Malaysia — Fishing Museum, Tanjung Balau Beach, Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia

A museum about fishing?

May 2015

Tanjung Balau Beach was a fantastic-looking beach. Nice sand, warm shallow water, and popular. It was much busier than Desaru Beach.

The Fishing Museum was a nice simple museum, very well put together, not large, and not overly informative.

Like many Malaysian tourist spots, the museum had received significant initial investment, but it was now falling into disrepair due to lack of maintenance. The situation was not helped by a RM2 entrance fee which was far too low. They would get more money by making the museum free and collecting donations.

In the main building, you were not allowed to wear shoes, but they could be worn in the side exhibits, of which there were three. One on a local shipwreck, one on sea safety, and a third ‘special’ exhibition on coffins.

The museum also has a filthy aquarium in which it was impossible to see if there were any fish in the tanks — I suspect not. And when I visited the museum, the café was closed and looked almost abandoned.

Stunningly ornate fishing boat.

Information map showing tourist attractions and activities in the area.

Below is a photograph of one of the displays at the museum.

I wasn’t too sure what the bike had to do with fishing.

And another stunningly ornate fishing boat.

If the Fishing Museum, Tanjung Balau Beach, Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia worth a visit? I would say yes, as it was very cheap, and I did learn a thing or two.