From Wikitravel

The Perhentian Islands are a small group of beautiful, coral-fringed islands off the coast of northeastern Malaysia in the state of Terengganu, not far from the Thai border.

[edit] Understand

Perhentian (pronounced Perhen-TEE-AHN, not Perhen-SHEN) means "place to stop" in Malay, and the islands got their name as a staging point used by traders traveling from Malaysia to Bangkok.

The two main islands are Perhentian Besar ("Big Perhentian") and Perhentian Kecil ("Small Perhentian"). Kecil attracts more travellers as it has cheaper accommodation, while Besar is a little more expensive and caters more to families and those who want to avoid the backpacker party scene.

The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara, Seringgi and Rawa lie off Kecil. All the islands belong to a protected marine park, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited.

[edit] When to go

Due to the eastern monsoon, the season in the Perhentians (and all other east coast islands) is effectively limited to the period between mid-February and late October. Outside this the seas can be very rough and most (though not all) accommodation options are closed.

[edit] Get in

Access to the Perhentian Islands is by ferry from Kuala Besut, which is usually reached from either Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu. See the Kuala Besut article for more information.

Ferries have previously run from a jetty at Tok Bali, and for a short while direct from Kota Bharu, but both have now been discontinued. There are no ferries to neighbouring islands, but reasonably priced direct transfers to Redang are possible if a day-trip or dive boat has free seats - enquire with travel and dive shops.

From the main ferry terminal at Kuala Besut there are effectively two options:

• Speed boats - usually small fibreglass boats with two or three outboards which take 30-45 minutes, charge RM35 each way, and depart according to demand (4-5 times a day). Some are enclosed, some have a fabric roof, some are completely open. If the sea is choppy expect a bumpy ride and in the case of the latter two types expect to get very wet.

• Slow boats - usually wooden fishing boats with some seats on the deck which take 2-3 times as long as the speedboats, leave less frequently (usually in the early morning), and charge RM20 or so each way. A slow boat with "Fast Boat" painted on the front is still a slow boat, so use common sense. In the low season slow boats may be the only option.

All ferries take their passengers directly to their destination, wherever it may be on the islands. Slow boat passengers may be charged an extra RM2 to get a small boat from the ferry to the beach at Long Beach or Coral Bay. Elsewhere, jetties are springing up and enable people to get off the ferry without the need for an additional small boat ride to shore and without getting their feet wet.

DO NOT buy a return ticket; the price is the same, and there's a good chance that any ferry you buy a return ticket for won't be available (or better still, will already be full and won't stop to pick you up) on the day you want to return. Don't buy your ferry ticket back until you're ready to leave; the best place to buy it is usually from your accommodation provider, so that you can easily get it exchanged if the ferry doesn't turn up.

All travellers to the islands must pay a marine park conservation charge of RM5, valid for the length of their stay.

[edit] Get around

Aside from walking, the only means of transport are water taxis. Prices are negotiable but figure on RM5 per head for most hops from one beach to another, and a little more when crossing from one island to another.

Many places on the island are referred to with both their Malay and English names. To make life a little more confusing, the words "beach" (pantai) and "bay" (teluk) are often used near-interchangeably as well, and a few English place names are not literal translations.

Malay	English	Location
Pasir Panjang	Long Beach	Kecil, east coast
Teluk Aur	Coral Bay	Kecil, west coast
Teluk Dalam	Deep Bay	Besar, south coast
Teluk Keke	-	Besar, southwestern coast
Teluk Pauh	-	Besar, northwestern coast

[edit][add listing] See

There are no monuments, museums, viewpoints or other aboveground sights whatsoever on the islands, however the beaches are a sight in themselves. White sandy beaches with clear water and flanked by rolling jungle covered hills make the views from the beach spectacular. Coral Bay on the small island is the only beach that provides a sunset but construction of a new jetty has spoiled most of the view.

[edit][add listing] Do

Activities on the Perhentians are basically limited to scuba diving, snorkeling, sea-kayaking and sunbathing. Those with excess energy may attempt the jungle trails crisscrossing both islands.

[edit] Scuba diving

The Perhentians offer excellent diving and draw divers from far and wide. In addition to coral and fish, the Perhentians are home to sea turtles and many species of shark -- none of them dangerous unless provoked though. Visibility is often in the 20 meter range (although it will temporarily go down after storms) and no wet suit is required, although you may wish to use a dive skin for protection from coral and the occasional jellyfish. Popular dive sites include the Pinnacle (aka Tokong Laut, "Temple of the Sea"), a pinnacle jutting out from the sea bed, and the Sugar Wreck, an easily accessible 3500-ton sugar hauler. The (more expensive) single-day trip to Redang Island, where the water visibility is considerably better, offers diving a notch above the local options, well worth every dime - but be prepared for a rough ride in a small speedboat.

