Kukup Fishing Village is a popular fishing village in the Pontian district of Johor. Kukup is divided into two villages, Kukup Laut and Air Masin, which have a rich history of over 100 years. Kukup was the first village to be developed within the Pontian district. In other words, Kukup has a history longer than Pontian itself.
It is the relaxing atmosphere of this fishing village that makes Kukup a unique place for tourists to visit. Besides, many city dwellers love to visit Kukup for its delicious seafood and to take a break from stressful and hectic city life. Hence, most visitors would like to come to Kukup to experience a different kind of lifestyle on the sea.
Another unique characteristic that makes Kukup a special place is that all the buildings in this village are built on high stilts, which are located over muddy mangrove seashore by the Malacca Strait. Moreover, it is the largest and southernmost fishing village on the peninsula of Malaysia as well as South-east Asia.
Geographically, Kukup is located approximately 70 kilometers from Johor Bahru and approximately 20 kilometers from Pontian, with about 1,400 villagers in the village, most of whom are of Chinese descent, with over 90% Hokkien and Teochew.
As it is not easy to make a living from just a fish farm, the fishermen have other ideas to maintain their livelihood. According to an informal research, there is currently a third of houses converted to serve as holiday resorts for tourists visiting Kukup for a vacation.
Most tourists like to rent a holiday resort over the weekend, which adds a fascinating atmosphere to Kukup as the village is filled with people coming for a holiday. Not only can the tourists go for a boat trip to the fish farms and the Pulau Kukup Johor National Park, they can also have a sumptuous and affordable seafood feast at the nearby restaurants. Additionally, tourists can even shop in various corners of Kukup for its souvenirs and local products at affordable price and bring them back for their relatives and friends.
Kukup welcomes you to experience a colorful and carefree rural lifestyle!