Perhentian Islands
The Perhentians are two small islands twenty kilometres off Malaysia's north-east coast, and they have the best beaches in the country by a distance: proper white coral sand, water in genuine turquoise rather than the silty green of the Straits of Malacca, and reef close enough to shore that you can swim to turtles. Perhentian Kecil, the smaller, has the backpacker strip at Long Beach and the sunset at Coral Bay. Perhentian Besar is quieter, with resorts spread along its beaches and a family crowd. There are no cars, no roads and no ATMs worth relying on. The whole thing closes for the north-east monsoon from around November to February, when the boats stop running and almost every business shuts.
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All Perhentian Islands Guides
12 in-depth guides to Perhentian Islands — food, nightlife, beaches, transport, money and the practical detail that is hard to find.