It consist of an uninhabited mangrove island located 1 kilometre fromthe southwestern tip of the Malaysian peninsula – one of the few intact sites of this type left in Southeast Asia. Pulau Kukup has been identified by BirdLife International as one of the Important Bird Areas (IBA) for Malaysia. Pulau Kukup is important for flood control, physical protection (e.g. as a wind-breaker), and shoreline stabilization. It also supports an important shellfish and cage culture industry, and has significant potential for ecotourism.