Perhentians Malaysia: The Ultimate Travel Guide
In our opinion, a tour through Malaysia is not complete without a visit to the Perhentian Islands. We even thought this was one of the most beautiful islands we visited during our world trip! In this travel guide Perhentians Malaysia you will find everything you need to know about a visit to these beautiful islands.
Location of the Perhentians Malaysia
The Perhentians are located on the eastern side of Malaysia (Pulau Perhentian, 4-5), about a 45-minute boat ride from the mainland. Small ferries depart daily from Kuala Besut to the archipelago. The area consists of several islands, but almost everyone spends the night either on the large island (Pulau Perhential Besar) or on the small island (Pulau Perhential Kecil). There is nothing to do on the mainland, so it is best to travel directly to the islands. We planned an overnight stay in Besut itself on both the way there and back, so that we could be sure that we would make the connections. In the end, we could have continued traveling immediately, but given the rather broad terms of time when it comes to bus travel, an overnight stay might be good for some peace of mind.
Which Island to Visit?
So there are two islands to choose from (the others are very small and uninhabited): Pulau Perhential Kecil (= small) and Pulau Perhential Besar (= large). This is the direct translation into Malay of small and large. The large island is more intended for family vacations, the villages are smaller and quieter, but the accommodations are a bit more expensive. The small island is more suitable for backpackers (so we think), the accommodations are generally cheaper and more hostel-like. What we liked about this island in particular is that everything is located along the same beach, on walking distance. We stayed on the small island on Long Beach, the largest beach on the island. Everything you need is literally here on the beach. What an atmosphere! And then the beach itself was fantastic: fine sand, crystal blue sea and palm trees in the background. As far as we are concerned, it is truly the paradise place you never want to leave.
Transportation to the Perhentians
If you follow our itinerary through Malaysia, you will probably arrive in Besut a little later in the day. After you get off the bus, there will probably be two or more people around you to kindly (sincerely!) ask you if you have already bought a boat ticket. We had not done that in advance, and it turned out not to be necessary. We were escorted to an office and it was arranged within 5 minutes. A return ticket costs 70 ringgit (August 2023) and can be paid in cash or by debit/credit card. On top of that there are some taxes: another 30 + 5 ringgit per adult (August 2023). The ‘ferry’ is nothing more than a small motor boat that carries about 20 people. Together with all the luggage, you wonder whether you can go to sea safely. But afterwards we thought it was a nice experience.
All good things come to an end, so you also have to take the Jetty back to the mainland. The return ticket has an open date, so the return journey does not have to be arranged in advance. Simply let the accommodation know when and at what time you want to be picked up and they will arrange the rest.
Transportation on the Islands
What we thought was really crazy was that there are no cars on the Perhentian Islands. Everything is located quite compactly together on the beach. In your own ‘village’ everything is accessible on foot and through the sand! There are also a few walking paths that connect different beaches, but if you want to go to another beach it is easiest to take a taxi boat. The prices for this are the same everywhere. Especially on Long Beach, where we stayed, the boats can be found everywhere, all day long. But what we would recommend is to just book a tour. Their prices are only slightly higher.
Accommodation on the Perhentians
There are many options to spend the night on the Perhentian Islands. We chose a budget option on Kecil, close to the beach: Ocean Boys Inn. This accommodation has air conditioning and a private bathroom and you can literally have your feet in the water within a minute. The accommodation can also be found on our own Google Maps travel guide Malaysia.
Activities on the Perhentians Malaysia
There is really plenty to do on the Perhentian islands: from relaxing on the beautiful beaches to diving. We were not able to see everything in three days, but we did do several snorkeling tours. For example, we booked the ‘Special Trip’ and the ‘Short Trip’ at Ocean Boy’s (where we also spent the night). The first was also the longest, for only RM90 we took a day trip to several uninhabited islands. Also we visitied the most beautiful beach in the Perhentians: Turtle Beach. We saw a lot of beautiful fish here, including clown fish (Nemo)! The Short trip (RM40) went to other places, but we also found this one more than worth it. We have seen sea turtles and ‘baby sharks’ here.
General Tips for your Visit to the Perhentians Malaysia
1. Bring enough cash in advance. We could not find an ATM on the islands or in Besut. We had to pay all in cash.
2. A waterproof bag is very useful. Everything gets wet, especially during the snorkeling tours, but even if you want to reach that one beautiful beach, you sometimes have to walk through the water. Literally, they drop you on the beach with all your stuff! We bought a small waterproof bag in Kuala Tahan, but these can also be bought everywhere on the islands.
3. Long swimsuits are a must. And sunscreen. It doesn’t look very charming, but health first! The sun is very strong here. Especially during a snorkeling tour.
4. Only go on a snorkeling tour if you can swim well. We regularly had to swim several hundred meters and were usually in the water for half an hour straight. There were also some people on the tour who clearly did not have any experience. And perhaps the islands, no matter how beautiful, should even be avoided at all by non-swimmers. Although we were given life jackets everywhere, the boat tours aren’t as safe as you may are used to back in your own country.
5. Bring your own mosquito net, there are a lot of mosquitoes on the islands!
