Turtle Expoiltation

Trip Start May 15, 2004
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Trip End Aug 20, 2004


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Where I stayed
Puyang Chalet
(Kuantan hotels)

Flag of Malaysia  ,
Monday, June 14, 2004

I left Pulau Tioman after three days and took a two hour boat ride to Mersing and then hopped a bus for three hours to Kuantan and then took a one hour local bus to Cherating. Cherating's a tiny seaside village, just a street really with a few accommodations, restaurants, etc. Its famous for being the egg-laying beach of giant leatherback turtles this time of year so I might check that out. I sprained the hell out of my ankle somehow, spent two hours on the internet, caught game 4 of the NBA finals, and started The Descent (J Long). I stayed at Puyang Chalets, expensive but nice. Cherating is also famous for having a nice beach and cove thats Malaysia best place for surfing and windsurfing...I was planning on doing a bit of that, but now my ankle won't allow it. In the evening, the owner of the chalets knocks on my doors and says the locals have spotted a leatherback turtle coming on shore to lay his eggs and that a few people will go see it. Excited, I go off with a young British guy named Richard and we go to Club Med resort because that's where the beach is 1Leatherback Turtle
1Leatherback Turtle
 . It turns out there's like 45 people there! It was one of the saddest sites I've ever seen, there's this huge, amazing leatherback turtle trying to dig its way in the sand to lay its eggs and these "turtle rangers", who are supposed to be experts on this, let all these people crowd around and take pictures and pet the thing! It was disgusting...I took a picture and then walked off. Then, the rangers steal the eggs and put them in an incubator and then for a sum of money will let you release the hatchlings into the water! Unbelievable...they were more turtle pimps than turtle rangers. Its bad enough that Club Med steals these ideal spots from unknowing governments or locals, but this exploitation by their workers was so despicable that I will NEVER go to a Club Med! I'm tired of Cherating already and will go to the rainforest tomorrow.
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