Competition for divers is fierce and consequently diving is quite cheap, averaging out to RM60-80 per dive depending on how many dives you do and whether you bring your own gear. All dive shops also arrange introductory dives (no training required) and PADI training.

There are 5 dive centers on Kecil's Long Beach: Quiver Dive Team, Seadragon Divers, Spice Divers, Sunlight Divers, and Turtle Bay Divers.

• Quiver Dive Team. Located on Kecil's Long Beach, adjacent to the Bubu Long Beach resort.

• Sunlight Divers, (tel. 012 307 1952), [1]. A dive centre which has earned its reputation from having friendly,professional members of staff, well maintained equipment and its frequent eco work. One of the smaller shops on the beach. Has shops on Long Beach and Coral Bay, Kecil.

• Turtle Bay Divers, (tel. 019 333 6647), [2] (English, French, Malay and Italian). Another respectable, long-running outfit which has a nice chilled-out shops Perhentian Kecil's Long Beach. Currently offering very affordable prices for courses and fun dives. The staff are very enthusiastic, friendly and always up for a chat! Please stop in to find out more about the island and diving.

On the big island (Besar) are a number of dive centres, placed on different beaches.

• Alu Alu Divers, (email: alualudivers@yahoo.com), [3]. A small, friendly dive center on beautiful island of Besar which offers a personalised and unique diving experience.

• Perhentian Island Divers, (email: info@diveperhentian.com), [4] is a small but friendly dive centre situated on the same beach as Perhentian Island Resort. It has modern equipment and excellent service. Dive courses and boat diving are always on offer, and the beach diving is great as well. Huge sea turtles can be seen right off the beach. Regular fire shows in the evening are also a highlight.

• Turtle Bay Divers, (tel. 019 333 6647), [5] (English, French, Malay and Italian). Another respectable, long-running outfit which has a relaxing shop on Perhentian Besar next to Mamma's Chalet. Currently offering very affordable prices for courses and fun dives. The staff are very enthusiastic, friendly and always up for a chat! Please stop in to find out more about the island and diving. Great for family trips!

• 'Watercolours, (email: info@watercolours.com.my), [6] is a small-mid sized centre that can get quite busy. They offer diving in small groups (maximum 4 divers) and excellent information on the marine life. As well as the usual courses and fun diving, they also offer Reef Check Eco-courses and the chance to participate in reef and beach cleans. They also give free presentations on the marine environment and conservation issues.

[edit] Snorkeling

All resorts rent out snorkeling gear (typically RM30 a day for mask, snorkel and fins) and arrange snorkeling tours around the islands. You can get some cheaper equipment from some local restaurant. Popular snorkeling spots on Besar include Teluk Pauh (to the left of the beach in front of the PI Resort), Shark Point and Tanjung Basi. The best place to see sharks (black tip) is in front of an extremely small "beach", only accessible by boat, between Shark Point and the Teluk Dalam large beach, or the rocks off the Coral View and PI Resort. They are usually seen cruising the bottom of the reef but be careful in low tide, otherwise you could end up swimming right along side them (mostly babies though). For turtles, best place is the middle of the beach in front of Perhentian Island Resort, where the sandy bottom is covered with algae.

On Pulau Besar, if you are planning to do snorkeling just in front of your chalet, then stay on the northern and east side of the island where the water is clearer then the south side. Of course, the chalet and food is more expensive.

The best spot for family snorkeling would be the south-west of the island. The water is shallow and it is not fronting any chalet so the corals are more abundant and colorful. Between Pulau Besar and Redang, the corals are much better in Pulau Besar.

[edit] Jungle trekking

The islands are crisscrossed by small paths connecting one beach to another, but be prepared to sweat and swat off bugs if you tackle any of these. There is a big chance to see big monitor lizards and large spiders between Long Beach and Coral Bay, and if you are walking off the main trails, you are likely to spot some wild monkeys if you are lucky.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Many of the smaller resorts only offer meals as part of an all-inclusive package. These are usually buffet-style with a variety of Western and Malaysian dishes. Larger beaches, such as Pasir Panjang, offer a larger variety of eating options. Since everything (except seafood) has to be imported, expect to pay at least 2 to 3 times more than on the mainland.

