Best Beaches on Perhentian Islandss?

I'm planning a couple of days on the islands next month. I'll be going with my girlfiend, so am wondering which island to choose - the small Island, or the big one.

Also, can anybody recommend the best beaches, and views of the sunset? Also, I'd like to do some scuba diving, and try to see some monitor lizards on the islands, e.t.c. Any tips are welcome.

Also, is it possible to see turtles anywhere on the islands?

Cheers.

I prefer those on the west coast of the big island. From there there are also the best sunset views:
http://www.molon.de/galleries/Malaysia/EastCoast/Perhentian/West/

But it's highly subjective. Some people prefer the big beach on the small island.

Last time I was there I saw turtles in the channel between the islands.

Thanks, I think I'll go to the bigger island - maybe fewer people there, and quiter.

Nice photos.

Any advice on decent accomodation on the island? Will I need to book in advance?

I stay on Besar. Besar is mellow, Kecil is more for the party crowd.

Monitor lizards are everywhere, just take a jungle hike. I once stayed at Cozy Chalet in one of their seaview stilt bungalows and observed a giant one from my balcony digging a nest under my bungalow for a few days.

If you go diving you will see turtles. Otherwise agree a fee with a local to take you out in his small boat. If you say you want to see a turtle, he'll keep going until you do.

I had to book last month to get the room I wanted. Places like Abduls and Mamas seem to be always well booked in advance and are popular. Tuna Bay also always gets good reviews. IMO the West coast beaches on Besar are the best places to stay. You can access lots of beaches basing yourself there by either walking along the sand or through the jungles. You also have a good choice of places to eat and drink and dive schools. I would advise against picking accomodation that is far removed from everything and isolated.

The snorkelling tours are very good and worth the money although if you are reasonably fit you can access most of the good spots on foot and by swimming.

Thanks. I've booked a beachfront chalet with Cozy Chalet. And I'll definitely do some scuba diving. I'm just trying to decide on whether to buy an underwater case for my pocket canon, or for my i-phone.

I too prefer Besar. I'm past the partying stage now.

Besides monitor lizards, there are also spectacled langurs (and reef sharks) that are worth looking out for.

Do you need to be a strong swimmer to go scuba diving? I can swim, but I'm out of practice.

Me? looks around

I have no idea. I've never been scuba diving in my life. Do you mean scuba diving or snorkelling?

What do they offer on the Perhentians? I thought scuba diving was the thing?

You can snorkel anywhere on the Perhentians, wade in with your snorkel gear and you're off.
To scuba dive you need to be certified. If you are already certified then you can just pay per dive, if not then there are several diving schools where you can buy a course and get open-water certification. Cost around EUR250.

Ah, that's a bit steep. I think I'll just do some snorkeling then.

You can still see a lot when snorkeling? Reef sharks, e.t.c.?

Yes there is lots to see. The snorkelling boat stops at Shark point where there are usually sharks to be seen. You can get out there under your own steam by hiking through the jungle to Flora-Fauna beach and swimming out to the rocks.

I'd recommend taking a snorkelling trip and just making a mental note of the places they stop at. They stop at the best places and many are reachable under your own steam. You can then visit as many times as you like.

O.k, thanks.

You can also see reef sharks from in front of Coral View Resort. You don't need to even get wet there - you can see them from the land.

QUOTE - 'thanks, I think I'll go to the bigger island - maybe fewer people there, and quieter'

The big island - Perhentian Besar is a developed resort island , from the bottom end of it to the Perhentian Island Resort beach its all pretty much continuous chalets and resorts lining the west coast of the big island and even on the other side at Flora Bay you can't even escape from resort development . Also at Perhentian Island Resort beach the resort takes up the entire area behind the beach and the nearby coral reef is dead.
It should also be noted that Perhentian Besar island opened to mainstream tourism some years before the small island - Perhentian Kecil did . This idea that the big island is some sort of less spoiled alternative is a myth , I would describe the big island as cluttered by chalets and resorts . And the idea that the small island has been taken over by the party crowd would seem to be an exaggeration . The party scene is at Long Beach , a once magnificent beach that's been trashed by development. To be worrying about the party scene is a bit like ignoring the elephant in the room when you consider how built up the beach is.
There used to be a small coral reef at the top end of Long Beach , but don't know its condition now . The next cove D'Lagoon which used to be good for snorkeling has degraded coral nowadays . Most of the fringing coral on the big island which used to come right up to the beach is gone or is degraded.

PICTURE of Long Beach on the small island when it was still a budget traveller's beach with simple huts and bungalows , the coral reef can be also seen in this picture

This overhead PICTURE of Long Beach back in the day really shows the former beauty of this beach.

