Virtual coastal adventures with Google

The Paddle For Nature project, a collaboration between Google and the Malaysian Nature Society to document 2000km of Peninsular Malaysian coastline ended on March 13, with 20-year-old Che Zahiruddin Che Othman stepping out from his kayak, equipped with a custom-made Google Trekker.Pix: credit to Natalie Heng

A marine conservation manager and Google team up to capture Peninsular Malaysia’s coastline.

IT is 10.30am on March 13, and the sun is beating down on Dataran Lang, a star-shaped jetty that juts out of Langkawi’s Kuah harbour. A small group of people start cheering as 20-year-old Che Zahiruddin Che Othman (aka Ajai) emerges on the water in his kayak – a moment that will be forever immortalised on Google Street View.