[edit] Kecil

• Panorama Restaurant, on the southern side of Pasir Panjang. One of Kecil's more attractive eating options, Panorama offers a larger range than usual of Western and Asian fare at decent prices. No alcohol, but you can bring your own. edit

• Lily's, on Long Beach. is a nice, clean and chill place where you can get good cheap food(try the beefburger).

[edit] Besar

• Watercolours Restaurant, next to the dive shop of the same name on Besar's main western beach. Affiliated with the Paradise Resort, this simple but attractive restaurant is packed every night with people feasting on fresh seafood and other items on the menu. Needless to say, the quality of the food is very good. Prices have gone up lately but RM25 for 3 BBQ rock lobsters or RM20 for fresh barramundi in banana leaf, served with a small baked potato and salad, are still a steal by Perhentian standards. Vegetarian food is available upon request. edit

 edit

• Mama's Restaurant, beside Mama's Resort (oddly enough). This is the only other largish restaurant near the north end of Perhentian Besar. Their menu is closer to typical "kampung" (village) fare; however, the nighttime BBQ fish is not to be missed - the portions are far more generous, and the spices are much bolder/fragrant than the rather plain BBQ offerings from Watercolours (Oct 2006). As well, it is the more economical of the two restaurants. edit

• Teluk KK, at the southwestern tip of the island near Teluk Keke. This little place is frequented mostly by locals and serves basic food - don't expect super tasty dishes. 5-6 RM.  edit

• On the way to Teluk Keke is a wonderful restaurant that is part of Abdul's Chalet. Cheaper than Mama's and Watercolours, Abdul's has a great deal for their nightly BBQ seafood, 15RM-25RM for your choice of BBQ and plenty of side dishes (you can get as much as you want). Their garlic bread is simple and amazing. Bring a flashlight or a digital camera with a large backscreen because it will be dark by the time you walk back.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Pasir Panjang on Kecil (Long Beach) is the only place in the islands with any semblance of a nightlife, although Besar's first bar has recently opened up. Alcohol is expensive at RM8 and up for a can of beer, and Muslim-owned restaurants can't sell you any. There is some under-the-counter booze floating around though, and bringing your own is also permitted in most otherwise dry restaurants.

[edit] Kecil

Lily's on Long Beach is a great place to chill out and drink an expensive beer (or a relatively cheap bottle of Thai Song and coke)

[edit] Besar

• Watercolours Restaurant. serves chilled beer. edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There is very little luxury accommodation on the islands. with the top of the line being air-conditioned chalets (RM100-200) and the bottom being a bunk in a longhouse (RM10 and up). Discounts are usually negotiable in the off season, for weekdays, for longer stays, if you show up late and they have room... but the better places can get snapped up fast, especially on weekends and holidays, so book in advance (easily arranged in Kuala Besut) or arrive early.

[edit] Kecil

The most popular backpacker destination is Pasir Panjang (Long Beach) on the eastern coast of Kecil, where a bed in a longhouse can go for as little as RM20. More private "chalets" with fan, electricity and bathroom start at RM50.

• Bubu Long Beach Resort, ☎ 03 7805 4380, [7]. This is the first and so far only ferroconcrete hotel on the islands, offering air-con, hot water and other creature comforts. Great views from the balcony. Excellent restaurant, but pricey compared the the rest of the beach. The resort has its own generator and has 24hr electricity. From RM200.  edit

• Moonlight Chalets, Long Beach. Various types of accommadation including : dorm beds, small wooden chalets(very very simple) with fan and mosquito net to aircon rooms with beautiful views of the sea from the verandah. Food is ok. Wonderful receptionist, dee dee who seems to remember everyones name. From RM30.  edit

• D'Lagoon, in the bay north of Long Beach. Wooden chalets with mosquito nets, and own restaurant. Coral is right in the bay but so close you cut yourself in low tide. From RM30.  edit

• Impiani Resort, also at the southern end of Kecil, ☎ +60 (0)19 9113 852 (info@watercolours.com.my), [8]. Large wooden chalets with verandah and air conditioning, either directly on the beach or higher up, some with great views, on a quiet and secluded beach. Good food. This resort is run by Watercolours, who have the Paradise Resort and Watercolours Dive Centre on the big island. If you are a diver then they pick you up for free and bring you the short distance to the dive centre. A very beautiful resort and setting. From RM150.  edit

• Matahari, at the south end of Kecil's long beach. This is one of many identikit chalet operators, offering you a roof over your head, a mosquito net, a fan and a grotty bathroom. The restaurant is pretty awful by Malaysian standards. From RM35.  edit

