Water islands (Malacca - Malaysia)

Between Melaka and Tanjong Seginting, about 46 miles SE, the low, thickly wooded coast is bordered by a mud bank which extends up to 2.5 miles offshore in places.

The Water Islands, centered about 8 miles SE of Melaka, consists of a group of six tree-covered islands of moderate height.
Pulau Besar, the largest island, is 40m high and is separated from the coast to the N by a foul, rocky channel.

Pulau Besar (4,6 m high) is located off the E coast of Johor and it is surrounded by many islets.

A sandy ridge, with depths of 6.1 to 9.7m, lies from 0.5 to 2 miles NW of the rock.
A shoal with a depth of 16.3m, lies 3.5 miles WSW of Pulau Batu Besar.

To preserve the unspoiled marine life, the Government has gazetted it as a marine park to protect around 60 species of marine life from any activity that can harm their natural habitats within 2 nautical miles around the island.

There are about 7 - 8 small villages that are still populated by around 100 friendly dwellers who are mostly fishermen.

There is no safe passage for vessels without local knowledge between Pulau Batu Besar and the mainland as the area is fouled by rocks, some above-water.
The sea is discolored by rips, which do not necessarily coincide with the shoals.
A rocky shoal, with a depth of 3.4m, lies almost 1 mile E of Pulau Batu Besar.

The channel between Pulau Besar and Pulau Dodol, the next island to the S, is fouled by a rock with a depth of 0.9m, which lies 0.3 NM N of the latter island.
The other channels between the islands are deep, but they should be avoided.