Perhentian Island, Terengganu, Malaysia

Romantic Beach, Perhentian Small Island, Perhentian Island.

After 30 - 45 minutes speed boat transfer from Kuala Besut Jetty, the laid back atmosphere and the natural beauty of the Perhentian Island immediately transport you to a different world.  The clean, white sandy beach, crystal clear water, amazing underwater landscape, various species of colorful underwater creatures,  friendly people, scrumptious local and international delights, refreshing beverages and once the sun sets, a quiet buzz of music and chatter fills the air along with the wisp of smoke from the barbecue fire along the beach make you forget about the time.

Perhentian Island, consist of two island named Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Perhentian Small Island) and Pulau Perhentian Besar (Perhentian Big Island).  The word "Perhentian" means "a place to stop" as it functioned as a stopping point for traders travelling between Malaysia and Bangkok in years gone by.  These two island are a  gorgeous place to stop and rest today as it recently listed as the 13th most beautiful beaches by the CNN.  It is a great stop to disconnect from the stressful environments and daily routine.

These islands remain relatively untouched and the Fisherman Village on Perhentian Small Island is the only permanent inhabitants.  There are no roads on the island apart form footpaths that cuts through the jungle.  the only way to get around is by walking through the jungle or taking the water taxi.  While walking around, you may notice and counter some wildlife such as the monitor lizards, squirrels, fruits bats, and sometimes snakes.

There are plenty chalet and resort operates on the island.  But most of the chalet and resort offers cheap rates due to limited facilities provided such as rooms or chalet without attached bathroom, limited electricity and water supply (available from 7 pm until 7 am).  While some chalet and resort did provide rooms with attached bathroom, hot and cold shower, 24 hours electricity and water supply like Ombak Resort and  Shari-la Island Resort with a reasonable price.

All of these elements makes the Perhentian Islands the perfect place to stops and take some time out.

Activities in Perhentian Island, Perhentian Small Island (Pulau Perhentian Kecil)

The Perhentian Small Island (Pulau Perhentian Kecil in Malay) are the ideal place to relax and forget about your cares and most people that visit here laze away their days in the sun.

  

There are plenty activities that you can do to keep yourself occupied. Perhentian Small Island have been gazetted as a marine park and as such littering, fishing and collecting of any marine life (whether dead or alive) is strictly prohibited. As it is a marine park, this also means that the rich diversity of aquatic life has been preserved and it is beautiful to experience.

Nemo at the Light House, Perhentian Island.

Black Tip shark at the Shark Point.

Apart from sunbathing, scuba diving and snorkeling to popular spots in Perhentian Small Island, there are other activities to be enjoyed: Hiking to Windmill, Jungle trekking to the Fisherman Village, Swimming at various beach (Long Beach, Romantic Beach & several others private beach), Camping, Canoeing to the Romantic Beach or around the island, or take part in beach volleyball match with local beach boys.

Apart from water sports, you also can get around the islands to enjoy the scenery is by sea taxi. Expect to pay around RM 10-25 per person for 5-15 minutes. 

Island hopping or Island Tour via water taxi.

Fire juggle at the Long Beach.

Nightlife in Long Beach.

Relaxing at the Long Beach.

Windmill view from the sea.

D'Lagoon / Windmill, Perhentian Island.

Swimming at the D'Lagoon beach after trekking to Windmill.

Our dear guest:  Safwan & friends (at the front) & Aravind & family (at the back)

Water confident arranged for Jurukur Fakaruddin's group
during their company trip with us.

Did I mentioned that we provide underwater photography services
at a very reasonable rates for those who joined our snorkeling trip?

Lunch break at the Fisherman Village to fill our empty stomach
& gain more strength to continue our snorkeling trip.
Here's our snorkeling guide, Mann (in red) & Matt (in yellow),
contact us for the best snorkeling experience!

Get to the Perhentian Island, Perhentian Small Island (Pulau Perhentian Kecil)

HOW TO GET THERE?

