If you are a nature lover, you might be interested to explore the mangrove swamps in Sungai Petani along the river bank of Sungai Merbok.
Sungai Merbok is rich in history and has its glorious past as an entrepot of the 5th - 13th Century AD, where Chinese and Indian sailors called this place as "Suvarna Dwipa" means "Golden Peninsular".
The 4114 hectare forest is the largest mangrove forest reserve in Malaysia, which was gazetted since 29 September 1951.
The wonder of this place is the life inside of it and the swarming tiny creatures which protected by this natural habitat: Crabs, insects, fishes (very small or big), mollusks, reptiles and mysterious mimetic creatures.
These animals, in millions, are the perfect food for herons, macats, seagulls and generally speaking for a big variety of birds which populate the mangrove, making it the best place for birds watching. Mangrove is also known to provide protection against coastal errosion such as Tsunami with its massive root system is efficient at dissipating wave energy.
picture by Kee LinThe mangroves in this area are considered to be among the most species-rich in the world. The serene Sungai Merbok has some 30 species of mangroves, 80 species of birds and 50 species of fish and shellfish. It is slated to be extensively developed during the Eighth Malaysia Plan period.
The nearest access points to scenic mangrove spots in Sungai Petani are at Semiling Jetty , Bandar Laguna Merbok Jetty or Pekan Baru Jetty.
Visitors can charter boats to cruise into these impressive wetlands and the mangrove forest at any of the jetties above.
Apart from these attractions, there are two legendary islands in Sungai Semiling, the Pulau Tiga and Pulau Tok Kunyit which is believed to be the lair of the legendary "Raja Bersiong" and "white crocodile".
If you are fond of fishing, the Semiling floating fish farm complex is a great place for anglers to bait for freshwater fish like siakap, groupers and soft shell crabs too.
Other activities not to be left out is the Crab Catching experience with the guide of local villagers who are more willing to take visitor to their favourite spots of setting up the crab traps.
