Pulau Lima

Pulau Lima, meaning five islets, lies off the Pasir Panjang side of Redang and is easy to reach from the resorts there. A study in 1976 judged it perhaps the most valuable part of the Redang marine park, because the reefs around it hold every environment found elsewhere in the park. There is good diving on its east, west, north and south tips.

The south tip is a series of large boulders covered with hard and soft corals, sea anemones and other invertebrates, with caves and grottos at their bases that shelter reef fish. The east side has steep coral-encrusted walls dropping to about 13 m, then a gradual slope to 30 m, with sea fans and whips deeper down. Black Coral Garden on the west side has large fields of anemones and soft corals.

Big Mount, 50 to 100 m off the northern tip, is considered by many divers the best site around the island. It goes down to about 35 m. Look for blacktip reef sharks, moray eels, lionfish and puffer fish around the island.