How to Book for a Tour to Sasaran Beach 天空之镜 (Sky Mirror)
Going to Sasaran Beach 天空之镜 (Sky Mirror)? You can’t just walk in, because it will involve a 30-40 minutes boat ride and there are limited spots on the boat and limited time slots. So remember to contact one of the tour operators to book a spot in advance.For our trip, we booked through WhatsApp, paying RM75 per person for a Sasaran Beach (Sky Mirror) half-day tour. You’ll have to pay online first. This half-day Sasaran Sky Mirror tour includes breakfast, to and from boat ride, props, photography and a lot of guaranteed fun (if you don’t mind the crowd)!
I think I won't disclose which tour operator did I go with, because there are mixed review... you see good or bad is a very subjective thing, and also it largely depend on the tour guide you get on that day. Some remarked that some tour operators didn't care to provide a English or Malay speaking tour when the whole boat are non-chinese speakers.
But I can assure you that my friends and I really did have a lot of fun on this trip. My tour guide is a Malay man with sharp photography skills, patience and good sense of humor. Hence, if you really really don't mind the possible hiccups and want to know which tour exactly, you can dm me on Insta. But if you don't get the same tour guide please don't blame me, haha! (but you can always make a request to the tour operator: I want the same Abang as littlemisshappyfeet ya!)
Now, back to my story. According to the tour operator, previously the half-day tour includes Pulau Angsa (天鹅岛), an island nearby with an abandoned resort project. There, you will be given a chance to “hunt” for your own Oysters for lunch. However, we were told that the rocks are too slippery and become very dangerous for visitors nowadays. Oh no, we miss the fresh Oyster lunch… maybe next time.
When and the Best time to Visit?
天空之镜 (Sky Mirror) is not a 365-day destination. Because it will only appear during the low tide. When the tide rises, the place will vanish into the sea. In order to know when is the best time to visit, you’ll have to flip the Chinese calendar to find out when is the 1st day and the 15th day of the month, as the low tide phenomena only happen around these 2 days.Try to go on a sunny and still day, because when the wind was strong, the water will have too much movement to produce a clear reflection. well, in order to form a mirror, you have to get a smooth surface, physic! Also, the blue bright sky makes the best photos.
Time of departure also varies from day to day, as the tidal time changes daily. The earliest departure time according to the schedule is 6 am, the con of departing so early is that you need to wake up super early, so it is better to base yourself in Sasaran fishing village the night before. The pro of departing at 6 am is, of course, you can catch the most magical sunrise!
Journey to Sasaran Sky Mirror 沙沙兰天空之镜
Meet up point varies depending on the tour operators. There are plenty of them out there, all of them offer more or less the same package.We met up at the rainbow jetty owned by the tour company at 8.30 am, free parking available. Since we based ourselves in Klang (only about 30 km away), we departed at 7.15 am. Not too bad.
Upon arrival, we went to the little window counter to pick up our wristband and breakfast voucher. A chubby Malay boy handed us our nasi lemak at the Pondok (small shelter) directly opposite the counter and we devoured it while waiting for our boat to dock.
At 9 am sharp, our boat (number 10) arrived at the dock and we joined a small group of 8 other tourists on the boat. Well along the journey, I expect some explanation from the tour guide but nope, it's ok, building suspense…. along the way, we say a lot of seagulls, migrating birds, monkeys, iguana, and other creatures if the swamp. We finally arrived at 天空之镜 (Sky Mirror) at 9.30 am. Our journey took us only 30 minutes.
Arriving at Saharan Sky Mirror 沙沙兰天空之镜
Sasaran Beach is said to resemble Salar de Uyuni of Bolivia, the largest salt flat in the world. But unlike Bolivia, the Malaysian version is not a salt lake but an area of shallow in the middle of the Straits of Malacca, that will form perfect reflection during low tide. So you do not need to head far to take mind-blowing sky mirror photos!When we finally arrived, there we already a lot of other boats around. The seawater is still up to ankle level.
After spending some time taking photos around, our tour guide gathered us up and set up a “booth” using cardboards and umbrellas. “In order to take a perfect reflection photo, you have to create a dark area to set up your camera, and place your lens as close to the water level as possible”, as he explained, he took a random photo with his iPhone and showed it to us. Oh My God! I can hardly believe my eyes because he took the below photos without any “cheat technique”!
Next, he took out a lot of props such as dinosaurs and Eiffel tower to help us take some fun photos. He is not only creative but very patience in directing us how to pose! Let me show you guys some photos he took of us. These are raw photos without edit or filters, well, my friends Alvira, Sushi, Zhenyin and Joelee can prove this... Can you tell which is the real thing and which is the reflection side? To be honest, on first glance, I cannot!
1. Jump shots
2. Dinosaurs
3. Eiffel Tower
4. Umbrella
5. Back photo
6. The Wheel (not a perfect one coz we ran out of time)
7. Hair flipping shot
8. We are all in this together
Friendly reminder:
1. There are a lot of sea creatures on the seabed, so be careful when you do certain actions such as jump shots. Because, if you, unfortunately, step on them, you’ll cry due to pain (well I nearly did).2. Be careful not to walk too far from your group, especially keep an eye on kids! Because you might not realize how far had you been walking but once the high tide set in, there will be no place to escape.
3. Try to wear bright and colourful shirts so that you can stand out from the background with the color contrast.
4. Apply plenty of sunblock as there is no shelter in the middle of the sea. A hat and sunglasses are useful too!
Last but not least, let me show you the photo I picked for my Instagram feed! If you like my journey and sharing, I welcome you to follow along online!!! (but please don't follow me literally offline, it's creepy hahaha! )
My Verdict
I honestly think that this is a perfect day trip option from Kuala Lumpur as the port only located 1-1.5 hours from the capital. A trip to Sasaran Sky Mirror (天空之镜) can be easily coupled with Sekinchan for the paddy field photoshoots and Kuala Selangor for seafood, fireflies, and blue tears!!! I’ll update my complete one day trip itinerary in the next post! Coming soon!Sky Mirror and Paddy Field Tour (click here)
Prefer a all-inclusive stress-free organized tour? Check this out.This guided tour includes pick up from Kuala Lumpur City Center (good for those who don't own a car), English speaking guide (especially important for foreign tourists), local seafood lunch (yum!), and also the boat insurance (nice touch! Always safety first!)
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Thank You for Reading!
This post is based solely on my honest opinion or personal experience.
If you have a different opinion, feel free to share your thoughts with me by commenting below!
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