Report: Branch trip to Johor (BT25)
Members' Report
Branch Trip to Johor: Wetlands & Agrofarms in collaboration with MNS Johor Branch
Building on last year’s inter-branch trip with MNS Kedah Branch, MNS Selangor Branch travelled south to Johor in collaboration with MNS Johor Branch for a 2N3D programme (4–6 December 2025) focused on low-carbon travel, using KTM’s Electric Train Service (ETS), a shared van, boats, and walking. The trip showcased Johor’s wetlands—Pulau Kukup Johor National Park and Tanjung Kupang seagrass meadows—alongside agro-tourism visits. For MNS Selangor members, it was their first visit to Pulau Kukup, and for all but one, their first time at Tanjung Kupang’s Seagrass Meadows.
Day 1: KL Sentral – Kluang – Gelang Patah
On 4 December 2025, nine members assembled at KL Sentral by 7:15 a.m. and boarded the ETS to Kluang KTM station, arriving in time for lunch. A tenth member withdrew at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.
After storing luggage in the hired van, we walked to the original Kluang RailCoffee, founded in 1938 when the railway was Malaya’s lifeline. Located within the now-defunct Kluang Railway Station, the café began as a simple canteen run by Lim Luan Hee, serving meals and coffee to railway workers, government staff, and British army personnel. Today, it is run by Lim’s descendants and operates as a full-fledged kopitiam.
After lunch, we explored Laman Rel Mahkota—Malaysia’s first dedicated railway park, opened in August 2025. The 2.8 km linear park along a disused rail line preserves tracks, equipment, and signage, offering a quiet walk rich in industrial heritage.
In Kluang town, we explored back-lane murals, guided in part by a friendly local. “The friendliness of a Sikh man with his daughter on a motorbike showing us the direction to the Kluang street art alley really warmed my heart,” said Justin Loh. Members also browsed in the quaint shops, including a haberdashery and locksmith. “I will always remember this as the place I finally got my house key duplicated, something I had failed to do at many locksmiths in Klang,” said Loh.
Despite a heavy afternoon downpour which petered out to a drizzle, the UK Agro Farm visit went ahead. Apart from the goat pen—where participants bottle-fed kids and fed grass—we did not get to see the feedstock processing factory, goat milk processing centre, or the promised Jakun village. The guide explained these were cancelled due to wet conditions, though the organiser felt this should have been communicated earlier.
The tour covered hand-feeding deer, birds, and geese and we sampled goat milk and were introduced to the gac fruit, grown alongside passionfruit. “Frankly, the UK Farm visit is not my cup of tea, as it felt like visiting a mini zoo,” said Loh, “though city folk who have never seen most of the animals may have enjoyed it. The entrance fee isn’t really worth it. Nevertheless, I liked the different products made from goat milk.”
After nearly a two-hour drive, we checked into the D'Elegance Hotel in Gelang Patah, followed by free-and-easy time.
Day 2: Gelang Patah – Kukup – Tanjung Kupang – Gelang Patah
After leaving the hotel, we stopped at Aged Classic, a roadside warung in Kukup, for local favourites—nasi lemak, lontong, and roti canai. A few of us enjoyed unexpected bird sightings, including a pair of Greater Coucals (Centropus sinensis) preening—a special delight for Lisa, who was celebrating her birthday. A sunbird was also spotted flitting through nearby bushes.
At the Pulau Kukup Johor National Park office, we paid our entrance fees, and visited the interesting information gallery. Friendly forestry staff informed us that a king tide had begun, so members changed into water shoes in preparation for wading back to our van later. As seawater spilled onto the road at Kukup International Ferry Terminal, we boarded a boat for the brief—less than ten-minute—ride to Pulau Kukup, a RAMSAR-listed mangrove island of global ecological significance.
Note: King tides are the highest seasonal tides, occurring naturally when the Sun and Moon align and the Moon is closest to Earth, temporarily raising water levels above normal.
Visiting Pulau Kukup
Walking along the elevated boardwalks during high tide, we observed Giant Mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri), skipping across the water’s surface, and onto exposed stilt roots to bask, and mud crabs (Scylla spp) moving about. Bird sightings included an Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus), Copper-throated Sunbird (Leptocoma calcostetha), White-collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris), and riding thermals above the observation tower were the Lesser Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos javanicus) and White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster).
While HY sat down to rest, a Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) suddenly landed just five feet away, bobbing its tail and preening. She waved to alert nearby members. Visiting during the migratory season, we couldn’t have been luckier!
