To paraphrase, it’s “Malaysia can”. This arm-thrusting slogan was coined to reflect Malaysia’s sentiment to conquer all odds.
Penang rocks! Politicians grunt it, and so do foreign music performers, apparently, when they feel the masses move beneath their hands.

And move they did the hearts, bodies and minds of bright-eyed Asian folks at the second annual Penang World Music Festival held at the charming quarry garden flanking the Botanical Gardens in Penang Island. Young and old bobbed and grooved to the strains, vocals and rhythm of 11 international bands from Croatia, Reunion Islands, France, Kenya, Denmark, Tibet (famed and exiled Techung), Mexico, Iran, India, Canada and US of A. See line up below and watch this section for album reviews and interviews.

Rhythmic percussion by Kumpulan Dendang Anak.The infectious Kumpulan Dendang Anak of Trengganu, one of the four Malaysian bands to be featured, roused the crowds to their feet with their gendangs, rebanas, konpangs and more. They proved that age-old traditions and heritage still, to this day, send a tingle. “We brought back folk music that existed 600-700 years ago that would have otherwise gone extinct,” beamed leader and performer Zulkifli Ismail who blends gongs and gamelans with the acoustic guitar.

“Everybody plays for tradition,” said Gilberto Guttierez of Mexican Mono Blanco, adding that where they come from, the farm, that is, happy hour equals song, dance and music, of course.

Tradition need not be boring or out of date, and this perhaps is the beauty of world music where a bit of experimentation
DYA Singh passes down generations of hymns.fuses myriad of tones from different sound boxes. It doesn’t matter where it comes from, what it’s made of or which century it originated in. The tabla for instance, an ethnic Indian percussion instrument, served centre stage in DYA Singh played by world-renowned Nepalese-born Dheeraj Shrestra. The group mixes beats of tabla with Greek bouzouki, harmonium and the Australian didgeridoo. “The beauty of the group is the spirit of the music, dance and rhythm,” says Dheeraj. Watch Dheeraj perform this 10 May at Nepalese Pagoda, South Bank, Brisbane.

George Achiem resurrects oruto's appeal in Kenge Kenge.Kenge Kenge’s dynamic leader and lead vocalist George Achiem resurrected a dying string instrument he saw being played in the market when he was a little boy. The one-string oruto provides a feminine counterpoint to pounding beats, between booming drums and calls of the rustic horn of this band from sunripe Kenya. “The whole band uses traditional instruments, some with eight strings, some with one. We really love our culture,” he grinned.

And so did we. For three days, Malaysians and tourists, even invited journalists, were mesmerized by the mind-blowing cultural experience. “This is what world music should be, full of ordinary people, children and screaming teenagers appreciating the acts, most of which are of very high standard,” said Singapore writer, actor and musician Joe Ng. “I stopped going to WOMAD of Singapore few years back because it became such a soulless, yuppie thing.”

Even the absence of alcohol sale on the grounds did not deter anyone from getting a bit high during the three-day packed concert beginning May 2.
Electric and eclectic Afenginn infuse wild Nordic folk with Finnish nuances on the mandolin.The music itself did the trick in lifting the spirits and screwing the brains (blame it on the Danish lot, Afenginn) with traditional instruments, lilting folklore, syncopated beats, surreal chants and head banging rhythms.

George Achiem best sums up the value of upholding traditions. “When we play our music overseas, we leave a bit of our culture behind and we learn new cultures from others.” This cultural exchange binds people together as they see beyond their inner worlds to understand and appreciate different perspectives.

“Music is the universal language, man,” said Brian the keyboardist of Techung as he pumped fists with Mame Khan, Badila’s Rajahstani singer at the post concert party. “I didn’t understand what you sang, man, but you know what, it didn’t matter. It’s all in the music, man.”

