Way To Get Around:
You can take go through the woodlands checkpoint or second link at Tuas from Singapore to get to Kukup. Clearing the checkpoints prove to be quite a chore, as we were stuck with the good half of the Good Friday crowd trying to get across to JB. A good hour’s ride takes us to Kukup Island. It is quite a fun ride, as you’ll see endless palm tree plantations and the rural parts of JB, quite a distinct changed from the high-rise flats in Singapore. Read Less