The Perhentian Islands in Malaysia are a dream destination for divers and snorkellers. With their crystal-clear waters and diverse underwater world, they offer some of the best diving spots in Southeast Asia. In this article, we present the outstanding dive sites on the Perhentian Islands, including Shark Point, D’Lagoon, Police Wreck, Sugar Wreck, Sanchoi Wrecks, Temple of the Sea, T3, T2 and Vietnamese Wreck. We also provide an insight into the night diving programme and share our personal experiences.
Best diving spots on the Perhentian Islands
Shark Point
Shark Point is one of the most popular dive sites on the Perhentian Islands. As the name suggests, divers can often see blacktip reef sharks here. The coral reefs are vibrant and colourful, and the variety of marine life makes this spot a must for every diver. If you want to see the beautiful animals from above, you can book a snorkelling tour, as the sharks are also easily visible while snorkelling, as they like shallow waters.
D’Lagoon
D’Lagoon is a calm dive site with an impressive variety of corals and fish. The lagoon is ideal for beginners and advanced divers and offers gentle currents and clear visibility. Divers can see clownfish, moray eels and the occasional turtle here. With luck, shoals of Napoleon wrasse with around 20 animals will also swim past here, as well as the occasional whale shark.
Police Wreck
The Police Wreck consists of 3 sunken police boats that have become a popular diving spot. The wrecks lie at a depth of around 20 metres and are surrounded by coral and schools of fish. They are ideal for wreck divers and offer many interesting structures to explore. But caution is advised, as blue-spotted stingrays hide in the sand and the half-banded flattail swims around the wrecks. A black and white striped sea snake, which is poisonous.
Sugar Wreck
The Sugar Wreck is a cargo ship with a length of over 90 metres that sank in 2020 during a storm in the 2000s. The wreck lies at a depth of 18 metres and is easily accessible. It is overgrown with corals, sponges and a variety of fish. The spot is known for its good visibility and the possibility of seeing barracudas and rays.
Sanchoi Wrecks
The Sanchoi Wrecks are a group of smaller wrecks located near Sanchoi Beach. These wrecks are surrounded by coral and a variety of marine life. They offer interesting structures to explore and are ideal for divers who want to combine wrecks and reefs. Surrounded by schools of fish that swim around you like a wall, there are also bamboo sharks and small pipefish to discover under the wreck. Around the wrecks, watch out for the poisonous scorpion fish, which is well camouflaged in the sand, on the wreck or on ropes.
Temple of the Sea
Temple of the Sea is a fascinating dive site with impressive rock formations and a variety of marine life. The spot is known for its great biodiversity, including colourful reef fish, nudibranchs and soft corals. The dramatic underwater landscapes consisting of a huge rock that even rises out of the water make this spot a highlight for divers. However, this diving spot is known for strong currents and is therefore more suitable for experienced divers.
T3 und T2
T3 and T2 are two neighbouring dive sites known for their impressive coral reefs and diversity of marine life. These sites offer a mix of shallow and deeper dives, ideal for divers of all experience levels. Here divers can see large schools of fish, moray eels and the occasional shark. There are over 15 different rock formations to swim through at T3, which makes the spot particularly exciting for tunnel and cave lovers. When diving through, watch out for lionfish and moray eels, which like to hide in the dark.
Vietnamese Wreck
The Vietnamese Wreck is a sunken ship that is overgrown with coral and marine life. The spot is particularly suitable for experienced divers who want to explore the structures of the wreck and enjoy the variety of marine life. The wreck lies at a depth of around 24 metres and offers good visibility. It is even possible to dive through the centre and a school of large yellowfin barracudas can also be spotted. There is also a strong current here.
Night diving on the Perhentian Islands
Night diving is a special experience on the Perhentian Islands. Many of the spots mentioned above also offer fascinating dives at night. Night diving allows divers to experience the underwater world at night and see animals that are not visible during the day. Bioluminescent organisms, sleeping fish and hunting predators make night diving an unforgettable experience. During his night dive, Joshua discovered hunters such as squid and cuttlefish, which hunt for food at night.
