The perfect (?) tropical dream – Perhentian Islands
Teluk Dalam on Perhentian Besar, Malaysia
Where are the Perhentians?
In summer 2024 I travelled for the first time to Malaysia. I love snorkeling and while researching the best snorkeling spots directly from the beach, I came across this hidden gem in Malaysia: the Perhentian Islands. The Perhentians are a small group of islands in the South Chinese Sea, about 19 km off the shore from the State of Terengganu and about 64 km from the Thai border. The islands belong to the Pulau Redang National Marine Park and are under protection. Two of the islands are inhabited – Kecil, the smaller island and Besar, the bigger one – while Susu Dara, Serenggeh and Rawa are uninhabited by men. The islands are the perfect tropical dream: covered in lush green jungle, surrounded by soft white sandy beaches and deep blue water full of marine life.
While the smaller island, Perhentian Kecil, is favored by backpackers, the big island, Perhentian Besar, is beloved by honeymooners and seekers of quiet and peace. I decided to stay on Besar, not only because I like it calm and I am absolutely not a backpacker, but also because it was said that Besar is better for snorkeling.
When to go there
From mid-March to mid-November, the islands are open for tourism. During the monsoon season the heavy rainfall and the wind make it dangerous to travel to the islands, therefore they are closed to tourists. July and August the water conditions are best for diving and snorkeling. For travelers on a budget or those who want to avoid crowded beaches April, May or June is the time to visit the Perhentians.
Book your accommodation in advance, especially when you are travelling during peak season! I cannot stress this enough, particularly if you want to stay on Besar. The number of (good) hotels is limited. I booked in May for my trip in August, and I struggled to find a place. The hotels I would have preferred staying at were completely booked. I was lucky to find a decent place with air conditioning for a competitive price. I was probably staying longer on the island than most tourists. I wanted to give myself enough time to discover the island, snorkel from every possible beach, snorkel from the boat, hike on the big as well as on the small island, relax… Ten day was just enough to see everything and do all the activities without feeling rushed. However, I could have stayed a few more days. There are so many nice places to discover and snorkeling trips to do.
How to get there
Kota Besut Jetty, from where the boats to the Perhentian Islands leave.
Teluk Dalam, Perhentian Besar
Getting to the islands is a bit of journey: Coming from Switzerland I flew over Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. From Kula Lumpur, there are different options to get to the Perhentians: Either by land (bus or car) or by air. I opted for a domestic flight to Kota Bharu (booked via Traveloka) and took a taxi from the airport to Kuala Besut Jetty, from where the ferries leave to either Kecil or Besar. From the airport to the jetty by taxi takes about an hour. There is a public ferry as well as private speedboats that take guests to the islands. My crossing was organized by my hotel Flora Bay Resort on Besar, as well as the taxi so that all was well coordinated with the arrival of my flight, so that I would not lose too much time waiting or getting rejected due to a lack of space available on the official ferry. I carefully packed all my electronic devices in waterproof bags because I heard that you as well as your luggage will be soaked through on the bumpy ride over the South Chinese Sea. The 30 min crossing from Kuala Besut Jetty to Perhentian Besar on a speedboat was kind of wild and bumpy but neither me nor my luggage got wet. My captain dropped off a Malaysian family on their long weekend at the main jetty on Besut and then continued to drop me off at the jetty of Flora Bay Resort. He even let me navigate the boat around the rocks at Fish Point and Shark Point, which was a lot of fun.
The islands are breathtakingly beautiful: The perfectly shaped rocks, the palm trees hanging over white beaches, the turquoise water and the little boats would make a perfect backdrop for a pirate movie. My hotel Flora Bay Resort was located on Teluk Dalam, a lengthy but secluded beach in the south of the big island.
How to get around on the Perhentians
Water taxis operate from all the main beaches.
There are only two ways to get around on the islands because there are no streets, only paths: by boat or on foot. Taxi boats are the fastest, easiest and often the only option to get from one point or beach to another. Kayaks or SUP (or swimming/snorkeling) are other possibilities to get around on the islands. There are no streets on the islands (let aside a few inside Fisher Village on Kecil), only paths so there are no cars. Some locals have motorbikes to move quicker from one hotel to another or to transport heavy goods.
