The Port Klang to Pulau Ketam Ferry and a seafood feed

The thing about Malaysia is the unrelenting heat and humidity.

To get some respite I took a punt and visited Pulau Ketam (apparently Crab Island). A train, a ferry and a seafood meal on a pier. What’s not to like? There’s healthy competition to ferry seafood lovers to and from Port Klang and Pulau Ketam. The punters love it. Most choose the air conditioned comfort of downstairs, but the crew and some passengers opt for the back of the Alibaba Ferry.

I knew I was amongst friends when the crew lit up darts with some passengers, one of whom cracked a Guinness. What was slightly alarming was one of the crew going down to the engine room with a lit dart.

The voyage is long. About an hour. No beer for sale at Port Klang, but plenty available for purchase on the return trip. The rain set in on the return voyage driving people from the outside top deck. No worries – the crew distributed stools.

Pulau Ketam is a collection of structures in piers and stilts. Every fifth place is a seafood restaurant. Market prices with crab the star. I opted for Kong Po squid and a local favourite the oyster omelette. I was expected some like Lynn’s Horn of Plenty (dry fried squid with chilli and onion), but got a heavy dose of chilli infused soy with fresh squid. Seriously good. The omelette resembled gloop and wasn’t the highlight of my Malaysian food experiences. Family groups and groups of mates happily feasted on trays of crab and prawns. The groups of mates also enjoyed large bottles of Johnny Walker double black.

For most of the voyage you cruise up a channel flanked by mangroves. Occasionally you pass fishing boats and the occasional freight ship once you’ve cleared the cranes and loading areas. It’s a good day out.