Our trip to the Perhentian Islands started with a wild ride—literally. After the kids hitched a fun lift on a motorbike trailer from the ticket office in Besut, we jumped into a long boat headed for the islands. But the ride was anything but smooth. The waves were big, the boat bounced hard, and while Indah and I hung on with nervous laughs, Kat and Hartley went a bit green. It felt more like a theme park ride than a transfer!
Once we arrived, the relief of standing on solid ground was real. The resort was simple and scenic, but we were a bit disappointed to learn there was no power during the day—no fridge, no aircon. Not ideal in the heat!
Still, the beaches were golden and the people incredibly friendly. The far side of the island was a letdown, though—rubbish washed up all along the shore. Kat even did a little beach clean-up herself. Locals told us it’s typical after the monsoon season, before the main tourist crowd arrives.
That aside, the ocean was incredible. Clear, warm water, perfect for swimming. We spotted water monitors, lizards, monkeys—and had loads of fun in the resort pool. The kids even got some schoolwork done, sitting outside with a sea view. Not a bad classroom!
Snorkelling was the highlight. So much coral, colourful fish, even a reef shark—and best of all, we spotted a turtle at Turtle Bay. Magical.
There was one slightly embarrassing moment: during our lunch break on snorkelling day, we accidentally left a restaurant without paying. The owner came running and shouting—we had no idea what was going on until someone called out “Pay! Pay!” Oops! All sorted in the end.
Mornings near the resort usually started with delicious crepes for breakfast. We fell into a lovely rhythm, and by the end of our stay, we weren’t ready to leave. It’s absolutely a place we’d love to return to.
The boat ride back was smooth (thankfully), and now we’re off to catch a flight to Penang—ready for the next chapter.
These are the moments we’ll remember—salty hair, sandy feet, a few hiccups along the way, and a whole lot of magic.