Loh, who saw two lifers—the Indian Cuckoo and Copper-throated Sunbird—said: “I wish I had more time at Pulau Kukup for bird watching and photography, though I understand not everyone is interested in birds. Perhaps splitting into two ‘interest’ groups would have helped.”
Note: In birdwatching, a "lifer" is the first time a person sees and positively identifies a species, adding it to their life list.
Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) were active. Members also spotted a Dog-faced water snake (Cerberus schneiderii) and a striking Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus), and we heard a woodpecker calling from the dense mangrove forest.
Our return boat was an hour late, first dropping off tourists at two homestays. By the time we reached the jetty, the tide had fully receded! (See Jacky Soh’s photo showing how it would have looked had we arrived on time).
Getting to know MNS Johor Branch
Lunch at Twins Café in Kukup, hosted by MNS Johor Branch, featured Johor-style dishes e.g. char kway teow with a raw egg on top. Members from both branches exchanged introductions and updates on branch conservation efforts. Johor Branch highlighted projects including camera traps in Panti Forest Reserve and a Rotary Club–sponsored biodiversity survey of urban green spaces at Bukit Tiz and Bukit Lunchu, documenting species like the endangered Raffles’ banded langur (Presbytis femoralis).
Selangor Branch’s time constraints limited presentations to Bukit Dinding, where five members delivered a creative storytelling session from multiple perspectives—a ‘local resident’, an ‘activist’, two ‘citizen scientists’, and ‘future generations’—accompanied by a slideshow of butterflies, birds, flora, mammals and herpetofauna.
In addition to lunch, thoughtful keepsakes—a hand towel embroidered with the MNS Johor Branch name and a Malayan tapir— tied in burgundy ribbon, added a special touch.
We had the pleasure of presenting a Rhinoceros Hornbill enamel pin, a reed (Melaleuca cajuputi) purse handwoven by the renowned Iban masterweaver Manoi Jarau, and a beautifully beaded keychain by the Orang Asli Rungus to Johor Branch chairman Simon, vice-chair Belinda, and treasurer Lai Peng. A heartfelt thank you for their warm hospitality and the meaningful conversations we shared.
To catch the low-tide window for seagrass observation at Tanjung Kupang, we left Kukup town at 2:30 p.m., aiming to arrive at Pangkalan Che Manan / myKP Pendekar Laut in Kampung Pendas by 3:45 p.m. Dr Serina Rahman, Principal Advisor of local NGO Kelab Alami Mukim Tg Kupang—and our guide to the seagrass meadows—was waiting for us there.
According to Dr Serina, Johor is home to the largest contiguous intertidal seagrass meadow in Peninsular Malaysia, covering about 45 hectares and extending into deeper waters. Beyond Tanjung Kupang, seagrass can also be found at Pulau Sibu, Pulau Tinggi, along the Mersing coastline, and at Tanjung Langsat on the eastern end of the Straits of Johor. These meadows support marine life and help slow climate change by storing carbon.
En route, our van briefly lost power on the Pulai River Bridge and stalled again at a traffic light—would we make it to the jetty on time?
Full details of the lunch at Kukup and the Seagrass Meadow visit, along with photos and video, can be found in the members’ report: “Connecting Branches & Discovering the Wonders of Tanjung Kupang Seagrass Meadows!” by Belinda, HY Leong, and Dr Serina: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17MiDLcYEL/?mibextid=wwXIfr (published 17 December 2025).
The text is reproduced below for members without Facebook:
The Malaysian Nature Society Johor Branch (MNSJ) was thrilled to host our friends from the MNS Selangor Branch on December 5th, 2025! This inter-branch programme is all about building camaraderie and sharing our conservation efforts. Our Selangor guests had a wonderful 3-day trip across Johor, visiting lovely spots like Pulau Kukup, and goat and pineapple farms.
A Warm Welcome at Kukup
The meet-up kicked off with a hearty lunch at Twins’ Café in Kukup, right after the Selangor team's morning visit to Pulau Kukup. The nine Selangor members, led by Selangor committee member Ms. HY Leong, were joined by six MNSJ members (including 3 key committee members) and 4 members from Singapore - a truly warm MNS family gathering! After lunch and a productive sharing session, it was time for the main event!
