WE HEAR the same thing every year from independent travellers – “how can I find my way to Perhentians with public transport?”
For those with very little budget for the latest glossy guidebook, we have compiled the following inside scoops to help you wing it like a pro. Something you can jump right in and digest …..
Click this peninsula Malaysia map post to view how Kuala Besut is connected to towns around the country.
Little hamlets that dot coast flanking South China Sea.
Here’s how you navigate Kuala Besut town, the hop off point to the islands.
Not too hard to grasp, right? The key thing to remember is – NEVER attempt a holiday in the islands during Oct-March period. To understand east coast weather, see this post about Malaysian weather.
Monsoon wind hits these waters the hardest then and one would find it very difficult to arrange boatmen or hotels willing to play host. As a matter of fact, tour and hotel operators start to wind down as early as end-Sept. On sunny months (Apr-Sept), Kuala Besut town economy feeds on visitors, hotel and tour activities.
The best for for Perhentians or Redang island hopping is June-August
The bus option
1. Kuala Lumpur > Gua Musang > Kuala Krai > Jertih > K.Besut
2. Spore > Kuantan > K.Terengganu > Jertih > K.Besut
3. Penang/Butterworth > Grik > Kota Bahru > K.Besut
4. Cameron Highlands > Gua Musang > Kuala Krai > Jertih > K.Besut
5. Taman Negara > Gua Musang > Kuala Krai > Jertih > K.Besut
(recently, lots of van services have sprouted in Taman Negara and Cameron Highlands that takes visitors directly to Kuala Besut jetty. Take a look at this Cameron Highland post).
The train option
1. Kuala Lumpur > Gua Musang > Kuala Krai or Tanah Merah … catch a taxi or bus to K.Besut.
2. Taman Negara > Kuala Lipis > Gua Musang …. repeat route as described in #1.
The flight option
Fly to the nearest airport, that’s Kota Bahru, and catch a taxi to Kuala Besut, 45 mins ride away.
Cost estimates
(remember, this is based on our experiences when we combed that area in 2006. Prices may vary as inflation sets in)
- Jertih taxi ride to Kuala Besut, RM20/car during night/wee morning hour, RM10/car daytime.
- Jertih public bus ride to Kuala Besut, RM2.00 one way.
- Kota Bahru bus ride to Kuala Besut, use Transnasional or SKMK services, RM4.10 one way. Tell the driver in advance to drop you off at Kuala Besut Tourist Terminal (lazy drivers have a tendency to drop passengers off at Tok Bali jetty which has less traffic or Kuala Besut bridge, which is 10 mins walk to Tourist Terminal).
- Kuala Terengganu bus ride to Kuala Besut, S.P.Bumi services, RM5.70 one way, approx 3 hours.
- Kuala Lumpur direct bus ride to Kuala Besut, Mahligai Express or Mutiara Express services, RM32.00 one way, back breaking 8-9 hours journey. Try not to do this. Break your journey in Taman Negara or somewhere nice.
- Singapore bus ride en route Kota Bahru, ask the driver to drop you off in Jertih. Transnasional service, leave at 7:30pm and reach Jertih approx 5:30am. We do not have the price for this one.
Important travel tips
1. Kuala Besut, Kota Bahru and Kuala Terengganu are in the heart of moslem population. These regions observe Friday as weekend. Banks, postal and government offices are closed on Fridays and Saturdays – NOT Sundays.
2. If you’re catching a taxi from Jertih, Kota Bahru or any nearby towns, insist that they take you straight to the Tourist Terminal or your tour agent office. Drivers have a bad reputation of veering travellers off to their “good friends” and “recommended” tour operators that offer kickbacks.
3. Book tour or hotel from operators that offer departure from Kuala Besut new jetty. Be aware that illegal operators are known to whisk unsuspecting travellers to Tok Bali old jetty to avoid detection by the local police. If a deal sounds too good to be true, forget it. Always arrange bookings at licensed kiosks dotting the Tourist Terminal. It’s there for a good reason.
4. On busy days, passengers may be herded into boats that do not provide enough lifejackets for everyone. Use your good sense and never board a boat that looks overloaded. Capsized boats make headlines occassionally during peak periods.
Bits about boats
You should know that there are 2 types – fast and slow. Fast boat services do not have a fixed departure time. They’ll whiz off as soon as passengers fill up the boat. As for slow boats, departure is usually at 9am and 2pm.
If you miss the boat, don’t fret. There’re numerous budget and mid-range hotels in Kuala Besut where you can pad for reasonable prices.
Boat fee (return)
- Fast boat (0.5hr journey) RM60.00/adult & RM30/child
- Slow boat (1.5hrs journey) RM40.00/adult & RM20/child
Copyright reserved “Take The Path Less Ordinary”. No part of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission. © Outskirt Outreach, Malaysia.
