Off the Beaten Path: Visiting Pulau Ketam, Malaysia

There are many reasons why people travel. For me, one of my reasons is to have unique experiences which I would not have gotten if I had not traveled. And by traveling, one does not have to go far.

In fact, this (blur) picture taken using my cellphone was taken in my own country itself, Malaysia. It is a picture taken in Pulau Ketam (Pulau=Island, Ketam=Crab in Malay). It was such an impromptu shot that I could only take a pic with my cellphone.

If I had not visited this small island where no cars are allowed (or rather the roads are not suitable for cars), I would never have seen someone picking up his bride on a bicycle!! And this really makes for a memorable experience. and definitely a unique one too.

In Pulau Ketam, there are various foods to try, But since it is a fishing village, the seafood is a must try. It is fresh and there is a huge variety to choose from. Before leaving, also take your pick of the snacks which are sold on the island. Another similar place would be Kukup, which is located in the southern area of Peninsular Malaysia, in the state of Johor.

At Pulau Ketam, I learnt from a local villager that the funerals that they have are really grand. Thousands of Ringgit can be easily spent on a funeral alone. This is because it usually involves renting boats to carry the casket to the mainland and also to carry the villagers across. Depending on the age of the deceased, if he or she passed away at an old age, then the funeral need not be celebrated in a depressing manner. Instead, karaoke sessions may be held and the funeral turns out to be a fun and happy night.

To get to Pulau Ketam, you can drive to Port Klang and then jump aboard a boat from the jetty. For those who prefer not to drive, you can also take the train (KTM) from KL Sentral to Port Klang before switching to the boat.

From this experience, I have learnt that besides the out-of-country travels that we go on, it is always possible to have unique experiences even when you are traveling short distance, i.e. to other states, or even the short ride on the MRT/LRT/subway/metro whatever you call it.

Life can be really interesting if only we took the time to focus on other things besides the mundane, routine things in our lives.