Tusan Beach — an awesome getaway

A CHEERFUL close-knit family were enjoying themselves under an oil palm a little distance from the Tusan Cliff Edge.

The parents laid out the picnic mat while the kids sipped drinks from a cooler box.

There was also a small foldable chair for grandma under a big special umbrella — a truly happy family picnic in the park.

Apart from this small family group, the Cliff Edge teemed with people moving from one end to the other end to secure a good spot on the benches provided.

Motorists arrived at regular intervals, looking for places to park as near to the Cliff Edge as possible. There were easily more than 100 cars and even more motorbikes.

The Cliff Edge plunges 200 feet below. Only a flimsy ribbon marks the edge and the sudden drop to the bottom.

“The tide is high at the moment,” noted the friendly picnicking father as our group alighted from our car.

We managed to squeeze into a little space near the family’s picnic space. That was why we were sitting under the oil palm late that afternoon, dashing all hopes of seeing the famous Horse Drinking Water image.

It was my first visit to Tusan Beach on a public holiday. Everyone was in very cheerful holiday mood.

Many people actually come to Tusan Beach to see a rock formation called Horse Drinking Water. The promontory of the rock-bound cliff looks like a horse head with its mouth in the water (the sea). A much photographed object in Miri, it is now well-known throughout the state.

Tusan Beach

The Tusan Beach in Sibuti, just 30 minutes’ drive from Miri along the coastal road, is an extremely lovely beach area with scenic cliffs and great long stretches of sandy beaches.

Its cool evening breeze, often blowing quite strong, is an added attraction. Before becoming a popular picnic spot, the area had already been much studied by local geologists and students from Curtin University Sarawak.

The rock formations, fossils and beach area have been written about in journals since the 1990s. Some people also claim much has been written about it even in the 1950s by colonial geologists.

There are two prominent cliffs in the northern part of Sarawak — one at Tanjong Lobang and the other at Tusan.

The cliff top, from which the Tusan Beach can be accessed, has oil palms (grown by a private land owner) to provide shade on hot afternoons.

Ancient fossils are also known to be found in the area. Rock layers and interesting formations make the cliff surfaces very attractive to visitors and photographers alike.

However, erosion is rather rapid and some coastal vegetation can even be seen to loosen and fall onto the beach.

Pollution is still not a major problem yet but a couldn’t care less attitude will change things for the worse in the long run — with tins, plastic bags and bottles being littered all around.

Also called a fossil beach, Tusan Beach has been marked for future development into a tourist spot, according to some local newspaper reports. The villagers are looking forward to the transformation. And the general public is quite happy about it as well.

Brisk weekend business

Along the road to the edge of the cliff are stalls selling an array of food. Adam Keling, a lecturer with IKBN, Miri, said he was happy to be helping his friends out with their drinks stall, and very positive of more business coming in.

Already, Roydy’s Tusan Ice-cream and U-Turn Coffee and Drinks had almost sold out — and it was barely 4.30pm.

“There is a lot of business potential here with so many people coming, especially during weekends and public holidays,” Adam noted.

The Tusan Coconut Ice Cream, a company owned by Roydy’s family, was doing a roaring business during our visit. The owner-operator was busy serving customers. A long queue had formed. In fact, some of the items had already been sold out.

The best selling flavoured milk shake — coffee, strawberry and pandan — could also be ordered at an outlet in Taman Tunku.

A customer, slurping special coconut ice cream, commented ‘sedap’ as he flashed the thumbs-up.

The coconut shake is very popular. Many people come just to have a taste of it, according to one customer.

A friendly helper called Foong said business was getting better and with the help of Facebook and word of mouth, the company — Tusan Coconut Ice Cream — was doing well.

A friendly youth, Yusup, who was part of Roydy’s business group, was manning the Kelapa Bakar stall at the far end of the row. He was barbecuing three coconuts until they were really charred.

Kelapa Bakar is said to have curative properties and many locals believe it can cure asthma and related ailments. This has been well-documented by Peninsular Malaysian researchers, according to one customer.

Senior citizen Mr Wong had just bought one Kelapa Bakar and was waiting for the “spit-roasted” young coconut to cool. He appeared amused with his purchase and also with himself for buying a grilled coconut.

Closing time

A cendol and drinks seller said most of the stalls closed around 8pm, adding that operators brought their own generators and bulbs.

