I always bring back home souvenirs from my travels and I love crafting. When coming back from my snorkeling holidays on the Perhentian Islands, I passed through Kuala Terengganu, a city on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. I was trying to find a spot where I could craft something. I found my place in Kuala Terengganu at Noor Arfa Craft Complex.

The Perhentians are islands in the South Chinese Sea, about 19 km off the Malaysian shore and about 64 km from the Thai border. The islands belong to the Pulau Redang National Marine Park and are under protection. Perhentian Besar is great for easy snorkeling directly from the beach but there are also boat tours departing from nearly any beach that will take snorkelers to the uninhabitated islets Susu Dara, Serenggeh and Rawa for snorkeling.

Off the southeastern coast of Sabah, about 35 km from Semporna, lies the little island Mabul. Since the 1970s, the island has been a fishing village. The majority of the villagers are Bajau Laut, or “sea gypsies”, as they are often referred to, due to their nomadic lifestyle. Staying at Mabul Beach Resort, right next to their little floating village and learning about their way of life, I was deeply impressed by this subgroup of ethnic Sama-Bajau.

On the Malaysian island Perhentian Kecil in the South China Sea, there are some beautiful hikes through the jungle. Starting at the busy Long Beach on the east side of the island, this hike will lead you up to a view point where you can enjoy the panoramic sight over the bay, then deep into the Malaysian jungle, from one secluded beach to the other.