Perhentian Islands, Malaysia – 12-16 July 2022

We finally depart the jetty (on Tuesday 12 July), the only thing I’m rushing for is the beach and food (breakfast was awful this morning). Perhentian Islands here I come!

On arrival it’s a little choppy. But I’m here! Time to relax. I had forgotten there is always a briefing to be held when you arrive at a place like this. So much information all at once. I’m given a schedule for the first 3 days (2 nights)…..not exactly what I wanted but hey ho. They find it confusing that I’m here for 4 nights. I’ll deal with that another day. Food is needed and quick smart.

The family I had spoken to at the office are taken to their rooms. He is from Pakistan, she is from Syria. The 3 children were born around Asia. It’s their third visit to Tuna Bay Resort. Such a lovely family!!!

I continue to sit at my table before being told to move for lunch. It’s hard to believe it’s only 12.30pm. Lunch arrives and is tasty.

My room isn’t ready yet so I’m told to go off to the dive center first. My last dive was in January 2020 (in the Philippines) so I’m not surprised when I’m told I need to do a refresher course. Suits me as it should help refresh my memory on a few things!! I’m given the padI open water book and a form with 21 questions. No pressure!!!! As I’m left to myself I decide to sit and at least make a start on the questions. Some of the answers are so crazy!!

Thankfully when I go back to the hotel I’m told my room is nearly ready for me. I need to pay for everything now. I’m beyond tired and just want sleep!! I’ve been charged MYR 106 for a public holiday surcharge, seems a bit cheeky given today isn’t the PH. I question this. A phone call is made to the office in Kuala Buset and a few minutes later I’m being told they will remove the surcharge. Let’s hope there is no issues with the diving given I’ve paid for 4 dives too.

I have help getting my suitcase to my room. It’s a small room with a balcony overlooking the forest. 

 

I do a bit of unpacking and sorting before heading to the beach. Seems there are lounge stealers all over the world!! So many lounge chairs are empty other than a towel. Super rude!!! I locate one and pounce. Within minutes the dark clouds appear along with the odd rain drop. As they become more frequent I pack up and head to the cafe.

 

The weather eases off a fraction so I decide to make a run for it to my room. I set the timer on my watch and have a sleep. Heavenly. Although it’s a struggle not to go back to sleep again when I wake up.

I decide a shower might help wake me up a bit. It’s not as bad as I expected but will be interesting trying to wash my hair.

I head to the cafe / restaurant area and complete the majority of the PadI refresher quiz. Two questions to go. The light in here is shocking, thank goodness for the light on my phone!

I manage to book my flight back to KL on Saturday - decided not to extend here, while it would be lovely I feel that one day to get everything sorted for my next part of the trip is too little.

I ask for a menu to see about getting a drink and am immediately asked if I want to eat right now. Not quite but I feel like I’m being pressured into eating! They also make me move to my table.

Beer arrives, and the food is selected. I’m starting to feel like I want to go to bed. Expected given the previous two nights has been absolutely shocking for sleeping!!!

 

I’m thinking I’ll head back to the room when I’m delivered a plate of fruit - watermelon and papaya. Yum! I manage to hold on to 8:30pm.

8.50pm I climb into bed….praying I sleep for hours and hours.

I wake just after 7.30am on Wednesday 13 July feeling like a new person!

As soon as I walk out of my room I can hear the waves. Heaven! Walking onto the beach I immediately notice it’s high tide.

Sitting at breakfast I notice a table with a coffee plunger…….I want! Such a good idea as what I’m drinking isn’t the best (I have had worse, I think). Too hard to carry one for my trip but I must think about this for future trips.

I complete the outstanding questions on the PadI quiz. I’m sure it will all come back to me when I’m out there. Well friends crossed!

As I’m returning to my table from getting my omelette I notice another table with a coffee plunger. Buggar!! They take it everywhere. Right that will be added to my packing list (must remember to start a packing list…..).

I have about half an hour before I need to be at dive center. Starting to get nervous now.

I survived the practical for the refresher course! To say the visibility was bad was an understatement. There was also quite a strong current so it made for a bumpy ride doing the drills. As soon as I finally got out of the water I felt drunk and sea sick at the same time. Not a pleasant feeling!!

I have a couple of hours now to my first dive at 3.30pm. I spent the time trying to feel better, eating lunch and chatting with the Syrian / Pakistan family.

 

My first real dive in over two and a half years went well! Normal issue with equalizing my left ear. Great to be underwater again!

I had a couple of hours relaxing with the family on the beach. I’ve only been here just over 24 hours but it feels so much longer! Perfect way to feel when on holiday.

Feeling clean I head to dinner. The chicken satay doesn't disappoint. 

It’s super humid sitting here - I would have thought being on the ocean would have cooled it down a bit but alas no.

Wednesday 14 July I wake before my 6.50am alarm. Feel like I’m getting up for work….nope! Going scuba diving.

I had been given a packet of drip coffee from the Syrian / Pakistan family, this helped wake me up!!!