My beach, Teluk Dalam, could only be left either by water taxi or by hiking about 40 min through the steamy hot jungle. The taxi boats only operate for a minimum of two people. As a solo traveler I either joined a group of other tourists or just paid the price for two people. The captains were fine with that. They have taxi boat services on most beaches. If you are going to a lonely beach, make sure that you have your ride back organized by either getting the captain’s phone number or agreeing on a time when he will come back to pick you up. They also operate at night time for the double of price after sunset. The prices for the water taxi services are very transparent. They have lists of the costs for a ride or a snorkeling trip everywhere so that you know in advance how much you will pay. As Swiss, I love hiking. There are some nice hikes on Kecil and Besar on the little trails through the jungle that I tried. Going prepared will make your life much easier. It can get muddy, steep, slipper and there are many mosquitoes in the jungle. I will give you some further information on hiking on the Perhentians in another blog post.
Teluk Keke, one of the many snorkeling spots on Perhentian Besar.
What to do on the Perhentian Islands
As just said, hiking is one of the many activities to enjoy on the Perhentians. I was mainly there to snorkel. I do not dive but I saw many divers and I heard that the Perhentians are a great place for diving. You may even get your certification for diving in one of the many diving schools on the islands. There are many nice snorkeling spots directly from the beach. At some places I spotted little reef sharks in knee-deep water, I swam with turtles a few meters away from the beach, I bumped into parrot fishes directly at the shore. Diving and snorkeling are the main two activities on the Perhentians besides enjoying beach life and going for a swim. Kayaks and SUPs are available for rent. There are several boat trips offered that include snorkeling from the boat or from the beaches on the inhabited islands, like Rawa and Serenggeh, or boat trips to Redang, which is also part of the Marine Park. I will write another blog post about the beaches you have to visit and others that you can ignore without missing anything.
There are many different snorkeling trips to take on the Perhentian Islands. They even go to Redang for snorkeling.
Turtle at Teluk Keke, Besar
Make sure to go to Turtle Beach and check out the Perhentian Turtle Project. The Perhentian Turtle Project was officially established in 2015 as a sea turtle research and conservation initiative. They work closely with the local community, stakeholders, the state Department of Fisheries and Marine Parks Division. Their work includes population surveys, nightly beach patrols, stranding responses and awareness activities. Located on Pantai Tiga Ruang or Turtle Beach, they do their night patrols, assist the rangers with nesting sea turtle mothers, release the hatchlings and collect data and samples from the nesting population. I missed the release of hatchlings by a few hours!
I brought my underwater case for my phone to take pictures and videos of marine life. I flew my drone over beaches and got some great footage of the Perhentians. I hiked through the jungle spotting monkeys and monitor lizards, beautiful butterflies and exotic birds. I relaxed on lonely beaches, and I enjoyed stunning views from the windmill on Kecil.
Dos and Don’ts on the Perhentian Islands
Be aware that the State of Terengganu has a ban on alcohol for Muslims. Therefore, many restaurants and bars do not sell alcohol and do not allow you to bring your own. The consumption of alcohol is not forbidden to non-Muslim citizens and tourists, but the prices of booze are quite high: there are high taxes on alcohol in Malaysia and everything has to be brought by boat to the islands. Keep in mind that drugs are highly illegal in Malaysia, carrying mandatory death penalty for trafficking and possible whipping for possession as consequences. The place to party is Long Beach on Perhentian Kecil. Besar is very quiet at night without much going on. Bring a flashlight to walk at night.
Keep in mind that you are a guest in a Muslim country. Especially the north-east of Malaysia is devout. Swimming trunks and bikinis are accepted when worn by tourists. Locals and domestic tourists are always covered up at the beach and while swimming or snorkeling. Although there are tourists wearing thongs, remember that it is highly disrespectful towards the locals. Respect their culture and morals. It is anyway better to cover up for snorkeling by wearing a rash guard as protection from reef cuts, jellyfish and the hot tropical sun. Use reef safe sunscreen while snorkeling or swimming or - even better - wear clothing with SPF.
