Perhentian Islands Travel Guide for 2024

If you are dreaming of a beautiful island that still retains a laidback vibe, the Perhentian islands in Malaysia might just be the place for you. This Perhentian Islands travel guide will give you all the details, information and inspiration that you need to plan a trip. Includes essential info like how to reach, where to stay, things to do and the travel costs. Continue reading to plan your own tropical island escape !

In 2022 we were planning a 10 days trip across Malaysia which included stops at Kuala Lumpur and Penang . I also wanted some beach time as we are both big beach bums. While Langkawi was my initial choice, I changed my plans once I heard about the Perhentian islands from a friend. I had never heard of this place before, nor had I come across it on instagram. My curiosity piqued, I did some basic research and knew I had to visit the place. Was it worth it? A 1000% YES!

Gorgeous, transparent, crystal clear water, soft white sand beaches, amazing sunsets, friendly locals and a low key air of relaxation make these islands perfect for a beach lover who is looking for a tropical paradise at a reasonable price without the crowds that swamp Bali or Thailand. The islands are also known for their amazing diving sites (which are among the cheapest in Asia) and variety of marine life.

THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS TRAVEL GUIDE

WHERE ARE THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS LOCATED?

The Perhentian islands are a small group of coral fringed islands located 20 kms off the coast in North eastern Malaysia’s Terranganu province. The islands are part of the Pulau Redang national marine park and are protected.

THE ISLANDS: PULAU BESAR AND PULAU KECIL

The Perhentians comprise 2 main islands: Besar (Big island) and Kecil (small island). Both the islands lie close to each other and each has its own merits.

PULAU BESAR/BIG ISLAND:

It is the slightly bigger island that caters towards couples and families. There are some beautiful beaches along the coast with jungles/hills in the centre. The accommodation here is mostly resorts and costs more. The number of eating and drinking options is less. There is no partying that happens on this island. It is cleaner and quieter than the small island and hence better for the traveller who seeks relaxation and bliss.

PULAU KECIL/SMALL ISLAND:

This island is geared towards the younger crowd mainly backpackers who are looking for some fun. There are a few good beaches but the main strip (Long beach) tends to be very noisy and dirty with trash lying around. The accommodation is much cheaper with more options compared to the big island. The food and drinks options are also more. Some fun parties happen post sunset (though nothing compared to the likes of Bali/Thailand). More suited for someone who wants to be around looking for some fun.

HOW TO REACH THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS?

Reaching these islands takes a bit of work and I am glad for this as it prevents over tourism, thereby keeping the numbers far restricted. The only way to reach the islands is by ferry (it literally feels like the middle of nowhere lol). The journey to the islands has 3 main legs:

FLIGHTS: The nearest airport is at Kota Bharu (Sultan Ismail Petra airport) which has direct flight connections with Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore.

TAXI: From the airport, take a taxi/shared van to the jetty at Kuala Besut. Taxis costs around 70 RM and shared minivans cost 25 RM pp. The journey takes around 1 hour.

FERRY: From the pier at Kuala Besut, catch a ferry to one of the islands. The ferry costs 35 RM one way or 70RM return and the journey takes 45 mins.

BUDGET ALTERNATIVE: If you want to cut costs, ditch the flight and take a bus/shared minivan from KL or Penang.

From Kuala Lumpur:

Option A: By Bus: Catch a bus from the TBS bus terminal at KL to Kuala Besut from where you can catch the ferry. The journey from KL takes almost 8 hours and I suggest an overnight bus so that you arrive in the morning ready to catch the boat. Book your bus tickets here.

Option B: By Shared Minivan: Another option which will cost a bit more but take less time than the bus. Book tickets here.

Option C: By Taxi: An expensive though comfortable option. The 6 hours journey can cost up to 1000 RM for a 4 seater which can be split.

Option C: Self Drive

From Penang:

Option A: By Bus: Perdana Express runs a bus service twice daily (one in the morning and one overnight) from Butterworth Bus station on the mainland to Kuala Besut. The journey takes 7-8 hours and tickets cost approx 40-50 RM pp. Book bus tickets here.

