Pulau Tikus (island), Tanjung Bungah

Pulau Tikus island, Penang (10 June 2016)


Pulau Tikus is a rocky outcrop off the northeastern coast of Tanjong Bungah in Penang. It is one of those places which are "so near and yet so far". For the first time in weeks, I spent the weekend at home in Penang. But even in Penang, it's kinda hard to stay at home, especially with such a lovely sky above me.

I have explored much of Penang and the surrounding islands. But there's one place I have not fully explored. I call it the mystery island. Historically, it was called Pulo Kechil, but today, it is simply known as Pulau Tikus.

The name Pulau Tikus also refers to a district in George Town. However, based on my research, it was this small island that gave the name to Pulau Tikus district. I know, there are many people even in Penang who have not even heard of Pulau Tikus the island. Well, Pulau Tikus exists, and I'm going to show it to you. The strange thing however, is that Pulau Tikus the district is not anywhere near Pulau Tikus the island. In fact, I calculated that they are 5 kilometers apart, as the crow flies.

The name Pulau Tikus means Rat Island. When I first wrote this article many years ago, I did not know why it was given that name. I thought perhaps it was because of its shape, or perhaps if you viewed it from the sky, as a bird would, it appeared like a rodent, with a "tail" that stretches towards Penang island.

Later on, I met up with Dr Anthony E. Siebert, a Eurasian descendant of the early settlers of the Pulau Tikus district on Penang Island. Dr Siebert explained that when the Eurasians first arrived in Penang, their boat anchored off this little isle. It was low tide, and the appearance the mudflats around the isle made it look like a mouse. Hence the Eurasians decided to call it Pulau Tikus. From there, they trekked along the coast until they found a site which they want to establish their settlement. To commemorate their landing site, they decided to call that settlement Pulau Tikus.

Pulau Tikus Video Guide

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Dr Anthony E. Siebert of the Penang Eurasian community (19 September 2010)


Update: 21 September, 2010
After years of researching this matter, I finally found out how Pulau Tikus got its name. Follow that link to learn the story behind Pulau Tikus the district.

Video Reading: My Visit to Mysterious Pulau Tikus

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Pulau Tikus, Mystery Island of Penang (9 May 2004)

My Visit to Mysterious Pulau Tikus

Pulau Tikus is Penang's own Mystery Island, y'know, the kind of place that conjures the same type of excitement in the pages of Enid Blyton's Famous Five or Tintin's Black Island, a place that inspires imageries from childhood. To reach it, you have to take a sampan. Or, if you have the necessary "manpower", you go by kayak, as I did.

I'm off to explore Pulau Tikus! (6 March 2004)


I estimated that Pulau Tikus is perhaps five hundred meters or at most one kilometer from shore. (When I checked the map later, I learned that it is actually two kilometres from shore, so the return journey meant I rowed for 4 kilometer -- no wonder it feels so far!) There it is, an island silhouetted against the morning sky. Although I have landed in Pulau Tikus once before last year, I have not fully explored the island. Somehow my heart was throbbing wildly when I landed then, and I left the island without snooping around. It must have been because I came upon the huge fresh carcass of a python dangling among a branch on the shore of the island - and I couldn't be sure if it was dead or alive. Well, I decided it was not wise to find out, especially when I was alone.

Yet the island continued to call on me to come back. So after a year passed, I decided it was time to do my exploration.

Pulau Tikus as seen from shore (9 May 2004)


It was 9 May, 2004. I started at 9:40am. The morning sky was hazy, and I thought I would have a lovely time kayaking in the still waters. No such luck. Within 15 minutes, the sun banished the clouds away, and it got decidedly hot. In my kayak I packed towel, sun glass, baseball cap, even a pair of Nike shoes. And of course, drinking water - it would be suicidal to go without water! And to ensure that I come back with some photographs to show, this time I remember to bring along my camera and tripod. Yes sir, I brought a tripod, so I can take shots of myself! To prove I was there!

Even though the sea was calm, I could feel the current pushing me away from the island. I had to kayak at a certain angle to keep my kayak pointed towards it. If I stop to take photos or to rest, the kayak will sway off course, usually, in the direction of Penang island. It was like, Pulau Tikus didn't welcome me at all.

I'm heading for Pulau Tikus (9 May 2004)


The view of Penang Hill from the sea was dazzling. There were low-hanging clouds over the hills. I couldn't stop for long without kayaking. The up and down bobbling of the waves makes me rather dizzy.

