Just off the mouth of Kuala Selangor is the Sky Mirror sandbar which appears twice a month, four days before, and on the day of the 1st and 15th of the lunar month. You’ll find it in what seems like the middle of the ocean, and if that doesn’t seem interesting enough for you intrepid travelers, what makes it even more spectacular is the light that creates the most flawless reflection in the remaining water on the sandbar.
A trip to a sandbar in the ocean
From the Sky Mirror jetty at Kuala Selangor a fast boat takes you on a 30 minute journey down the river to Sky Mirror. The day we headed off was perfect, crystal clear with only a hint of wind. The scenery along the way to the river mouth was a mix of river housing and beautiful green jungle. A very scenic and relaxing way to set off.
However, as we skipped over the river mouth to open water the ride for those in the front of the boat became a lot less relaxing. The impact of a fast boat hitting a swelling ocean is not great on your back or your neck, which may be something you want to think about when you climb aboard – those towards the back of the boat looked far more comfortable. But don’t despair, the return journey was a much better experience.
When we arrived at Sky Mirror the water was ankle deep, but within five minutes the tide had receded to reveal a sandbank teaming with crabs. While most got into the swing of posing for photographs we went exploring our deserted piece of beach and found a huge variety of crabs, shellfish and other sea life.
The land area is big enough to have a decent walk around, and we explored the outer perimeter of the sandbar to see what we could find lurking in the water as the tide continued to recede. We did of course use this amazing location to get in on the photography, but it is also a great opportunity to do some beach combing.
The whole outing takes about 3-4 hours from the pick up at the jetty to your return.
Photography
There was a the boat driver and a guide on board our boat and they were laden with props for photography when we reached our destination. They happily set the stage for photos and acted as director and photographer. We were four families and each family got a turn with the photography. This service is included in the cost of the boat, not that we realised this at the time – it was a very pleasant surprise when they emailed the photos that afternoon. Take the opportunity to get some shots from them as well as your own.
Photo: Sky Mirror Tour & Travel
Don’t expect to go picnicking or swimming
This was a little disappointing for my kids who like to get in the water. My daughter asked the guide if she could swim, but was told that she couldn’t. I’m not sure what the reason was, apart from the obvious reason: the colour of the water and lack of visibility. She did manage to have a bit of a paddle before we got on board, because by that time of day it was hot!
Things to remember
- It is hot on the sandbar so take a small day pack with sunblock and water – we left everything on the boat and were unable to get to it until they came back to pick us up. Not so good for hungry and thirsty children.
- Hats – essential!
- Snacks – if you are with kids put some snacks in your pocket or day pack. Because we did leave everything on the boat the smaller children were wanting food and water as the morning wore on.
- Camera – it is a photographers dream destination – the light and reflection are perfect for amazing photos.
- Bright coloured clothing to get the most of the photographs.
- Sunglasses – it is glary.
We got back about 1 pm. Apparently, there is a great (but according to our guide pricey) seafood restaurant across the river that you are able to drive to, but as we had all packed a picnic lunch we ate that on the steps of the Ski Mirror jetty instead.
Many operators organise these trips, we went with Sky Mirror Tour & Travel.
Have a look here for more activities in Kuala Selangor.
Feedback from our group
- Life vests were a must, and they had small vests to fit the children.
- A safety briefing was given once we were on board the boat.
- Toilets and showers were very clean and accessible at the jetty. But there is nothing on the sand bar so make sure you go, before you go.
- A point to note: Our tour guide was very firm about not letting children wander off.
Feature photo: Sky Mirror Tour & Travel