Quote - "What do they offer on the Perhentians? I thought scuba diving was the thing?"

It is a thing but in some ways the scuba scene has also been somewhat commercializing and intrusive . Even Long Beach has a dive center (and also Coral Bay the other side of it) and its not a dive location . Before mass tourism and the scuba scene the Perhantians were quiet alternative islands . There are numerous dive shops/ centers on both islands and quite a number of foreign dive staff working in them. Some people might find it a bit much.
As well as the Perhentian Islands further down the coast off Marang at Kapas Island there is quiet good snorkelling at one of the small coves. There is also diving there . Lighthouse Guesthouse is about cheapest place to stay there. Jelly fish become a problem there by about September.

Thanks, I take it from your numerous comments on many threads in this forum, all saying basically the same thing, that you don't like the Perhentians - that they're over-developed, and too touristy.

Seems like you have a bit of a chip on your shoulder regarding these islands.

I am trying to answer your questions - you asked for the best beaches without giving much detail and about snorkeling and diving. It is relevant to point out the amount of development and to put the party scene in perspective as well as the condition of the coral. I should also have pointed out the accommodation on these islands are somewhat expensive too . Its perfectly reasonable to point out these things regardless of how many times they have been mentioned before and for the record this is the first time I have joined in on a Perhentian thread on this branch in along time and I had no way of knowing that you had already read many threads already . Since you asked a question that's been dealt with many times rather than suggesting you go to the search engine I took the effort to write some of it again as a courtesy to you.
Rather than having a chip on my shoulder I am trying to be honest , I get no pleasure at all in saying negative things about the Perhentian Islands but there are problems that it doesn't do any good to put the yellow tinted sunglasses on and ignore . There are also posters who make numerous comments on many threads saying how beautiful the islands are and you haven't challenged them for repetition. And to be clear I am not trying to dissuade you from going , my reason for mentioning Kapas island was because there is a coral reef easily accessible from the beach there as well as some budget accommodation , maybe you could fit both islands in. Plenty of big monitor lizards on Kapas Island too.

O.k, fair enough. Maybe I'll make a point of checking out Kapas Island next time. I only have a couple of days in the Pehentians this month.

A couple of days is cutting it fine , where are you coming from or in transit to ? . For the record , if you have more time again you can easily also see reef sharks at the big rock at the bottom end of the big island near Isabella Cafe and at Kapas Island on the remote coast facing the open sea . Unfortunately though there may be other sharks as well as just reef sharks there. You can visit the Perhentians up to november or later before weather gets bad but for Kapas by September you will be dodging stinging jellyfish by then

The thing with Kapas is that because it's so close to the mainland, the seawater is not so clear:
http://www.molon.de/galleries/Malaysia/EastCoast/Kapas/img.php?pic=22

Compare this with Perhentian:
http://www.molon.de/galleries/Malaysia/EastCoast/Perhentian/West/img.php?pic=20

My girlfriend can't get anymore days off that week, unfortunately, so I'm having to squeeze in as much as possible. I'm flying down from China, to Kuala Lumpur - arrive at about 7am, and will go shopping - it's hard to get decent clothes in China - and generally mooching around. The next day we fly to Kota Batu, and spend two nights on Perhentian Besar. Then then fly to Penang to spend two nights in Penang/Georgetown.

It's really just a scouting mission. If I like it then I'll definitely come back for longer. Malaysia just seems like a better option than over-touristy Thailand. I'd also like to travel across Indonesia at some point too.

It can depend on conditions but the water at Kapas Island is certainly clear enough to see quite some way when you are snorkeling or diving. Its not as good as the Perhentians but still pretty good. 6kms from the mainland is still enough for the water to be reasonably clean and as well its easier to get to than the Perhentians which would be helpful for someone on limited time although I understand that byrnzie has aleady booked.
Would also point out that the Perhentians no longer has a good coral reef right on the beach like the one at the last small beach at Kapas Island - although its a recovering reef having been smashed up by a cyclone many years ago , but still plenty of fish and a fair amount of coral has regrown. And if you are wondering why I go on so much about development at the Prehentians and don't talk about development at Kapas , at least there are a couple of quite virgin coves on the way to the snorkelling beach.
If you are coming back later Juara at Tioman island is a good option as its cheaper and less developed and a beautiful beach even if the sand isn't as white - the monsoon is shorter too there. Not everywhere in Thailand is over touristy and Malaysia also can be pretty touristy as you will see in Penang and the Perhentian islands and other popular spots . There are a number of threads dealing with where to find whats left of the alternative style places on the Thai islands. So you don't have to choose between Thailand and Malaysia.

O.k, thanks for the info.

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