Perhentian Island Escape

The Perhentians are a true tropical paradise. You’ll be staying on Perhentian Besar in a friendly resort with a beautiful white beach right on its doorstep. The waters are spectacular and make for some amazing snorkelling.

The island has lots of great restaurants where you can enjoy the delicious fresh fish. But there’s more to the Perhentians than white sands, blue seas, palm trees and good food, it’s just that these four things may be tempting enough as it is. We wouldn’t disagree...

Duration:	4 days /3 nights Departure daily from March - mid October	Accommodation:	charming wooden bungalow with air-conditioning, including breakfast. Accommodation category 3
Price:	from $299 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes:	3 nights accommodation with breakfast, boat transfers
Transport:	boat	Excludes:	other meals

Day 1

The boat to Pulau Perhentian Besar leaves Kuala Besut every half hour between 8am – 4pm. The crossing takes just 30 minutes. Stepping ashore on Perhentian Besar you’re be greeted by palm trees, bleached white sands and a crystal clear turquoise sea. You’ll be staying in a charming resort on one of the most beautiful beaches on Perhentian Island with its own coral reef that's terrific for snorkelling. In the evening you can have dinner at the resort, or try one of the nearby restaurants. We had a great meal at the Panorama restaurant on Long Beach which will appeal to movie buffs as well.

Travel time: 30 minutes

Day 2 and 3

In the morning enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then wander over to the white beach in front of the resort to find a spot in the soft white sand. The palm trees softly rustling in the wind, the soothing sound of the waves lapping on the beach and the warm sun tickling your skin...life couldn’t be more perfect. You could just lie here for the rest of the day, but if you want a little more activity, take an afternoon snorkelling trip. If you book a half-day trip you can pick up your snorkel, mask and flippers in the morning and snorkel around the reef in front of the resort to spot the most exotic brightly coloured fish swimming among the coral. At the resort reception you can also book a jungle tour (approximately $8), hire a canoe ($4 an hour), or a sea-fishing excursion (approximately $100 for 5 hours).

Day 4

After breakfast it’s time to bid farewell to Perhentian Besar and take the boat back to Kuala Besut. If you’re not planning on visiting any of the other islands along the east coast, and you have enough time, we recommend extending your stay on Perhentian with a couple of extra days. Just let us know in your quote request form and we’ll arrange it for you. You could also combine your stay on Perhentian Besar with a couple of other islands, for example with our Island-hopping module.

If you want to see more of the natural beauty of the islands, you can also travel on to the smaller Pulau Lang Tengah. If you want to experience some traditional Malaysian culture, spend a few days as part of a small village community in Creative Kampung Life.

Click here for a map of Malaysia.

Accommodation images

Travel tips

Best time to travel
Like the rest of the east coast, the best time to visit Perhentian Island is between March – mid October. Most resorts are closed from mid-October due to monsoon season.

Money matters
There are no cash machines on the islands so make sure you withdraw plenty of cash on the mainland. Most resorts and diving schools accept credit card.

Alcohol
The more traditional east coast Malaysians don’t always appreciate the use of alcohol by tourists, though on the islands, the larger resorts and a couple of restaurants alcohol is available. When you’re in public, please respect the locals and their values.

Two islands
The Perhentian Islands consist of two islands: Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil. Besar is the larger of the two and offers more upscale accommodation and facilities. The smaller island of Kecil is more of a backpacker destination. In our modules you’ll be staying on Besar, but if you’d prefer to go to Kecil, we can arrange it for you. Just let us know on your quote request form.

Diving
The coral around the Perhentian Islands is reputedly some of the best on the east coast. If you’re a novice diver you can take an introductory dive, or a complete PADI-course at one of the reliable diving shops (like Turtle Bay Divers or Spice Divers).

Eating shark
You’ll find shark on the menu at several restaurants on the Perhentians, but think twice before you order. Animal activists kindly ask you to decline.

Good food
Try the Panorama restaurant on Long Beach where you can also watch a movie. For a really good breakfast head to the Shake Shack, close to the trail towards Coral Bay.

Click here for the quote request form
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For inspiration check out our suggested itineraries