Arriving in Island Paradise

Day 9 (08/04/08): Long Beach, Small Island, Perhentian Islands

The day started with an hour taxi ride in an old Mercedes 220 with Fabian and the two Danes to the jetty port at Kota Besut. We arrived there and were immediately herded onto the waiting speedboat. The boat trip out to the island takes about 40mins on a speedboat with 12 passengers, all wearing lifejackets. It was actually quite a fun trip, with a few big waves that we bounced over. Arriving at our beach, we had to pay another RM2 for a water taxi, a little boat that takes you from the speedboat to the beach, a journey lasting less than a minute!

The Perhentian Islands are considered some of the most beautiful islands in the world. They consist of two islands (known as the 'Big' island and the 'Small' island). Most backpackers stay on the small island, at its biggest beach, known as Long Beach. It truly is spectacular. The beach is a near perfect crescent of white sand, shaded in palm trees, however it is the water that is the most breathtaking. It is perfectly crystal clear, when the boat approached the beach, you could look down through several meters of water depth, and see the white sand at the bottom. When looking at the water from a short distance away, is a brilliant bright turquoise colour, absolutely amazing!

Fabian and I landed on the beach and spent a little while walking up and down it looking for a place to stay. Fortunately, we where smart enough and dropped our packs at a small cafe, but it was still hot work walking up and down in the beach heat. Unfortunately, none of the nice places had any room, so we settled on a place called 'Rock Garden Resort'. It was a fair way up the hill at the end of the beach, and the 'bungalows' were pretty simple; a wooden shack with two beds and mosquito nets. Not even a fan, indoor light bulb or power socket, however it was cheap! We figured we would stay there for one day, and then be first the next morning to find somewhere nicer. However, being up on the hill, our little wooden shack had an absolutely amazing view! We looked out over palm trees into the bay, with the Big Island in the distance. From up here you could see the water change from the translucent clear water of the shallows, through all the shades of blue and turquoise to the strong blue of the deep sea. We were both gobsmacked, and both sat and watched the view for half an hour.

We spent the afternoon relaxing on the beach and swimming in the water, which was as warm as a bath! I think I spent a good two hours in the water! I got a new novel at one of the small stores, and lay on the white sand reading it. For dinner we met up with some of Fabian's German friends, and went to one of the beach front restaurants; a series of plastic tables and chairs right on the beach, staffed by the local Malay Rasta boys, complete with dreadlocks. I had barbequed fresh caught barracuda with a garlic sauce, beautifully delicious!

A bar had just opened on the beach, it was nothing more than a wooden shack on the beach, that put out a few low wooden tables on the beach around a bonfire. We spent the whole night drinking beer and meeting and talking to other travellers. Fabian and I walked back up the hill to our wooden shack at about 2 in the morning!

(Once again no photos with this post, will add photos later)