You can fly with Malaysia Airline, Air Asia or Fireflyz from Kuala Lumpur to either Kuala Terengganu or Kota Bharu (45 minutes). After arrive at the airport, take either a bus or taxi to Kuala Besut Jetty. The journey will be take about 1½ hours from Kuala Terengganu Airport / 1 hours from Kota Bharu Airport to the jetty.

  

There is no direct flight to Kuala Terengganu/Kota Bahru from Singapore. Travellers must fly via KLIA. If flying via KLIA from Singapore too costly, consider flying from Senai Airport in Johor with Malaysia Airlines or Air Asia, This is cheaper option but takes much longer time due to land transfer from Singapore to Senai.

By bus or coach directly to Kuala Besut or Jerteh (from Jerteh to Kuala Besut Jetty would take about 20 minutes by taxi which costs about RM 20 per trip). From Kuala Lumpur, the journey will take about 8 hours to reach Kuala Besut (Kuala Besut Jetty). You can buy the ticket in advanced via eTicketing website. 

Journey to Perhentian Island from Kuala Besut Jetty takes about 30 to 45 minutes by speed boat. There are a numbers of boat operators in Kuala Besut Jetty offering boat services to Perhentian Island. The return boat ticket cost RM 70.00 per person for speed boat.

Once you get there..........HAVE FUN!

Perhentian Island - Perhentian Small Island (Pulau Perhentian Kecil)

After less than an hour on a boat from the east coast of Malaysia, the laid-back atmosphere and the natural beauty of the Perhentian islands immediately transport you to a different world. The white sand is dotted with sun-worshipping holiday makers, some retreating to the shade for a glass of freshly squeezed juice. A group of scuba divers are boarding a boat to venture out into the turquoise waters and submerge themselves in the underwater wonderland. Later, as the sun sets, a quiet buzz of music and chatter fills the air, together with the thin wisp of smoke from the barbeque fire along the beach.

The Perhentian Islands are two islands named Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Perhentian Small Island) and Pulau Perhentian Besar (Perhentian Big Island). The Malay name Perhentian is translated as “place to stop” and this is exactly what these two islands were for traders travelling between Malaysia and Bangkok in years gone by. These islands are still a gorgeous place to stop and rest today, albeit for tourists disconnecting from the stress and routine of everyday life and not for weary seafaring traders.

The islands remain relatively untouched and the only permanent inhabitants live in a small fishing village on Perhentian Kecil. Apart from footpaths that cut through the jungle, there are no roads on the islands. The only way to get around is by walking through the jungle or taking a sea taxi. If you tread carefully, you may even encounter some of the islands’ shy wildlife on the way, such as monitor lizards, fruit bats, squirrels or even the elusive mouse deer. Simple chalets and some moderately luxurious resorts line the picturesque beaches along with restaurants, dive centres and boat operators advertising their services with hand-painted signs.

Perhaps it is the stretches of white beach or the crystal clear water and the superior scuba diving. Perhaps it is the untouched forests or the relaxed atmosphere and unspoiled charm. We like to think that is a little bit of all of this that makes the Perhentian Islands the perfect place to stop and take some time out.

Trip to Perhentian Island (Pulau Perhentian) - Terengganu

Coral Bay, Perhentian Island, Terengganu, Malaysia.

To make sure your vacation went smoothly as you planned it to be, these are some of the tips of what you should know before travel to Perhentian Island.

1. Bring adequate amount of cash

It is important for you to bring adequate amount of cash for your trip to Perhentian Island as there are NO ATM machine on the island.  There are some places or restaurant accept credit card transaction, somehow there is a major disruption on the availability of the credit card facilities especially during early months of the opening (February of March). Well it's an island. It's normal to get disruption on the land line or internet connection as it ruined or disturbed by the various weather condition during monsoon.


2. Bring your mosquito repellent.

To ensure your comfort and undisturbed good night rest, please bring your own mosquito repellent either the electronic repellent or the traditional mosquito repellent which ever you prefer as the mosquito here are quite nasty. And it would be better if you also bring your medication to reduce the itchiness if you get bitten.  There are no pharmacy or clinic available on the Perhentian Small Island.  There's only 1 clinic available but you would have to go to Perhentian Big Island.


