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Explore Malaysia's Redang beaches

Travel Writer: Maricel G. Ortega
Malaysia's Redang Archipelago features lots of amazing islands with white sand beaches, clear waters, and reef snorkelling. What's amazing is that you don't have to go far from shore to explore some crystal clear reefs bursting with fish life. In fact, in many of Redang's beaches, you can get to a reef as close as 50 feet. Some are quite shallow, too. You don't need to have heavy diving equipment to gaze at the explosion of colorful tropical marine life housed in the reefs. If that isn't awesome enough for you, each reef is different-each reef forms its own micro community and you can see some slight differences from reef to reef.
All nine islands that form the Redang Archipelago are covered by the Redang Marine Park. This vast expanse of government-protected territory ensures that travelers can enjoy Redang's distinct charms for many, many years to come. If you, for any reason, get tired of Redang, you can skip over to the nearby Perhenthian Islands to go backpacking and trekking. In fact, Redang and Perhenthian contrast quite a bit from each other. In addition to the differences in the natural attractions they feature, Redang is a more of an upscale travel destination with some high end resorts as well as more affordable accommodations. On the other hand, Perhenthian tends to attract travelers who want to explore by backpacking and trekking. Flights Hotels
Pasir Panjang
Redang's biggest beach is Pasir Panjang. This beach is home to six resorts. While Redang has white sand beaches, beach quality is not uniform. In the case of Pasir Panjang, its northern beaches are cleaner and relatively free of debris compared to its southern side. Why? The southern side has choppy waters that bring in debris. Since the north end is easier to explore and less choppy, this is where the bulk of Pasir Panjang's snorkeling action takes place. The best time to visit this beach is around the summer school break. Don't be surprised if you and your party are the only ones on the beach at this time. How's that for a truly 'VIP' feeling? Flights Hotels
Great weather
Redang is a typical tropical archipelago. This is why its temperature is quite steady all year round-averaging around 30�C. Like any other tropical destination, Redang gets its fair share of thunderstorms. The good news is that these storm are normally brief. You have to time your visit according to the season. Redang experiences northeast monsoons during the winter. Most of its resorts are closed during this time. As a rule, book your trip anytime except the period between November to February. For the rest of the year, Redang delivers more than its fair share of the beachcomber's three requirements for a fun beach experience: sun, surf, and sand. Holidays
Getting there
Redang is accessible through an airstrip at the south end of Redang Island. The island is connected to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore through a daily flight. Still, the most affordable and most traditional way to reach Redang is by taking a boat. Your ride starts at Merang and ends at Pasir Panjang.

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