Pulau Carey

The Carey Island (Malay: Pulau Carey) is an island in Selangor, Malaysia. Carey Island is located to the south of Port Klang and north of Banting town. It is a huge island, about 32,000 acres or roughly a fifth of the size of Singapore.

Carey Island is named after a successful British coffee and rubber planter called Valentine Carey who cleared much of the natural vegetation for agricultural uses just over 100 years ago.

The Island is separated from the Selangor coast by the Langat River and connected by two bridges from Chodoi and Teluk Panglima Garang near Banting and a bridge from Pulau Indah. It is an initial settlement area for the Mah-Meri, one of the aborigine Orang Asli tribes of Malaysia.

It is famous for its seafood such as crabs, prawns, and various fishes. The island has palm oil plantations owned by Sime Darby Plantations. There is no accommodation available on the island itself but only bungalows (homestay oriented) that are for rent where you can spend a night or so in the island.

From the tourist's point of view the main attraction on Pulau Carey is the aboriginal community, the Mah Meri, one of 18 Orang Asli tribes living in Malaysia (Orang Asli means original people in Malay).

This community of around 1400 people is famous for its unique wooden statues and masks carved from a rare red swamp hardwood called Nyireh Batu which belongs to the mahogany family.

There are said to be around 25 craftsmen and they can produce over 100 different designs, each with its own significance and purpose in their culture. The best place to see them is Kampung Sungei Bumbun where there are a couple of stalls and a newly built craft centre which has never been open on my two visits.

They have assimilated into modern life, with jobs in the nearby plantations and farms, but they retain their unique culture and way of life. Apart from exhibitions of their traditional dances and music, the Mah Meri are particularly known for their votive sculptures, fashioned from a kind of swamp hardwood known as "Nyireh Batu".

Getting There

As this is a private destination, there is almost no public transportation available to reach the island. Thus, the best way is to drive. From Kuala Lumpur, drive to Teluk Panglima Garang on the Kelang - Banting road. Then, drive along a narrow road past the Malay villages to Pulau Carey. A bridge links the mainland of to Carey Island. The ride eats up an estimated time of 90 minutes.
 

folder_open Attractions in Selangor