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Published: September 3rd 2008
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OK, so I said we were heading for Teman Negara, but when we got to the train station at midday, the train south wasn't leaving until 9.50pm. A train pulled up going north, so we quickly changed plans and got on that one instead, heading for the Perhentian Islands.
The train was pretty hot and rattly, but it was worth doing once...arriving at Wakaf Bharu, we got public bus to Kota Bharu where we found a (skeggy) room for the night. But it was only RM28 (about 4.65). The following morning we boarded a mini bus (we were all independently-travelled out) to Kuala Besut to catch the speedboat to Perhentian Kecil, a little island popular with backpackers. Guess who was on the very same speedboat as us? Cat & Paul from uni! We were hoping to meet up but weren't quite sure how we would do it without phones and with us changing our plans. What a coincidence hey! They speedboat was well good fun.
The island was fully amazing, if you were to imagine a perfect tropical island this would probably be it. There were 2 main beaches - Long & Coral on opposite sides of the island
and you could easily walk between the 2 (through pitch dark jungle) in about 10 mins. The island was pretty much undeveloped - no resorts or vast concrete high rises. Not even sun loungers for rent or any roads atall, for that matter. The beaches were just about perfect, the water clear & warm, even at night. The restaurants (read: shacks on the beach) had the tables right on the beach (especially at night), so you sit eating with your toes in the sand! Loved it!
We went snorkelling one day & saw a turtle, sharks, clown fish and all kinds of crazy tropical reef fish. One day Mike & I took a kayak around the island while Cat & Paul were scuba diving. It was a bloody long way and hard work in the crappy kayak but on the way round we spotted an unbelievably perfect beach with a handful of huts of stilts. We had to go. So we checked out of our accommodation on Long Beach (the busiest one on the island with all of it's 2 bars) and checked into Mira Beach. It was so perfect it was untrue! It was just the huts, a
restaurant and the loo block. You could borrow snorkels and we saw some cool stuff. Puffer Fish, Squid, Box Fish (so cute) and loads of others.
Mike mostly spent his non swimming time building impressive sandcastles which I read my book/dozed in the hammock on out balcony. Like I said, perfect. And the hut only cost us 40RM (about 6.64). It was a classic desert island paradise!
Last night the staff put on a beach BBQ in the evening. Cat & Paul ate a giant barracuda. I had a little fellow, but he still had big teeth, whicle Mike had squid. Sitting on the beach eating freshly caught fish (we saw the guy gutting them on the rocks) by candle light looking at the stars. Doesnt get much better really.
Obviously too nice for the likes of us as we left after 2 nights for the leech infested mass of Teman Negara. Time for some jungle trekking before more beaches in Thailand!
Becky & Mike.
Sunburn Update: After successfully staving it off so far, my neck succumbed while snorkelling. I was wearing my rash vest (thanks Clare - didnt get a burnt back this time at
least) but it doesnt cover the whole neck. Bugger. Looked slightly like my head was not a part of my body afterwards. Have since been wearing bandana headscalf style with hat while swimming (and fitting in rather well with the local Muslims if I do say so). While kayaking, I wore long sleeves and shorts with afforementioned head coverage. So guess what got burnt? Yes, my hands. Who knew hands could get sunburnt. The sun is my mortal enemy. Along with mosquitoes.
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Mum & Dad
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Another great blog. But does your island match the Manchester Metro at rush hour? One thing we had in common was the terrential rainfall although on second thoughts there is no contest. No chance of getting sun burnt though. There has been political toubles in Thailand with airports closed so go carefully. Should be restricted to Bangkok but the paper did say tourists at the beach resorts couldn't fly out. Love Dad