Two moods
Besar for families, Kecil for the young.
Fizysam — CC BY-SA 4.0 · DTravel AU — CC BY-SA 3.0 · adiput — Public domain
Two main islands, Perhentian Besar, the greater, and Perhentian Kecil, the lesser, with small uninhabited islets, off the northern Terengganu coast, with crystal-clear water, white sand and forest tumbling down to the sea, among the best-known islands in Malaysia. The name means stopping point, as they were a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and the Malay ports, and the British knew them as the Station Islands. They were declared a marine park in 1994, so fishing is banned around them, and the reefs are rich in fish, turtles and small reef sharks, with some of the finest snorkelling in the country. Perhentian Besar is quieter and suits families, with resorts on calm beaches, while Kecil is livelier, with Long Beach, popular with young travellers and backpackers, and quiet Coral Bay. The marine park conservation fee is thirty ringgit for foreign adults. Speedboats from Kuala Besut jetty take about half an hour to an hour, and the season runs from March to October, as most resorts close and many boats stop between November and February. Allow two or three nights.
Besar for families, Kecil for the young.
Turtles, reef sharks and bright fish.
A name from the old trade routes.
Off the Besut coast of Terengganu, by boat from Kuala Besut, about an hour and a quarter's drive from Kota Bharu
Besar for families and anyone wanting peace and comfortable resorts, Kecil for younger travellers, smaller budgets and a livelier scene. Hopping between them is easy by small water taxi.