3. Bring your torch light.

If you planning to go to the Long Beach at night or party all night long you may need to bring your torch light or if you are a smart phone user, you may download the application from the market.


4. Expect to pay more.

If you didn't make any reservation, please don't expect to get cheap room or chalet on the island as most of it are fully booked earlier by other people as the room or chalet on the island are quite limited in number.  And most of the rooms or chalet offer cheap rates because they provide half day electricity and water supply as there are no electricity supply from the main land and they provide separate bathroom or toilet.  Each resort or chalet operator must have their own generator.  Some resort does offer rooms with attached bathroom, 24 hours electricity and water supply like Ombak Resort and Shari-La Island Resort. That's what makes the rates differs.

Hope you'll find this post useful.  Looking forward to meet you on the island!  Have a great holiday!

How to get to Pulau Perhentian - Perhentian Island, Terengganu

For those who wish to visit Perhentian Island but didn't know how to get there or didn't have a clear picture of the location to access the Perhentian Island, this post would be much help especially for first timer.

Getting There

How to get to Perhentian Island

The speed boat to Perhentian Island would cost RM 70 per person for return trip, which leave from the sleepy village of Kuala Besut.  All our package price offer will cover the cost of the return boat transfer.  From Kuala Besut Jetty, the boat would be available from 8 am until 5 pm.  While from the island to Kuala Besut Jetty, the boat would only be available at 8 am, 12 noon and 4 pm (last boat).  Please be at the jetty 15 minutes earlier as there will be no other boat from island jetty to Kuala Besut Jetty apart from the mentioned time. The boat would takes about 30 minutes to 45 minutes for each transfer.

To get to the Kuala Besut Jetty from your origin destination, there are several options for you to choose:

By Air
You may fly from any originate point to Kota Bharu instead of to Kuala Terengganu, the journey would takes about 1 hour to 2 hours depends on your point of origin.  As the Kota Bharu airport is the nearest airport compare to Kuala Terengganu airport.  From Kota Bharu airport, it would takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour journey by taxi to get to Kuala Besut Jetty.  While Kuala Terengganu would takes about 2 hours journey by taxi to get to Kuala Besut Jetty. Those from Singapore, you may fly from Johor as an alternative in case the fare from Singapore is too expensive.  You may compare the fare rates from Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia and Fire Flyz as the rates would be vary from time to time.  From Kota Bharu airport it would cost you about RM 78 per taxi (one way trip) to Kuala Besut Jetty.

By land
There are plenty bus operator such as Perdana Express, Sani Express, Transnasional, Express Mutiara, Konsortium and few others for you to choose from to get to Kuala Besut Jetty. It would takes about 8 hours to 10 hours journey to get to Kuala Besut Jetty depends on your point of origin. It would cost you about RM 45 to RM 60 for one way trip. There would be a morning trip around 8 am and the other trip would be at night around 8 pm to 9 pm.  It is advisable for you to take the night bus so you could sleep and rest. Upon arrival, you would be just in time for the first boat transfer to the island which at 7.30 am.

Apart from direct bus to Kuala Besut, you may also go to Jertih.  From Jertih, you may take a taxi to Kuala Besut Jetty which would cost you about RM 20 per taxi for one way trip. It would take about 10 - 15 minutes journey to get to Kuala Besut Jetty.

By Train
Those who prefer to travel by train, you may go to Tanah Merah  or Wakaf Bharu station and get the taxi to get to Kuala Besut Jetty.  You may check the rates and schedule at KTMB website.  The journey would takes about 10 hours to 12 hours depends on your point of origin.  Kuala Lumpur/Singapore – Tanah Merah/Wakaf Bharu station – Besut(taxi)

Mean while, don't forget to take care of your belongings, don't left it unattended.  Once you get on the Perhentian Island, have fun!