If you are craving for a few days in total calm, days of relaxation and away from the torment of the city, this island is perfect for you. Malaysia has one of the most peaceful paradises on earth: the Perhentian Islands.
Go deep into a great adventure doing snorkeling or walking the jungle, swim on the beaches and get to know the place. There are no roads exactly, only paths surrounded by ancient forest and the calm and solitary waters that surround the coasts of the islands. In this calm place you can feel the thick, hot sand, contemplate the view of the cliffs, and observe different species of animals such as lizards and sea eagles.
It is the perfect place to take personal time and relax, you will only hear the sound of the sea, the breeze coming through your window and the crickets singing. Without the torment of many tourists, without undesirable noise, everything is perfect.
The two main islands that make up the Perhentian Islands are Perhentian Besar, which is the largest, and Perhentian Kecil, the smallest one. They both offer you a completely different place for a holiday destination than what you are accustomed to. You can read or write a book, take a nap and lie down in a hammock to listen to the sea.
If you are looking for a little more activity, you can rent a snorkel and swim along a school of parrotfish, or get on a kayak and go on a trip through the water. When the wind stops, you will see the crystal clear water and admire the marine world through the transparent surface. When finished, walk towards the village of Muslim fishermen and have a deliciously fried lamb and banana curry.
Although these islands are much less known than the other islands in the region, they are growing in popularity and tourism is better everyday, so it is advisable to book the rooms in advance for the high season in July and August. Traveling during the monsoons, between October and February, should be scratched off of your list, since everything is closed around these months.
If you visit Perhentian Besar, you can stay in chalets with air conditioning, however, if you want something simpler and closer to nature, visit Perhentian Kecil and you can sleep in basic chalets with mosquito nets. Both islands have bungalows and restaurants, and are part of a marine park that you can access for free since there are no banks or ATMs on the islands.
To get to Perhentian Islands, take a 45-minute speedboat from the jetty in Kuala Besut, on the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. You can also opt for slower boats from the neighboring islands of Redang and Lang Tengah.
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