Option B: By Shared Minivan/Minibus: Can be arranged by the hotel itself, these minivans take 5-6 hours and cost 80-90 RM for the journey. They are less spacious than regular buses and the speed can be a bit nerve wracking.

WHEN TO VISIT THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

The best time to visit Perhentian islands is from March to October when the weather is clear. The peak season is during June, July and August that coincides with European summer vacations.  Avoid November to February when the eastern monsoon rainy season hits the islands in the east coast. During this time, most accommodation, shops and restaurants will be closed and ferry services greatly impacted.

NOTE: Nowadays, some larger resorts remain open year round so you can get accommodation with some limited food service in their restaurant. Keep in mind that dive shops will be closed during this time.

Weekends also get busy with a lot of local Malay tourists visiting from the mainland. Book in advance as accomodation can get booked out during this time.

Tip: March and November may be considered as shoulder season as they fall right at the end and the beginning of the rainy season.

HOW MANY DAYS SHOULD YOU SPEND IN THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

I feel 3 days is the perfect amount of time to spend in the Perhentian islands considering the effort and time needed to reach the islands. In 3 days, you should have sufficient time to visit some of the best beaches on both the islands, go for a snorkelling trip and relax. If you want to try some proper scuba diving here, have a couple of extra days in hand to account for any weather related delays.

WHERE TO STAY IN THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

Before choosing your accommodation, you will have to choose an island first depending on your preferences. I have already mentioned the pros and cons of both the islands above.

The 2^nd point that you need to know is that the islands have limited accommodation. On top of that, there is a lack of proper ‘value for money’ hotel options in both the islands. Most places are overpriced compared to the mainland and unless you are okay with the basic backpacker beach bungalows, you will be left somewhat dissatisfied with regards to the money spent. I spent a lot of time trying to find a decent mid range hotel and was ultimately okay with my choice (mentioned below).

I have listed a few options in both islands that seem to have decent reviews. Most of them are listed on Booking or Agoda. You can also contact them directly to get a better price.

TIPS:

• It is possible to arrive without booking any hotel and try to search on the spot. In that case, you are better off trying your luck at Kecil island where there are more options at varying budgets.
• In case of peak season/busy weekends, every good place will likely be sold out.
• A lot of basic places do not have generator services and electricity is often unavailable from 11am-4pm when tourists go off on tours.

OUR STAY: TUNA BAY ISLAND RESORT

For our stay, I chose Tuna Bay island resort which is located on the main Tuna bay beach in Besar/big island. I contacted them directly and booked through their site for 3 nights with breakfast. They also arranged the return boat transfers from the Besut jetty as well as the minivan drive from the Kota Bharu airport till Besut jetty. The total cost came to 1200 RM with tax.

The chalets were clean and comfortable with all amenities on hand. The resort is beachfront making it very attractive. The main beach right in front of the resort has calm blue water which is swim friendly (see the swimming pic below). Their in house restaurant has a big menu and the service was excellent. To sum up, I was pretty impressed by the resort and satisfied with the cost.

WHERE TO EAT IN THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

A wide variety of food is available on the islands ranging from Malay, Thai, Chinese to the usual Western fare of burgers, pizzas and pastas. Several restaurants also offer seafood barbeque dinners. The food prices are definitely on the higher end. Alcohol is available too unless you are eating at a Malay restaurant.

• The World Café (Long beach, Kecil)
• Chill out café(Long beach, Kecil)
• Bubu restaurant(Long beach, Kecil)
• Ewans café (Coral bay, Kecil)
• Amelia’s (Coral bay, Kecil)
• Senja restaurant (Coral bay, Kecil)
• Belinda restaurant(West beach, Besar)
• Barat (West beach, Besar)
• Mama’s chalets restaurant(West beach, Besar)
• Tuna Café (Tuna Bay, Besar)
• Abdul’s restaurant (Besar)

GETTING AROUND IN THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

The only way to get around most of the beaches on both the islands is via water taxis. These small motor boats have fixed rates to transfer you to the different beaches (even on the same island). The price generally ranges from 5-30 RM pp depending on where you wanna go and the distance from your base. Most beaches will have a board advertising the water taxi rates between different locations. NOTE: Prices generally double after 7pm.

