Travelfish newsletter Issue 352 : Malaysia’s Perhentian Islands
Hi all,
New on the site this week is our coverage of Malaysia’s Perhentian Islands—a fun spot for a beach break as you make your way down the Gulf coast.
Adam & Eve Beach, Perhential Kecil. Photo: Stuart McDonald
In other news, in case you missed it a couple of weeks ago, I discussed changes in travel in Southeast Asia on a podcast for The Diplomat. You can listen to the full interview here. Please ignore the obvious clanger at the end when I mistakingly say Sangkhlaburi is near the Cambodian border—the town has not been moved, it is still near Burma!
We’re homing in on 15 years in the business and will be announcing something new next week (if all goes to plan), but for this week, we’re going a bit more destination specific and writing a bit more about the above-mentioned Perhentians. The news-wrap continues as before after that.
Good travels,
Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish crew
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Deatination
Malaysia’s Perhentian Islands
Perhaps easier to reach than to pronounce correctly, the twin islands of the Perhentians sit off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just 45 minutes by boat from the port town of Kuala Besut, which in turn is just an hour or so from Kota Bharu to the north and Kuala Terengganu to the south.
Why go: The islands have been solidly on the traveller trail for at least the last three decades, so idyllic and unspoilt destinations they are not, but they still boast a bounty of truly terrific beaches (Adam and Eve + Turtle Beach, both on Perhentian Kecil, and Teluk KK on Perhentian Besar, are absolute crackers), some reasonable, and cheap, diving, and no shortage of fish to snorkel with.
Why don’t go: Frankly speaking, much of the accommodation on the islands pretty much sux. Sometimes the standards are just very poor, in others, what are quite reasonable rooms are just overpriced. When, on my recent visit I asked a staffer just why he thought the room he was showing me was worth north of US$250 a night, he replied “Well most of the places on the islands are only open half the year, so we have to charge more”. Ok then.
Oh and did we mention bedbugs?
Yes, there are exceptions. On Perhentian Kecil, even though we were not able to see inside a room, Crocodile Villas looked lovely from the outside, nearby Keranji Beach is also a crowd pleaser and, on the northern tip, D’Lagoon, despite being quite rundown, wasn’t woefully overpriced. Over on the big island, Mama’s continues to deliver, but most of the mid-range digs there, while comfortable, had some really eye-watering price points. If you are on a budget, you’ll be in a 50 ringgit dorm or camping (there are a number of campgrounds with tents supplied).
When to go: April until September should guarantee you the best weather—perhaps a month on either side depending on how the monsoon is behaving. Peak season is July and August when holidaying Euros hit the beach big time.
How long to stay: As little as three nights will give you a decent taster, but if you want to spend some time diving and exploring the beaches on both islands (there are plenty), you could easily spend a week or so, with a stay on each of the islands.
Other stuff you should know: There are (still!) no ATMs on the islands, so bring plenty of cash or stay in accommodation which does accept credit cards. Some do, many don’t, but rest assured the BBQ corn guy on Long Beach doesn’t. Petty theft continues to be a problem and solo travellers should watch their drinks at the Long Beach bars. On the topic of alcohol, some resorts are dry (no booze allowed), so if you like a tipple, check first.
Many places cannot be booked through popular online hotel websites Agoda and Booking, instead relying on walk-in only, telephone bookings or booking through their own websites. In peak season bookings are a good idea, but during our June visit, most places were far from capacity. You can see the respective listings for Agoda and Booking here, and as always, we do list the direct contact details for anywhere we list on Travelfish.
Would we return: For a holiday? Yeah, probably, perhaps with the family in tow. The waters are calm, so pretty safe for kids, and ours are well used to mediocre accommodation! But overall Thailand’s islands are considerably better value. The diving really is cheap though.
Good travels
Stuart
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Ten things worth reading
No room on water, no home on land for Cambodia’s ethnic Vietnamese
“In Kampong Chhnang, a five-year plan launched in 2015 aims to restore the Tonle Sap, beautifying the waterfront and promoting tourism. That requires removing the floating villages.”
The 850m-long bridge uniting a town
“Divided by an immense reservoir, the town of Sangkhlaburi, Thailand, is held together by the second-longest freestanding wooden bridge in the world.”
‘These Forests Are the Lungs of the Country’: Thai Rangers guard precious rosewood
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The waste land
“Mislabelled, soiled and contaminated recyclable plastic is, in itself, worthless – and it is this matter which China and now many Southeast Asian nations are closing their doors to, or shipping back to whence it came. But if sorted and purified, plastic can be transformed into something worthwhile.”
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Dogs killed and eaten by the thousands every month in Indonesian city of Solo
“Unlike the farming of chickens or goats, the production of dog meat is clandestine and unregulated in Indonesia, meaning the animals killed for consumption are often stolen household pets which are slaughtered and butchered in unhygienic circumstances.” Warning: Story contains some disturbing images.
Hawker culture, on both sides of the causeway
“While some vendors and patrons are happy with the cleaner and more sheltered environment—they say it’s a relief not to be at the mercy of the erratic tropical weather—not all hawkers are enjoying life under the hot roof.”
The land where the internet ends
“I’m hopeful that when that happens, we might retain just a few quiet places where it’s still possible to disconnect.” Nothing directly to do with Southeast Asia, but a lovely read anyway.
Travelfish partners
Browse popular short tours to Malaysia
GetYourGuide lists a vast selection of short tours in and around Malaysia including to Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and Melaka. See their website for more information.
Something to read
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
“The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman is a multi-layered, stunning and heartbreaking book about the lives of a Hmong refugee family from Laos in Merced, California.”
Travel shot
Lazing on Perhentian Besar. Photo: Stuart McDonald
Till next time
That’s it from us for now. As usual, enjoy the site’s new additions and drop us a line if there’s something in particular you’d like us to cover in Southeast Asia.
Travel light!
Stuart, Sam & the Travelfish team
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