Kelong Acheh is a Fishing Resort built on stilts, located between Pulau Acheh and Pantai Penyabong near Mersing, Johore. It is a popular resort for visitors from Malaysia and Singapore. If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, the drive will take you about 6 hours.

You can park your vehicle at the parking lot near the jetty when you arrive at Pantai Penyabong. A boat will ferry you out to the resort.

We normally plan our journey so that we reach Kelong Acheh around 12 pm. On arrival, lunch is normally waiting to be served. The best package to take would be the 3 days 2 nights stay. If possible, plan your stay for weekdays. Weekends are normally packed with holiday makers looking to fish their biggest catch. Even if you are not into fishing, just lazing around enjoying the cool breeze and the 5 meals that are prepared each day would be more than satisfying.

About the place

The rooms are dormitory style and can accommodate 12 pax. If you go in a group of about 7 pax or more, and the palace is not too crowded, they will let your group have the whole dorm to yourselves. There are a number of common bathrooms and toilets located around the resort.

Electricity is available from 7pm to 7 am each day. The sea breeze keeps the place cool so fans or air conditioners are not necessary during the day.  You can charge your phones and other devices at night.

Food is served for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper. Lunch and dinner will consist of fresh seafood with rice, vegetables and probably eggs. Our last trip there, they had biscuits as well as hot and cold drinks available through the night for those doing night fishing.

The fishing is not too great and also depends on the time of year. There are a number of lucky fishermen hauling up big fish weighing more than 50Kg. Even if you do not catch the record fish you were looking forward to, the feeling of being with nature is satisfaction enough. On our last trip, we were fortunate enough to see a pod of dolphins. One even jumped up about 20 meters away from us. Unfortunately, we did not have our cameras on hand.

In the daytime, you can see lots of bait fish very near the kelong. These are caught to use as bait for the bigger fish.  You may also see barracudas swimming around the stilts. Another common sight is to see Ikan Bawal Mas (Golden Pomfret) swimming past. These fish do not swim in an upright position. Instead, you find them swimming on their side. At night you may see Sotong (squid) darting around in the water where the light shines on it. These squid are not that easy to catch.

What do you need to bring?

Almost all that you need will be provided. There is lots to eat, you can buy beer , soft drinks and snacks from the kitchen. The bedding materials include mattresses, blankets and pillows. There is a fan and lights in each dorm. Basically what you need to bring are your toiletries, chargers, bait and fishing equipment, medicines, an ice box and other personal items.

When are meals served?

That’s the best part about your stay here. There is someone who goes around alerting everyone that the meals are being served. You may be engrossed in your fishing or other activity and suddenly you hear that the next meal is ready. The food is fresh and tastes good.

Is it safe at Kelong Acheh?

Kelong Acheh is situated in-between Pulau Acheh and the mainland, so it is shielded from the worst effects from stormy seas. It is even safe during the North-East monsoon which occurs at the end till the beginning of the year. The only effect you will see other than the daily rain is that the water is brownish. This is due to the mud that is being washed by the rivers from the hills into the sea. But the structure of the place is secure with regular strengthening works carried out during the year.

How do I book a boat to ferry me back to shore?

Just inform the manager or staff of your intention to leave a day before and he will make the arrangements. If you have booked a fixed package, no notification is needed and a boat will be waiting at checkout.

This place is one of my favourite nature spots. Just watching the waves and listening to the sound from the sea is very calming. You can fish to clear your mind of the daily tensions and problems. The management and staff are very friendly and informative. All these makes us want to come back over and over again.