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How to get to Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
One of the most famous and idyllic places we've visited in Malaysia is the Perhentian Islands. These wild islands boast crystal-clear waters and stunning scenery. beaches The white sand beaches are located on the east coast of the country, near the border with Thailand. Being a bit far from Kuala Lumpur and other tourist hotspots, we'll tell you about them. How to get to the Perhentian Islands from almost anywhere in Malaysia.
The only way to reach Perhentian is by sea. Here are all the recommendations on how to get to the Perhentian Islands that we'll share with you. They go first to Kuala Besut, a small town from where you can take the ferries who are going to Perhentian.
Do not stop reading our Complete Guide all with Travel to the Perhentian Islands
Perhentian Islands Airport Which one is nearby?
There is no airport on the Perhentian Islands, as they are small islands without any paved roads. closest airport to the Perhentian Islands It is the Sultan Ismail Petra (KBR), located in the city of Kota Bharu. It is very well connected to the rest of the country's cities through very cheap flights with companies such as Air Asia, Firefly or Batik Air.
From there, the most common way to reach the islands is with vanpool or grab (costs about 80 Ringgits) to Kuala Besut pier, it took us 1 hour.
Once at the dock, you have to take a speedboat which connects to Perhentian Besar or Perhentian Kecil, depending on your accommodation. Departures are frequent in the morning and at midday, and the boat trip takes between 30 and 45 minutes depending on your hotel.
⚠️ Don't travel without good travel insurance, There is no hospital on the islandWe recommend you read the comparison of best travel insurance for Malaysia to find out which one best suits your type of trip and budget.
How to get to the Perhentian Islands – Where to catch the boat
As you can see in Perhentian there is no airport so The last stretch to get there always has to be done by sea.The boat from Kuala Besut to Perhentian leaves from the village jetty, which you can easily find on Google Maps by searching for the word jetty. There is a mandatory fee of 20 MYR to access the jetty and then a fee of 30 MYR for the Natural Park. You can pay these fees by card, we paid with the TradeRepublic card.
The speedboat journey takes 30 to 45 minutes and departs several times a day between 8:00 a.m. and 17:00 p.m. at nearly identical prices. It is advisable to book tickets in advance, especially during peak season. Keep the hotel you are staying at, they will ask you when you board the boat to take you to the correct area.
If you arrive at Kuala Besut From 17:00 PM onwards you will not be able to go to Perhentian that same dayIt happened to us and we stayed at the Hotel Ain located next to the pier to catch the boat the next morning.
How to go from Kuala Lumpur to the Perhentian Islands
This is one of the most common routes, which is why it's so easy to get from Kuala Lumpur to the Perhentian Islands. There are two ways to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Perhentian: by land and by air. I'll explain both in detail:
- By plane: Our favorite and fastest way to get there is flying from Kuala Lumpur to Kota BharuThe journey takes approximately one hour. Airlines such as AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, and Malindo Air offer daily flights. I recommend taking the bus.car flights through platforms such as Skyscanner to find the best price. From the airport you will have to make a 1 hour trip in a van or taxi to Kuala Besut, the town from where they leave the ferriesThe vans leave at 8, 11 and 15am, if your flight arrival does not coincide with those times the best thing to do is go by Grab, the journey costs around 80-90MYR.
ᐈ By the time you arrive! My favorite restaurants to eat at in the Perhentian Islands
- By bus: The alternative cheaper is to go in a night bus which depart from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) in Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Besut, with a journey time of about 9 hours. The ticket is really cheap and you will arrive at your destination at about 7am, just in time to catch the first boat and get to Perhentian early and make the most of the day.
ᐈ What to see in Kuala Lumpur in 2 days[Detailed Itinerary + Map]
How to go from Penang to the Perhentian
Another very common stop in Malaysia before heading to Perhentian is the city of Penang, also known as George Town. To get from Penang to Perhentian, you can choose between plane and bus depending on your budget and preferences, but in both cases, getting from Penang to Perhentian is quite cheap. I'll explain the two best options:
- By plane: Every morning There are direct flights from Penang Airport to Kota Bharu with a duration of approximately one hour. The price is usually between 20 and 40€, but it is best to check on Skyscanner. From Kota Bharu airport you can take the van from 11am to the pier to catch the boat to Perhentian or order a Grab if you prefer a private car.
