Baby turtle sanctuary in Malaysia

Pulau Gemia is a tiny island with a big project on the East coast of continental Malaysia. It has a "Turtle Conservation Sanctuary". The staff of the resort, which is the only thing on the island, looks for turtle eggs on the secluded beaches of Gemia and also at the nearby Kapas. The eggs are collected and transferred to the turtle sanctuary to be buried in the sand until the eggs hatch. The sea turtles break open the soft shell and climb upwards. There the young turtles are kept in a specially constructed swimming pool by the jetty before they are released into the open sea. These baby turtles are easy prey for sea eagles and fish.

We were staying at the nearby Pulau Kapas and one morning, we decided to snorkel all the way to Pulau Gemia and visit these baby turtles. I didn't want to leave them ever again. How cute are they though??? Flapping their little flippers like they have somewhere very important to go to!

It is incredible that these small animals know the way to the sea immediately when they are released on the beach, which would be such an amazing moment to experience. A great adventure awaits them here and many years later they return to Pulau Gemia (or Kapas) to bury their eggs again. How they find their way back years later and thousands of miles away, is just one of those beautiful mysteries of life that never ceases to amaze me.

Both Pulau Kapas and Gemia are so beautiful, more so than the famous, nearby Perhentians. The beaches are spectacular, like the ones you would expect to find in your dreams, and the snorkeling is just out of this world. Sharks, turtles, moray eels, spotted rays, cuttlefish and the most colorful corals and fish can be found around the islands just by snorkeling and you don't have to go very far. Just please, don't touch anything and take care of this beautiful environment!

Picture taken from Kapas island - that's Gemia island in the background. We snorkeled all the way there (fins are a must) and saw some amazing wildlife, like this turtle below.