Help! Visiting Mersing

[aktsukikeeper]

Hello, my friends and I have been thinking of going to Mersing for a stargazing trip but we have no idea how to do so. I only know that we can take a bus from lavender street to Mersing, but accommodation wise we are quite clueless. May I ask for any suggestions for the accommodation that allows us to see the milky way without travelling too far (since we do not have a car). I found a Sanggar Srikandi resoty from one of the outing threads, but the resort's website is currently down and we don't know if it's still operational or not.

[Airconvent]

The coordinates that I got with my HP handheld GPS when I was at our regular Mersing site was 3 deg North, 103 deg 9 min East.
But let's wait for Gavin to share on his detailed directions which was found on our old wiki section before it was decommissioned. He had very detailed directions including numbers on the lamp post!

There are basic Chalets there. You can contact Carole from the Astroscientific shop at the Science Centre or Remus (RCJ) who organises regular trips to Mersing for contacts for the Chalet.

[aktsukikeeper]

The coordinates that I got with my HP handheld GPS when I was at our regular Mersing site was 3 deg North, 103 deg 9 min East.
But let's wait for Gavin to share on his detailed directions which was found on our old wiki section before it was decommissioned. He had very detailed directions including numbers on the lamp post!

There are basic Chalets there. You can contact Carole from the Astroscientific shop at the Science Centre or Remus (RCJ) who organises regular trips to Mersing for contacts for the Chalet.

Thank you! I was wondering how much the taxi will cost to travel from mersing town to the srikandi chalet. Since there's only two of us I am concerned about safety as well.

[Airconvent]

Actualy one of our previous members matthew actually went there alone frequently when he was imaging spending the whole night sitting infront of a laptop controlling his LX90. Talk about scary. But of course, the place is generally safe although we should not take chances. Or you can wait for "mayyen" Carole or "RCJ" (Remus) to organise a trip there.
Also, rlow also goes to another location quite often too so you can check when he will be going again.
Cheers

[starfinder]

Hi aktsukikeeper,

The best place in the Mersing district area for star-gazing that I'm aware of is the site at Telok Sari that we Singapore astronomers have been going to for over a dozen years.

We used to refer to it as "the Telok Sari field with the tall coconut trees". It's GPS geographical coordinates are:
2º 36' 13.2"N, 103º46' 48.9"E
(taken from the previous Singastro Wiki page)

Most of those trees were chopped down when a budget one-storey 'resort' was built at the field about 2-3 years ago. This is the Srikandi Beach Resort that Remus organises trips to, just like the one several weeks ago. I've just checked and you're right that their website seems to be down. However, the Johor Tourism website has a page with their contact and other details:
http://www.tourismjohor.com/directory/a ... 7F6574BC33

I had posted a panorama of the field which I took last year on the following Singastro thread:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9762

And I had also previously posted 2 annotated aerial photos of that coastal region which I took whilst on a flight from Singapore:
viewtopic.php?p=35523#p35523
As you can see, the site is just inland from the beach. However it's is quite well sheltered from sea breezes by shrubs.

I'm sure if you stayed within the resort it would be quite safe, and just outside its perimeter it would be safe as well. We have been observing there for years with no incident (as far as I know) other than a harmless visit by some passing bikers on 1 or 2 occasions.

As for getting there from Mersing. If there are taxis in Mersing (I think there should be, but find out to confirm), I suggest taking a taxi on the basis that it would pick you up for the return trip. Or perhaps the resort could help you arrange the transport.

The site/resort is about 25km northeast of Mersing town. From Mersing town, head North for about 15-20km along the trunk road that leads to Kuantan in Pahang state. You would then make a right turn off the trunk road due East towards the coast. The site is roughly a total of 10km from that turn-off.

Now this is where my info is a bit out-of-date, since the coastal roads here have changed a bit in the last 2-3 years, so others could add to the info. I'm not sure what the signboard at the right turn-off from the trunk road says now, but I should think it would indicate Tanjong Resang and/or Penyabong. Tanjong Resang is roughly 5-10km south of the Telok Sari site, and Penyabong is roughly 10km north of it. Sorry, I don't want to be more specific here, because the roads have changed. I hope others can add the new info here.


Having said all of that, I think for your first trip, you should go with others who've been there before. You could then try the public transport method for subsequent trips.

[sTiCkY]

taxi would cost about RM100 to and fro.. just tell the uncle what time to come back and when..

place seems quite safe :x

[artificial]

Hi,

do u guys like stargaze at the srikandi resort itself or go to the GPS coordinates (2º 36' 13.2"N, 103º46' 48.9"E) "starfinder" has mentioned?

i am planning the area this friday night.. any advice on light pollution or updates on better position??

Regards,
Jim

[starfinder]

Hi,

do u guys like stargaze at the srikandi resort itself or go to the GPS coordinates (2º 36' 13.2"N, 103º46' 48.9"E) "starfinder" has mentioned?

i am planning the area this friday night.. any advice on light pollution or updates on better position??

Regards,
Jim

As far as I know, ever since the Sri Kandi Resort was built about 3 years ago, we Singastro members have stayed at the resort and stargazed either inside or just outside of the resort's wooden fence fronting the grassy area next to the sea.

The resort was built on a southern section of the field which we used to stargaze at. At least half of the field is still there (the northern section) and is accessible from the road by merely driving into it (best entry point is at the area beside the electricity/telephone-line post no. 23). It is useable for stargazing, except that there are lights from the resort now. When we stay at the resort, we would request the staff to switch off the outdoor lights along the pathways and they oblige. Lights shining out from the guest rooms are another matter. It's not a large resort, just a scattering of mostly single storey small buildings.

I've just checked the above GPS coordinates on Google Earth and indeed it is spot-on inside that field on the northern section.

I stayed at the resort and walked around the field in the daytime just this past weekend. The electricity posts along the road beside the field still do not have lamps on them; let's hope it remains that way.

[artificial]

Thanks starfinder your information is critical!

I hope the chalet lights won't affect much but am still very concerned.
On a side note, any idea about Tanjung Sedili's observation site?

Jim

[CuriousOrion7]

Hi is this Telok Sari Oberservation site still there? I understand that it has been many years now. And I am planning a trip down to srikandi resort in the next few coming weeks. Any suggestions of any other places in Mersing?