But be warned, night diving is not for everyone. There were torches, but you can’t see anything without their light. Floating in the water in the dark can be very scary, but definitely worth the experience.
Water temperature and visibility
The water temperatures on the Perhentian Islands are pleasantly warm all year round and range between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius. Visibility varies depending on the season and weather conditions, but is generally between 10 and 20 metres. During the best time to visit, in the dry months from March to October, visibility is at its best and the water is at its clearest.
Travelling to the Perhentian Islands
The Perhentian Islands are easily accessible by speedboat from the Kuala Besut Jetty. A single ticket costs 35 ringgit and a combined return ticket costs 70 ringgit. If you don’t know the exact time of the return journey, simply book an open ticket and let your ticket provider know the time one day before departure, as there are four boats a day, starting at 8am and the last one at 4pm.
The journey takes around 45 minutes, depending on the swell. The water taxi takes travellers directly to their hotel, and there are jetties into the water at each section of beach. Water taxis are also available for travelling between the different parts of the island or between the two main islands, starting at 15 ringgit per trip. At Besut harbour there is an additional tourist fee of 20 ringgit per person and a marine conservation fee of 30 ringgit per person. This is payable by card or in cash.
An important note:
There are no ATMs on Perhentian Island or in Kuala Besut. You can pay by card, but there is almost always a 3% charge on the total price, so it is best to withdraw enough cash in advance.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit the Perhentian Islands is during the dry season from March to October. During these months, the weather conditions are stable, underwater visibility is at its best and the water temperatures are pleasantly warm. From October to March, the islands are closed due to the rainy season and everything is closed on site.
Unexplained gastrointestinal problems
Unfortunately, there is an unexplained problem on Perhentian whereby holidaymakers suddenly develop gastrointestinal problems for inexplicable reasons. This is usually followed by vomiting and diarrhoea. It is therefore better to take medication with you in advance, as there is nothing available on site. Despite internal checks on the island, there is no clear cause. Some suspect it is due to the ice cubes used for drinks, others blame the problem on the local water supply and the subsequent pollution of the sea from swimming near the beach. Whatever the reason, it is no reason to stay away from the islands, it is just important to be aware of it.
General information
The Perhentian Islands are the perfect place to relax and unwind. In addition to diving and snorkelling, the beautiful beaches and viewpoints are perfect for exploring on foot. There is also the option of discovering the island on an ATV tour or paragliding to see the island from above. There are numerous restaurants and accommodation for all budgets. Burgers are available for just one euro and most dishes are between €2 and €4 per person. Accommodation starts at just one euro a night in a shared room in a hostel and there is no upper limit, although there are beautiful rooms with balconies and sea views. The Perhentian Islands are divided into two islands, with the smaller one being more popular with low budget travellers and backpackers and the larger one for cheaper accommodation. The individual beaches can be visited by tours, self-hire canoes or water taxis.
Personal experiences
We booked a 5-day 10-dive package with Panorama Diver, which included free breakfast and free accommodation in a shared room. The team at Panorama Diver were professional and friendly and the dives were well organised. The accommodation was basic but clean and comfortable. The free breakfast was a great start to the day and the communal atmosphere at the dive centre was pleasant.
Conclusion
The Perhentian Islands offer an impressive variety of dive sites that will delight both beginners and experienced divers. With spectacular dive sites and exciting night dives, there is plenty to discover. It’s worth staying several days in the Perhentian Islands to fully savour the diversity of the underwater world. Our booking with Panorama Diver for 5 days and 10 dives, including free breakfast and accommodation, was a great choice that we can recommend to any diver. The prices on site are probably the cheapest in the world, as we paid just 16 euros per dive with this offer. All the equipment was included. Hiking is very easy and quick, so we walked just 10 minutes from Long Beach to the other side to watch the beautiful sunset. From Longbeach, where the diving centre is located, we hiked through the jungle to a lookout tower above D’Lagoon.
If you haven’t got your diving licence yet or just want to try out what it feels like to breathe underwater, don’t hesitate and give it a go on the Perhentian Islands.
But be careful, you might get addicted 😉
If you would like to know more about diving in Bali and Nusa Penida or Malaysia in general, take a look at our other articles.
