Perhentian Island, Malaysia: 2 days 1 night but we did almost everything here :)

Perhentian Island, Perhentian Kecil Island, Perhentian Besar Island, Malaysia, Terengganu, Kuala Besut, Romantic Beach, Long Beach, Windmill Hiking, Pulau Perhentian, Kincir Angin

17^th April 2016

We depart from Kuala Terengganu around 5am and arrive at Kuala Besut Jetty at 7.00am. Basically you can park your car around the bus station area (for free) or any car parking area with Rm15/day. For visitor that travels with bus, basically trip from Kuala Lumpur-Kota Bharu-Kuala Besut, bus will stop at Kuala Besut bus station. You can found lots of travel agent for the vacation/sampling trip and the most important transportation to island eg: Sevenseas, Tropicana, Sealife etc (you also can get the boat ticket by return from the travel agent too).

We supposedly take a boat to Perhentian Kecil Island at 7.00am but we missed it, so we have to wait up until 9.00am for another trip. As we are not breakfast yet, we stop at nearby stall for breakfast. I recommend you gust to breakfast at restaurant near the Kuala Besut Station bus as they serve local and traditional meal and open air area. So for breakfast, I take roti canai and teh tarik as my breakfast (total around RM3.00). FYI, Malaysians usually love teh tarik, roti canai and nasi lemak for breakfast, so this is your time to feel local.

As our boat at 9.00am we have to be in the jetty before 8.30am, all boat fee we have buy from the agent (RM70 return) and we need to pay RM5 for each person to Marine Park as we enter the island. Basically from jetty to Perhentian Is. it take only 45 minutes by speed boat.

My Marine Park (Taman Laut) ticket

Snorkeling Time

There are 5 snorkeling site and lunch at Perhentian Kecil village (All we need to pay RM 40, but some snorkeling boat offer more cheaper from RM30 to RM40). The summary of snorkeling site as below:

1. Shark Point (Perhentian Besar Is.)

Few my friend saw a black tip shark swim under their snorkeling area, but I didn’t see it. Pity me hahaha.

2. Fish Point (Perhentian Besar Is.)

This shallow area has lots of coral biodiversity compare with Shark point. Please make sure you didn’t step on the coral, it take more than 10 years to grow up even only one cm!! From my observation here there are sea cucumber, Christmas tree worm, pen worm, giant clamp etc and lots of fish of course.

3. Turtle Point

During my trip, I just only saw one green turtle that feed the seagrass here, well I not sure if anyone see more than one sea turtle here. It quiet big, I thought it may reach 100kg or above.

Fisherman village (Perhentian Kecil Is.)

We stop here for lunch.

4. Romantic beach

The beach was very beautiful, long beach with white sand. I’m not sure why it call as romantic beach, but I guess this place are good for sunbathing as it really nice place. My friend and I just walking on the beach, we saw something human made that are tied on the few tree here. A pieces of dead coral ( rubber,can found on the beach, its look white) that are tied together with a rope (marine debris). And this thing are tied hang up on the tree. It’s unique.

I also make my own by tied another dead coral and tied it on the tree. Then we also make some sculpture, where we bury some part of the big dead coral in the sand meanwhile the outer part are exposed. Last time we did 8 sculpture in this area. There are 2 dead coral sculpture and the coconut on the sand on the photo below. Well i guest the picture below have been taken around 25th April 2016, 6th days after our trip.

We hope if anyone saw this, they will continue make it by their own J.  We hope romantic beach are not attracted by their white sandy beach but also unique dead coral on the tree and the coral sculpture on the sand.

5. Light house

Well the current here are quite strong. If you are not good swimmer please wear the buoyancy aid. I saw lots of sea anemones and each of them have nemo fish. Well it quite tired swim here, so I quickly get on the boat, even some of my friend just stay above.

Another interest thing to do here is you can jump from the light house J. The height of the light house just around 2 storey building.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYsHcHxZKm8

Sunset

In dawn we plan to see sunset while have a tea time. The one of the best sunset view in this island is at Sharila Resort, Coral bay.

In evening, we have our dinner at Long beach (I not remember the restaurant, but you can found lot of restaurant along the beach).

My dinner (Total around MYR 13.00)

There are track that connected between Coral bay and Long Beach, If you are from Coral bay, you can found the track behind the Ombak Chalet. It is only 15 minutes trekking. Well, in my opinion, Coral Bay are more relaxing during the day and night compared to Long Beach. But the water around Long beach are more beautiful crystal clear water and it is shallow so it very suitable for swimming.

Coral Bay

Din and I planned to hang out on midnight at Long beach while view the star. But I wake up around 5am and I told him my body feel itching as it is very tired day before (I saw he wake up to). So the planned are cancelled. Hahah

Hiking to Windmill

Next morning, after breakfast we start our hiking to windmill. It is easier to hiking even without a guider, you can found a simple billboard that show Windmill direction at Long Beach camping area. 30 minute hiking, I also saw some tourist jogging to the top too. My advice is, to make sure you are not lost during the way, just follow the electric cable as it connected to the windmill and solar area (the electricity source of the island). Go around the windmill to see the view from this spot.

Trek to windmill

View near the windmill area

On the way back, we stop and swim at Long beach. It makes me falling in love with this area. The water are so clear and it is shallow (knee level) so it safe even you can’t swim.

I collect some water sample here so that I can make water analysis in the lab.

The water is so clear even it is difficult which one is mineral water and sea water.

We take the boat from jetty at 12pm and arrive at Kuala Besut 30 minutes later.

If you have anything to ask such as how you can reach Perhentian, which chalet that offer the most affordable price etc please do not hesitate to leave your comment below. :)

I hope this blog give some valuable information for anyone that planned to getting there..

English is not my native language, but I try to learn & improve

comment below if you found any mistake..