Song Song: Perfect Getaway

Susan Oh

Long weekends are a great opportunity to just relax and be lazy. Like many others, I spend most of my long weekends taking several naps, maybe going out to Gurney with friends, or binge watching my favorite TV shows. But this past long weekend was a bit different. This long weekend I decided to go on a little trip, and that became one of the most productive things I did.

Just an hour away from Penang there is an island called Song Song. Song Song Island is very small compared to Penang, but it’s a very beautiful place. The water is clear, the sand is white, the sun is bright, and there is a forest where people can explore. Half of the island is covered with red, slippery rocks that lead to the forest, while the other half is filled with soft, white sand that makes a clean beach. It’s a perfect getaway place. Getting there, however, can be a little tricky.

First, you need to ride a boat. During the ride, the waves can be harsh. If you get easily seasick or have trouble with motion sickness, you might have a hard time because the waves can really rock the boat. You are given a life vest just in case if you fall off the boat nevertheless. An hour does not sound very long, but when you are in the middle of the ocean and you see nothing but more water in every direction, it’s going to feel like you are on it forever. Lastly, once you are on that boat there is no turning back. But despite all the trouble, I can assure you that it is worth it!

Once the boat arrived at the island, Chloe Castro (12) and I got our sunscreen on and jumped right into the seawater. The water was warm but it felt great. We could see little fishes and sea cucumbers floating around our legs. A lot of the dorm students tried to grab the sea cumbers and threw them at each other playfully.

We spent the first half of the trip on the rocky side of the island, venturing as far as we could. I fell several times while Chloe was jumping around the rocks like a ninja. The other half of the trip was spent on the quiet and more beautiful side. Surprisingly, it was only Chloe, me, and two other people who went to the opposite side.

Almost every year, since seventh grade, I came to this island as a getaway, and it hit me hard when I realized that this was my last year on this beautiful island.

“I’m going to miss this place so much!” cried Castro. Although my time in Malaysia is ending soon, I will never forget the amazing memories I made here.