Perhentian Islands is a great place for lovers of relaxation in the bosom of pristine nature. There are wonderful beaches, warm sea, picturesque landscapes, a unique underwater world. Rest on Perhentians is accompanied by a decent level of service and comfort. Spreading palm trees, snow-white sand and first-class diving will give guests of the islands an unforgettable vacation and vivid impressions.
General information
The Perhentian Islands are located in the waters of the Gulf of Thailand of the South China Sea and are part of the territorial waters of Malaysia. Administratively, Perhentians belong to the state of Trengganu. They belong to the group of coral islands of volcanic origin and generally occupy an area of 15.3 square meters. km. The nearest water area and the Perhentians themselves are part of the large Redong nature reserve, therefore, appropriate rules have been introduced for tourists here: fishing and collecting corals (sea shells) are prohibited.
The landscape of the islands is rocky, the seatransparent and clean, the underwater world is rich in living creatures and coral gardens. People come here for diving and snorkeling, as well as to admire the picturesque landscapes of almost untouched nature. In total, the archipelago has five islands, three of which are uninhabited (Susu Dara, Rava, Seringi). The indigenous population of Perhentian is about 2000 thousand people.
Big and Small Islands
Travellers are interested in two large Perhentian Islands in Malaysia - Perkhintian Kecil (Kesil) and Perkhentian Besar. Holidays on Perhentian Kecil are suitable for budget travelers. They offer hostel accommodation, and everything is a bit cheaper than on the Big Island of Perhentian Besar. It is better for couples with children to choose comfortable hotels on Perhentian Besar. Here the infrastructure is more developed, the beaches are well-maintained, and the service in the hotels is at a high level. In any case, each island has a network of campsites, chalets and hostels.
Weather conditions
The islands have a tropical climate that ensures a constant temperature without much fluctuation. Throughout the year, it stays around the mark of 30oС heat. The water temperature ranges from +24o C to +28o C. Tourists are recommended a dry season to relax on the Perhentian Islands. By months it stretches from March to October. At this time, it is sunny here, the sea current is warm and weak, which makes diving enjoyable. The sun on the islands is very hot, so in the first days of your stay, guests are advised to stay in the shade or use sunscreen.cream with a high protection factor. In addition, it is necessary to take a remedy for burns with you, since it will not be possible to purchase this here. The wet season with prolonged heavy rains begins in November and lasts until March. During these months, Perhentians are warm, but very windy and uncomfortable. The main flow of tourists to the islands is observed in June-July.
Big Island Beaches
On both islands there are well-maintained beaches at hotels, and there are "wild" ones. They can be reached by the popular Perhentian water transport - taxi boat. The most famous beach holiday destinations are:
- The beach at the Perhentian Island Resort. It is considered the most civilized and comfortable. The entrance to the sea here is quite convenient: gentle, with a smooth entry. The beach attracts with clean white sand, sprawling palm trees that give shade, and sea turtles. They swim close to the pier early in the morning.
- During the holiday season on the Perhentian Islands, the wild Tuna Bay beach is very popular. Here you can see a lot of corals on land and in the water. Taxi bots ply here all the time.
- Secluded equipped beach at the Abdul Chalet hotel. It is famous for its coral reef located near the shore. The sand here is clean, white and very fine.
- Secluded beaches at Turtle beach. Sea water in turquoise coves. The beaches beckon with their snow-white sand, tropical vegetation, which gives coolness and a gentle coast with a clean bottom (without stones and corals). Vacationerscome here for the whole day with food, fruits and water. Toward evening, a taxi-bot returns for them.
- The most secluded place is Pinang 1000 Beach. Here tourists can fully immerse themselves in the world of pristine nature. The sand on the beach consists of large shells. On both sides of the bay there are piles of picturesque boulders. On the beach you can meet exotic butterflies, monitor lizards and monkeys.
Beaches of the Small Island
There aren't many beaches on this island. There are several private places to relax here: Turtle Beach, Romantik Beach, Qite Beach, Smool Beach. You need to get to them by taxi-bot. The best civilized beach with blue water and white sand on Perhentian Kesil is Long beach. It is attractive with a gentle entrance to the sea without fragments of corals and stones. Tropical vegetation is located far from the coast, so you can hide from the scorching sun under the umbrellas that are located along the beach line.
Accommodation and Accommodation
There are not so many comfortable hotels on the Perhentian Islands. In the reviews, tourists say that on the Small Island you can always find a place in a hostel or in a cozy budget hotel. There are also secluded places for "wild" recreation with their own tents. On the more developed Perhentian Besar, there are small chalets and equipped campsites. In addition, there are comfortable hotels with swimming pools and restaurants on the Big Island. The most popular are:
- Coral View Island Resort;
- The Barat Perhentian Beach Resort;
- Perhentian Island Resort 4.
All of the above hotels have their own equipped beaches, cozy restaurants and cafes. The rooms have everything for a comfortable stay: air conditioners, TVs, refrigerators and so on. But most importantly, all hotel rooms offer a picturesque view of the sea.
Attractions
There are no monuments of architecture and historical sites of interest to tourists on the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. The main attractions here are: the surrounding nature, snow-white beaches and rich underwater world. The most interesting places on the islands are the following:
- Shark Point. This is one of the best places for snorkeling. Here you can watch a lot of marine fish, black-finned and finless sharks, see luxurious underwater coral gardens.
