Perhentian Islands
| Native name: Kepulauan Perhentian كڤولاوان ڤرهنتين |
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| Geography | |
| Location | South China Sea |
| Coordinates | 5°55′N 102°44′E / 5.917°N 102.733°ECoordinates: 5°55′N 102°44′E / 5.917°N 102.733°E |
| Archipelago | Perhentian Islands |
| Total islands | 5 |
| Major islands | Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil |
| Area | 15.35 km2 (5.93 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 100 m (300 ft) |
| Administration | |
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Malaysia
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| State | Terengganu |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 2000 |
| Additional information | |
 Perhentian Islands (South China Sea)
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The Perhentian Islands (Kepulauan Perhentian in Malay) lie approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the northeastern coast of West Malaysia in the state of Terengganu.
The two main islands are Perhentian Besar ("Greater Perhentian") and Perhentian Kecil ("Lesser Perhentian"). The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara (Virgin Milk), Serengeh and Rawa lie off Kecil.
Like Besut, people here generally speak Kelantanese Malay, however English is widely spoken and understood to accommodate the growing tourism market. The Perhentian Islands have become a popular travel destination for families and backpackers alike due to the many lodging options that accommodate almost any budget.
The name "Perhentian" means "stopping point" in Malay, referring to the islands' traditional role as a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia. The islands were sparsely inhabited by fishermen for centuries, although tourism now accounts for most economic activity.
The Perhentian Islands appear on many maps of the nineteenth and twentieth century as 'The Station Islands'. This arises from the British colonial period, as an English translation of "stopping point".
Pulau Perhentian was one of the islands where Vietnamese refugees or boat people landed during the 1970s.
Nature tourism provides the economic base for the islands. Both the islands have palm-fringed white coral sand beaches (that can be tough on the feet) and turquoise blue sea. Popular tourist activities include scuba-diving, snorkeling, and swimming. On most beaches, the water is shallow with many rays, cuttlefish and parrotfish. For diving, there are dozens of dive sites around both main islands, as well as several off-shore sites. Apart from these, activities like camping, canoeing, fishing, jungle trekking, and banana boat riding are also available.
The tropical waters around the Perhentians are clear with turquoise hues. The designated marine park in the island has corals and fish life is quite excellent. During peak season, the waters are calm which is excellent for learning to dive with one of the dive centres on the island. In contrast to the neighboring islands of Lang Tengah and Redang, the Perhentian islands have a wide assortment of accommodation, ranging from budget to mid-range. Most of the accommodation can be found on both the Perhentian Besar, the larger island and Perhentian Kecil, the smaller island. The Perhentian islands has a tropical climate with temperatures steadily around 30 °C and frequent but brief thunderstorms.
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Wikipedia