Reefwander
A dense school of bigeye trevally swirls over the reef off Malaysia's Perhentian and Redang islands.

Redang & Perhentian Islands · Malaysia · Pinnacle · Reef

Tanjung Tokong

Exposed northern pinnacle sloping from 5 m to 30 m

Area photo: Ditch Townsend · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tanjung Tokong is a pinnacle off a ridge at one of the northernmost points of Redang. A usual entry is east of Cagar Hutang Bay in 5 to 7 m, and from there the ground slopes away and can reach 30 m. The exposed position means current can be strong, and that current is what pulls fish onto the site.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Tanjung Tokong: typical dive 5–30 m (15–100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

5.8180° N, 103.0101° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

A good entry is east of Cagar Hutang Bay, where the top of the site is 5 to 7 m deep, and the dive works out along the ridge towards the pinnacle off Redang's northern tip. From that shallow start the ground slopes steadily away, and how far you follow it is what decides the dive, because the slope keeps going and can reach 30 m. Set the turn depth before you get in rather than on the way down.

The position is exposed and current can be strong, so the practical shape is out into it and back with it rather than a loop, keeping the shallow entry area in reserve for the end. That current is also the draw here, since it is what brings fish onto the pinnacle. Come back up the slope to finish in the 5 to 7 m shallows, where the safety stop stays comfortable even when the water is moving further out.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Tanjung Tokong
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Off-seasonOff-seasonGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodFairOff-seasonOff-season

Season follows Redang & Perhentian Islands: The marine park is officially closed November 1-February 28 for the northeast monsoon; conditions are calmest and clearest April-September.

Know before you go

  • The site is exposed and current can be strong. Plan the dive into the current first, stay close to the slope for shelter and keep the shallow entry area as your exit.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Tanjung Tokong?+

The usual entry east of Cagar Hutang Bay is 5 to 7 m deep, and the site slopes away from there and can reach 30 m, so the depth of the dive is set by your plan rather than the site.

Sources

  1. Tanjung Tokong - Scubago — Scubago (SSI)

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