Music is the universal language.I couldn’t agree more. If I were you, I’d make a date for the next Penang World Music Festival about the same time next year. Don’t forget to stay on for a few more days as Penang is lovely and harbours the best Malaysian food, like my favourite spicy sour assam laksa. Or if you can’t wait that long, head on down to the sizzling Sarawak Rainforest Festival 11-13 July. Book now to avoid disappointment - it’s a sell out I hear.

Akan Datang! Watch this space for more world music previews and reviews. View more photos in Gallery.

Coming up soon: Afenginn on cheerful melancholy and rational madness. Only they can make this happen. Listen to their tracks here.

Coming up sooner: Internationally-acclaimed Techung writes the songs for Tibetan freedom

Gaia Discovery Rates the Show

Friday May 2 Day One

DYA SINGH (PENANG & AUSTRALIA) ***

TEADA (IRELAND) ****

KUMPULAN DENDANG ANAK (TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA) ***

MONO BLANCO (MEXICO) **

AFENGINN (DENMARK) *****

SALEM TRADITION (REUNINON ISLANDS) *****

Saturday May 3 Day Two

KUMPULAN KINABALU MERSU SOUND (SABAH) **

BADILA (IRAN, INDIA, FRANCE) ***

GALANT, TU PERDS TON TEMPS (CANADA) ***

DIPLOMATS OF DRUMS (KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA) *

KRIES (CROATIA) ***

Sunday May 4 Last Day

TECHUNG (TIBET) *****

BALFA TOUJOURS (USA) ***

LO COR DE LA PLANA (FRANCE) *****

AFENGINN (DENMARK) *****

* Loo time

** Nice, but where’s the oomph?

*** You got me

**** Yeah baby yeah

***** Call the police. Roof is falling down here!

This show was made possible by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and Penang Tourism Action Council. It was made successful with resourceful festival artistic director Yeoh Jun-Lin and brilliant sound producer Niall Macaulay of Cheer Productions.

Photos by Joe Ng, Tourism Malaysia and Mallika Naguran

ETC 2008 students get ready for a big feast It is not everyday we hear stories of youths getting that golden opportunity to turn their lives around. One such story I picked up on the web made me pack my bags in a hurry to go and witness the miracle for myself.

Off I set from Singapore to Thailand’s idyllic Kao Lak coast in Phang-Nga province of Thailand. I gave just a week’s notice to Reid Ridgway, the founder of Ecotourism Training Centre, who simply emailed back, “Drop in and see us anytime.”

ETC, as it is known in short, found its roots just after the devastation caused by the Asian Tsunami in 2004 that claimed more than a quarter of a million lives. The centre helps rebuild lives of youths who lost their homes, parents or livelihood during the catastrophe. This through learning new skills such as English language and computer literacy, advanced emergency care and marine conservation leading to certifications as PADI master divers.
Students have done incredible work in marine conservation, coastal clean up, community building, with recent efforts to spearhead the use of bio-diesel fuel in dive boats. They have also taught more than 150 local youths to dive and care for the environment.

Considering that most of the students enrolled in ETC have not gone past primary school education, never used a computer before and could only manage spattering English, their personal accomplishments put me to shame. Not everyone can be a diver, let alone a dive master or an instructor (I should know - I dive yet can’t muster enough strength to tow an injured body against choppy water). It takes a whole load of grit too, as tests are conducted in English - a foreign language to Thais.

ETC 2007 students in a joint cleanup of Thai Muang Marine National Park with Green Fins

Three years since its inception, the centre has groomed 10 PADI dive instructors and 31 PADI dive masters. Typically between 17 to 34 in age, the graduates have found jobs that befit their newly acquired status: some with the Thai Royal Navy as rescue divers and others with scuba dive shops as instructors or dive masters, supplementing the ever increasing demand for qualified dive personnel. Thailand boasts many amazing reefs and coral pinnacles at Phi Phi, Sumilan and Surin islands, and as such, draws marine divers from around the world, as clown fish would to anemone.