It took me 40 minutes to reach within 20 metres of Pulau Tikus, at a leisurely pace. I am glad I brought along a towel to wipe the sweat, as the sun was fierce. However, it offered a deep blue sky above me.

Rather than kayaking straight towards the island, I decided to circumnavigate it, so I can explore it from all sides. I wasn't in a big hurry to land, and I have a reason why. I remember last year, as I approached this island, I have this creepy feeling. Well, it was still there. It feels like there's an unseen force on the island, and it's me against the force. If you had done enough exploring, sooner or later you will arrive at a place that gives you goosebumps of the supernatural kind.

Superstitious people would have warned me against visiting such a place, because it could be ... how do I put it, "inhabited", if you know what I mean. How do I face something like this? My way of overcoming the fear is to remind myself that the spirit within me is greater that the spirits that well the earth, and that as long as I have God beside me, I have nothing to fear.

Okay, now back to the island.

I discovered that the sea on the northeast side of the island was full of rubbish. Most likely all the rubbish was carried there by the current, and was trapped within that area. However, that's the direction with the best view of the island. So I tried to avoid shooting rubbish when I photograph the island. Circling the island, I looked for the sandy stretch to land, rowed my kayak forcefully towards it.

Arrived on Pulau Tikus! (9 May 2004)


And there, I am on Pulau Tikus! And you know what, the island was like holding its breath. I pointed my camera to the water tower (according to a fellow historian, Dr John Robertson, it's not a water tower, but rather a solar-powered light house) clicked on the shutter - and you would never expect this, my camera jammed. What was wrong, I wondered. This never happened to my camera before. I took out the CF card, put it back in. Hmm, still not working. I replaced the battery. Still no luck. It was like there's a sinister force trying to prevent me from taking any photos of the island. As I repaired the camera, I spoke to the only friend available at short notice, the One Above. I told Him that I believe He is greater that all that is around me.

I don't want to surprise you, but my camera started working again thereafter.

Self portrait with watertower, after camera decided to function again (9 May 2004)


But there's not much to see on the sandy stretch. Just some rocks. The view of Penang island was great. I peered at the tower (or should I say, light house, though I still say it's a water tower), on the main part of the island. How do I go there? There were big rocks blocking my way. Well, the only way to reach it was to go out to sea once more and find another landing site.

As I pushed the kayak back into the water, it went out of my grips and to my horror launched itself into the sea. I rushed after it before it abandoned me, and that's how I got my shoes wet. Oh, shoot.

Can you see my kayak in this picture? (9 May 2004)


So into the water I went again. After exploring for a bit, I saw a cove where I could land. The waves were big and mighty on this side as they crashed onto the rocks. Suddenly it brought my kayak straight to a clump of rocks and we rammed hard onto them. I negotiated my little fibreglass boat away. If I were to hit the rocks a few more times, it may just break into little pieces and I would be marooned on Pulau Tikus!

Being very near shore anyway, I jumped out and heaved my kayak to land. My shoes were already wet anyway, so it didn't bother me having to get out into the water. I made sure the kayak was pulled way up high, so that it couldn't decide to leave again without me on board.

Okay, and now to explore ...

The place was very rundown. There was some sort of a porch or house on the highest part of the island. It has a verandah with balustrades. I see some new bricks - is someone rebuilding this structure or what?

Structure on Pulau Tikus (9 May 2004)


The house on Pulau Tikus (9 May 2004)


One of the structures was covered with grafitti, some dating back to the seventies, and yet they appeared as clear as written as it was done yesterday. As I surveyed the graffiti, I was kinda reminded of the movie, "Blair Witch Project". There was a stone staircase leading up to the light house. I saw that there's a shrine beside the tower, and I predicted that if there's a shrine, there has to be a grave somewhere.

Graffiti on wall, Pulau Tikus (9 May 2004)


The house structure on Pulau Tikus (9 May 2004)


I was right. There was a grave to one Seyad Mohamed Kuddoos Oliyullah. I do not know who he is, and why he was buried on this island. Apparently, the shrine was renovated as recently as 1997, by one Dr. Jameel Ahamed, B.Sc. Phd. (Hon). I need to research who that was. I am glad my camera was now working well, and so I recorded these.

Shrine at Pulau Tikus (9 May 2004)


Final view of Pulau Tikus before heading home (9 May 2004)


It took me about as long to get back from Pulau Tikus. The journey back was uneventful. It felt like the island was well pleased to be rid of me. It was a silent, forlorn place. I do not think I would want to visit it again, but I felt a sense of accomplishment of having explored it.

Location of Pulau Tikus on the map

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