Perhentian Kecil
The island geared towards backpackers
- Cheaper accommodation draws more travellers
- Long Beach (Pasir Panjang) has the only nightlife on the islands
- Can get a little noisy
Malaysia · Updated October 2026
Perhentian Islands guide: islands, boats, seasons and stays
The Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian) are a small group of islands about 19 km1 off the north-eastern coast of West Malaysia, in Besut District, Terengganu. Speedboats from Kuala Besut Jetty take 30–45 minutes1. Kota Bharu and Kuala Terengganu airports have near-hourly flights1 from Kuala Lumpur.
Who the islands suit
The group has two main islands1, Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil, and nine islands2 in all make up the Perhentian Islands mukim of Besut District. Tourism Malaysia says the name means “stopover island”. The islands sit in the South China Sea, there are no paved roads or airstrips, and jungle trails link the beaches on both islands. They were made a marine park in 19942, and fishing is banned within two miles of the shore2. Most visitors come for diving, snorkelling and swimming.
Good for:
- Divers and snorkellers: Wikivoyage rates the diving as great and the snorkelling as excellent.
- Backpackers on a budget: accommodation on Perhentian Kecil is cheaper, and Long Beach (Pasir Panjang) is the most popular backpacker spot.
- Families: Perhentian Besar suits families and anyone avoiding the party scene.
Not good for:
- Big nights out: Long Beach is the only place on the islands with anything like a nightlife1.
- Travelling on cards alone: few places on the islands accept credit cards.
- Winter trips: the heavy monsoon runs from November to February2.
- A resort-only feel: Wikipedia says neighbouring Redang has a more upmarket image because almost all its accommodation is in resorts. See which Malaysian island suits you.
Perhentian Besar
A little more expensive and quieter
- Suits families and people avoiding the party scene
- Luxury stays on the west bay
- White coral sand beaches and clear sea
The cheaper island draws more travellers, but because it is so popular, Perhentian Kecil can sometimes get a little noisy. For more detail on where to stay in the Perhentian Islands, island by island, see the comparison page.
Getting there
Transport to the islands is mainly by speedboat from Kuala Besut Jetty in the fishing town of Kuala Besut, on the mainland.
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Fly or take the bus from Kuala Lumpur
Kota Bharu and Kuala Terengganu airports have near-hourly flights from Kuala Lumpur. Buses leave from TBS, the fastest taking 7 hours 45 minutes.
-
Drive to Kuala Besut
Kota Bharu Airport to Kuala Besut Jetty takes 1 hour 15 minutes; from Kuala Terengganu Airport, about 2 hours.
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Pay at the jetty
Pay the marine park charge and the jetty fee before entering the pier.
-
Cross by boat
Speedboat or ferry to the islands, 30–45 minutes.
From Kuala Lumpur: buses to Kuala Besut leave from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS). CheckMyBus counts 53 buses from 6 companies3 a day, and the fastest takes 7 hours 45 minutes3. Easybook lists fares from RM67.804. Wikivoyage lists departures at 9AM and 9PM5, arriving around 5AM5. By rail, Tanah Merah on the KTM Jungle Line is the nearest station to Kuala Besut.
From Penang: Firefly flies to Kota Bharu, and Trip.com counts about 7 flights a week6 on the route, taking roughly 45–60 minutes6. Easybook lists buses from Penang to Kuala Besut from RM507, and BusOnlineTicket gives departures from 8:30am to 9pm8.
From Singapore: Trip.com says Scoot flies to Kota Bharu twice a week9, taking about 1 hour 21 minutes9, with fares still on sale for 25 October 20269. BusOnlineTicket lists one daily E-Mutiara bus leaving at 17:0010 for RM13010.
The full Kuala Lumpur to Perhentian route, with the Penang and Singapore options, has its own page.
