Berhala Island is no ‘Shutter Island’

Berhala Island of Sabah, Malaysia

Berhala Island, or better known as ”Pulau Berhala’ by locals, is definitely not a ‘Shutter Island’. At least not in this century!

That ‘hellish’ island depicted in Martin Scorsese’s  ‘Shutter Island’ is far too ‘gruesome’  in comparison to this awesomely unique ‘tropical eden‘ of Berhala Island.

But then again… the condition on the Berhala Island might not had been like how it is now in the last century. Back then… it might had looked like as ‘chilling’ as something out of a scene from ‘Shutter Island’ instead!

Claudette Colbert in a scene from 'Three Came Home'.

Berhala Island indeed had been used as a ‘quarantine station’ for labourers from China and Philippines before the WW2 era.

It was later turned into a colony of leper patients.

Then the WW2 happened. The Japanese turned Berhala Island into a POW camp. A lady by the name of Agnes Newton Keith was among the many POWs held here…

Agnes Keith was an American author best known for her 3 autobiographical books which related her accounts of life in a place simply referred as ‘North Borneo’ … the present time Sabah.

One of these, called ‘Three Came Home’ was made into a film in 1950. Produced by 20th Century-Fox and directed by Jean Negulesco, the film was hailed by a New York Times viewer as “shocking! disturbing! will tear your heart out…but it will fill you fully with a great respect for a heroic soul!”.

Now… back to the present time… Berhala Island is indeed a wonderful place to visit. Swimming, snorkelling, sightseeing, jungle trekking and even ‘rock climbing’ are some of the activities one can do when visiting this forested little island.

The most striking feature of Berhala Island is the awesome dusky-pink range of cliffs that drop straight into the water! And of course…it is also blessed with white fine sandy beach and crystal clear water. And no… no traces of POW camp or whatnots:)

I’m not sure how other visitors made their way to Berhala Island. As for me, this is what I did. I first went to the fish market located at the jetty in Sandakan town. There I asked if any of the fishermen ( while they were still in their boats) willing to take me for a ’round-tour’ to the Berhala Island.

Jetty of Water Village, Berhala Island

Within minutes I already had someone willing to do so and wanted to charge me RM10 for the service! What? Only for RM10? And I could have the boat all to myself? He seemed  very sincere and equally excited as I was… so without a second thought I accepted his kind offer.

 

The red cliff rises out of the blue sea!

He first took me for a ‘short tour’ to a nearby Sim Sim Village. This was a ‘water village’ located adjacent to the fish market.

From Sim Sim Village he then took the boat across the Sandakan Bay and headed straight to Berhala Island.

The island was located about 8 km from the jetty (of the fish market) of  Sandakan. And it took only 15 ” from Sim Sim village to go to Berhala Island. My first stop was the water village of Berhala Island.

He then took the boat for a ’round tour’ of the island. Berhala Island is about 5ha in size. So, it is a very tiny island, indeed.

Picnic spot on Berhala Island

The water village is located on the west part of the island. And to the north is where the most striking feature of the island is to be found – the dusky red/pink color sheer cliff that seemed to rise out of the deep blue sea! This tall & towering cliff is estimated to be about 600′ high.

It was already getting late in the evening by the time we reached that lovely ‘picnic spot‘ of Berhala Island. So I did not have the opportunity to enjoy a swim at this lovely white sandy beach. I would love to come back here again soon. To me, Berhala Island is truly a lovely tiny eden in the Bay of  Sandakan. And… ‘Shutter Island’ this place is definitely not:)

eSa waved to kids of water village

The beautiful Berhala Island of Sandakan, Sabah, MALAYSIA