Pulau Duyong had never been known as a tourist destination. It was not as popular as the nearby islands that tourists frequented. It was an ordinary island that had been inhabited by fishermen for generations. It was known as the center of Islamic civilization and where the boat building industry started for the locals at one time. Pulau Duyong had never been anything more.
Kuala Terengganu is strategically positioned along the South China Sea as a port of call for cruising boats from the North-East of Asia to South Asia and Australasia. The current marina at Pulau Duyong, Kuala Terengganu, is the only operating mainland marina on the east coast of the Malaysian peninsular.
In July 2005 the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, stepped foot on the island and Pulau Duyong changed forever. Tun Abdullah envisioned a bright future for the island. The Monsoon Cup was born. The Monsoon Cup was an integral part of the Prime Minister's vision develop the state of Terengganu.