Competition for divers is fierce and consequently diving is quite cheap, averaging out to RM60-80 per dive depending on how many dives you do and whether you bring your own gear. All dive shops also arrange introductory dives (no training required) and PADI training. If you want to try Diving for the first time, ask your Dive Center where did they do introductory dives and escape the ‘jetti’ trap.

Take care when choosing your dive center. Look closely at the state of the scuba equipment. Its not only about price, it’s also about safety. Some new Dive Centers don’t even have the equipment to repair regulators properly.

There are 7 dive centers on Kecil’s Long Beach and Coral Bay(from North to South): Sunlight Divers, Quiver Dive Team, Turtle Bay Divers, Seadragon Divers, Matahari (formerly Coral Sky) Divers, Spice Divers and Angel Divers.

• Sunlight Divers, (tel. +60179312630),. A dive centre which has earned its reputation from having friendly,professional members of staff, well maintained equipment and its frequent eco work. One of the smaller shops on the beach so dive groups are kept small. Has shops on Long Beach and Coral Bay, Kecil.

• Quiver Dive Team. Located on Kecil’s Long Beach, adjacent to the Bubu Long Beach resort.

• Turtle Bay Divers, (tel. 019 333 6647),  (English, French and Malay). Another respectable, long-running outfit which has a nice chilled-out shop on Perhentian Kecil’s Long Beach. Currently offering very affordable prices for courses and fun dives. The staff are very enthusiastic, friendly and always up for a chat! Stop in to find out more about the island and diving.

• Angel Divers , (tel. +6010-576 65 64) (email:angeldiverperhentian@live.com)(French English Spanish Swedish Malay). Small, intimate shop with friendly staff, chillout atmosphere and small dive groups. When you are not diving you can hang out, use the internet (free for customers) and listen to your favorite music.

On the big island (Besar) are a number of dive centres, placed on different beaches.

• Alu Alu Divers, (tel. +60 9 6911 650), (email: divemasters@alualudivers.com),. A small, friendly dive center on beautiful island of Besar which offers a personalised and unique diving experience.

• Flora Bay Divers, (email: letsgodiving@florabaydivers.com),. The only PADI 5 Star Gold Palm Instructor Development Centre on Perhentian. Offers courses from Open Water Diver right up to Master Instructor on top of diving & snorkelling trips. IDCs are run by highly rated PADI Course Director Azman Sulaiman.

• Perhentian Island Divers, (email: info@perhentianislanddivers.com),  is a small and friendly dive centre situated on the same beach as Perhentian Island Resort. It has modern equipment and excellent service. Dive courses and boat diving are always on offer, and the beach diving is great as well. Huge sea turtles can be seen right off the beach.

• Turtle Bay Divers, (tel. 019 333 6647),  (English, French and Malay). Another respectable, long-running outfit which has a relaxing shop on Perhentian Besar next to Mamma’s Chalet. Currently offering very affordable prices for courses and fun dives. The staff are very enthusiastic, friendly and always up for a chat! Please stop in to find out more about the island and diving. Great for family trips!

• ‘Watercolours, (email: info@watercolours.com.my), is a small-mid sized centre that can get quite busy. They offer diving in small groups (maximum 4 divers) and excellent information on the marine life. As well as the usual courses and fun diving, they also offer Reef Check Eco-courses and the chance to participate in reef and beach cleans. They also give free presentations on the marine environment and conservation issues.

The two main islands are Perhentian Besar (“Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil Island (“Small Perhentian”). Kecil attracts more travellers as it has cheaper accommodation, while Besar is a little more expensive and caters more to families and those who want to avoid the backpacker party scene.

The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara, Seringgi and Rawa lie off Kecil. All the islands belong to a protected marine park, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited, although in practice litter is one of the major problems that face the islands.

The Federation of Malaysia situated in Southeast Asia. It is one of the developed and attractive countries in Asia region for the traveler. It has thirteen states and three federal territories in with a total 329,847 square kilometers landmass.

Perhentian means “point to stop” in Malay, and the islands got their name as a staging point used by traders traveling from Malaysia to Bangkok. There are two main islands such as Perhentian Besar (”Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (”Small Perhentian”). Kecil attracts more tourists as it has cheaper accommodation, on the other hand Besar is a little more expensive as well as caters more to families and those who want to avoid the backpacker party scene.

Both islands have white sandy beach, and the reefs with crystal clear water are host to a range of variety coral, jellyfish, small sharks, sea-turtles as well as reef-fish. These islands’ highest elevation is around 100 m and those are regularly covered in coastal tropical jungle, and few interior foot-trails with no roads. These beaches have no monuments, museums, historical traditions but the beaches are a beautiful sight in themselves. The white sandy beaches with crystalline water and flanked by rolling rain forest covered hills make the sights to the travelers. Coral Bay, the only beach, on the small island offers a sunset although construction of a new jetty has damaged most of the sight.

