Were the Perhentian Islands a dream?

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Visiting the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia in the summer of 2016 seems like a dream to me. I don´t know if I fully appreciated the wonder and beauty of them at the time. I would love to be lost on their tranquil, sandy beaches once again.

The Perhentian Islands are located in the Besut district of Terengganu in Malaysia. They sit in the South China Sea. There are two islands, Besar and Kecil. The former is known as the´big island´ and the latter the ´small island´. There doesn´t seem to be a huge difference when you are on them, however the atmosphere is quite contrasting.

We chose to stay on Besar, the larger island. There are a few ways you can make your way to the islands. The point from where you need to take a ferry to the islands is a town called Kuala Besut. To get here you can take an overnight bus from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bahru and then another bus to Kuala Besut (which is what we did). Another option is to fly to Kota Bahru and then take a bus or taxi to Kuala Besut.

The journey from Kuala Besut to the islands is a distance of around 20 miles and takes about 35-40 minutes on the speedboat depending on weather conditions. It costs around 9 dollars each way but you can also buy a return ticket for a couple of dollars less.

The journey can sometimes be a little bumpy! I remember wondering if my backpack was going to be knocked over with the speed we were going! (Thankfully it did not). However as you looked out over the sea and the town behind you, it was definitely a beautiful sight.

Once we arrived to Besar island (after informing the boat driver what side of the island we were staying on) it was only a five minute walk to our accommodation - Mama´s Chalet. This was the perfect little cabin for us, with a double bed, fan, private bathroom and a patio outside. Definitely no fuss accommodation in a fantastic location, under five minutes walk to the beach.

Fan rooms cost between 27-32 dollars a night for a double. They also have deluxe and family rooms with air-con for around 46-90 dollars a night. Book through their website as they don´t seem to be on any of the usual booking sites at the moment.

A short walk from the chalets we found Mama´s BBQ restaurant as well as some other cafes where you can have great food and fresh juices. These cafes were on the beach which meant you had everything within walking distance.

Around the corner from Mama´s I found another beach - Romantic Beach (what a name!) and a walking trail.

Near to Romantic Beach you can find Turtle beach where they had a small sanctuary for baby turtles - extremely cute to see! A sandy white beach with some greenery made it another great place to sunbathe and people-watch.

Some of the nitty gritty- with regards to currency, of course cash is king in a place like this and local currency, Malaysian Ringgit is best.

The weather is what you´d expect from South East Asia in July, August - hot and humid, with some thunderstorms thrown in! We actually were in the water when one started and had to leg it back to the chalets! All part of the island experience!

I definitely want to make it back here some day....

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