PERHENTIAN DIVING & SNORKELING

The Perhentian Islands are famous for their seabed and green turtles. Some twenty diving spots are spread between the two islands. Some of these can be visited in snorkel mode, such as Shark Point, Lighthouse or Romantic Beach. Almost every resort has its own diving center, where you can also rent fins, mask and snorkel. You'll need to factor in the cost of the boat, as with the exception of Turtle Point, all the sites are off the islands. Your hotel reception will be happy to help you organize your excursion.

Turtle Point. Just off Pulau Besar's main beach, green turtles like to gather here in search of plankton. As a result, tourists also like to congregate here, in the hope of catching a glimpse of a large specimen. The water is crystal-clear, the sand bright white and the seabed close at hand. Everyone jumps in, even those who can't swim, strapped into their life jackets. If you're planning a diving or snorkeling trip around the islands, you'll have a good chance of seeing the turtles, in the quiet. So you can save yourself the stopover here, which is more like a zoo experience.

Shark Point. To the south-west of Pulau Besar, close to the rocks, blacktip reef sharks cruise close to the floor. Some can reach 1.60 meters in length, leaving you with a slight feeling of dread. Unless, of course, you're an inveterate diver.

Lighthouse. To the south of Pulau Kecil, this is the place to be for thrill-seeking snorkelers. You can climb to the top of the beacon and jump into the water some ten meters below. The rocky seabed is also an extraordinary place to observe multicolored fish in crystal-clear waters.

Romantic Beach. To the west of Pulau Kecil, this is another hot spot for snorkelers. The beach is charming and romantic, but napoleons can also be spotted just off the shore.

Temple of the Sea. Considered the best diving spot, it lies to the north-west of Pulau Kecil. We descend to 18 meters along a rocky pinnacle where we can observe giant pufferfish, moray eels, trevally and impressive schools of snapper. Cuttlefish, rays, sculpin sharks and trunkfish are also among the residents.