Paradise! (Perhentian Islands)

Member Name: Qaliq

Product:	Perhentian Islands
Date:	03/12/08 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amzing snorkelling and diving, quiet, nice beach

Disadvantages: No ATMs

The Perhentain Islands are located approximately 20km off the East Coast of Malaysia. They are accessed by speedboat (the ride is an experience in itself!) costing about 70RM return (~£10 as of Nov 2008) from the tiny town of Kuala Besut which is approx 2 hours away from the closest airport at Kota Bharu and an 8 hour bus ride from Kuala Lumpur. There are two Islands, Kecil (small Island) which has most of the budget accommodation and nightlife (read: a few beach bars) and Besar (big Island) which is mainly resort based accommodation.

I stayed on Long Beach on Kecil in a very rustic beach bungalow with a bed, shared outside toilet and shower, mosquito net and fan for 18RM/night (approximately £3). There were plenty of much nicer places to stay if you're willing to spend more money though!

The Island was one of the most chilled out places I have ever been and I couldn't reccomend them highly enough if you're looking for a chilled out beach break. The sand was white and the sea so clear you could see all the way to the bottom even if the deep bits. Beacuse of this both snorkelling and diving are first class there and in just a few hours snorkelling we saw turtles, sharks and the most colourful fish and coral.

In the evenings there are a couple of restaurants mainly doing fresh bbq fish, Malay food and typical Western Food. There are a couple of bars which open straight out onto the beach and there were fire shows and bonfires on most nights. The Island is not a party Island though and there is much more of a chilled out vibe than there is on the Thai Islands for example. There are no roads on the Island and only one or two shops which are pretty expensive. There aren't any ATMs either so make sure you take enough cash although you can withdraw on a credit card at one of the shops for a hefty charge. The internet is expensive and painfully slow although this is to be expected due to the remoteness of the Islands.

The Island completely closes down during Monsoon Season which is between November and late Feb and boats don't run during this time so there's no way you can visit!

Summary: Super relaxing gorgeous beach