History and Geography
The
Perhentian Islands --
Pulau Perhentian in
Malay --
lie off the coast of northeartern
Malaysia in
the state of
Terengganu, not far from the
Thai border.
The two main islands are
Perhentian Besar ("Big Perhentian") and
Perhentian Kecil ("Small Perhentian"). The small, uninhabited
islands of
Susu Dara,
Seringgi and
Rawa lie off Kecil.
The Perhentians belong to
Pulau Redang National Marine Park, which
means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly
prohibited.
The name "perhentian" means "point to stop" in Malay, referring to their
longstanding role as a waypoint for traders going between Bangkok
and Malaysia. (The Perhentian Teksi signs
you'll see all around Malaysia aren't for a single
company, it just means "taxi stand"!)
The islands have been sparsely inhabited by fishermen
for hundreds of years, and only recently has tourism started to
encroach on the scene.
The islands are often dubbed with superlatives like "the most beautiful
place on Earth" or even simply "paradise", and at least for the nature
lover this may well be true. Both islands feature miles and miles of
white sand beach, and the reefs and crystalline water
around the
island are host to a wide variety of coral and other aquatic
flora and fauna. The islands themselves are small and low, the
interior being authentic tropical jungle with a few trails hacked in.
The islands shut down more or less completely during the monsoon season
between November and February.
High season is in the
summer, and during Malaysian holidays and weekends the place can be
packed to capacity.
Things to Do
The top attractions on Perhentian are thus sunning yourself on the beach,
snorkeling and
scuba diving -- there are a number of dive operations
on both islands and prices are very low, with single
dives available for as little as RM 60 with discounts
for own gear, multiple dives, etc. (I recommend
Turtle Bay Divers, which
has a shop on both islands. Say hi to Taina!)
Although there is now one (seriously
overpriced)
resort
for jet set package tourists, the
Perhentian Island Resort on Besar,
most accommodation is in simple little beachside
chalets that go for
as low as 10
RM a night on Kecil's popular
Long Beach
(
Pasir Panjang). Besar's accommodation tends to be
a bit more classy, you'll probably have to fork out
closer to RM 50 per chalet but that'll get you a few
luxuries like included bathroom and a ceiling fan.
However, unlike some places on the other side of
the border, do bear in mind that this paradise is a rather ascetic one:
the state of Terengganu is strictly Islamic, which means that alcohol availability is limited, although most
restaurants do sell beer for nearly RM 10 a can.
In theory even bikinis are banned, although in practice this law is
completely ignored and there is even a semi-official topless beach on Besar.
On the other hand, Malaysia's zero-tolerance drug policy with mandatory
death sentences for smuggling or dealing is no legal
fiction, and it means that drugs are essentially
non-existent. At the chalets, electricity is usually available only in the
evening, if at all. Internet cafes, on the other hand, are rapidly
sprouting up!
Getting There
Due to a near-total lack of
infrastructure getting to the islands
remains a somewhat
cumbersome process, as there are no airstrips
or real ports on the islands.
Most people fly or take a
bus to the mainland centers of
Kota Bharu and
Kuala Terengganu
and then proceed by taxi (one hour from Kota Bharu, two from
Kuala Terengganu) to the little fishing village of
Kuala Besut. From Kuala Besut,
fishing boats (RM20 one way, 60-90 min)
and
speedboats (RM40 one way, 30 min) ply to the Perhentians and
back a number of times each day. Be warned: the boats
are small and they cross on the open sea. While
seasickness
is unlikely due to the high speed, you may get a bit of
a sore butt (hang on tight!) and you
will get
soaked with
seawater. Protect your belongings and
try to cross during the day, when the waves are usually
at their lowest.
Getting Around
Travel between and in the islands is also by boat, the crossing between
Kecil and Besar takes only around 15 minutes. A hop from one
island to the other is around RM 10 a pop, while inter-island trips are
around 5. The intrepid may also choose to try the trails that crisscross the islands, but be warned that it's a
jungle out there and it feels like hiking in a steam
bath full of exotic bugs.
References
http://www.pulau-perhentian.com
Personal experience