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Mersing is a town located in Mersing District on the northeast corner of the peninsular Malaysian state of Johor. Lying along the South China Sea, the town of Mersing is located at the mouth of the Mersing River. Covering an area of 2,838 sq. km, Mersing is the biggest and one of the major two towns (the other being Kota Tinggi) on the east coast of Johor. It is 136 km northeast of state capital, Johor Bahru.
The history of Mersing, which is originally known as Rantau Panjang, dates back to the 16th century. After the victory of the Portuguese over the Malacca Sultanate in 1511, Datuk Bendahara (same as prime minister) led Malay noblemen away from the advancing Portuguese forces.
En route, the Datuk Bendahara stopped at a river in northern Johor to rest. He quenched his thirst with the clear water of the river, which was named as 'Segar Amat', meaning 'exceedingly fresh', by him. Later on, this river came to be known as the Mersing River.
Until the end of the 19th century, Mersing came under the jurisdiction of Muar District along with three other sub-districts (or mukim), namely Parit Jawa, Chohong and Lenga. In 1933, a major realignment of district boundaries was made by the state government of Johor.
After realignment, the four Johor districts of Muar, Batu Pahat, Johor Bahru and Sedili were split into eight districts. These included Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Kota Tinggi, Mersing, Muar, Pontian and Segamat. Later, in 2008, Ledang and Kulaijaya districts were created.
Mersing is famous as an embarkation point for more than 40 islands in the Seribuat Archipelago like Pulau Tioman. A gateway to nature and traditional culture, Mersing has plenty of natural attractions, including rugged coastlines, thick jungle forests and beach access. Owing to this, it has emerged as a popular tourist destination in Malaysia over the years.
The quiet charm possessed by Mersing represents a fast disappearing small-town culture that once pervaded all of Malaysia. A fishing village at heart, the town of Mersing is yet to witness typical signs of major economic and urban development.
Characteristic of equatorial climate, Mersing experiences rainfall throughout the year. It is ideal to visit the town in relatively drier months (February through August). The peak tourist months in Mersing are April, August and November.
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