Enchanting paradise of Kuraman Island, Labuan

Sandy beach of Kuraman Island

A visitor enjoying the sun and sand

View of the island

Photos courtesy of and Copyright to Farrah Dayinie and Brunei Press Sdn Bhd.

By Farrah Dayinie

The soft wind and sweet melody of waves hitting the sandy beach will always give a pleasant feeling to any who feels stressed and pressured by the demands of modern lifestyle.

That was the exact feeling I got when I was given the opportunity to visit the sandy beach of Kuraman Island, also known as the Mayat Island.

As I departed from Serasa Beach on a small boat at 12 noon, I could feel the heat of the burning sun. On the way towards the island, during the 45-minute journey, everyone on the boat were mingling and munching on snacks and taking in the view, my mind started to wonder and imagine how the island would be like.

Excitement started to build up as we saw the Kuraman Island for the first time from afar. As the boat got closer and closer to the island, we can see a row of three chalets that will be our accommodation as we planned to spend a night there. As we reached the sandy beach, I eagerly moved to the front portion of the boat to be the first to get down.

As we moved in, we noticed that we were not alone on the island. A group of foreign tourist was enjoying a small barbeque party right in front of a small hut.

The reason for the visit to the island was not for leisure, but to complete the shooting for a local drama, which will be broadcasted in Radio Television Brunei (RTB) soon.

Before filming, we settled down at our accommodation, freshened up ourselves and gathered for lunch.

After lunch, the group searched for suitable location for filming. Once the shooting completed, the group took the opportunity to get into various beach activities such as swimming, riding the 'banana boat' ride, collecting sea shells, walking on the beach and much more.

In the evening, we were invited for a barbeque dinner with lots of chicken, prawn and fish. After the fantastic dinner, we entertained ourselves with light music and prepared for the final shooting work the next day.

The next morning, we managed to see the sunrise and witnessed the fishermen moving out to sea, as well as enjoyed nature's wonders.

After breakfast, filming began again along the beach. When the director was satisfied with the whole shooting, we were instructed to prepare ourselves to return home. All the equipment and personal baggages were loaded into the boat.

On the way back, we managed to visit a village in Kuraman Island, which reflects the originalities of fishing villages.

Kuraman Island is a favourite destination for tourists who wish to enjoy the sun and sand.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Sunday