Meet Pulau Mawar, the Johor island you can reach on foot

With its striking natural rock formations, hidden caves and a stone arch known as ‘Heaven’s Gate’, Pulau Mawar offers visitors a nature experience unlike the usual island getaway. — Bernama pic

First Published: Sunday, 08 Nov 2026 7:00 AM MYT

MERSING, Nov 8 — With its striking natural rock formations, hidden caves and a stone arch known as ‘Heaven’s Gate’, Pulau Mawar offers visitors a nature experience unlike the usual island getaway.

Located about 28 kilometres from Mersing town, the island has an unusual attraction: visitors can walk to it from Pantai Mawar along a sandy and rocky route during low tide, passing through a mangrove area.

Mersing District Council president TPr Abdul Karim Bakar said Pulau Mawar was part of the Mersing Geopark Zone, which showcases the area’s geological features, biodiversity and local cultural heritage.

Apart from exploring its rock formations and coastline, visitors can enjoy camping, light hiking, fishing and stargazing, with the island also offering opportunities to photograph the Milky Way.

Abdul Karim said the area had potential as a nature-based tourism destination, but any development must be carefully managed to preserve its natural environment.

He said visitor safety and environmental conservation should remain priorities, urging visitors to keep the area clean and avoid damaging its natural habitats.

Those planning to hike or stargaze were also advised to engage trained guides, including forestry department mountain guides or experienced local guides familiar with the island.

One such guide is Mat Razak Awang, 64, better known as Pok Jak, who has been taking visitors around the island since it opened to the public in September 2022.

He said the island had several unusual rock formations resembling a window, a wolf and a baby dinosaur, besides the famous ‘Heaven’s Gate’.

A sandy and rocky route emerges at low tide, allowing visitors to explore Pulau Mawar's coastal landscape and rock formations on foot. — Bernama pic

Pok Jak usually takes about three hours to show visitors around, including stops for photographs, charging from RM10 per person, depending on weather and tidal conditions.

A guide was useful as some trails branched off in different directions, and visitors could easily lose their way, particularly when the tide began to rise, he said. 

He recalled an incident in which visitors took the wrong route to the rock formation resembling a window and could not find their way back because of the rising tide.

Bernama Johor Bureau journalist Kamarul Halim M Kamal, 43, said the nearly three-hour journey from Batu Pahat was worth it, with the island’s granite formations and small caves making the visit memorable.

He said the walk to the island, rather than the usual boat ride associated with island visits, added to its appeal, while the hiking experience and Pok Jak’s knowledge of the local flora and fauna made the trip more enjoyable.

Pulau Mawar attracts about 40,000 visitors annually, with entrance tickets priced from RM5 per person. The ticket counter operates from 8am to 5pm. — Bernama