- By bus: There are Bus connecting the different stations in Penang with Kuala Besut. The journey takes just over 7 hours and You can do it during the day or at night, although I recommend going at night because during the day you won't get to the last boat on time and you'll have to sleep near the port. The price is 9 or 10€ depending on the season.
How to go from Cameron Highlands to the Perhentian Islands
If you want to visit the famous tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands before spending a few days on the beaches of the Perhentian Islands, you should know that you can travel from one to the other without going through Kuala Lumpur. In this case, there is only one option. Every day at 8 in the morning a bus leaves operated by NKS Hotel and Travel Coach company from Tanah Rata, the main town in Cameron Highlands, to Kuala Besut. With this bus you will arrive just in time to catch the last ship from 17pm towards the islands.
How to go from National Park to Perhentian
Halfway between Kuala Lumpur and the Perhentian Islands lies the famous and jungle-like Taman Negara National Park, a unique place that I recommend you visit if you have the chance. The entrance and exit town of this National Park is Kuala Tahan, and it is from here that Minivans leave every day at 8am to Kuala Besut pier. They have very few places so I recommend you book your ticket in advance.
For us, Perhentian is a must, of course. cannot be missing from the itineraries that we propose to you Malaysia in 15 days or a more complete one of Malaysia and Singapore in 21 days
How to go from Borneo to the Perhentian Islands
Another very famous area of Malaysia is the island of Borneo, with its famous jungles where You can see orangutans and even pygmy elephants. Borneo is also a beach tourist destination, where you can visit small paradise islands in the area of Semporna or Kota Kinabalu.
They do not have daily flights, if you cannot schedule your trip you will have to stopover in Kuala Lumpur.
- From Kota Kinabalu: The main airport in eastern Malaysian Borneo is in the city of Kota Kinabalu. Air Asia has Direct flights to Kota Bharu Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon, the tour lasts approximately two and a half hours. The price is usually between €50 and €100. Due to the arrival time in Kota Bharu, you will not be able to go to Perhentian on the same day, so I recommend taking a Grab to Kuala Besut and staying near the port at the hotel. Ain hotel.
- From Kuching: Air Asia again connects through direct flights Kuching with New City every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoon with a duration of just under two hours. In this case the price of the ticket It is usually less than €50. Arrival in Kota Bharu is also at night.
How to get there from the Kapas Islands
Although the Kapas Islands and the Perhentian Islands are not very far away, going from one to the other takes quite a long time because There is no direct boat and it is necessary to connect several transports. The first step is to take the boat that goes from Kapas to the port of Marang.
From Marang you need to take a taxi to the bus station in Kuala Terengganu, the nearest town. Buses leave from this station with some frequency in the direction of Kuala Besut. I recommend that you inform the driver that you are going to Perhentian so that he can make a stop for you at the pier.
How to go from Singapore to the Perhentian Islands
Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Singapore to cities near the Perhentian Islands, so you first have to go from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. The cheapest but also the slowest option is to do everything by land, the distances are long but they are very good. connected by bus and they are very economical, ideal for limited budgets.
The quick option is to take advantage of the good ones Singapore air connections, with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur to catch a domestic flight to Kota Bharu. The airport is 1 hour away in a van or taxi to Kuala Besut, the town from where they leave the ferries to Perhentian.
ᐈ It may interest you: Itinerary Singapore in 2 days
How to get to from the south of Thailand
- From Hat Yai:
- By train: The easiest way is take a 3 hour train from Hat Yai to Sungai KolokA train station near the Malaysian border. You have to cross the border on foot on your own; we did it and it's not a complicated process at all. Once in Malaysia, you can continue by taxi or bus to Kota Bharu, and then take another bus. a minivan or a Grab to get to Kuala Besut.
- By bus: Although we have not found direct buses, you can always take connecting buses to the border and once in Malaysia it will not be difficult to get to Kuala Besut, passing through Kota Bharu first. I would not recommend this option because the journey is long and tedious.
- From other cities in southern Thailand:
- By plane: There are no direct flights from southern Thailand to Kota Bharu, so the most efficient option is fly to Kuala Lumpur and then take an internal flight to Kota Bharu.
- By land: Whether by bus, minivan or trains the best alternative is to arrive at Hat Yai or Surat Thani and there take the train to the border that we mentioned just in the previous section.
Up to this point Our guide on how to get to the Perhentian Islands. We hope you enjoy the Perhentian Islands as much as we did. ☺️ To continue organizing your trip you can read our Malaysia Guides.
If you have any questions or contributions, please leave them in the comments!
