Malaysia > Walking around Pulau Tiga National Park

The island of Pulau Tiga is a National Park. Hiking trails have also been laid out here through the tropical rainforest. I spot the first animals already at breakfast. A few Tropical Pied Hornbills fly past the restaurant and settle in the nearby trees. I begin my hike around the island heading north. The entire trail follows the coastline. The path is easy to walk, with no mud on it. Judging by the tracks, though, that can sometimes be different. Every now and then I have to cross fallen trees. Some are so large that I cannot climb over them.

Malaysia - Resting during the trail around Pulau Tiga

I push through the bushes to find my way back to the trail. In the treetops, macaques watch my movements with keen interest. As I try to approach them, a large creature suddenly bolts right in front of my feet. It turns out to be a monitor lizard resting there. Such a sudden movement is quite a scare—especially since snakes could also appear here. I notice many shells moving along the path. Hermit crabs drop their little houses over themselves as I pass by. A funny sight. Some crabs are simply too big for their shells and can no longer hide underneath them. They’ll have to search for a new one. One crab has even chosen a blue plastic cap as its house. A bizarre sight—to see a blue bottle cap walking through the forest. At Rocket Beach I take a break. This northern beach on Pulau Tiga mainly consists of stones and rocks. Somewhere nearby there should be a mud volcano. I find fallen signposts but cannot locate the volcano itself. I continue around the northern tip. The trail gradually climbs. It’s not much of a climb, since Pulau Tiga is only fifty meters high at most. On the other side, descending again, I arrive at Golden Beach—a beautiful white sandy beach. I take off my shoes and stroll through the water. In the distance, I can see Snake Island once more. From the beach, I follow the trail again towards the mud volcano I visited yesterday.

Malaysia - A hermit crab has chosen a plastic ball as its shell

The route crosses several bridges. I have to be careful, as some planks are missing. I cross them cautiously. From the mud volcano, I walk back to Pulau Tiga Resort—just in time for lunch. In the afternoon, I settle into a hammock by the beach. I gaze out over the white sand and the blue sea. The wind rustles pleasantly through the palm trees. Pure enjoyment! I strike up a conversation with a Japanese boy in the hammock next to me. In broken English, he tells me that he moved to Malaysia with his family five years ago. He now lives in Kota Kinabalu. As the sun sets on the horizon, I return to my room and take a cold shower. Tonight is our last evening together. A barbecue is organized at the beach bar for a small fee. Strangely enough, not everyone feels like joining the farewell dinner. Perhaps that says something about the group spirit. I thoroughly enjoy the fish and meat from the barbecue. The crab, however, is tricky to peel. I also help myself to the plentiful salads. A great meal in a lovely location. Behind me, I hear the waves of the sea; in the distance, I see the lights of fishing boats on the water. At the end of the evening, the whole travel group gathers at the beach bar. On behalf of everyone, I thank Emile and Omar for their excellent guidance during this journey. Everything has gone smoothly and without problems.