The Perhentian Islands

The Perhentians are two islands, Besar and Kecil, sitting in a marine park in the South China Sea, and their appeal is unfussy: white sand, clear warm water, granite headlands, jungle interiors and no roads or cars at all. Movement between beaches is by water taxi or by scrambling over jungle paths. Kecil is the backpacker island, with Long Beach and Coral Bay facing each other across a narrow waist you can walk in fifteen minutes; Besar is quieter and slightly more comfortable. The diving is inexpensive by regional standards and the marine park protects reefs where green and hawksbill turtles, blacktip reef sharks and, in season, whale sharks pass through. It is one of the cheapest places in Asia to qualify as a diver.

History

The name means "stopping point" in Malay, from the islands' role as a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia, and British maps of the 19th and 20th centuries called them the Station Islands; for centuries they were sparsely settled by fishers (Wikipedia, Perhentian Islands).

Highlights

• Long Beach on Kecil - the main strip of sand, social and busy in season.
• Turtle Beach and Romantic Beach - quieter coves reached by jungle path or water taxi.
• Snorkelling at Shark Point - blacktip reef sharks in shallow water, a standard boat stop.
• Turtle nesting - green turtles come ashore on protected beaches in the summer months.

When to go

March to October. From roughly November to February the northeast monsoon shuts the islands down: boats stop, almost everything closes and the islands empty. Peak season is July and August, when accommodation is tight and prices rise.

What to expect

Facilities are basic and power and water can be intermittent; several places run generators on a schedule. There are no ATMs worth relying on and card payment is patchy, so bring cash. Water taxis are the only transport and the charges add up. Litter and rubbish handling have been a persistent problem on the busier beaches.

Nearby

Redang island is the more resort-oriented neighbour; the Terengganu coast has quiet fishing towns.

Key facts