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Published: March 17th 2010
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Perhentian Islands, Penang and Langkawi
Our trip to the Perhentian islands started with typical confusion at Kuala Terraganu bus station where, we along with many other backpackers, had been told a bus to the jetty would definatly leave at 11.30am. After much searching and questioning, and with the time approaching 12, we were then told there was infact no bus! Oh well one hurdle to overcome before reaching what we hoped would be a place worth visiting! Even after paying the extra 20 quid to get a taxi we werent to be disappointed.
The Perhentian islands are part of a Marine national park in Malaysia with pristine coral reefs and excellent sites for diving and snorkelling. This however was not our main reason for visiting, the islands famed quiet beaches and luke warm, clear waters were drawing us to the islands after days of relentless heat in the cities!
Already on the speed boat coming over to the island we can see the tree filled hills and the palm tree fringed bays, with inviting white sandy beaches. When we got closer to the island the sunshine was shimmering off the water. The islands have no banks,
no atms, no roads, no motor vehicles and accommodation only has generator powered electricity from 7pm til 7am. Fay's eyes lit up, her smile as wide as her face with realisation of how lucky we are to set apon this place. (And also with relief that pirates hadnt captured us on the ride over!!).
However, our luck was running out when we went to find accommodation! After being told only rooms way over our budget were available, Chris walked back towards te beach falls through a plank of wood and trips over with both of our backpacks on his back!!
Luckily, whilst still on his back, a nice man approaches and tells us about "Rock Garden."
Rock Garden, (our new accommodation for our time on the island) is purched up on a hill, 102 steps up from the beach! The room is beautiful in its simplicity, with nothing but two beds, a fan, toilet and cold shower. The chalet's trump card is its wide veranda and massive french doors, which provide a fantastic view across the bay and towards Perhentian Besar (the bigger of the two islands). All this for only six pounds a night!
Whilst
admiring the view from the balcony is great, the two of us are sweaty, uncofortable and have been looking forward to jumping in the sea since Singapore. After checking in we rush down to the beach like excitable children, jumping into the beautiful water, which is shallow for hundreds of metres. Minutes after jumping in a school of flying fish leap out of the water only a couple of yards from us!
The next few days we spend doing the same things, jumping in the sea, having iced mars bar smoothies and occasionally escaping the sun. The island is the ultimate in laid back, the type of place where the music of Jack Johnson was made for!
The only thing missing from our 4 day stay was a hammock for us to lay in!
After four days we leave, with heavy hearts we travel on to Georgetown, Penang. Which in all honesty doesn't impress us very much. Georgetown is a hard place to come to after such a peaceful time in the Perhentians. Georgetown is the scene of the East India companies first stopping point on the way to turning Malaysia into a full blown state of
the British Empire. What remains of this is Fort Cornwallis which leaves much to the interpretation of its visitors, providing little historic information on its significance.
After two days here we move on to Langkawi, a group of 99 islands a one hour ferry ride from Thailand. Langkawi is beautiful, though still not as impressive as the Perhentians! The beaches are quiet, which probably has something to do with the masses of jellyfish that have washed up onto the sand. The sheer numbers of jellyfish are slightly off putting!
Today is our last day in Malaysia. It will be a very hard place to leave as we have had a great time here, but the time has come to move on to country number 5! THAILAND!
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alan
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Perhentian Islands
Perhentian Islands - looks like paradise, wheres my passport!!! Keep the posts coming, I look forward to reading them. Enjoy Thailand ps kob koon kab - is thank you in Thai, just incase you need it.