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THE ISLAND FROM THE EAST
Island from the East? Growing up as a kid in Labuan has always been confusing for me. People always ask me, “Labuan ah, you Sabahan is it?”, and then I’ll be like,"er, nope." Labuan, as you may or may not know, (most probably not) is a Federal Territory that’s located off the shore Sabah, around an hour and a quarter boat ride away from Brunei. I would like to stress that we are not a part of Sabah, but a Federal Territory similar to Putrajaya as a matter of fact. I have always felt that Labuan is rather underrated compared to Sabah due to tourism adverts that mainly focus on Sabah and Sarawak. Most of the time the people that you meet coming to Labuan are either oil & gas workers, people with nothing to do in Brunei, expatriates or next of kin of Australian soldiers that have passed away whom are visiting their relatives memorial. Rarely do you see the young un’s (yeh I'm talking 'bout you) taking the initiative to come over on their own to visit Labuan.
Well, I won’t try to sell you Labuan but I hope I shed some light on what is there to do on this lil' island on the East. First and foremost, for those of you people of the sea, Labuan is known for its diving spots which include Reef and Wreck Diving. A large majority of divers may not know this, but Labuan’s diving spots are the least affected by coral bleaching due to the fact that there are not many humans which have ‘infested’ (just kidding) the reefs and wrecks till this day compared to west Malaysia.
Therefore the reefs in Labuan are still considerably well maintained and worth the trip. To join a reef dive you only need an open water certificate which is the earliest possible license a diver can have which allows you do dive up to 18m. However for wreck diving, you need an advance diver license which allows you to dive up to 30m. Wreck diving is the main attraction for Labuan diving community where we have a total of 4 wrecks. If you are all still wondering what a wreck is, it is basically what's remaining of the missing Titanic. These 4 wrecks are known as the Blue Water Wreck, Cement Wreck as well two WW2 wrecks namely American Wreck and Australian Wreck (not located side by side). I won’t go into detail on the history of each wrecks but give you some homework to do, so GL with that peeps. Checkout this local Labuan Diving Agency page for pictures of the wrecks and reefs.
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| WRECK DIVING |
Lastly, for those poor kindred spirits whose mind is telling them yes but wallet telling them no, Labuan is also famous for its cheap booze. YES THAT’S RIGHT; cheap beer, cheap liquor, cheap wine - you NAME IT. It is tax-free after all. Hence, for all of you alcoholics, you have found your next Island of Eden besides Pulau Langkawi.
THE ISLAND FROM THE WEST
When people first hear I’m from Penang, their minds immediately wander to a tropical island. One full of palm trees, beaches and the bright Malaysian sun. Yes, while all that is true, there’s way more in Penang than what lingers in the traditional mindset of tourists. No doubt, first and foremost, is the food. Ok, yes I will admit that this IS one of the many basic elements that visitors enjoy relating the island of Penang to. But hey, it’s fair considering that we have possibly the most diverse dishes, coming from amalgamated cultures all around. Plus, they don’t have that bad a rep in terms of taste too! As someone who purely grew up on the island in the West, let me give you a glimpse of our food ‘cult’-ure.
1. the all too famous nasi kandar
2. Hokkien Mee (Prawn Mee)
Now, now. I can already see half of the readers from KL probably confused and wondering why Penang’s Hokkien Mee looks like Curry Mee. Well, it’s not your eyes playing tricks on you, trust me. When I first ordered Hokkien Mee here in Kuala Lumpur, I was expecting the Prawn Mee you see above. Lo and behold, I got thick noodles covered in black sauce and it threw me off. Whilst the noodles were good (side note: We call the black noodles Tai Lok Mee), I later found out to get what I considered “Penang Hokkien Mee”, I have to order “Prawn Mee” . Confusing? Yes. Prawn Mee is one of Penang’s well-known dishes, coming from the locals. Condisering that most Penangites are the descendants of labourers and immigrants from southern China who moved to the Malay Peninsula between the 18th and 20th centuries, it can be expected that a lot of Chinese dishes have been perfected over time – from Char Koay Teow to O chien (Oyster cake), they all hold a very special place in my heart.
3. Asam Laksa
Before this dish received recognition for being the #7 World’s Most Delicious Food, asam laksa was every Penangites #1 Most Delicious Food of All Time. Cringeworthy? So be it, at least its true. While for some this may be an acquired taste due to the pungent taste of mackerel and tamarind, the asam laksa is a good representation of the distinctive traits that the Pearl of the Orient has to offer. If you seek for soulful, comfort food that engulfs you in a warm, nurturing hug – have a go at this, and never look back! '
All in all, I certainly would not limit my personal experience as a Penangite to only food, what more these few dishes. Everyone there is rich in culture, opinions and love. It is a place that holds so much more than artistic murals for Instagram pictures or aesthetic museums for a cool check-in on Swarm. Explore Penang at heart, meet the individuals who experienced our heritage and swim in the history that grace our modern streets today.
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In light of Malaysia day, it is visible through this article that Malaysia is a country where diversity meets culture and unity shines from East to West, of our proudly integrated country, Malaysia - our home.
Images from:
http://www.traveltourz.com/labuan_wreck_diving.htm
WRITERS:
i. Nickolaus Mark Lim Fei Chuan
ii. Supriya Sivabalan
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