Sarah Chernecki suffers the lack of nachos in Thai but loves her work I had the opportunity of mingling with 15 youths currently undergoing ETC training who charmed me with their demeanour, between blushes and grins. “I am very lucky to be on this program,” says Ong, who is a divorced young father in his 30s, supporting three kids. This amiable man was orphaned at birth; he left school to earn scanty income as a tut tut (cabbie) driver on the dusty roads of Bangkok. Last year, upon hearing about the ETC program, he ditched his vehicle and headed to ETC to try his luck.

Ong was indeed lucky. With professional diving certification, he looks forward to a job that could potentially pay 50,000-60,000 baht (USD$2,500) a month. A waiter, I learned by snooping, earns a meagre USD $150 a month. With the costs of living on the rise such as rice, oil and property, it is no surprise that quite a number of Thais are in desperation.

Troubled times can make way for opportunities. Only skills, knowledge and training can bring this about to match the rising wave of ecotourism. Plus, undying vision and commitment from people who run and fund the program.

Writer Mallika can't help giving Dach (left) and Ong (right) a hug Sarah Chernecki, a Canadian who packed her bags and headed to Southeast Asia to help the impoverished in Thailand since 2007, teaches English and leadership skills at ETC. “As dive masters, they have to communicate well and exude confidence to win over tourists who seem to prefer one of their own kind to guide them underwater,” says Sarah.

Each year, more and more youths turn up at the doors to try getting into the program, but unfortunately, some are turned away. Funding aside, applicants are screened on their backgrounds as the centre strives to help only those who need rescuing from difficult circumstances. Fitness levels count too, as students have to undergo rescue diving drills, which can be strenuous.

It takes only USD 2,500 to see a youth through this unique 9-month program. Do help to open more doors for the enthusiastic Thai youths who may otherwise be left behind, often times in deprived conditions and with a dim future. If sponsoring the full amount is beyond you, why not split the cost with family and friends?

On (left), female ETC graduate and dive instructor, cleans up Thai Muang Marine National Park Read more inspiring student testimonies on www.etcth.org and support them by sponsoring a student or buying their merchandise.

Photos by Mallika Naguran and ETC.

These trees truly are giants of the forest.

Magellan never made it back in person, but his fleet sailed triumphally back to Spain, and changed the world. By that time, the seed had germinated, sprung roots, and was busy growing into a sapling reaching for the forest canopy 80 metres above. Since then, billions of people have travelled round the world. Dynasties, kingdoms, inventions and global wars have utterly changed our environment. But the same tree, well over 400 years old now, is still standing, flowering once every four years to complete the cycle of life it started seven generations ago.

Experience the forest canopy just as it was 400 years ago.The tree is the Red Tingle (eucalyptus jacksonii), which traces its origins back to the prehistoric forests of Gondwanaland, one of the original continents which split apart to form Australia some 50 million years ago. Originally born in the wet and temperate climate that covered many parts of Australia, the Red Tingle has clung on in this tiny patch, confined to about 6,000 hectares of native forest and nowhere else in the world.

"The problem was that in the 1980s, people started to realise what a treasure these trees were, and started hiking into what we now call the Valley of the Giants," says Julie Ross, Business Manager at the Walpole Nornalup National Park, WA. "Increasing numbers of visitors began erode the normal habitat, to upset the drainage and underforest composition, with the result that some of the bigger trees died and fell."

The WA government, through its National Parks arm, decided this unique natural feature needed urgent protection but one that would still allow visitors to see the huge gum trees and their unique hollow trunks, in some cases big enough for people to shelter in.

The solution was to build a series of treetop-high 60 metre walkways that gradually take visitors to the forest canopy 40 metres above the now-protected forest floor. Now 12 years old, it has taken nearly 2.5 million people into intimate contact with the Red Tingles, but with no harm to their environment - only five square metres of the forest was cleared to build the walkway.

Trees that grow 80m high need natural buttresses."Building the walk saved many of these trees," says Tom, one of the park rangers. "They have relatively shallow roots, which spread as they grow older, resulting in the unique buttressed trunk that gets hollowed out at the bottom by fungi, insects and fire. If walkers had carried on coming here and disturbing the area round the base of the trees too much, it would have ruined the root system and endangered the health and stability of the trees they had come to see."