You can also walk between some of the nearby beaches or use a hiking trail if it is daytime. For eg: the trail between Long beach and Coral Bay (15-20 mins hike) or from Tuna Bay to Teluk beach (15 mins)

TRAVEL TIPS FOR THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS TO KEEP IN MIND:

THE BEACHES OF THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

Both the islands boast of some beautiful beaches where you can swim, relax, snorkel and spot some wildlife. Some of the best ones include:

PULAU BESAR (BIG ISLAND) BEACHES:

• TUNA BAY: Located on the south west end of the island, Tuna bay is the most developed beach in Besar. The beach has a good strip of white sand and palm trees with blue water that is suitable for swimming with some decent snorkelling. There are a few mid range resorts here with their sun beds to relax in the mornings and afternoons. It is more family friendly compared to the other beaches.
• TELUK KK BEACH: Further south from Tuna bay, you can walk for 15-20 minutes (passing by Abdul’s chalets) to reach an empty, deserted beach called Teluk bay. This beach does not have much development except for a camping site at the southern end. I found it very photogenic and an amazing sunset spot. Being a bit isolated, you will find very few people here, making it a perfect spot for a quiet late afternoon escape.
• TURTLE BEACH: It is located on the north western end of the Big Island and is famous for it’s turtles. It is a popular spot in snorkelling tours but you can also hire a boat yourself and go there to snorkel.
• PIR BEACH: Located a bit south from Turtle beach, PIR is the most developed beach on the northern end of the big island. The beach is quite big and is named after the PIR resort that takes up most of the main area. While that area is mostly private, the beach is big enough for you to swim in other parts and go snorkelling to spot turtles here as well.

PULAU KECIL (SMALL ISLAND) BEACHES:

• LONG BEACH: The most popular and developed beach of the Perhentian islands is located on the eastern end of the small island. The main beach strip has lots of shacks, restaurants, hotels and dive shops along the entire length making it pretty crowded. It is dirtier too with trash at many spots. The beach gets busy with taxi boats and dive boats coming and going throughout the day. If you are looking for a quiet beach, this might not be the place for you. It is a bit quieter at the far northern end but the southern end is the place to hang out for a fun evening when the post sunset parties get started.
• CORAL BAY: Located on the western end of the island, Coral bay is the 2^nd most popular beach in the small island. The main strip is accessible by boat and has a smattering of beach shacks and restaurants that offer a sunset barbeque. In comparison to Long beach, it is less hectic and more relaxed. You can rent a kayak to reach the more distant ends of the beach where it is more isolated. Coral bay is also a good spot for sunset viewing and drinks.
• ADAM AND EVE BEACH/ROMANTIC BEACH: A pure white stretch of sand that is located further north from Coral bay is the Romantic beach. It is very beautiful and gives the feeling of being in paradise. Go here in the morning for snorkelling and at 6-7 pm for the sunset.

THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS

1. GO BEACH HOPPING IN SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES:

The Perhentian islands are known for their beautiful white sand beaches and you can easily spend your days checking out the best ones. I have already mentioned the best beaches in both the islands which you should visit. While some are good for swimming and snorkelling, others have amazing sunsets. Depending on your interests, plan the spots that appeal to you.

 The best way to do this is by going on an island hopping boat tour. These tours usually have fixed prices and can be booked one day in advance. One popular tour includes stops at long beach, Turtle beach, romantic beach and fisherman’s village and costs 60RM pp for the 3 hours long trip.

You can also do this independently and make up your own itinerary by directly approaching a local boatman. Ask him to take you to the places of your interest and negotiate prices. We did this for all our trips.