• Mira Beach, at the southern end of Kecil. Simple wooden chalets with mosquito nets, and a place to eat. No electricity or running water, but fresh water available in drums. Advantage: no annoying generators in the background. Nice if you're looking for peace in a quiet place. The only bay on the island worth snorkeling in. From RM20.  edit

• Mohsin Chalets, Blue roof chalets on the hills, ☎ 603 21630963 (info@backpackjoe.com, fax: 603 21622729), [9]. 25 chalets, one dormitory and a restaurant overlooking white sand beaches and a blue lagoon abundant with fish and living coral, and offers a prime location from which to witness the island's stunning sunrise. Restaurants offers buffet at nights, with movies on big-screen projectors and if you're lucky, the Reggae Band from Langkawi comes here to perform from time to time. The restaurant area overlooks the entire beach, and wi-fi Internet is provided slightly expensive than the rest. From RM80.  edit

• Rock Garden, on the side of the hill on the southernmost part of the beach. The cheapest place to stay on the island and for good reason. No additional amenities and very poor conditions but the price is right and it has a nice view of the incredible beach. edit

[edit] Besar

Due to its popularity Kecil can get a little noisy at times, so to get away from it all, head for Besar. Starting from the northern Teluk Pauh:

• Perhentian Island Resort, ☎ +603 21444 8530/31/32, [10]. Offering the best digs on the islands, the Resort is located on Besar's nicest white sandy beach (Sept 2007: note that a big jetty is currently being built, it's ugly and loud, but the beach is still beautiful and the turtles and good snorkeling are still there) and equipped with the only swimming pool in town (actually this is not true, a resort on Flora Bay has a pool as well). Still, 5-star luxury it isn't, and the list prices of RM250 to RM350 are overpriced especially since some of the older, further-off chalets are downright grotty; take a look at your room first and ask to see a different one if you don't like it. It offers 24 hour electricity and water supply with heater, air-cond with individual climate control and in-room coffee/tea making service. There's free wireless internet here now (Sept 2007)!  edit

A 5-minute walk away is Besar's nameless main beach, featuring the following:

• Coral View Resort, at the north end of Besar's main beach, ☎ +60-9-6974943. While this may have been a "close number two" at some point in the past, it's in a sad state of affairs at this point in time (Oct 2006). Firstly, don't even consider any of the "Standard A/C" rooms, as they're located very far from the beach and, more importantly, up decidedly rickety and dangerous stairways into the jungle (this may be inaccurate--the only rickety but well-lit stairway seen was the one that connects to PI Resort). Not to mention, they are in terrible shape--they are dark & squalid. Even the more expensive chalets (RM230) are in a bad state of disrepair and are extremely dimly lit. For the money, it is NOT worth it. Avoid. Update note: The abvove may have been true in 2006, but, if so, the situation was much improved in the late spring of 2007. A standard fan room, a standard air-con and a beachfront air-con room were all in good shape. The walkways seemed quite solid. The restaurant food was good, although alcohol is not served and you are asked to not bring your own to the restaurant. edit

• The Reef. The first in a series of near-identical no-frills chalets just south of the Coral View on the same beach, followed by Paradise Island Resort/Watercolours and Mama's. All offer basic non-air-conditioned chalets with basic attached bathrooms in the RM60-80 range. edit

• Watercolours Paradise Resort (info@watercolours.com.my). [11] Has clean but basic non air-conditioned chalets with attached bathrooms. The Garden View chalets are RM 60 and the Sea View chalets are RM 80. There's not much difference between the two, although the Sea View rooms are bigger and closer to the sea. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The Watercolours Restaurant and Dive Centre is attached to this resort. For those on a budget, this makes a good place to stay. There are no power outlets in the rooms. edit

• Mama's Place. Mama's Place is run by Aziz, a very friendly and organized person who will go the extra mile to make your stay enjoyable. Bungalows start from RM70 for a clean fan room with private bathroom. Aziz provides snorkeling equipment, arranges transfers and is more than willing to give you advice. The attached restaurant offers basic meals for breakfast and lunch but puts on a great BBQ dinner by the sea. edit

Crossing over to the next beach is a more challenging 15-minute hike up and down through the jungle, but it will bring you to the southwest beach and:

• Cozy Chalets, at the north end of the beach, you'll walk through this on the trail down.. These have been reported abandoned, and not looking very cozy at all.  edit

• New Cocohut Chalet, a bit further south from the Cozy.. One of the more attractive options on the south beach, New Cocohut offers air-conditioned chalets starting at RM120, chalets with a fan, and longhouse beds for less. edit