Now, thanks to the Tree Top Walk, some 200-300,000 people a year enjoy the unique calm of this deep and ancient forest, and sound of the wind whispering in gum leaves. Exactly the same sound that Magellan would have heard if he had taken a different route and landed in WA about 450 years ago.

Even forest giants start off as saplings.Getting there:
The Valley of the Giants is about five hours (400km) drive south of Perth, capital of Western Australia (WA) with its international airport. Hiring a car is the best way to get there; rental cars range from A$50-80 a day.

Activities:
Walking, Night Animal-spotting, Winery visits (Denmark Shire), Surfing (Nornalup)

Nearby Attractions:
Whaling station (Albany), Logging museum (Manjimup), Mount Barker National Park, Bibbulmum Long Distance Track (www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au)

Accommodation:
Hotels/Motels from A$100 per night
Guest Houses from A$80

www.valleyofthegiants.com.au

Photos by Jeremy Torr and /Walpole Nornalup National Park, WA.

Organic dyes protect our planet

Kopnoi is a case in point. Meaning ‘little frog’ in Laos, the boutique-gallery is the brainchild of French-Canadian couple and long-term Luang Prabang residents Isabel Drean and Simon Cote and their business partner Nathalie Pouliot.

Located on a street at the foot of the famous Phousi Hill, Kopnoi began in 2002 when they started developing eco-dyed organic cotton apparel to export to Canada. The idea grew and the Export Promotion Centre was opened in November 2005. Now the shop boasts a delightful mix of products that are authentically "made in Laos", as Kopnoi’s tagline suggests.

Coconut shells re-used as lamp shadesIsabel says, "The idea was to develop a high-quality collection designed and produced in Laos with fair trade principles. We also wanted to give the world access to Lao products."

Walk through the doorway of the restored two-storey building and you’ll be confronted with an amalgam of products ranging from spices and Lao Mountain Coffee varieties (one of the best brands and works with the country’s only fair trade coffee cooperative) to home ware and toiletries produced by the disadvantaged artisans from Les Artisans Lao.

On the left is the original seed of Kopnoi high quality, colourful, eco-dyed cotton fashion items for the family and available in European sizes. Hanging from the ceiling and placed in flowerpots are coconut shell lamps and on the right are beautiful Lao silver jewellery and an impressive selection of books on Laos.

Working with villages, non-governmental organisations and not-for-profit producers, Isabel says producers are chosen "on the basis of the quality, unique designs and the ability to sustain these two through time."

Simon and Isabel are also art directors for the gallery upstairs, which regularly hosts interesting exhibitions related to Laos. It is currently holding "Stay Another Day", a multi-media exhibition urging travellers to stay longer and spend more money locally.

Made in Laos where beauty meets qualityKopnoi, Ban Aphay, Luang Prabang (across L’Etranger, Books & Tea), Laos
Tel: +856 (0) 71 260 248
www.madeinlaos.com

Photos courtesy of Stay Another Day

Back flip pulled tea

Even in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city, you might stumble upon a few finds. Like the mamak (or Indian) shops for hot, crispy roti canai (made of wheat flour, egg and ghee, this is also known in Singapore as roti prata) served with a choice of chicken, fish or dhal curry. Malaysians add a dollop of spicy sambal (chilli paste) in the curry and use their fingers to eat the bread.
Nasi Kandar Pelita along Jalan Ampang and opposite of Chorus Hotel is consistently good with its fast food rendition of Indian Muslim food which includes variations of roti canai (plain, tissue, bom, with egg, banana or shredded meat), all interesting and downright tasty.

Roti canai in different varietiesMamak shops serve the popular teh tarik, literally known as pulled tea, which gives it the tantalising froth. Mr Moor Sazali, at the opening of the Malaysian International Gourmet Festival, drew gasps from 2,000 VIP guests as he twisted, twirled and even bent backwards yoga like to create frothy goodness.

