Perhentian Islands

城市概覽

The Perhentian Islands (pronounced Perhen-tee-ahn) comprise of two main islands, Perhentian Besar (Big Perhentian) and Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian). The name Perhentian means stopping point in Malay as the islands became a staging point used by traders travelling from Malaysia to Bangkok. Long a backpacker destination off the mass tourism trail, the islands have been slowly creeping upmarket and the opening of a giant Marriott resort in Kecil means that islands are now well and truly on the radar. Kecil attracts more travellers due to cheaper accommodation options, while Besar is a little more expensive and caters more to families and those who want to avoid the backpacker party scene. The Perhentian Islands also comprise of the small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara, Seringgi and Rawa, which lie off Kecil. All the islands are protected under marine park status, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited. However, in practice, litter is one of the major problems that face the islands. The islands are almost entirely devoted to tourism. Kampung Pasir Hantu, more commonly known as Fisherman Village (Kampung Nelayan), at the southeast corner of Kecil, is the only local settlement in the islands with facilities like a school, mosque, police station etc.

When to go Due to the eastern monsoon, the best time to visit the Perhentian Islands is effectively limited to the beginning of March or April until late October. This is similar to many other islands on the east coast of Malaysia. Outside this period the seas can be very rough and choppy with currents that make swimming dangerous and overcast skies with frequent rain. For this reason most accommodation (but not all) are closed. Travel agents may claim accommodations are open and even then many restaurants and all shops will be closed during the off-season. If a restaurant is open during the off-season, expect limited and over-priced food choices.

Place names Many loc

如何抵達

The most common way to get to the Perhentian Islands is by speed boat from Kuala Besut. Another, slightly more extraordinary option is to join a direct transfer to or from Redang - ask local travel or dive shops if any day-trip or dive boats have free seats.

By plane The nearest airports are at Kota Bharu and Kuala Terengganu, which both have near-hourly connections to Kuala Lumpur and occasional services (once daily or less) to other major Malaysian cities like Johor Bahru. Kota Bharu is about one hour away by taxi, while Kuala Terengganu is closer to 1.5 hours.

By train Tanah Merah, three stops before the end of the line at Tumpat, is the closest station to Kuala Besut on the famous KTMB Jungle Line from Kuala Lumpur via Gua Musang.

By boat Speed boats from Kuala Besut, usually small fibreglass boats with two or three outboards, operate roughly hourly between 8AM and 5PM and charge a fixed RM 35/20 per adult/child one-way. The two main operators are:

Perhentian Trans, ☏ +60 195584736. (updated Jun 2022) Seven Seas Transportation Services, ☏ +60 96975795. (updated Jun 2022) It doesn't really matter who you book with, since all agencies book you onto the same boats anyway. The journey to the islands takes 30-45 minutes. Especially in high season it's wise to book your tickets in advance, if you happen to miss the planned departure they're usually happy to put you on the next one. If you arrive after 5 PM, you'll need to charter a boat at RM300-500. Travel after dark is possible but not advisable. Some boats are enclosed, some have a fabric roof, some are completely open. If the sea is choppy expect a bone-jarring, bumpy ride and in the case of the latter two types expect to get very wet. If you are early, sitting at the back of the boat (near the engines) is less bumpy, but wet and noisier. There is no safe space for electronics, you might want to wrap in plastic anything that will not survive being wet (e.g. in bags inside your backpack) beforeh

當地交通

On foot Walking is the main way to travel around Kecil or Besar to travel between beaches on each island. There are many walking tracks that connect the beaches as an alternative to water taxis. Apart from the main tracks, everywhere else on the islands is dense jungle. On Kecil, Long Beach to Coral Bay is about ten minutes and a very easy walk. To go from Long Beach to D'Lagoon, follow the jungle path that starts behind Bubu resort on the northern part of Long Beach, when you reach the turbines follow the path down behind the turbines (do not go down the stairs!) a further 30 minutes until you reach D'Lagoon. It takes about 1 hour. Another route from D'Lagoon is to Adam and Eve beach on the west side of the island (25 minutes), be careful when swimming here as there are sometimes thieves waiting in the forest, though they are only interested in cameras and money. Or another one to Turtle Beach also on the west side (10 minutes). There is also a track from the south end of Long Beach from Rock Garden Chalet to South East Masjid Besar. The walk paths lack maintenance, hence proper trail footwear is recommended. Also, use insect repellent: the paths pass through forests with many mosquitoes. On Besar, an easy 30-minute walk starts behind the Arwana resort on the southern bay of Besar and comes out in the Perhentian island resort on the north west bay. The other is a more adventurous 45-minute trek between the camp site (Teluk KK) on the west bay and the west corner of the south bay. If it's damp, mosquitoes can be a menace.

By boat or water taxi Aside from walking, the only means of transport is by boat or water taxis. Prices are negotiable but figure on RM 12 for most hops from one beach to another, and a little more when crossing from one island to another. Travelling by boat is a much faster alternative to walking around the Islands and is of course the only means of travel between Kecil and Besar.

必看景點

There are no monuments, museums, viewpoints or other above-ground 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. The best location to experience sunset is at Coral Bay on Perhentian Kecil, but construction of a new jetty has spoiled most of the view. On Besar, the best and cleanest beaches are on the west side of the island. The south beach on Besar is less inviting and had lots of broken coral, treacherous to bare feet and lots of litter and discarded rubbish (as of May 2012). There are several trails that you can take around Kecil island that offer spectacular viewpoints such as the Lighthouse Towers, which you can also climb up and jump off of into the sea. With luck you might be able to spot some of the islands' wildlife, including huge harmless monitor lizards (almost guaranteed - they are not afraid of humans) and monkeys, not to mention nesting turtles at certain times of year. Argua