Pulau in Malay is island while big is besar and as for Pulau Sibu Besar in Englsih would mean Big Sibu Island. Pulau Sibu is actually part of the Seribuat chain of islands and it is situated 12 km off the east coast of the western region of Peninsular Malaysia. If you want to get to Pulau Sibu then you would need to get to Tanjong Leman which is the boat pick up point. It is located approximately 2 hours north of Johor Bahru on the Mersing road. From a bird’s eye view the island looks like a triangular hour glass that is measured at about 6 km long and 1 km wide.

Visitors to the island will notice that most of the resorts are located on the north eastern section of Pulau Sibu. Here you will be able to find golden brown beaches that slope gradually into the sea making an ideal spot to take a swim in the cool refreshing water. On this island you will also be able to see the other surrounding islands such as Pulau Tinggi and on clear days you may also be able to see as far as to Pulau Tioman to the north of the islands. If you are lucky enough to stay overnight when there is a full moon than be sure to take the opportunity to look to the sky as the island will offer you the splendid view of the moon.

Before the island was officially designated as a marine park way back in 1993, there were a line of kelongs (fish traps) that can even be seen off the south west coast the provided the island with an endless supply of succulent seafood for everyone to enjoy. However since the new regulations were implemented in conjunction with the island being designated as a marine park, only rods and line fishing are allowed but this is still popular amongst the tourists. The coast of the island are sheltered from almost all the winds making it very serene and peaceful, this in effect has made the sea very calm as well that you can’t tell whether it is in fact a lake or the sea. Such an environment has allowed mangroves to grow uninterrupted along the shore line, another place that is also quiet peaceful is located on the southern end of the village.

At the south east area of the island you will be able to find steep cliffs that have a rocky shoreline at the base which provides shelter to the village behind from the harsh elements. The special thing about the rocks that are located here is because they are colorful; this is because the layers of volcanic ash that produces the wonderful patterns that you see. Near Tg Keramat are the cliffs that have caves and arches, where you will be able to find a wide variety of marine life such as corals, fishes and crabs.

There is also a village that is located at the southern tip of Sibu Island; the name of the island is called Kampung Duku. Here you will be able to find a mosque that is used by the Muslim for prayers, a clinic, a police station and other facilities that you would normally find in a village. One interesting fact about the island is that it is solar powered, so this may attract the nature lovers to the island for their vacation.

Pulau Sibu is also a good place for you to snorkel the popular areas include the north east area of the island or more specifically at Tg Semanggar. There is a wide variety of fishes and corals in this area and it is perfect for beginners as the area is generally shallow, between 30 feet to 40 feet. There are many diving sites located near and around the island where you can take a 30 minute boat ride to these places where you can see different types of marine life up close such as nurse sharks, sting rays and so on. If you travel a bit longer to Pulau Permangil and Pulau Aur which is about an hour away you may even get the chance to see whale sharks and manta rays.

The resorts located on the island open mostly throughout the year except during the months of December and January. The weather is quite consistent throughout the year not like the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia where they experience monsoon seasons. The temperature is usually at an average of 29 degrees and the air gets cooler on the evenings.