Pulau Perhentian Besar Tourist Traps

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Do some homework by reading up and asking around before you depart for Perhentian islands (eg. VT tips, guidebooks, magazines or friends).

If you drive or take bus/coach from Singapore, it will take around 10 to 12 hours drive in order to reach Kuala Besut jetty. If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur by car or bus, it will take you 5 to 7 hours.

It will take you another half an hour to one and a half hour by speedboat and slow boat respectively.

Unique Suggestions: If you have the budget, do fly to Kota Bahru airport, the nearest one to Kuala Besut jetty and take the half an hour speedboat instead. It cost RM60 per person for a return speedboat ticket and RM40 per person for a one and a half hour return slow boat ride.

It is really not worth driving there unless you have the time to kill and a tight budget to juggle.

Fun Alternatives: Plan your trip well in advance and if possible, fly in to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and then connect to Kota Bahru airport by Airasia, one of Malaysia's budget airline. Take a taxi to Kuala Besut jetty and a speedboat to Perhentian islands.

Snorkel and flipper rental are really expensive here, even by UK standards. Generally it costs between 10-15 MYR for snorkel, mask and fins for a day.

Unique Suggestions: If you can buy a snorkel and mask before you come, I'm sure you could get them for 20 MYR in Malaysia, they only cost about 5-10 pounds in the UK. You dont really need flippers, all the coral is very close to the beach.

Fun Alternatives: Boat trips usually include mask and fins, so it can be more cost effective to do the trip

A water taxi ride from Flora Bay to Tuna Bay cost RM7 per person. We paid RM20 but the taxi driver didn't have any intention to give us the change. I asked him and he just said causally, 'NO change.'

Believe it or not?! A taxi driver without change?

"OK, then we'll pay exactly what we should pay." I handed out RM4 and asked him for the RM10 note back.

My first time to be disappointed by a Malay local!!!!

Unique Suggestions: Check the price of your taxi ride, pay exact fare or ask if they have change before getting on.