Dollops of Malaysian Cuisine
Indeed, this celebration of food is no storm in a teacup for the Malaysian authorities that are bent on spreading the fame of local cuisine to the rest of the world. This includes issuing RM200 million worth of loans pooled to fund restaurant proprietors and investors in setting up bases outside the country.Malaysia has over 350 restaurants operating globally and this is to be upped to 8,000 by year 2015 to forge a stronger gourmet destination identity.

"The challenge is to develop a pool of Malaysian chefs and to export them to the world," said Mr Mohd Rosly Selamat, the chief operating officer of Pempena, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tourism Malaysia. Mr Selamat shared that an existing programme exists which invites overseas chefs to Malaysia where they get to sample and prepare local dishes. Malaysia Kitchen intends to promote gastronomic by-products such as sauces and condiments to the world, plus local culture and handicrafts (tableware, décor and music) through these restaurants.

Chef IsmailThirty restaurants participated in the month-long international gourmet festival beginning 2 November 2007, which is a step up from a mere 13 in 2001 when it first started. A Malaysia Truly Asian Cuisine showcase saw master chefs dabbling with local ingredients to create a dish that would typify Malaysia.

A definite step in the direction of savouring Malaysia’s heritage I say, as I help myself to another serving of Nescafe tarik (pulled coffee).

Heritage Tantalizes Tastebuds
More can be done, though, like profiling more authentic Malaysian restaurants in tourist literature and websites, banning the use of meat from endangered sources such as shark’s fin especially during gourmet festivals and encouraging local chefs to uphold traditional ways of food preparation and presentation.

Cuisines like and Aunty Aini’s Cafe, Rebung and Enak go a long way in restoring old - in some cases, dying - practices. Authentic dishes are environmental friendly too as ingredients are prepared using manual means and handmade tools as opposed to electrical appliances.

Chef Ismail of Rebung restaurant uses his grandmother’s old coconut grater in his restaurant, partly for sentimental reasons, and the other, to extract the best flavour from the fruit. "Food tastes better when prepared with love," he quipped.

Chefs making musicGive a Thought to the Environment
In authentic Malay cuisines, local produce is used most of the time, depending on seasonal harvests. Meat is gotten from local farms such as the kampong chicken that are free to roam and grow naturally. And where the only steroid used is sunshine.

Eating fresh is one thing. Not buying foreign produce means saying no to mass and over production - what we often see rows after rows of packed frozen and chilled goods in supermarkets. Frozen products also use up more energy in packing, storage and transportation.

If we switched to eating fresh at least half the week by way of buying from the local market or growing own vegetables and herbs, supermarkets would stock up half of existing supplies, there would be fewer cargo flights, fewer delivery trucks on the roads, less exploitation of land for farming, and less carbon and methane emissions.

Returning to basics, going back to simplicity and revisiting age-old practices is something everybody should seriously consider, especially the organisers of the next Malaysian International Gourmet Festival. It will be gentler on Mother Nature, and certainly gentler on our health.

Make a date to visit Malaysia during 2008 Malaysian International Gourmet Festival that takes place all around the country during 1-30 November. Visit www.migf.com for details.

Potos by Mallika Naguran.

A room for soft moments

Italian Massimo Mera, who set up Kingfisher with his Lao wife Bangon in February 2006, says they were looking for a relatively untouched place. True enough, Kingfisher has plenty of natural beauty for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re staying in the deluxe stilt wooden bungalows or the more humble economy rooms built by wood and bamboo.

The bungalows, blending modern comforts with local materials, are worth splashing out for. The ceiling-to-floor glass front wall provides an unobstructed view of the wetlands. The shower also has all-glass doors so you can still enjoy the hues of the wetland even while you’re bathing.