I was quite nervous going out on the boat for the first dive. I hadn’t taken a motion sickness pill so was praying I would be ok.

Dive two was great! Great to be underwater again and seeing the marine life. Highlight was seeing a turtle. The dive last 52 minutes and I still had lots of air left. Great result!

I had around 1 hour before I went back to the dive center for dive 3.

Dive 3 was just as good! Visibility could have been better but thankfully wasn’t terrible. Highlight was seeing the two very large stingrays.

By the time I had unpacked and cleaned all my gear it was basically 2pm. Time for lunch! I had elected not to dive again at 3pm.

I have a chilled couple of hours between my room, the beach and my balcony.

I had arranged to meet the family at 7.30pm, we were taking a boat over to Long Beach. I head to the restaurant earlier to get Wi-Fi. My flight on Saturday has been pushed back 2 hours which is extremely annoying! Just means lots of sitting around waiting. 

 

As we are cruising along the water the odd lightning strike appears. Ooh please please don’t rain. We are totally exposure in this small boat.

We have a couple of hours on Long Beach - people watching and dinner. It is a lot busier than where the hotel is, not for me. There are fire shows, a tad scary even watching.

The full moon is out in full view on the return journey. I know the photos won’t do it justice. The boat driver is a little loopy (potentially drunk)…..we have lots of laughs. I’m thankful when I see Tuna Bay Resort.

I climb into bed at 10.50pm, alarm is going in 8 hours.

Friday 15 July (seriously how can this be??!) I wake before my alarm at 6.35am. Can’t wait for tomorrow when there will be no need to set an alarm.

Sitting here trying to eat breakfast overlooking the sea is super peaceful. Hard to believe I have just over a day left here.

The dive went well - nothing really significant to see other than lots of fish and coral.

The tide was super high when we returned - I said no to carrying my gear back to the shop, just too dangerous. When I stepped off the ramp and into the water it was up to my armpits I would have floated away if I had my gear on!!!

First thing I do when I get to the beach is go snorkelling. So many fish and coral. The waves get to me after a while though.

As I lie here listening to the waves I’m glad I have the rest of the day to enjoy this instead of going diving again.

 

Post lunch I head back to the beach and within minutes am in the water snorkelling. A fish clearly likes me as I’m nipped basically immediately on entering. Gave me a fright that’s for sure! It’s a lot calmer than earlier so I enjoy cruising around looking at all the fishes and coral.

When the first mozzie turns up I head back to my room and do a spot of packing.

Sitting here watching the sun set is a perfect way to end my “holiday” at the beach.

 

 

The family join me for dinner which was lovely.  I had hoped the sky would turn pink, instead it became very dark very quickly.  Then the wind picked up followed by the lightening.  What a show!

I walk back to my room via the beach. Even in the dark it’s still so lovely.

Saturday 16 July I manage a sleep in 😊 Breakfast is a chilled affair followed by a couple of hours relaxing on the beach.

 

Of course as soon as I leave the room after showering the sun is out and the temperature has increased! What has also increased is the tide…..will make for some fun getting on the boat back to the mainland.

We depart Tuna Bay Resort a couple of minutes early, amazing! It’s a slow journey though and when we arrive at Kuala Besut jetty it’s like Times Square!!! Finally it’s our turn to disembark.

We all walk back to the office. Lin is there to greet me 😊

Eric and Sonia (I went diving with them a few times) are driving back to KL. It’s going to be a race to see who arrives first!! Pretty sure it will be them. They very kindly take my 3 cans of drink I have. All going well I’ll meet Eric for lunch on Monday.

I return to Ko Fei cafe for lunch. Before I order I ask how long it will be as I only have 45 minutes.

I depart Kuala Besut just before 2pm. Will be interesting to see how long today’s journey to the airport is. As we are driving out of the town we pass several goats, just roaming the streets. So cute!

One hour and 10 minutes later I’m dropped off at the departure terminal. One disadvantage of getting here so quickly is the check-in hasn’t opened as yet. I’m so so pleased I wasted sometime in the town first. I notice two families that were on the boat with me sitting here waiting as well.

After about half an hour I decide to ask an airport worker when the check-in counters open for Malaysia Airlines. I’m informed 2 hours before the flight. Ooh great…..I have just under 1 hour to wait. I decide to go for a walk, it’s not a big airport so doesn’t take long!!! This time I put my bag through security to receive the required sticker. The lady asks to look at my spray. Happily! I have time to waste. A little strange though given I brought it from KL. Thankfully all good.

Earlier in the week I had downloaded a few shows on Netflix so to pass the next 40 minutes out comes Netflix.

4.20pm I notice the priority check-in lane opens. Off I go.

When I arrive at the gate area I wonder why I had to check in so early. There is basically nothing here! Out comes Netflix.

The line to board is long and people are still disembarking. I continue to wander the terminal.

We finally push back from the gate 8 minutes late. Frustrating given I should have already been in KL for well over an hour.

Perhentian Islands I will return!