Malaysia’s Perhentian Islands are located in the state of Terengganu. This pair of tropical islands is a veritable paradise for divers and sun-seekers from all over the planet. The diving is fantastic, and rates are generally low. Although the area is not diveable during the rainy season, between October and March, diving is great between April and September. Here are just five of the best dives the Perhentian Islands have to offer.
Tokong Laut
A huge rocky main pinnacle that breaks the surface and meets the seabed at 24 meters beneath the blue waves is the main attraction at Tokon Laut. With a series of smaller pinnacles and boulders surrounding it, the entire area is home to a vast array of marine life, large and small. You’ll find schooling snapper and fusilier, plus a kaleidoscope of smaller creatures living among the colorful sponges and wreathes of coral that cover the impressive structures, and if you are lucky, you might be treated to the rare sight of a whale shark passing by. Watch for bamboo and nurse sharks hiding among the coral ledges and boulders, and don’t be surprised if you encounter turtles grazing on the soft coral.
Terumbu Tiga (Tiger Rock)
With something for everyone, it is no surprise that Tiger Rock is well-regarded as one of the best dive sites in the Perhentian Islands. With valleys and swimthroughs, towering boulder formations, and healthy patches of abundant staghorn and brain coral, huge table corals, and a profusion of gorgonians and soft coral setting the scene, a cast of characters including snappers and fusiliers, leopard sharks and white tip reef sharks, nurse sharks and bamboo sharks, plus a colorful complement of anthias and damsels put on a show that is beyond spectacular. Ideal for all divers, the site offers maximum depth at just twenty meters, and visibility is usually between five and fifteen meters.
Sugar Wreck
Also known as the wreck of the MV Unistar, the Sugar Wreck has been lying here, on her starboard side, since 2000. In just 18 meters of water, the 90 meter cargo ship is a fun dive for all, with penetration opportunities for experts, and lots to see outside, as well. Her wheelhouse and propeller are still intact, providing interesting photo opps, and the wreck is routinely patrolled by sharks, barracuda, and other predatory fish hoping to catch a quick meal from among the snapper and baitfish that swirl around and around the wreck in endless flashes of silver and blue. Look for leopard sharks napping in the sandy sheltered areas at the bottom of the wreck, and be careful – there are stonefish and scorpionfish hiding among the coral and sponges that are already beginning to cover the ship’s metal skin.
Shark Point
A great place to snorkel, and ideal for all divers, Shark Point features shallow lagoons and fringing reefs where you can find reef fish, demon stingers, blue spotted stingrays, and parrotfish in abundance, as well as a few sharks. The fringing reef begins at the edge of the rocky headland that juts into the two lagoons, in just three meters of water. It slopes outward to about eight meters. Home to a colorful abundance of reef fish including wrasse and damsels, butterfly fish and angelfish, to name a few, the site is a photographer’s paradise.
Tanjung Basi
One of the best places to encounter large pelagics, including big trevally and long blue barracuda, Tanjung Basi is located beyond Perhentian Besar’s northern head, and is subject to strong currents. With small caves filled with crustaceans, and colorful swim-throughs covered in soft coral that waves in the current , the site offers great visibility that often reaches twenty meters. Maximum depth here is an easy 25 meters, and you can usually find at least a few sharks here. Watch for rays and turtles, too!
Easy to access from Kuala Besut, and with lovely little resorts, the islands are a nice place to take a relaxing dive holiday, and best of all, prices are economical. There are several dive operators that run day trips to these and other dive sites, and if you prefer, you can enjoy the services of a liveaboard. Be sure to investigate your options in advance!