Southernmost Tip of Mainland Asia

The southernmost tip of Asia's mainland is right here in Johor. That end point is located at Tanjung Piai on the west of the peninsular.


This unique geographical location is not known to many; not even the locals. It is officially known as the "Southernmost Tip of Mainland Asia". There is contention for the southernmost title. Singapore too is making claim of having the "Southernmost Point of Asia Continent".


One might wonder how does the southernmost point of Asia's continent be in Singapore? The island is not linked to the continent. It is separated by the Tebrau Strait. What more, the spot is located at two islands off Singapore. Even the entry at Wikitravel stated "if you count the bridge connecting Sentosa, and ignore any competing Malaysian claims". But one can hardly pretend (ignoring) when things doesn't make sense.


To qualify Singapore's position is rather tricky. Indeed, Singapore is part of Asia. But it is not part of the mainland. If it is recognised as Asia's continent, so does Indonesia. That would make Indonesia having the most legitimate claim of the southernmost tip/point of Asia. The crux lies in removing the term 'continent' in the title: Southernmost Tip/Point of Asia. Full stop. The term 'continent' is itself controversial. The general perception is that a continent is a landmass which is a large unbroken area of land. In order to qualify Singapore's claim, the title will have to be changed. It should be called the "Southernmost Point of Asia by Land Route". Not sure they fancy that but I do hope my suggestion will considered, seriously.

Back to Tg. Piai, the narrow strip leading to the spot is flanked by the Malacca Strait and Tebrau Strait. Here, one can witness one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. Ships are clearly visible along the horizon at any time of the day. 63,000 ships carrying 30% of the world's trade and 50% of the world's oil pass through this location.

The area is chiefly a mangrove. So, going there is to appreciate the wonders of nature and be enchanted by its teeming wildlife. Even entering the place is as exciting as the idea of being at the edge of the world. I was greeted with a rising tide at the entrance.

However, sightseeing has been made easy with finely made wooden walkways and platforms.


Along the routes, there are rest points and observation towers with signs warning visitors to avoid 'indecency'. If you know what that means, it isn't just about holding hands and kissing. More than that.


This is the spot of the Southernmost Tip of Mainland Asia:


Tg. Piai is a protected natural reserve. It was proclaimed a Ramsar site - a wetland of international importance, in 2003.


Kukup Island - the world's second largest mangrove island is just nearby; another attraction not known and promoted. More about Kukup can be viewed at the old blog.

HISTORY

This land was named "Chersonesus Aurea" - the Golden Peninsular - by a Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy. It was said that whether one set sail from Europe in the west or China in the east, the voyage would end up at Tg. Piai due to monsoon winds from both sides which eventually convened on its coastline.

Remarkably, the Tg. Piai headland is called the "mother of all dead end". Even a nearby village is called Serkat which resembles the term "sekat" in Malay which mean blocked, stuck or come to an end.

Another interesting data about Tg. Piai is its indigenous people - the natives, called orang asli which literally means the original tribe/people. In May last year, a research finding by Vincent Macaulay and his team from Leeds and Glasgow University revealed that DNA samples from orang asli matched a 60,000-year-old African DNA sample.

It was believed that Homo Erectus, who first left Africa, travelled through the coastal journey of Asia - along Arabian land and India. They stopped at Tg. Piai as they couldn't sail across the ocean. This made them a unique but seemingly isolated community.

DEVELOPMENT

There are pros and cons to everything under the sun. Being located at one of the world's busiest shipping lanes has its downside too. Strong waves created by passing vessels are eroding Tg. Piai's mangrove banks by 10m every year. Conservation work has been ongoing since its inclusion to the list of international treaty on wetlands protection. In 2003, a RM3 million project by the Drainage and Irrigation Department to install a geo-tube to break incoming waves was implemented.

Although road improvement is being vigorously undertaken, its soft estuarine soil severely affects evenly tarred roads. In the end, visitors will have to endure slow and bumpy ride to reach the destination.

INFO

To reach there, head towards Kukup, the popular fishing village holiday spot. Just before reaching Kukup, turn left towards Kampung Serkat and Tg. Piai. There are two entries: Entry 1 is open on the weekends and public holidays; entry 2 is open daily. Both counters are closed on Mondays. For more details, call the park at 07-696 9712 or Johor National Park Corporation at 07-223 7471 or log on to www.johorparks.com.

Entry = RM5
Carpark = RM2

Room rates:
Tg. Piai Resort (07-696 0011) = RM80 - RM150
Kukup Golf Resort (07-696 0950) = RM150 - RM380

To camp at the park , call 07-696 9712. RM3 per person. Tent rental is RM10 a unit per night.

Staying in nearby Benzhen (笨珍;Pontian town):
Campbell Hotel (07-687 9907)
Princess Hotel (07-687 1811)


Not many people can be at the North or South Poles. But we definitely can be at Land's End of Asia. So, the next time you're in Xinshan, the last city of mainland Asia, do pop over to Tg. Piai to stand at the very edge of the land.

More photos at http://xurfnet.spaces.live.com/