Perhentian Trans runs boats from Kuala Besut every hour from 8 AM to 5 PM11. It says the speedboat and ferry cost the same, RM80 return12. Its estimated departures are below. The page on getting to Perhentian by boat covers the jetty in detail.
What you pay to reach the islands
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Marine park charge (no MyKad) | RM30 | RM15 (ages 6–12) |
| Marine park charge (MyKad holders) | RM5 | RM2 |
| Return boat ticket | RM80 | RM50 |
| Shared boat, one way | RM35–40 | RM20–25 |
dof.gov.my (official); Perhentian Trans (operator); pulauperhentian.com.my (booking agent); Go Perhentian (booking agent); besutjetty.com (booking agent); Wikivoyage
When to go
The islands have a heavy monsoon from November to February2, and most dive shops close from November to February1. Most resorts are usually closed from the end of October to the end of February13. Wikivoyage puts the best time to visit at early March or April to late October1. The Perhentian monsoon and weather guide covers the months in more detail.
- Open season
- Some places open
- Monsoon, mostly closed
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Open season
April to September
Monsoon, mostly closed
November to February
Book your boat, package or dives
These three cover the boat crossing, a resort stay with meals, and a day of diving. Before you book a stay, check what Perhentian Island packages include, as some leave out the marine park fee.
Wikivoyage puts the dive season on the East Coast at March to October14 and names Perhentian with Redang and Tioman among the dive islands there. For individual sites, see the dive sites and snorkelling spots page.
Where to stay
Perhentian Kecil has the cheaper accommodation. Perhentian Besar is a little more expensive, and its luxury places are on the west bay, priced accordingly.
| Area | Island | What the guides say |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach (Pasir Panjang) | Perhentian Kecil | Most popular backpacker spot; the only nightlife; money changing |
| West bay | Perhentian Besar | Luxury accommodation, priced accordingly |
| Coral Bay | — | A few restaurants |
| Teluk Dalam | — | Large beach near Shark Point |
Wikivoyage
Bubu Resort on Perhentian Kecil and Tuna Bay Island Resort on Perhentian Besar show the range:
Long Beach (northern end), Perhentian Kecil
BuBu Resort
RM1,120–3,085 per room per night (2025 agent rates)
- Breakfast and evening cocktail included
- Boat transfer extra: RM100 one way, RM180 return per adult
- Closed 1 Nov–28 Feb. Plus 8% tax, RM10/room/night tourism tax for foreigners and RM20 jetty fee. Bookings non-refundable; last boat leaves 11:30 AM.
Tuna Bay, south-west coast of Perhentian Besar, Perhentian Besar
Tuna Bay Island Resort
RM410–1,340 per room per night (2026, with breakfast, plus 8% SST)
- Breakfast included
- Boat transfer extra: RM40 per adult, RM20 per child one way
- Rates exclude 8% SST and tourism tax for foreigners. July–August surcharge of RM60 per room per night, with a 5-night minimum. Bookings are non-refundable. Closed November to early March.
The Perhentian Islands accommodation guide compares resorts by beach and budget.
Questions people ask
Is Perhentian Island worth it?
Tourism Malaysia quotes Lonely Planet calling it one of the world's most 'idyllic, sun-kissed refuges', and Wikivoyage rates the diving and snorkelling highly. Go between March/April and October.
Sources
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- CheckMyBus (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Easybook (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Trip.com (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Easybook (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- BusOnlineTicket (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Trip.com (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- BusOnlineTicket (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Perhentian Trans (operator) · checked October 2026
- Perhentian Trans (operator) · checked October 2026
- pulauperhentian.com.my (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- dof.gov.my (official) · checked October 2026
- Tourism Malaysia (official) · checked October 2026
- pulauperhentian.com.my (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- Go Perhentian (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- besutjetty.com (booking agent) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 15 October 2026
- Updated: new sections: Who the islands suit; Book your boat, package or dives; Questions people ask, 1 section removed, 13 sourced facts added, 1 removed.
- First written
