overnight at a kelong




a kelong is a fish farm built on stilts located out in the sea, usually not a great distance from the shore. fishes are reared in special nets in the sea and harvested once they have reached maturity. kelong owners offer kelong-stay as an lucrative source of supplementary income.

this particular kelong is located just off the coast of pengerang, johor. it is an hour's bumboat boat ride from changi creek. visitors to the kelong can get to know about the life on the kelong. they can even learn how to fish using the rod or a hand line. one of the highlights of a kelong visit is watching the kelong fishermen feeding and, if one is lucky, harvesting the fish in the kelong nets.

a kelong visit is also an occasion for feasting - a delight for seafood lovers. dinner is a sumptuous seafood steamboat. after dinner, one can proceed to karaoke, without worrying about disturbing or annoying your neighbours. another form of recreation provided by some kelongs is playing mahjong. there is plenty to eat if you are not worried about an expanding waistline .

an overnight spent on the kelong is a refreshing change to high-rise living. the wide and seemingly limitless horizon and surrounding sea traffic make for interesting viewing. on a clear night, you can look forward to glistering star constellations. the lucky ones may even catch a shooting star - a rare sight in our bright city skyline. even when there is a crowd on the kelong, serenity is still something you can look forward to in some quiet corner of the kelong.

it is a good place to watch the sunrise and sunset and the cool morning breeze will freshen you for the day ahead.

a visit to a kelong is usually a gathering of friends or relatives. you need a minimum of 8 persons to qualify for a discounted rate and to ensure that you get your own partition (for sleeping) on the kelong. the last time we stayed at a kelong, i remember not sleeping on the mattress. instead, we slept outside on the platform to enjoy the sea breeze and to gaze at the star-filled sky. those days, there was no karaoke, so we passed the time fishing and chatting.

most kelongs charge between $70 and $85 per person for a 2 day/1 night stay. apart from this kelong near pengarang, there are kelongs in kukup, near pulau sibu, batam and other nearby indonesian islands.