2. SCUBA DIVING:

The Perhentian islands have some good diving sites that are among the cheapest in South east Asia. This is a good place to learn diving if you are a beginner and get an open water certification. The low costs mean you can do a lot of dive trips without emptying out your wallet! Some of the best dive sites here are Sugar Wreck, T3, The Pinnacle and Shark points. Numerous dive shops are present on both the islands and 2 of the well reviewed ones include Panorama Divers and Turtle Bay divers. The popular dive sites can get busy and crowded on weekends. For a more peaceful and better diving experience, you can make a day dive trip to Redang island if you have time on hand.

3. SNORKELLING

There are plenty of good snorkelling sites on both the islands that offer a variety of marine life including parrot fish, turtles and reef sharks. Good snorkel sites on Kecil island include D’lagoon beach, Adam and Eve beach and Keranji beach. On Besar island, head to Turtle beach (where you can spot plenty of turtles), shark point and Bubbles beach.

Shorter trips last for 2-3 hours and cost 40-50 RM pp including the snorkel gear (20 RM for children). Snorkel trips to Rawa island cost 60-70 RM pp. Other trips can be half day and full day trips which will cost more and usually include lunch on one of the islands.

4. HIKE TO THE BEST VIEW POINT IN THE ISLANDS

One of the best things to do in the Perhentian islands is to hike to the D’lagoon windmill view point in Kecil and get the most stunning aerial view of the islands. The starting point of this hike is at Long beach on Kecil island. Behind the main beach, there is a camping area with a sign pointing the direction of the hike. The hike is moderate but you are rewarded at the end with this view.

OTHER HIKING TRAILS:

Apart from this trail, there are a few other hiking/walking trails in the islands. These include:

• From D’Lagoon beach to Adam and Eve Beach (30 mins)
• Adam and Eve beach to the Wind turbines (30 mins)
• Long beach to Coral Bay (10 mins)
• Coral Bay to Petani beach (1 hour)
• Petani beach to the Fisherman’s village (30 mins)

 5. VISIT THE FISHERMAN’S VILLAGE

Located at the South eastern end of Kecil island, this is the local village of the Perhentians. You can easily pay a visit here while exploring the small island and get an idea of local life. The village has shops, a police station and a hiking trail that leads to the Long beach. Keep in mind, that bikinis/swim wear is restricted in the village due to local cultures and norms.

6. CATCH SOME STUNNING SUNSETS

The Perhentians boast of some truly stunning sunsets that can take your breath away. Some of the best sunset viewing points include:

• Coral Bay, Kecil
• Adam and Eve beach, Kecil
• Teluk KK beach, Besar

7. CHECK OUT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SWING AT SUNSET

I found this not so well known spot while walking towards Teluk beach in the big island and it was completely empty. The sunset at this spot against the backdrop of the swing was simply stunning!

8. EXPLORE THE LANDSCAPE

The Perhentian islands are not just about beaches: there are also parts with interesting landscape. While i have already mentioned about the various hiking trails, you can also come across some cool rocky areas in Perhentian besar which gave off some major Seychelles vibes. Also check out Turtle beach in Perhentian besar which is home to similar rocky formations along with a tribe of black tailed macaque monkeys.

9. SWIM AND RELAX

Keep aside time simply to laze around on the beach or swim in those gorgeous blue waters. Trust me, this is one place where you will feel your worries slipping away!

10. DAY TRIP TO REDANG ISLAND:

If you have an extra day on hand, you can experience the charms of Redang island, another tropical island with white sand beaches and blue waters. Redang caters to more higher end tourists as it is mostly resort based, hence visiting on a day trip makes sense. The distance between both is 117 kms by ferry. A full day trip includes snorkelling/diving oppurtunities (Redand has some great sites) along with lunch and exploration of the main island. You can find many tour operators in both Besar/Kecil islands or arrange one via your hotel/resort.

I hope you found this Perhentian islands travel guide very informative and helpful to plan your own trip. I highly recommend at least one visit to this tropical paradise and you won’t be disappointed!

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