- The labyrinth island of Rava hides many underwater tunnels and caves, through which you can take an exciting safe walk.
- Palau Susu Dara Besar and Susu Dara Kecil. Here you can watch moray eels and wrasses, see unique young fish and triggerfish. The depth in these places reaches 18 meters, the water is clear, soft corals are intertwined with hard ones.
- Not far from Perhentian Besar there is a small island called Tokong Laut. It is surrounded by thickets of corals of various colors and shades. You can swim here to admire barracudas, black-tip sharks, nurse sharks,kingfish and sea bass.
- The uninhabited Tokong Laut cliff is beautiful with huge boulders that turn into an underwater slope.
- Between the Big and Small islands there is a kind of observation deck Turtle Watching. The bottom here is lined with white corals, but the main attraction is the sea turtles that swim up to the shore. Tourists have the opportunity to take photos with them. On the Perhentian Islands, you will have a unique opportunity to swim in the company of large turtles.
- The most amazing coral gardens are in Sia Bell.
- East of Perhentian Besar Island, you can drift dive in Terumbu Tiga. This is possible due to the strong undercurrent. The depth here reaches 20 meters, and visibility up to 15 meters. During the dive, you can see picturesque underwater boulders covered with gorgonians and soft corals, black-tip sharks and barnacles.
- Fishing in coastal waters and in the nearest water area of the islands is prohibited, but those who wish can do it in the Snorkeling trips. The cost of this travel program includes fishing and kayaking.
- Tourists go to the shores of Kuala Besud to see the sunken cargo ship Sugar Wreck.
- The secluded beach at the Abdul Chalet Hotel will give guests of the island a quiet relaxing holiday in the bosom of nature and the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque coral reef.
Entertainment & Leisure
The main activities on Perhentians aresports like sea kayaking, snorkeling, snorkelling, surfing. The underwater world of the islands is unique and diverse: clown fish, parrot fish, barnacles, barracudas, black-finned, finless, whale sharks, moray eels, stingrays, huge turtles and so on. In addition to observing marine life, diving under water will allow you to see a variety of coral gardens, full of all the colors of the rainbow. In addition, guests of the island can sunbathe and enjoy the warm sun on the white sandy beaches. In numerous photos of the Perhentian Islands (Malaysia), you can see that the beaches here are simply magical, they are surrounded by thickets of palm trees, giving a pleasant coolness, and the water is clear and turquoise. Those who wish can take a trekking trip into the jungle or a trip on a rented lok to the uninhabited islands of Perhentian.
Restaurants and cafes
All eateries are located at hotels or inns. Products in them are imported from the "mainland", so prices are much higher than on the mainland. But tourists who have visited the Perhentian Islands leave only positive reviews about food in local establishments. They say that the food in the restaurants and cafes of Perhentian is not only delicious, but also varied. Here you can try Malaysian, Thai, Chinese, Indian and European cuisine. Delicious branded pizza can be ordered at Watercolours Resort Restaurant, and in some bars you can also buy alcohol, but the prices for it are simply "cosmic". Therefore, it is better to bring alcohol with you. In view of the factBecause Malaysia is a Muslim country, some establishments in the Perhentian Islands do not serve pork or liquor at all.
Shopping
Avid shopaholics have nothing to do in the Perhentian Islands. The resort is used for other purposes, so there is no shopping here as such. At the resorts, you can buy souvenirs in the form of magnets and sealed bottles with shells and sand inside; snorkels, fins and masks; flip flops, sunglasses and a beach mat; some attributes for diving and snorkeling. As mentioned above, you should not buy alcohol here because of its price.
Travel Tips
Everyone who is going to visit Perhentians for the first time should take into account the following recommendations:
- The influx of tourists to the islands is observed on weekends, so it is better to plan your arrival on a weekday.
- Be sure to take a first aid kit with you, where you need to put antihistamines (there are fleas on the islands, the bite of which can cause an allergic reaction), antipyretics, medicines to treat indigestion and sunburn.
- Sun creams and tanning creams must be bought on the mainland, they are not sold here.
- All planned excursions and visits to local attractions are best discussed with the tour operator in advance.
How to get there
The main question that worries everyone who is going to relax in the Perhentian Islands is how to get from Kuala Lumpur? The most convenient and fastest way -flight from the capital to Kota Bharu. You can also take a bus, but it will take longer. Then take a taxi to Kuala Besut Pier. There are boats that take tourists to the islands from here. They do not have an exact schedule, it all depends on the occupancy. There is no transport on the islands. The exceptions are taxi bots.
How to get to the beach and attractions in the Perhentian Islands? On foot or by taxi. All tourist areas are connected by trails, and if you wish, you can walk to any corner of the island in thirty minutes. You can take a taxi boat to a wild island or another beach. The price is not fixed, so you can always bargain.
Want to get diving for breakfast, pristine beaches and rainforest for lunch, stargazing and the splendor of the night sky for dinner? Travel to the Perhentian Islands. Here you will find solitude and a wonderful holiday on magnificent beaches surrounded by amazing untouched nature.
