Perhentian vs Redang vs Langkawi: which island to choose

Side by side

The Perhentian Islands lie about 19 km³ off Besut District in Terengganu, in the South China Sea. Redang, in Kuala Nerus District, is about 45 km⁴ offshore. Langkawi sits about 30 km⁵ off north-western Malaysia.

Perhentian and Redang are close cousins. Wikivoyage names Perhentian, Redang and Tioman⁶ among the East Coast dive islands. Its Perhentian article says the water on a Redang day trip is considerably clearer, though the trip costs more. The same article rates the corals at Perhentian Besar much better than Redang’s.

What really separates them is the style of stay. Wikipedia says Redang has a more upmarket image because almost all its accommodation is in resorts. Wikivoyage says Redang has no backpacker accommodation at all. The Perhentians were long a backpacker destination, but they have slowly been moving upmarket.

Langkawi is a different kind of trip. It is an archipelago of 99 islands¹. UNESCO gave it World Geopark status on 1 June 2007⁵. Langkawi International Airport is one of Malaysia’s seven international airports⁵, and Langkawi became a duty-free island on 1 January 1987⁷.

Perhentian Kecil or Perhentian Besar

Nine islands⁸ make up the Perhentian Islands mukim of Besut District, but visitors stay on the two main ones. Perhentian Kecil draws more travellers because its rooms are cheaper. Perhentian Besar costs a little more and suits families.

For a beach-by-beach answer, read the guide to choosing Kecil or Besar.

Seasons and closures

The Perhentians have a heavy monsoon from November to February⁸. Most dive shops close for the northeast monsoon from November to February³. The booking site pulauperhentian.com.my says most resorts are usually closed from the end of October to the end of February². Wikivoyage puts the best time from early March or April to late October³.

• 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

Redang follows the same pattern. Wikivoyage says most Redang resorts close and ferries are severely restricted from November to February⁴. Wikipedia gives a wider window of October to March⁹. Redang’s dive season runs from March to October⁴.

• 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

Langkawi is the winter option. Wikivoyage says it is sheltered from the northeast monsoon¹, with sunny skies in winter. Wikipedia gives it a short dry season from December to February⁵ and a long rainy season from March to November⁵. It gets more than 2,400 mm⁵ of rain a year. Wikipedia’s Malaysian Meteorological Department table shows October as the wettest month at 372.5 mm⁵, and January as the driest at 23.9 mm⁵.

Month-by-month detail for the east coast is on the page about Perhentian closures and open season.

Combining Perhentian and Redang

You can do both on one trip. A shared boat links them from April to September¹⁰. It takes about 1 hour¹⁰ in normal weather and costs RM150¹⁰ per person one way.

Which suits whom

Choose the Perhentian Islands if…

• You want a cheap beach room. Perhentian Kecil has the cheaper accommodation, and Flora Bay on Perhentian Besar starts at RM160¹⁸.
• You want some nightlife. Long Beach (Pasir Panjang) on Perhentian Kecil is the only place on the islands³ with anything like it.
• You dive on a budget. Wikivoyage says dives average RM60–80³, and it rates the corals at Perhentian Besar above Redang’s.
• You travel as a family and want calm. Wikivoyage points families to Perhentian Besar, away from the backpacker party scene.
• You can go between March or April and late October³.

Choose Redang if…

• You want one price for the room, meals, boat and snorkelling, as in Redang Beach Resort’s packages.
• Clear water matters more to you than coral.
• You want to see turtles. Wikipedia says Redang is a turtle nesting site that draws ecotourists.
• You’d like a drink with dinner. Unusually for Terengganu, alcohol is widely available in Redang’s convenience stores and resort restaurants.
• Skip it if you want backpacker beds or nightlife beyond resort bars, which often have karaoke.

Choose Langkawi if…

• You travel during Langkawi’s dry season, December to February⁵.
• You want to fly straight in. Langkawi has direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Penang and Johor Bahru¹.
• You want things to do on land as well as at sea: the SkyCab, the geopark and island hopping trips.
• You’re a couple or a family. Wikivoyage says that’s who Langkawi mainly draws, and solo backpackers may be let down by the lack of nightlife.
• Cheaper alcohol matters. Wikivoyage says alcohol is much cheaper there than in the rest of Malaysia. Tobacco has carried duty since 1 January 2021⁷.
• You’re watching the news. TTG Asia reported in April 2026⁷ that proposals to restore Langkawi’s full duty-free status were under study.

Langkawi or the Perhentians for a beach holiday

Langkawi’s most popular beach, Pantai Cenang, has fine powdery sand and many beachfront restaurants and bars. On the Perhentians, Long Beach (Pasir Panjang) is the busiest backpacker beach, and Coral Bay has a few restaurants. The season usually decides it. Go to the Perhentians from March or April to late October³, and to Langkawi in its December to February⁵ dry season.