Night Diving Upon scouring various media channels, I discovered diving at night is common in Perhentian Besar, the largest of the two main islands in the Perhentian archipelago. I love
Backpacking in Perhentian Kecil The smallest of the two main islands, Perhentian Kecil, backpackers frequently blaze the Banana Pancake Trail. Long Beach on Perhentian Kecil has earned its spot on this trail due to its lively atmosphere, swimming by day and a beach party scene at night. It’s a place where travelers can enjoy the quintessential backpacker experience complete with budget accommodations, socializing opportunities and of course the iconic banana pancakes served at local eateries.
Dive Schools in Perhentian Kecil There are plenty of dive schools on the island; one that will catch your attention with sunny vibes is Turtle Bay Divers, recognized with Travelers Choice Award for 2023. Location is right smack at Long Beach and one might hear EDM music blasting from a DJ’s spinning deck while strolling along this stretch and smell gasoline leakage from a fire performer’s tool. Angel Diver is no exception, thirsty dispositors roam around the school’s compound.
Dive Sites Twenty minutes boat ride you’ll arrive at a famous dive site The Pinnacle, also known as The Temple of the Sea. A short five minutes boat ride you’ll see The Vietnamese Wreck, also known as Pasir Tani wreck, believed to be a US twin-screw landing craft which sank. Vietnam and US have a history connected to wartime but the sinking of the ship happened in the year 1976, way past the Vietnam War which ended in 1975. The ship was being towed for repairs while carrying asylum seekers before it succumbed to its fateful end.
Marine Life The site is home to barracudas, known for their solitary hunting skills and fearsome sharp teeth. They rely on surprise and short bursts of speed to catch their prey. Observe barracudas hovering motionless in the water before striking at unsuspecting fish. Fun fact: Barracudas are more aggressive when hunting or threatened, whereas resident leopard sharks are calm and pose minimal risk to humans.
Travel Tips All major airlines fly into Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Then from there fly to Kota Bharu Airport. Taxi ride takes around one hour from Kota Bharu Airport to the pier in Kuala Besut. Speedboats from the pier take about half an hour to reach the Perhentian Islands. To save time and contribute to sustainable tourism, fly into Subang Airport or Penang Airport and take the seaplane to Perhentian without touching Kota Bahru Airport and pier in Kuala Besut.
The best time to dive is from April to September, away from the monsoon season. Limited coverage of Wi-fi and could cost more than usual. No banks or ATMs but most places accept credit cards.