• ABC Guesthouse, just further south on Besar's south beach. ABC is a barebones longhouse-only operation in a creaky two-story building, which looks like it will soon collapse and join Cozy in the dust pile of history. edit

• Tuna Bay Island Resort, south of ABC, ☎ 09 6979 779, [12]. Tuna Bay is one of the newer and classier outfits, offering all air-con chalets at a fairly steep RM160 and up, including hot showers and even safety deposit boxes in every room. The seaside restaurant is also pleasant with excellent food and a small bar. edit

• Bubbles Resort, at the southern end of the island. A very quiet and small resort. Located in a beautiful bay you can rent family and air conditioned chalets with bathroom (from around RM150 and up) or cheap fan powered rooms with bathroom from RM50. There is a restaurant and a good dive school http://www.bubblesdc.com - canoes free to use and a volleyball net. Friendly staff. Ideal for families and those who wish to experience the islands` tranquility at its best. edit

The final smattering of chalets can be found on the southern Flora Bay (Teluk Dalam), an even steeper hike from the rest of the island (two tracks lead to Tuna Bay and the PI Resort).

[edit] Contact

Internet cafes can be found on both Kecil and Besar. Although some connections are slow and a little expensive (RM 10 for 30 mins) many resorts are now installing satellite broadband. If your main reason to use the internet is to stay in touch with friends and family then another option is getting a prepaid GSM SIM and use your mobile phone. Most modern phones do handle email, just remember to get the appropriate settings from you email provider. Rates are the same for all three operators in Malaysia: 0,01RM/kB.

• Lazy Boy Shop, Long Beach, Kecil
• Gen Mart, Long Beach, Kecil
• Panorama Chalet, Long Beach, Kecil
• Impiani Resort [13], Secluded Beach, Kecil
• Watercolours Paradise Resort [14], Besar. Offers satellite broadband at RM 10 per 30 mins and now offer a wireless service for guests with own laptop.
• Coral View Island Resort, Besar
• Tropical Reef, Besar
• Flora Bay Chalet, Besar
• Senja Bay Resort, Kecil (September 2007)

GSM mobile phone coverage is available on both islands as all three operators have placed their respective cell towers (huge red and white ones). They look a bit weird coming out of the green jungle. There are some points where reception cannot be reached on the more secluded beaches. Celcom and Maxis are about to provide UMTS 3G coverage.

[edit] Cope

For all their beauty, the Perhentians remain a bit of an up-and-coming attraction and there are some missing bits in the infrastructure to be aware of:

• Credit cards are accepted only by some dive shops. However, a number of places will charge an additional 3-6%. Coral Sky Divers however will accept credit cards with no additional charge. The only place on the islands where you can get a cash advance is on Bubu Long Beach Resort on Kecil, which charges 10%. Perhentian Island Resort on Besar used to be able to do a cash advance but that is not true anymore (July 2007). Money can be changed at least on Long Beach, but rates are bad (approx. 10% worse than in mainland).

• Electricity generators provide most of the electricity on the islands. Power outages are not uncommon and in many cheaper chalets power is only provided at night. It seems most places that have outages on Besar are only limited to 3-hour blackouts during the late afternoon (4-7pm, a good time to snorkel or jungle trek).

[edit] Stay healthy

• Mosquitoes can be a nuisance after it rains. Bring repellent and consider burning a mosquito coil (available locally), especially if your bed does not have a mosquito net.

• Tap water is generally not safe to drink. Bottled water is widely available at a fairly expensive RM 3-5 per 1.5L bottle.
• The sun is extremely strong. Slap on plenty of sunscreen and, if snorkeling, wear a T-shirt. The midday sun is the most dangerous and can really ruin a holiday if you're not careful.

[edit] Respect

There are concerns that the coral reef will be gone in as little as ten years because of the intensive tourism industry. But as long as you take care and do not touch the living coral you will not be contributing to that directly.

Many snorkeling trip operators have very little awareness of environmental issues. They may discard plastic bags which contained food for attracting fish directly into the sea. This adds up to thousands of plastic bags needlessly thrown into the ocean. Do what you can do discourage this neglectful habit.

If you are a diver then you can dive with operators who do care about the marine environment. One or two Dive Centres run regular reef and beach clean operations and even offer the Reef Check [15] survey methodology, which you can learn whilst helping to monitor and conserve the marine environment. Check our Watercolours [16] and Coral Sky Dive Centres.

This is a usable article. It has information about the region and for getting in, as well as links to a few destinations. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!