Chances are you’ve never heard of these islands, let alone visited them. We knew we were going to be in Asia around the start of August so we started searching for that elusive belt of sunshine that escapes the summer monsoon.
We swam among huge parrot fish, large but placid blue-tip sharks and bright clown fish, which nibble defensively at your fingers- Thomas Camilleri
The Perhentians soon reared their heads and after inquiring with a friend who’d visited twice, we pencilled them into our itinerary.
Getting there might seem intimidating to some but it’s surprisingly simple and apart from some agitated haggling with taxi drivers and the occasional cockroach, it was relatively hassle-free.
From Kuala Lumpur (reached from Malta with Emirates via Dubai) you can fly to Kota Bharu on the east coast for just RM53 (€12 one-way) with www.airasia.com.
We opted for a more adventurous option, however; boarding the jungle railway at 8.30 p.m. (booked with www.ktmb.com. my) and settling in for a 13-hour ride across the Malaysian peninsula.
We awoke to bright sunshine, blue skies, coconut trees and the occasional brightly-coloured village. This option costs as much as the internal flight but it has an added fun factor (sleeper train through a tropical jungle? Yes please!) so we caught the train there and flew back.
At Wakaf Bharu train station or Sultan Ismail Airport in Kota Bharu it’s only an hour’s drive down the coast to Kuala Besut where the ferry leaves for the islands.
This is where things get hairy and taxi drivers will try their damndest to fleece you. The price we were initially quoted was RM100 (€23) but after some serious haggling from my brother we managed to get it down to RM60 (€14). Say that you’ve been here before and that you’ve always paid between RM50 (€11.50) and RM60 and they’ll probably budge.
Once at Kuala Besut the ferry is mercifully set at RM35 (€8) each way, though most resorts and chalets on the islands will tell you who to look for at the jetty as once you book your stay on the island, they reserve your ferry pass with an agent on the mainland. You’ll also have to pay a marine conservation charge of RM5 (€1.16). The islands being quite small, the ferry will drop you off at whichever beach you’re staying at.
There are two Perhentian islands, Kecil (small) and Besar (large), making it quite easy to distinguish the two. Both islands have great beaches and most of the snorkelling and diving happens in the channel between them so there isn’t much difference in that aspect.
There are some differences: Kecil attracts backpackers where-as there’s more of a quiet, resort atmosphere on Besar. We stayed on the southernmost beach of Besar called Teluk Dalam at the Samudra Chalet (www.samudrabeachchalet.com).
We didn’t want to go for the luxury option (although luxury here is cheap by Western standards), so Samudra – with its beachside chalets and basic en-suite facilities – suited us fine.
We found two large cockroaches in our hut on the first night but after lots of frantic pointing from my sister and lots of broom action from yours truly, we were never disturbed again. It really is very hot so we flung the windows open and, thanks to copious amounts of 100 per cent deet bug spray and a coil of moon tiger, we only suffered a few bites and no other unwelcome visitors. Our beachfront hut cost us RM80 (€18.50) per person, per night – bargain!
If, however, luxury is your thing then I would definitely recommend the Perhentian Island resort on the north side of Besar (www.perhentianislandresort.net). The resort straddles the best beach on the islands and has luxury chalets, restaurants and even a swimming pool (madness!).
You’re looking at RM250 (€58) per person, per night for a beachfront suite. If you’re going to come all this way, you may as well stump up the extra cash and stay beachfront; nothing quite beats waking up to the South China Sea lapping your front garden in the morning.
We didn’t realise beforehand that we’d be staying there during Ramadan, which meant it was quieter than usual and most restaurants were closed from 6 till 8 p.m. while the locals broke their fast.
Our chalet was run by Muslims who had left it in the hands of a local Malay family while they spent the month on the mainland. This meant that communication was tricky at times and our restaurant was closed throughout our stay, although this wasn’t much of an issue as every other chalet on the beach had its restaurant open.
The marine life is so lush that you’re likely to see as much underwater life while snorkelling as you will scuba diving. We swam among huge parrot fish, large but placid blue-tip sharks and bright clown fish, which will nibble defensively at your fingers when you approach their sea-anemone homes.
You’ll be constantly approached by beach boys trying to flog their snorkelling trips. Prices seem to be fairly fixed but try to aim for RM35-45 (€8-10) which should include about three hours on the boat with various stops and a mask, snorkel and fins.
We met a guy called Noosie who ended up taking us snorkelling and it’s also a good idea to keep in touch with them as they can also ferry you across the islands. Again, your haggling skills will be truly tried and tested; we managed to haggle the crossing down to RM40 (€9) return from RM70 (€16).
The islands are also a great place to learn how to scuba dive or organise trips if you’re already a certified diver. If it’s been a while since you dived, you might be asked to go on a refresher dive which is very short and cheap. Many chalets will include package deals if you’re interested in doing the Open Water or Advanced Open Water courses. The courses are about RM 1,000 (€232) each, which is what you’d be likely to pay in Malta.
The food wasn’t as great as I hoped. Most of the restaurants seem to follow the same trend: lots of Malay and Indian curries, and if you follow your nose at night you’re sure to find one of the many beach barbecues that the chalets organise. Just stroll up to the grill master, point at which fish or seafood item you fancy and take a seat. The fresh juices are yummy here and I was also ecstatic to find the joyous fermented yoghurt drink they love in India – lassi.
For the more adventurous there are a few jungle-trekking paths that criss-cross the islands from beach to beach. Once you head inland from any beach it’s just dense, lush, tropical rainforest.
On our first day we grabbed our beach towels and cameras and headed into the green unknown. The experience of the thick canopy closing over you can be quite daunting but the tracks are well worn and easy to follow.
Barely five minutes into our walk we came across a baby monitor lizard (nearly 1.5 metres long – how big are the parents?!) which was content to carry on munching on lunch.
I heard something rustling above and after squinting into the sunlight I saw what looked like a huge squirrel with very saggy arms climbing up a tree. It soon launched backwards, spread its arms and legs and gracefully glided to another tree – a flying squirrel!
We eventually came to the north beach and settled down for a swim and a nap. When we later reached the western beaches facing Kecil we soon realised that the sun was setting and to get back to our beach we had to cross through another section of jungle – without torches.
Panic soon set in (on my part) so we frantically scrambled across a very overgrown and underused jungle path, the light diminishing with every second. It was almost totally dark when we spotted the tiny lights of the chalets on our beach – I could have wept with relief. Moral of the story: take a torch.
The Perhentians are one of those places that you’ll never forget. It’s island life at its best, and so unspoilt that you can’t help but switch off.
Try and visit for at least a week; time really does slow down so you’ll need as much of it as possible to enjoy the islands at their own pace.