Both lighting and shower are solar powered, and each balcony boasts a locally made massive hammock, perfect for whiling away the time with a book or a Sundowner or two. It helps that the two-storey open restaurant stocks a good selection of wine and cocktails, in addition to tasty Lao and western dishes.

However, it hasn’t been all plain sailing. Marketing has been difficult given the limited financial resources, but they are seeing a steady increase in customers. The more pressing issue is human resources.

Comfy bungalowsMassimo says, “Employees and in particular skilled ones are a rare resource in Laos. This is a difficult task because it is our policy to try to employ local people as much as possible. We train them and once they start to learn something often they leave.”

Still, the couple believes in giving back to the community. It uses local produce, actively promotes activities that involve services from the local villagers (elephant trekking tours to an ancient site is most popular) and 5% of the income from these activities goes towards supporting the local primary school.

For those who think ‘eco’ means ‘uncomfortable and inconvenient’, Massimo has this to say, “Eco means that we are trying as much as possible to stay in contact with nature without spoiling it. We try to have as little impact as possible on the environment. We help, in our little way, to develop the local economy.”

Rainbow connection in LaoIf you’re looking for getting back to nature without sacrificing a good sleep, then check out Kingfisher. There are no TVs, telephones or music. It’s all about you and the wetlands – without the distractions.

Getting there:
Kingfisher is an hour’s drive from Pakse, the capital of Champasak. The easiest way to get there is by a minivan arranged through a travel agency or hotel in Pakse. For a cheaper option, it is also possible to hire tuk-tuks.

Activities:
Elephant Trekking, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Village Visits, Bird Watching

Attractions
Phou Asa archaeological site, Ta Ong village, Xe Pian National Park

Room rates
Bungalows start from US$38 during off-peak (US$43 during peak seasons) and economy rooms from US$14 during off-peak and US$17 during peak.

http://www.kingfisherecolodge.com

King prawn, beef and squid cooked Negeri Sembilan way

The couple that runs Aunty Aini in the idyllic village setting is an enlightened pair who chooses to go back to the basics in putting good food on the table. A funky woman in her forties, Aini believes in choosing fresh produce, natural herbs (some grow in her garden) and fresh catch of the day to keep things downright simple and tasty. And downright traditional.

The couple's house stands behind the restaurant, kampong style “We are really into tradition and totally into weird things, like brains,” says Aini who helps me to some gulai lemak tempoyak. Thank goodness these weren’t cerebral matter, but tiger prawns cooked in coconut gravy enriched with fermented durians. For those who can’t stomach the smell of the king of fruits, well, this could throw you off your seats. It kept me glued to mine however, as the pungent and sour sauce I scooped into my mouth with steamed rice just rocked my senses. And I helped myself to more.

“I make this just like my grandma did – preserving the durian flesh in a container with salt for weeks. It’s so delicious that even the locals come here to eat,” laughs Aini. Not just this dish, but also the range of food such as daging salai (smoked beef) in gulai lemak cili padi (spicy slosh), soup ekor (ox tail soup), ikan jenahak asam pedas (hot and sour fish) and ayam kampung goreng (fried country chicken) are downright delicious. Here’s why.

“Everything we use in our food is from natural source. We don’t use sugar, artificial food enhancers, preservatives or monosodium glutamate. Our coconut milk is freshly squeezed; chicken is caught off the kampong lanes and slaughtered according to demand, and our prawns are handpicked from the farming pond,” she says.

“Just like our ancestors, we cook what we can source from around here, especially from local farms and gardens,” she adds, revealing that if she had money and time, she would spend them both on nurturing a garden.

Wondrous pungent tempoyak, to me at least For dessert we had tapai, which is steamed fermented rice with vanilla ice-cream, once again, a rewarding venture for bravehearts only.

In a quaint village and serene setting away from city glare, Aunty Aini has shown what’s it like to preserve age-old traditions that are a delight to all - even to Anthony Bourdain who slurped their spicy gravy in 2005. It’s definitely a celebration of Negeri Sembilan heritage.