Monitor lizard
Make sure to bring enough cash. There are no ATMs on Besar. As far as I know there is one ATM on Kecil, but it is mostly empty. Do not rely on your credit card. Some bigger hotels accept credit cards, but taxi boats and snorkeling trips are usually paid for in cash. Be aware that there are only a few shops on Besar or that there is no shop at all if your accommodation is located on a secluded beach. Some hotels have little shops where they sell essentials such as water (tab water is not safe for drinking on the Perhentians!), snacks, toothbrushes, soap and so on. There are also no pharmacies! Bring plenty of your own medication. There is no hosptital on the islands. There are medical centers for smaller issues but serious medical emergencies require evacuation. Mosquitoes can carry Malaria or Dengue fever. Use a repellent at night or when hiking through the jungle.
If you are planning to go hiking, bring good shoes. The jungle paths get muddy or dusty. Especially when hiking from Teluk Dalam to Teluk Keke, the path is steep with roots and rocks, easy to twist an ankle in slippers or sneakers.
Trash is a serious problem on the Perhentians
Do not litter the beaches! I have seen so much trash on the beaches, inside the ocean, even in the jungle. The Perhentians do have a plastic trash issue. Keep in mind that all the trash must be brought back to the peninsula by boat. On certain days, hotels pile up black trash bags on the beach, load them on a boat and bring them to Kuala Besut. There is no recycling system established on the islands.
Respect marine life and wildlife. Do not touch or harass any corals, fishes, turtles or crabs. You will see many lizards in the jungle but also at the beach. If you do not corner them or chase them, they will go out of harm’s way. There are different types of monkey in the jungle but often they can also be seen in gardens of resorts. Keep a respectful distance. Monkeys can get very aggressive when they feel threatened.
The perfect tropical paradise?
Turtle Beach on Perhentian Besar, where the Perhentian Turtle Project is located.
Palm trees, sandy beaches and blue water expect you
The beauty of the Perhentians gave them their reputation as Maldives of Malaysia. Since I have never been to the Maldives, I cannot confirm or deny if this is true. But I can say for sure that the Perhentians offer everything you would expect from a tropical destination: white sandy beaches with low hanging palm trees, deep blue water full of marine life, monkeys and lizards roaming in the lush green jungle. However, there are some downsides: one big issue is the trash. There is so much trash everywhere on the beaches, in the sea, even inside the jungle. Some trash on the beach is just ocean plastic which stranded there after hightide. But partly it also comes from the hotels and from tourism. I truly hope they find a way to establish sustainable tourism on the islands. In the meantime, do not litter the ocean, the beach or the jungle and go for the trash-less option whenever possible. Every single one of us can take responsibility and help to solve the issue.
The other big problem is coral bleaching. I can only guess how beautiful the underwater world around the Perhentians must have been years ago. Unfortunately, coral bleaching is very present. There are sad remains of huge coral gardens, that are completely dead by now. However, the marine life is still very present and vivid. I saw many reef sharks, turtles in all shapes and sizes, huge swarms of colorful fishes, crabs running around on the rocks, and I found Nemo frolicking inside sea anemones! Snorkeling is possible for non-swimmers with a lifejacket in shallow waters: There is still enough to see, you do not have to go to deep waters by boat.
Trash is a serious issue on the Perhentians
Beach life is very peaceful. There are some crowded beaches especially on Kecil (Long Beach). Some other beaches get temporarily crowded when boats with day-tourists arrive and let them lose. Early in the morning or later in the afternoon, you might have a whole beach all to yourself. I felt like going to the beach after dark was not dangerous. There were families with children playing enjoying the beaches at night. In general, I felt very safe.
Would I visit the Perhentians again? Absolutely! I would go rather sooner than later! The islands offer everything I was looking for, from snorkeling over swimming to hiking and observing wildlife. On top of that, Malaysians are calm but friendly people and Malaysian food is great! I think Malaysia is probably the most underrated travel destination in the world. It has so much to offer. I am sure I will visit Malaysia again soon!
Do you have any questions about the Perhentian Islands? Ask them in the comments and I will hopefully have answers!
All the supplies must be brought by boat to the islands.
View from the Windmill on Perhentian Kecil
The Perhentian Islands are the perfect backdrop for a pirate movie.