Where are the Perhentian islands!? This is what I thought when I saw a photo of the Perhentian Islands. It looked so beautiful and serene! I thought it must be somewhere in Thailand, Indonesia, or the Philippines. All of my guesses were wrong. It was in Malaysia! The moment I saw a photo of the island, I decided to visit there. And my journey began…. It was not an easy one to get to the Perhentian Islands. First, I had to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Dhaka, where I live. It was about a 4 hours’ flight. Still, the way to the Perhentian Islands from Kuala Lumpur was long. Read further to know the step by step guide to get to the Perhentian islands from Kuala Lumpur.
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My first island exploration experience in Malaysia was Langkawi. It was very easy to reach there. On the contrary, visiting the Perhentian Islands needed some planning and effort.
From Kuala Lumpur, I took a flight to Kota Bharu. We landed after 1 hour. The official name of the airport is Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (IATA code KBR). The airport was a small one.
Book your Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu Trasnsportation
Once I landed in Kota Bharu Airport, I was looking for transportation for going to Kuala Besut jetty. Fast boat runs to the island from that jetty.
I took a car (and managed some other co-passengers to go with me to share the cost) from the airport. It was a 56 KM ride. It took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the jetty.
Book Kota Bharu to Kuala Besut Transportation
From the jetty, we purchased a ticket for Fast Boat Service. It was an open-dated ticket. It means that you can ride on any day using this ticket.
The name of the jetty was Kuala Besut Jetty. Kuala Besut is a small town (Mukim in Malay) in Terengganu province, Malaysia. We learned that we have an hour in our hands before the boat starts. So, we decided to walk around a bit.
There are around 10 rides per day to the island. The jetty was neat and colorful. There were orange shades and pillars. People were selling souvenirs, toys, flags, and many other small things. It is recommended to book the transfer to Perhentian Island from Kuala Lumpur online prior to your journey.
We waited on the jetty for a while, and our boat came. It was about a 45-minute’ ride until we saw a glimpse of land. The captain of the ferry was asking us where to drop We did not have any idea about it (there are, in fact, two islands, Perhentian Kecil and Perhentian Besar). We choose one randomly.
Unfortunately, we were not dropped off on the island directly because our boat was unable to reach there. They moved us to a small boat that took us to the shore. We had to pay a little to the boatmen.
So, after taking two flights (one if you start from Kuala Lumpur), one car ride, one fast boat ride, and one small boat ride (for two minutes only), we reached the Perhentian Islands.
Wait! It was not as complex as it might sound to you. It was easy once we hit the road.
Time needed: 6 hours
How do I reach the Perhentian Islands?
Take a flight from Kuala Lumpur Airport to Kuta Bharu Airport (1 hour, 10 minutes).
Take a car to Kuala Besut Jetty (1 hour, 10 minutes).
Wait in the jetty or explore Kuala Besut (depending on your time of arrival) before your fast boat to the Perhentian Islands arrives.
Take the fast ferry to Perhentian Islands (50 minutes)
The ferry might not drop you off on the island; you need to take a small boat (less than 5 minutes).
Note: On my way back from the Perhentian Islands, I took a bus from the Kuala Besut jetty to reach Kota Bharu bus station. We took a quick bite and took a taxi from there to reach the airport. It saved me quite a lot of money, as the taxi from the jetty to the airport was expensive. If you have time in your hands, you can try taking the bus instead of the car.
Are you planning a trip to Pulau Perhentian?
You will find many flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore. Once you are in Kuala Lumpur, follow the steps mentioned in this article.
There is no airport on the Perhentian Islands. The nearest airport is in Kota Bharu.
It’s zero, as there is no airport in the Perhentian Islands.
The distance between Penang and Kuala Besut Jetty is 350 kilometers. A van will take 6 hours to reach Kuala Besut. From there, take the fast boat to the Perhentian Islands.
Where to stay in Perhentian Islands?
Things to Do in Perhentian Islands
Tips for Visiting Perhentian Islands
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