Pulau Perhenthian - sun, sand, sea and snorkling

Trip Start Feb 11, 2008
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Trip End Jun 30, 2008


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Flag of Malaysia  , Terengganu,
Thursday, June 5, 2008

After our jungle adventures we decided to have some R&R, so we caught the train onto Kuala Besur and then by boat across the sea to the islands of Pulau Perhanthian (Stop Islands in Malay) where we planned to relax on the sand, get a tan, swim in the crystal clear sea, snorkle over the coral and recharge some of our batteries. We satyed on the smaller of the two islands and booked ourselves into the only available accomodation on Long Beach at moonlight Chalet, a run down dive for 80RM a night. Still, we hadn't planned on spending too long in our room as the lure of the white coral sand beach and warm clear sea beckoned us, so within half an hour of landing on the island we were lying under a sun umbrella with our heads stuck in a good book.

The first two days were spent that way, breakfast, beach, lunch, beach, shower, dinner, bar, bed, breakfast, beach and so on. We decided we ought to try and see some of the island other than our square meter of shaded sand so we packed some water and headed off early before the heat hit the beach at midday and walked 10 minutes through the jungle interior to the beach on the other side of the island called coral bay. Upon our sweaty arrival we realised that long beach was definetley the better of the two as there is more beach and the water is much calmer for bathing, so we turned around and trudged back intent on grabbing a shaded patch of sand, stripping off and soaking in the water. I led the way and Jo followed, but so intent was I in getting back I hadn't noticed a metre long thin, white and green headed snake next to the path rearing it's head up at me as i'd walked past it. Jo gave a cry and I looked around to see that I'd inexplicably walked past this venomous beastie which I'd obviously disturbed and caused it to rear up. Slowly it slithered away into the bush and I turned to Jo who said, "I hate the bloody jungle!"

That afternoon we were lazing as per usual when a sea eagle landed on the beach not more than 2 metres from where we were. Wow, a fully grown sea eagle! It just stood there while tourists took photos of it and then hopped a little way further along the beach a dissapeared from view. We found out a day later that this bird is a local resident of the beach and hangs out in the trees at the edge of the jungle, occasionaly taking a jaunt along the sand to see what all the fuss is about!

Five days, three good books and many hours of sunbathing, swimming and snorkling, as well as copious amounts of tiger beer we were ready to leave and return to normality. So we packed up, caught the boat back to the mailand and then a bus across the country westward towards Penang where we planned to shop for souvenirs before heading north back through Thailand via the beaches at Krabi and onto Bangkok
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