Description

Pantai Murni is a quiet 18-acre section of coastline in Kedah, located around 50km from Penang, 80km from the popular holiday destination of Langkawi, tucked between the Straits of Malacca and Mount Jerai, the tallest peak in the state.

This section of Kedah’s western coastline presently consists of single-storey homes, some of which have been converted into guesthouses and renovated extensively to incorporate swimming pools and accommodate discerning holidaymakers seeking to escape the crowds at some of Malaysia’s more popular beaches.

From the pier extending 300m into the Straits of Malacca, at the northern edge of the Pantai Murni Waterfront, relatively short hops can be made to the nearby islands of Telur and Bidan. Both of these islands are widely known among locals as destinations for secluded day trips, picnics, and camping escapades. The larger island of Pulau Bunting, just 7km northeast from Pulau Telur, is also reachable by road, over the only bridge connecting an island to the mainland in the state of Kedah.

Despite being in close proximity to Mount Jerai, the surrounding forest reserves, the world-renowned Bujang Valley archaeological site, and the seat of the local district council at Yan, Pantai Murni has remained largely undeveloped – with the notable exceptions being the holiday homes, and an esplanade amounting to half the length of Pantai Murni, built over shore-connected breakwaters and planted with casuarina trees.

Starting from the pier and an open-air parking lot at Kuala Yan, the hardscape of the Pantai Murni Waterfront extends 330m past the Kampung Pantai Murni football field and mosque, before reverting to a low-crested breakwater that extends to both sides of the Raga estuary at the southern edge of the beach.

This exercise in coastline development and management facilitates the eventual construction of larger buildings along the Pantai Murni Waterfront, protects the interests of property owners by mitigating erosion, and simultaneously creates opportunities for striking sunset photography along the entire length of the beach.

Given the private ownership of the inter-generational homes along the Pantai Murni Waterfront, there is an absence of usable transaction data to discern pricing. However, there are other data points that can be used as references: guesthouses at Pantai Murni have been rented for between RM150 and RM300 per night – while homes in comparable locations, such as apartments in Taman Bayu Aman, approximately 5km north of Butterworth, are priced around RM200 psf.