{"id":68768,"date":"2026-07-15T05:27:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T21:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=68768"},"modified":"2026-07-15T05:27:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T21:27:00","slug":"how-muars-oysters-turned-a-sleepy-riverside-village-into-a-tourist-draw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=68768","title":{"rendered":"How Muar\u2019s oysters turned a sleepy riverside village into a tourist draw"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Studies by several Malaysian universities have recognised Muar oysters for their exceptional size, quality and meaty flesh. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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MUAR<\/span>:<\/address>\n

For years, the small jetty at Kampung Parit Tiram was little more than a landing point for fishermen and oyster divers returning from the Muar River with their catch.<\/p><\/div>\n

There were no crowds, no tour buses, and little reason for outsiders to stop by. Even many people in Muar had no idea the village was home to one of the river\u2019s best-kept culinary treasures.<\/p>\n

Today, it\u2019s a different story. The once-quiet village has become a destination for seafood lovers, drawing visitors from across Malaysia and overseas in search of Muar\u2019s famed oysters<\/span><\/a>, which are prized for their quality, generous size and plump, meaty flesh.<\/p>\n

Helping to spark that transformation is oyster supplier and wholesaler Zaidi Noh, 59, whose goal was not just to sell oysters but to put his hometown on the map.<\/p>\n

When he started the business in 2014, Kampung Parit Tiram was barely known beyond the local community. \u201cBack then, hardly anyone came here. Many people didn\u2019t even know we had oysters,\u201d he told FMT.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I started sharing photos and information on social media, hoping more people would discover what we have here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The response exceeded anything he had imagined. Strong interest eventually led Zaidi to open a restaurant, Asam Pedas PakNdak<\/span><\/a>, giving visitors a place to enjoy the oysters just metres from where they are harvested, alongside other local river fish and seafood specialities.<\/p>\n

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Zaidi preparing freshly shucked oysters for diners at his restaurant, where visitors can enjoy seafood harvested from the Muar River. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Zaidi said he initially sold fresh oysters for about RM3 each, while a serving of 10 cooked oysters would be priced between RM35 and RM40.<\/p>\n

Today, customers travel from every corner of the country, as well as from Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and the United States, to sample the delicacy.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt our busiest, especially during weekends and holiday seasons, demand can reach between 3,000 and 4,000 oysters a day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Zaidi also supplies oysters to Penang, Kuantan, Melaka, Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, with orders continuing to grow. Singapore remains a market he hopes to expand into, although export permits have slowed those plans.<\/p>\n

Notably, the oysters\u2019 reputation is also backed by research. Studies by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia have ranked Muar oysters among the finest in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands for their quality, size and flesh.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe oysters here are plumper and rounder,\u201d Zaidi explained, adding that there are two primary species in Muar\u2019s waters: white oysters, also known as egg oysters, and a newer species called \u201cCrassostrea (Magallana) saidii\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Beyond supplying oysters nationwide, Zaidi has opened a riverside restaurant where visitors can enjoy the village\u2019s signature delicacy at its freshest. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yet for all the industry\u2019s success, Zaidi believes its future depends on attracting a new generation. He hopes more young entrepreneurs will help market Muar oysters so the industry does not rely on just a handful of people.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf no one continues this work, there\u2019s a real risk this product could one day disappear,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

A customer from Kuala Lumpur, who wished to be known only as Seri, said the oysters lived up to their growing reputation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe oysters served at hotels are usually quite thin, but the ones here are wonderfully plump. They\u2019re really satisfying to eat, and the prices are affordable too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Diving deep for every oyster<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, long before Muar\u2019s oysters reach a dining table, someone has to brave the river to harvest them.<\/p>\n

For Zaidi\u2019s brother, 57-year-old Zaimi Noh, it has been his life\u2019s work. He first began diving at age 13 and has spent more than four decades harvesting wild oysters from the bed of the Muar River.<\/p>\n

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Zaidi\u2019s brother Zaimi Noh has spent more than 40 years harvesting wild oysters from Muar River despite hearing problems and health issues. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The former soldier said oyster diving demands experience, patience and nerve, especially as it is carried out without breathing equipment.<\/p>\n

Divers only enter the water during the brief period between high and low tide, when the current is calm enough to work safely.<\/p>\n

Using a mangrove pole driven into the riverbed as a guide, Zaimi descends into the murky water, feeling his way across the riverbed with his hands to collect oysters one by one.<\/p>\n

This traditional method has been passed down through generations and was even recorded in the journal of a British captain as early as 1858.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe dive to depths of between 10 and 12 feet (3.05m and 3.66m), and sometimes as deep as 33 feet (10.06m), clinging to the pole as we descend because the current is very strong.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we\u2019re not careful, it could easily sweep us away,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

On a good day, a diver can harvest around 5-6kg of cleaned oyster meat, which sells for between RM40 and RM50 per kilogramme.<\/p>\n

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Working by feel beneath the river\u2019s surface, Zaimi uses a basket to collect oysters from the riverbed during each dive. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite the dangers \u2013 including hearing problems and other health issues linked to years of diving \u2013 Zaimi has no plans to stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery job comes with its own risks. What\u2019s important is having the passion and determination to provide for your family,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

What concerns him more is the future of the trade. Where there were once between 40 and 70 oyster divers working these waters, only eight to 10 remain today.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope more young people will step forward and carry on this tradition so our oyster-diving heritage isn\u2019t lost to time,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Studies by several Malaysian universities have recognised Muar oysters for their exceptional size, quality and meaty flesh. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle) MUAR: For years,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":68769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=68768"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68768\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/68769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=68768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=68768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=68768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}