A stroll by an expanse of rocks on the shore.
Camp on Pulau Songsong in Kedah during the new or full moon phases. On the Chinese or Muslim lunar calendars, these fall on the 1st (new moon) or 15th (full moon) of the month.
Simply put, the sun and moon are aligned in such a way during these phases that their gravitational pull on Earth comes from roughly the same direction. This alignment heavily influences the tides – amplifying both the highs and the lows.
At Pulau Songsong, the high tide during such periods can rise to 2.8m. When it ebbs, it drops to as low as 0.9m, exposing wide tidal flats.
Red rocks by the seashore abound here.
At the lowest points, the sea recedes far from the shore, revealing an expanse of red rocks, smoothed over time by the waves.
Fire up the Google Earth app and search for Pulau Songsong. The satellite photo captured at low tide shows a distinct red ring almost encircling the island.
While the Klang Valley is geologically around 66 million years old, Pulau Songsong goes way further back – estimated to be between 450 and 480 million years old.
For those used to the muddy tidal flats of the mainland, Songsong’s rocky seabed at low tide is a rare delight.
You will not find a bed of rocks like this on the mainland.
There’s simple joy to be had here. Stack stones. Build the most elaborate mini-monuments you can. Leave them for the returning tide to topple.
Or take a slow, meandering walk across the flats. Hunt for crabs, snails, and sea cucumbers hiding in rock pools.
Bring a fishing rod and trek all the way to the drop-off at the edge of the low tide to try your luck.
The campsite at night.
Nine campers, including Kijohn Yeoh, did just that during the new moon. They took a basic boat ride package costing RM350 from Kuala Sungai Udang in Kedah’s Yan district, and spent the night on the island.
“The island is uninhabited and there’s no tap water,” Yeoh says. “So we brought five litres of drinking water per person, plus another 30 litres for cleaning up with damp cloth.
“It’s not a good idea to rinse with seawater – you’ll just end up feeling sticky, and that’s miserable when you’re trying to sleep.”
The typical camp cooking style: throw in everything with a savoury sauce.
They came across two freshwater wells, but worried about contamination. They stuck with the water they’d brought, only using the well water for washing dishes.
There’s a rudimentary toilet, but no water supply there either. So, for nature’s call, seawater had to do.
Despite being 8km offshore, the group was pleasantly surprised to have good mobile signal – staying connected to civilisation, if only barely.
Yeoh (right) and his mates heading to and arriving at Pulau Songsong (below).
The campsite, a flat cape on the island’s eastern side, was spacious.
But on Yeoh’s trip, the wind blew in from the west – completely blocked by the island’s bulk.
“It got a bit stuffy at night. Next time, I’ll bring a portable camping fan,” he adds.
Local advice is to avoid visiting during the year-end rainy season, when monsoon winds can make the trip dangerous.
On this visit, there were hardly any mosquitoes – but sandflies made their presence known.
The group spent hours exploring the exposed tidal flats, spotting countless molluscs, sea snails and an abundance of sea cucumbers.
Fresh anchovies caught with a gill net.
A word of caution about those sea cucumbers: they don’t take kindly to handling. The heat from your hand stresses them, triggering a defence mechanism where they eject their internal organs.
It won’t kill them, but it’s traumatic and can stunt their growth. So keep your touches light and brief – just enough to feel how squishy they are.
Beyond the tidal zone lies another hidden gem: turbid water coral reefs. You’ll need to be confident in the water to find them – snorkelling experience is essential.
Marine biologist Professor Datuk Dr Aileen Tan describes Pulau Songsong’s coral reefs as a treasure of the Straits of Malacca.
Nothing beats hammock time by the sea.
These reefs have evolved to thrive in low-light, high-sediment environments due to runoff from the mainland.
“In the face of escalating climate change and ocean warming, these turbid water corals are uniquely adapted,” she explains. “Turbidity acts as a natural buffer during marine heatwaves, helping them survive stress events.
“They’re expected to play a bigger role in the future, offering vital ecosystem services – from supporting fisheries to protecting shorelines and conserving biodiversity.”
For now, though, they’re just one more reason to make that full moon trip.