The Jewel of Johor: Tanjung Kupang
By 3:45 PM, we arrived at the Pangkalan Sg Che Manan jetty, Kg Pendas, where we were warmly greeted by Dr. Serina Rahman, the Principal Advisor of Kelab Alami (K.A.). Dr. Serina shared the vital work that local fishermen are doing led by Kelab Alami Founder Shalan Jum’at under the myKP Pendekar Laut initiative, to ensure their long-term livelihoods in the face of rapid coastal development and climate change - a truly inspiring briefing on the fight to preserve nature.
Citizen Scientists in Action!
We sped out to the sea grass meadows situated near the sprawling Forest City complex, arriving around 4:45 PM. As the tide receded, Dr. Serina pointed out the incredible vantage point between three countries; Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia!
At 5:05 PM, we got off the boats and walked onto the exposed seagrass beds. The discoveries started immediately!
Dr. Serina tasked our 17 participants with becoming citizen scientists for the day! Using rectangular quadrats and question sets, our three groups carried out a mini-survey. The results were amazing: 26 species of organisms were found within just the three small frames! In total, we spotted well over 32 species in just one hour!
Our Exciting Finds included the following:
● Peacock anemone gently swaying in the low tide.
● A cowry (possibly Arabian Cowry) instinctively covering its shell with its fleshy mantle right before our eyes.
● A palm-sized Noble volute (Cymbiola nobilis), a large sea snail with its amazingly beautiful orange and black markings.
● The camouflaged Ten-lined urchin (Eucidaris metularia) covered in seaweed (a few brave souls even held it on their palms and felt its little suckle feet - an awesome personal experience!)
● Quite a few Window pane Clams (Placuna sp.) which are in decline globally.
● Several Carpet anemones (Stichodactyla haddoni) with a particularly large specimen with a diameter of 20-30cm.
● Beautiful sea stars (including Knobbly or Chocolate-chip sea star (Protoreaster nodulosus) and Biscuit sea star (Goniodiscaster scaber) and a recently discovered Galloping sea star (Stellaster equestris)
● Brightly coloured Thorny sea cucumbers.
● The locally famous delicacy, the Dog Conch (Strombus canarium), or Siput gonggong.
● And of course, Hermit crabs live in all sorts of beautiful sea shells of all shapes and sizes. A gentle reminder from this encounter; always leave seashells on the beach! They might be a future home for a Hermit Crab!
Dinner Reward!
The weather was incredibly kind, holding off until we were safely back on the rakit (fishing platform). We were met with a well-deserved, yummy seafood BBQ dinner caught and cooked by the local fishermen! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the fresh flower crabs, green mussels, chicken wings, and even a few of the window pane clams we collected to try.
Huge thanks to Ms Leong for working so hard to organise the trip and to Dr. Serina Rahman, Kelab Alami and the fishermen of myKP Pendekar Laut for sharing this precious ecosystem with us! Let's continue to protect the beauty of Johor's marine life!
Comments and feedback from a few of the MNS Johor Branch participants:
Jacky Soh: “After walking through the seagrass habitat, I gained a deeper understanding of how closely fishermen’s livelihoods depend on healthy marine ecosystems. Seeing firsthand how marine life supports their way of living gave me great awareness of why protecting the ocean is so important. The experience reminded me that conserving marine life is not only about nature—it’s about sustaining communities and futures.”
Dr Joy Mak: “The trip was educational, an eye opener to the marine life that we have. Having to identify the seagrass, seaweed & fauna was fun. Glad I was given the opportunity to visit because if further reclamation is carried out a lot of the marine life will be lost. If young children are given the opportunity to experience & learn about God's gift we will have future leaders who will care for the environment. I also enjoyed the Barbecue Dinner.”
Lee Lay Tin: “This is an interesting and educational outing both at sea and on the beach. I wish more people knew about the nature that exists (that’s) being threatened.”
MNS Selangor Branch participants also chimed in:
Karmen: “The boat ride to the seagrass meadow was very fun. The animals found there are very interesting, and I learned a lot from Dr Serina.”
Yvonne Yeoh: “Seagrass meadows—happy to see so many small creatures in the meadows and people are trying their best to protect them.”
Justin Loh: “I saw numerous flora and fauna lifers at the seagrass meadow.”
Kwee Eng: “As a dormant member for the past 30 years, the fond memories with MNS (Selangor Branch) returned—feeling nostalgic, yeh! The seagrass meadow is such a wonderful and educational event.”