Contact: Aunty Aini’s Café
Batu 16, Jalan Sepang, Kampung Chelet, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan

Open for lunch and dinner, closed on Sundays (rightfully so).

Jejawi Tower gets you up 21 m high with panaromic view of Ubin. Source: National Parks Board.

Yet surprisingly, just a ten minute boat ride away from all this sophistication are people living as they have for hundreds of years. Living in basic bamboo huts built on stilts over the water, eating fish they catch every day, and providing ferry services to passing travellers. And they are Singaporeans.

The island they live on (or off, in reality) is called Pulau Ubin – which means Granite Island in Malay language. It is home to just a few hundred people, a number that’s dropping quickly as old residents die and their homes are reclaimed by the jungle or sea. There have been attempts to make a holiday resort there, and new roads are being pushed into the less reachable areas around the remnants of the old colonial quarries blasted out of the granite to build things like the law courts, cathedrals and churches, and elegant monuments to colonial rule on the mainland.

Pulau Ubin still has a few scattered dwellings on land as well as the water-houses (kalongs), remnants of the traditional villages (kampongs) that once were the norm everywhere in Singapore. A landmark Buddhist temple is now no more, making way for progress. Hens scratch in the dirt, dogs roll or lie asleep on dirt roads, and the occasional snake and wild pig rustle or snort in the undergrowth. Durian trees add to the jungle feel with the gentle plop of falling fruit (and a very strong smell).

Boardwalk 1.1km long for closer look at marine critters. Source: National Parks Board. On the north of the island, easily reachable by hired bicycle ($3 for half a day, working brakes optional), is Chek Jawa. This is the remnant of one of Singapore’s few coral reefs, formed around 5,000 years ago and home to a variety of aquatic wildlife that is impressive given its proximity to busy shipping lanes, chemical plants, a massive container port and oil refineries. There are six habitats - coastal forest, mangroves, sand bars, sea grass lagoon, rocky shore and coral rubble - some of which can be found at Pulau Sekudu, part of Chek Jawa.

Chek Jawa looks out across the Straits of Jahore past the few remaining kalongs, and can be wandered about in by bicycle (on land) and in flip-flops (for the more daring and those equipped with a towel). The mangroves that creep down to the waterline near the reef itself are home to a myriad of tiny animals. Mud skippers dart, tiny crabs wave gigantic pincers, sea stars creep slowly about and sea eagles circle above in the thermic air.

The flora at Chek Jawa is impressive too, if not quite so colourful as on the Great Barrier Reef. Plate-sized carpet anemones wave feelers at tasty passing shrimp, real live sponges pulsate gently and you may even see an octopus or two hiding under an outcrop.

Snails move faster in Ubin. Picture by Jeremy Torr. If you do visit, it makes sense to take your time at Chek Jawa, although you can hear the jetliners roaring in to Changi airport just a few seconds away as the 747 flies, the pace there is ancient. The waves lap, the crabs dig endlessly, you may even hear a hornbill or two back in the thickets.

So if you do visit Singapore, be sure make the time to slow down a little, escape the rush and wade back in time to Chek Jawa where the orang laut, or sea-dwellers live.

You may not be able to buy Prada, but you will be able to hear your own heart beat.

Getting There

Visits to Chek Jawa are on a first-come-first-served basis and is only possible at low spring tides. To book a guided tour for up to 15 people for SGD60, call Pulau Ubin Hotline (Tel: 6542-4108) or visit the Information Kiosk between 8.30 am and 5.00 pm. Advance payment is required.

It’s 20mins by bicycle from the Pulau Ubin jetty or by cab. Bumboats depart Changi Village jetty at 20minute intervals, or when full (whichever is sooner). Cost SGD 2 each way. To get to Changi Village jetty, take the MRT to Tanah Merah station (EW4), then connect to SBS bus 2 or 29 to Changi Village bus interchange.

You can camp on the island or stay at the NCC Ubin Resort. For more information, contact the hotline or visit National Parks Board’s website at www.nparks.gov.sg.