Perhentian Island

Northeast of Peninsular Malaysia, nearby the city of Kota Bharu, there are two small islands that form the Perhentian Islands. The names are Perhentian Besar, the larger of the two and popular among couples and families with children, and Perhentian Kecil, the smaller island and very popular among budget travelers. Both the islands have plenty of accommodation available to stay overnight. This ranges from luxurious resorts that offer cabanas complete with air-conditioning, to simple lodges where you will have to do with cold water and a fan. There are no (internationally renowned) hotels. Perhentian is most popular because the great places for diving and snorkeling; in most cases you can enjoy the underwater world right in front of the resort. It is also very popular because the island is easy to reach; though during the monsoon season (October to March) practically the whole island is closed to tourists. As Perhentian Island is part of a marine park visitors have to pay a conservation fee of RM5. The island is situated about 20 kilometers off the northeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia.




  Best place for snorkeling



Within walking distance of Watercolours Dive School there is an amazing snorkeling site with barracudas, black reef tip sharks, humphead parrotfish, cuttlefish, blue spotted rays and green turtles. This great location, Teluk Pauh, is right in front of the Coral View Resort as well as in front of the Perhentian Island Resort (PIR). Right in front of the beach of PIR there is a small strip with underwater sea grass where green turtles go to for food. The chance of spotting a turtle over here is very big. We have been there many times and there wasn't a time where we did not see a turtle. Sometimes you do have to be patient and do not get to close to the small jetty. The area where the turtles can be seen is marked by white floaters.

  Best time to visit Perhentian Island


Between October and March the monsoon season puts all tourist activity at the eastern side of the peninsula to a complete stop; as this monsoon is very heavy. Most resorts at the Perhentians are closed during these months and the ferry service between the island and the mainland is also halted. Sometimes monsoon starts a bit earlier, other years much later. Best time to the year to visit the island is during the months of August and September; during these months the conditions under water are usually perfect (great visibility). During those months it is usually also very crowded on the island; you clearly notice that it is peak season. If you want to enjoy secluded beaches then you should visit the island from April to June.

  Attractions and activities on Perhentian Island


Below a list with attractions on the island:

• On both the islands there are a number of hiking trails, there are no roads however. The trails are light and usually don't take more than 30 minutes to complete. Perhentian is too small to spot real wildlife, but there are monitor lizards, monkeys, fruit bats and some species of birds on the island. Because walking in the heat is not very pleasant for many, you can take water taxis to return to your resort after the hike. When going to secluded locations, come to an agreement on the pickup for the return trip.
• Perhentian is famous for its great snorkeling possibilities. A lot of resorts on the island have their own house reef; this means that you can snorkel directly in front or within walking distance of your resort. On the Perhentians there are dozens of diving schools. There, you can rent diving goggles, an air tube and flippers for a small fee (usually around RM15 per day). With this equipment you can snorkel in front of your bungalow. Sadly the fish in front of the resorts often are very spoiled. This means that, as soon as you are in the water you will be surrounded by small (and sometimes also large) fish that expect you to feed them. Also, the coral reefs near the resorts usually are less beautiful, because boats regularly pass by to drop people off at the resort.
• You can also visit some of the secluded beaches yourself with a sea kayak. In that case it is wise to bring along a so called 'aqua bag' where you can put in your valuables when you are kayaking (so they don't get wet). Do know that only a small trip by kayak can already be very strenuous; but it is very rewarding as there are many fabulous beaches waiting to be explored around Perhentian. Remember to get out of the kayak before going ashore. We made the mistake of staying in the kayak and didn't anticipate on the waves that day. As a result we were slammed onto the beach and almost lost many of our belongings (luckily we had the aqua bag).
• Many tourists visit Perhentian Island to enjoy a couple of great dives. As there is fierce competition between operators diving at the island is relatively cheap, usually ranging between RM60 and RM80 per dive. Diving at Perhentian is especially for beginners as there are almost no currents and visibility is almost always fine. There are better places to dive in Malaysia, but almost none of them are so affordable and easy to reach as on Perhentian.