She would usually return home just after sunset because by then, her cendol and drinks would have sold out.

She said she was happy to earn a bit of cash.

“I also sell my vegetables very cheap because I want to finish faster and go home to do other chores. This is only during weekends. I’m happy to meet so many people.”

She allowed customers to buy and keep their purchases at her stall if they wished to go for a walk, provided they returned before nightfall.

What were equally impressive were furniture made by the stall owners. Small tables and benches made of driftwood and coconut stumps gave the business ambiance an unmistakable local touch.

Plastic chairs and tables had not made their presence here. There was, indeed, a nice tropical feel, just looking at the home-made furniture.

At the moment, the beach and cliff heads do not have streetlights. The stall owners bring their own generators to light up their stalls in the evening. The generators are also used to make drinks and coconut shakes.

Cleanliness and civic-mindedness

The stall owners have to keep the area clean, according to Yusop, otherwise there will be a lot of rubbish lying around.

“Not long ago, a group of university students and environmentally conscious people cleaned up the beach. I hope more people will campaign for beach cleanliness. The sea will not wash away our rubbish,” he said.

Justina Wong, from Sarikei, told thesundaypost: “This is really a nice cliff area and the sand is of a different colour. The setting sun gives the beach a golden look — and the sky is so blue today.

“I managed to get my mother to come down for a walk — from one end to the other end of the beach — taking almost an hour. It’s a pity the tide is a bit high otherwise we can walk even farther.

“This is really very different from the scenery in Sibu or Sarikei. We have beaches near Sarikei but no cliffs. There are so many geographical features here. If students could come here for an outing, it would be a truly good geography lesson for them.”

Meanwhile, Mr Wong, still waiting for his roasted young coconut to cool, felt a better toilet should be provided — with adequate washing areas and even showers.

The present small public toilet, though not the best, is, at least, functional otherwise kids can answer the call of nature behind some rocks.

The Blue Tears

The Tusan Beach started to feature more on the local social scene after the Blue Tears appeared in September and October last year. The phenomenon was first spotted by some photographers and writers.

After the news broke, the road to Tusan Beach was jammed every night for more than two weeks.

The Blue Tears (blue algae which surfaced at night) gave the beach a blue tinge for more than half a mile.

They appeared for several nights, attracting hordes of curious people to the beach after light to marvel at the nonpareil streak of blue.

Some waited from sunset till the wee hours to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon. Others even camped near the beach.

Motorcyclists also came in their throngs when they got wind of the Blue Tears’ expected appearance. For weeks, the beach was full of people, sometimes up to 2,000-strong, according to local hawker Rudy Roy.

Of course, there were nights the Blue Tears did not appear but regardless, Tusan Beach has, since then, become a popular weekend recreational spot and even a lovely evening family outing venue, especially for those with cars.

Walk on the Beach

A walk from the steep access path to the Horse Drinking Water rock takes about 20 minutes.

During our visit, people from all walks of life packed the area to take photos. Most were trying their best to take selfies. Small groups sat down to have drinks and snacks while awaiting the sunset.

Some kids even jumped into the sea for a splash while their parents kept a keen eye out from the shore.

Perhaps the authorities should consider having some lifeguards to provide safety and security.

The cliffs are really high and some children might fall off if they are not careful. Railings can also be put up to secure the place.

Awesome sunset

The sunset viewed from the cliff is awesome.

A frequent visitor, known as Mariana, said she came often with her children in the last few months. On this particular weekend, they shook hands and exchanged Raya greetings with the people they met.

“It’s good to bring my parents and children here. When it’s not the Raya, we can even get some fried noodles and some BBQ chicken wings. That way, I need not rush back to cook. We can watch the sunset from the stalls and take our time. It is leisure at its best,” said Mariana, who lives with her family at Holiday Park, Miri.

She also noticed the presence of many photographers, some with very heavy equipment.

“It’s good to do some family photography here. The children are happy when they can run around in the sand,” she said.

What a nice evening to spend at Tusan Beach, meeting friendly people, experiencing a closeness to Nature and soaking up the wondrous scenery.

A philosopher friend once said: “Nature is a great teacher. We must be close to Nature away from bricks and mortar.” But the Bard of Avon said it all — he actually helped me wrap up the whole outing.

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” — William Shakespeare

Indeed, people from all walks of life, different religions and races come together to not only admire Tusan Beach but also enjoy each other’s company and the fellowship.