The small, tiny, uninhabited islands of Dara, Seringgi, Susu and Rawa lie off Kecil. All these islands belong to as a protected marine park, so fishing, collecting coral as well as littering are strictly prohibited in here. There are some limited activities for the visitors such as snorkeling, sea-kayaking, scuba diving, jungle trekking as well as sunbathing.

There are cyber cafe is available in Kecil and Besar. But the connections are very slow and costly. You may use pre-paid GSM sim card in your cell to connect with net and stay touch with your family.

As a result of the eastern monsoon, the season in the Perhentians and all other east coast islands are in fact limited to the period between mid-February and late October. Outside this the seas can be very violent and most of the accommodation options are closed.

To reach to the Perhentian Islands, there is only to go there is by the sea particularly a boat services from Kuala Besut. There are two types of boat such as speed boat and slow boat. Speed boat takes just around half an hour to reach there. After entrance there water taxis are only transport. The entire visitors to the islands have to pay a marine park conservation charge of RM5.

There are many smaller resorts offer meals as part of an all-inclusive package. These are generally buffet-style with various Western and Malaysian dishes. Larger beaches, for example, Pasir Panjang, provide various types of eating options except seafood on the othe hand, Pasir Panjang (Long Beach) only provides you in the islands with any semblance of nightlife. Alcohols are very expensive here and no Muslim-owned restaurants sell it to you.

In these islands, you find out very little luxury accommodation with the top of the line being air-conditioned chalets and the bottom being a bunk in a longhouse. However, discounts are typically negotiable in the period of off season, or weekdays, or longer stays, if you reach there late and they have available room. But the best places can get snapped up fast, particularly on weekends and holidays, so it is good for you book in advance for better place or arrive here early to get a suitable room as your requirement.

The sun may extremely hot and burning in the afternoons to evenings. So use sun screen and wear T-shirt and cap to protect your skin. You must use net in your bed to get rid of from mosquitoes. Credit cards accept here only some shop and they charge an additional 3-6%.

These Perhentian Islands are rated as some of the most attractive and beautiful islands around the world. Go there to make your vacation memorable for the future.

Eating shark
You’ll find shark on the menu at several restaurants on the Perhentians, but think twice before you order. Animal activists kindly ask you to decline.

Good food
Try the Panorama restaurant on Long Beach where you can also watch a movie. For a really good breakfast head to the Shake Shack, close to the trail towards Coral Bay.

Best time to travel
Like the rest of the east coast, the best time to visit Perhentian Island is between March – mid October. Most resorts are closed from mid-October due to monsoon season. As these island stays can be booked up months in advance, to avoid disapointment, we advise you to book your trip early.

Money matters
There are no cash machines on the islands so make sure you withdraw plenty of cash on the mainland. Most resorts and diving schools accept credit card.

Alcohol
The more traditional east coast Malaysians don’t always appreciate the use of alcohol by tourists, though on the islands, the larger resorts and a couple of restaurants alcohol is available. When you’re in public, please respect the locals and their values.

Two islands
The Perhentian Islands consist of two islands: Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil. Besar is the larger of the two and offers more upscale accommodation and facilities. The smaller island of Kecil is more of a backpacker destination. In our modules you’ll be staying on Besar, but if you’d prefer to go to Kecil, we can arrange it for you. Just let us know on your quote request form.

Located just off the edge of the Pulau Redang Marine Park, Perhentian’s coral-fringed waters have excellent underwater seascapes for snorkelling and scuba diving.

Arrangements can also be made for island cruises, and boats can be hired to go exploring for private bays and secluded coves. A trip to these tropical islands is also a must for those who enjoy windsurfing, sailing, canoeing and deep-sea fishing.

Of the two islands, Pulau Perhentian Kecil is more geared towards backpackers. Here, you’ll find a wide range of budget options for both food and accommodation.

Pulau Perhentian Besar, on the other hand, is more developed and therefore offers better facilities. Nevertheless, there are chalets, dormitories and campsites on both islands.

An exciting annual event, the Kuala Lumpur Festival features a colourful line-up of activities and performances. Launched in the year 2006, the event has united Malaysians from all walks of life through the spirit of creativity and solidarity.
Venue:
Kuala Lumpur Organiser:
National Department for Culture and Arts
Phone: 03-2052 3600
Fax: 03-2163 4031
Website: Click here