The Missing Van
After a group photo at the jetty and farewells to our Johorean and Singaporean friends, we waited for our scheduled 8:30 p.m. pickup. The driver was unusually late, and after 45 minutes to an hour of waiting—calling and messaging—we discovered he was elsewhere repairing the van!
The jetty soon emptied of fishermen, including our boat captains—Pak Karim, Cik Angah, and Ijam. In the deserted car park, under a light drizzle and amid persistent mosquito bites, accompanied by a stray cat, we sang “Happy Birthday” to Lisa.
Eventually, boat captain Ijam returned, leading a different van and driver. The replacement driver had gotten lost on a muddy road, and Ijam, who spotted the van, had chased after it on his motorbike. Without his help, we would have had to contact Kelab Alami, since there’s no taxi or e-hailing service this far into the village. The disco-like interior of the van briefly lifted our spirits, even as we remained concerned about transport for the final day.
Day 3: Gelang Patah – Pekan Nenas – Kluang – KL Sentral
After checking out, our first day van reappeared to our relief and took us to Pekan Nenas in Johor’s Pontian district, a long-established farming community and Malaysia’s leading pineapple-producing region. At Nictar Pineapple Park, joined by a busload of Singaporean visitors, we had a bilingual introduction to pineapple varieties and the growing cycle, sampled fresh juice and fruit, and took a short stroll to see the pineapple flowers.
Lunch in Pekan Nenas was at Burasak Abah, a restaurant featuring Bugis cuisine introduced by settlers from South Sulawesi centuries ago. The organising member treated us to burasak and lepat loi: burasak is a fragrant coconut rice cake steamed in banana leaves, often shared in parcels of five, while lepat loi is made from glutinous rice. Members paired them with dishes such as asam pedas ikan parang, coconut serunding, and rendang daging.
After lunch, we visited Platform Coffee & Homestay, a home-based café run by a barista–potter couple from their front porch. Members sampled fruit-infused coffees—such as durian and pineapple—and other drinks, along with one member treating us to homemade biscuits. With time to spare, we stopped at the bustling Kluang Coffee Powder Factory to observe coffee processing, watch an educational video, and buy souvenirs. We then headed to Kluang KTM station for the last ETS train to KL Sentral, where the group dispersed, with two members alighting a few stations earlier.
Two new members among the participants shared their reflections:
Lee Koon:
“As a new member, the low-carbon trip to Johor was truly eye-opening. I loved exploring Kluang’s old town, visiting Pulau Kukup’s wetlands, and watching our bird-watchers in action. The seagrass meadow was the highlight—Dr. Serina Rahman helped us discover the hidden creatures and challenges of the area, which made the experience unforgettable.
“We enjoyed warm hospitality from the Johor MNS branch, a rainy but fun sunset BBQ, and delicious Bugis cuisine before heading home with new memories (and extra shopping).
“Thanks to HY’s wonderful planning, the trip was educational, enjoyable, and a perfect introduction to MNS.”
EE:
“My first low-carbon field trip with MNS (Selangor Branch) was truly eye-opening, with many firsts for a newbie like me. There was so much to take in, especially during the ecology briefing and the seagrass meadow tour at Tanjung Kupang, where I got to see and touch (without diving) amazing sea creatures—from sea anemones, sea cucumbers, sea stars, and pencil urchins to hermit crabs, sea snails, and different types of seaweed.
“The BBQ seafood dinner on a floating raft house was another memorable highlight. Even with the heavy rain and lightning, I enjoyed the one-of-a-kind night view of the Johor Strait and the Second Tuas Link.
“I also loved the self-guided walk at Pulau Kukup National Park and learning about pineapple cultivation at Nictar Farm in Pekan Nenas. I was also glad to meet the Johor branch committee members.
“Even the ETS train ride impressed me—punctual, clean, and comfortable. It was my first time trying Bugis cuisine, including Burasak and Lepat Loi.
“Overall, it was a meaningful and rewarding trip, and I learned so much from both the people and the wonders of nature.”
The low-carbon trip to Johor blended nature, culture, and inter-branch camaraderie. From mangroves and seagrass meadows to Kluang’s coffee and railway heritage, and Pekan Nenas’ pineapple farms and Bugis cuisine, participants experienced the region’s biodiversity and traditions firsthand. With warm hospitality and hands-on learning, the journey showed that sustainable travel can be both fun and meaningful. Perhaps our next Johor adventure will be birdwatching with our new friends in Panti Forest Reserve during durian season!
