Pulau Kendi is a small island on the southwestern tip of Penang island, off Gertak Sanggul. It is the farthest of the few islets around Penang Island. Due to its distance from Penang Island, Pulau Kendi has managed to keep itself relatively pristine. It is one of the few places left where you can still see the rocks on the sea bed. And it's the only place left where you can still swim the sea without fear of a jellyfish attack.
The name of Pulau Kendi comes from the word "kendi" which means flask in Malay. As you approach the island from Gertak Sanggul, you will begin to understand why it is given such a name. The island resembles a gargantuan flask lying on its size in the sea. For the same reason Pulau Kendi is known in Hokkien as Hor Lor Su, or Flask Island. It has long been known to fishermen as well as anglers as the drop-off point before the open sea, Pulau Kendi was left largely unnoticed until recently, when reports appeared in the media that there are plans of turning it into a tourist destination.
Fearful that wanton development will wash onto its rocky shores, I made several visits to Pulau Kendi. We went there ascertain its tourism potential and to recommend how the beauty of Pulau Kendi can best be appreciated and tapped.
We found in Pulau Kendi a scabrous island surrounded by an emerald green sea. What attracted me most about Pulau Kendi are its natural rock formations. These can be found along the southern coastline of the island, and they come in a glorious selection of shapes, hues and sizes.
Relentlessly battered by the raging sea, they were both formed as well as eroded by the elements. These rock formations are slippery as polished marble, and as sharp as razor, and they run the gamut from magma to sedimentary rocks to hard granite. Some are pockmarked like scars from acne, others like petrified corals, toad stools, you name it.
The hills of Pulau Kendi are steep and densely forested, making exploration a challenging experience. The only sandy stretch of beach was no more than 100 feet in length. That was where we landed. From there, we cut our way up the hill, crossed to the other side. There was a team of anglers perched precariously on the jagged outcrops between the water line.
On the steepest slope at the most hidden crevice, we found a cliffside adorned with scores of tiny idols. There was Kuan Yin, the goddess of mercy, as well as a plethora of deities, statues no taller than one foot. They guard, they watch over the open sea, while the waves blast on the rocks below. We could only speculate who have placed them there.
Although the island was uninhabited, we found signs of civilization in abundance, all over the place, in the form on inorganic refuse. The entire beach front was littered with plastic bottles, wrappers, tyre tubes.
It appears that the island is being used as a convenient dumping ground. We were disheartened by this disrespect for nature and the environment, and that the people of Malaysia in general, and Penang in particular, could not lift themselves above the filthy habit of littering the land. We must say that this is the work of a small minority, but the result affects the well-being of the entire majority.
If Pulau Kendi is to be recognised as a tourist destination, the first and most important item on the agenda should be a clean-up of the island. All inorganic refuse must be cleared. Footpaths can be cleared to traverse the island, taking visitors to specific look-out points. In the seas, fish fry, and planktons should be released to improve on the variety as well as quantity of fishlife. The corals should be breed. Angling should be controlled and licensed. Commercial fishing should be barred from approaching anywhere closer than three hundred metres from the island. Only environmentally conscious organisations should be allowed to bring visitors to Pulau Kendi, and a fee should be charged which will be used for the upkeep and maintenance of the island. I further recommend that the caretaker, in the form of a forest ranger, should be authorised to issue summons to whoever is caught littering the island.
There should be no construction of any structures on the island, except for a caretaker's abode. Certainly no chalets here please. There should be no cement brought, as this will pollute the sea. No pier should be built. The only access should be by boat. It should remain a place where the environmentally conscious can come to appreciate the nearness to nature, in a pristine surrounding.
This is the most pristine part of Penang, the only pristine one remaining. If you ever consider visiting it, we urge you to keep it clean. It will be worth your effort.
Getting there
At the moment, there is no mainstream transport for getting to Pulau Kendi. I would be willing to help arrange transport for small groups - be prepared to rent an entire boat, so best to get a group of about 8-10 people. Contact me by my office at Beautiful Planet, +604 226 8121.
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