Teluk

Teluk is the Malay and Indonesian word for a coastal inlet, commonly translated as bay or gulf. In both languages, teluk denotes a body of water partially enclosed by land along a coastline and often forms part of harbors or fishing grounds.

In toponymy, teluk is widely used as a place-name element across Malaysia and Indonesia, and is sometimes used for towns or districts located near the corresponding coastal feature. The exact boundaries and size of a teluk can vary, depending on local geography and naming conventions.

Notable examples include Teluk Tomini (the Gulf of Tomini) on the north-eastern coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia; Teluk Bahang, a coastal area in Penang, Malaysia; and Teluk Intan, a town in Perak, Malaysia near the coast and the Perak River estuary. Beyond these, many other bays and gulfs in the Malay-speaking world bear the name Teluk in various spellings or combinations.

As a common geographic and linguistic term, teluk appears in nautical, historical, and regional contexts, reflecting the coastal landscapes of Southeast Asia.