DAY II
The next day, woke up at 6am sharp to catch the sunrise. It was a little cloudy that morning so I decided to take a stroll on the deserted beach.
Many empty cans of beer could be found strewn all over the beach from last night's beach party but it was shortly cleared after dawn.
Within few minutes, the sky gets brighter and brighter as the waves start to get more vigorous
Everyone else was asleep including Su Fen, famed for beign the early bird. While waiting for everyone to rise, I walked up and down the beach taking advantage of its emptiness.
And I found a snake! Thank God it was bright enough for it to be spotted.
Then I headed back to the chalet. Looks really cool with its lighted passageways.
It was about 7am so I woke Philbert up and called Su Fen for breakfast while the other 2 remaining pigs continued sleeping.
Hot water at the chalet is provided for free. This, of course, is to compensate the absence of a coffee and tea making facility in the chalet. It is advised to bring your own cup noodles as the price may double on the island. Also bring a mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes on the island are exceptionally huge and fat.
After savouring my hot and steamy cup of noodles, headed down to the beach for a cup of tea by the beach and the morning sun which looked like a moon.
Thin mist fills the air along the beach
There's nothing more perfect that morning than a cup of tea coupled with a scenic beach.
After breakfast, I ventured over to the rocks at the right-most corner of the beach. Climbed up a few steep rocks and boulders to get to a secluded spot
Spot the crab
The waves starting to charge against the boulders
The water is so clear you could see schools of large fishes measuring half a metre each swimming around the rocks. This place seems so peaceful that 30 minutes passed without me knowing it.
Soon got myself back to the chalet where I literally drenched myself in sunblock learning from the sunburns obtained the day before. Before meeting up with our snorkeling guide, June and I scurried to the local store to find out how to work our underwater camera. lol. The guy wanted to take a picture of us but we stopped him right before he pressed it as the shots were sooo precious. haha
We then chose our snorkeling gears according to our size. Impressive I would say, some of the flippers bear the "Body Glove" logo; a sign of quality. haha. They even wash the equipments with dish washing liquid unlike the ones in Pangkor. In addition to that, the snorkeling gears are much more durable and expensive.
Look at June... LOL
While selecting our equipments, met up with GG, whose real name is Sha Sha. A German guy whose friend abandoned him for the more adventurous, diving.
There was also another German couple probably spending their honeymoon on this pristine island.
I got my gears ready and headed to our 1st snorkeling spot.
Somehow, the boat rides often, in fact always seem interesting.
We were took thru a scenic ride, passing by Perhentian Besar and its crystal clear coast.
A one-of-its-kind shaped canoe. Unlike conventional ones, this one has no pockets to insert your legs. It's almost like a surfboard.
I was kind of worried as we were heading to the snorkeling site as the weather was cloudy and the sun is nowhere to be seen. For optimum visibility underwater, the sun is vital as it provides light through its ray and it attracts fishes out of their habitats. The sea also looked dead with grey hues matching the gloomy sky. I asked our guide and he said "don't worry". I took his words, after all, he's the guide.
The islands of Rawa and Susu Dara could be seen from far
It was not long till the boatman stopped in the middle of the ocean beside a lighthouse and said "This is our snorkeling site". I was totally.. *omg*... you kidding me? The water is grey and murky. There goes the Perhentian holiday. There was practically no sign of marine life nor postcard-perfect scenery.
But then he told us to look carefully....
And he threw down a few pieces of stale bread
Suddenly plenty of fishes could be seen scurrying to get themselves a piece of "rotten carbo". Fyi, feeding wild animals or marine life isn't going to help protect the ecosystem or preserve their existence. Over the years, fishes get too dependent on these "tourist food" and lose the natural hunting instincts. On top of that, these bread aren't healthy and do not provide a well balanced diet.
A kaleidoscope of colours
Lucky enough, the sun came out from its hiding and visibility improved. Being the usual over-excited one, I jumped into the sea without my life-jacket and swam around like never before.
I can only describe what I saw beneath my feet as 'breathtaking'. Visibility was great and the sea was deep and filled with staghorn corals as far as the eye can see. It can be a little scary for those afraid of heights as you are suspended at a height of a 3 storey building. *which is why Su Fen was freaking out and crying for help. Lucky for her, she got a 'personal' guide which happens to be our boatman, who showed her around under his guidance* lol.
And it was time to make use of the underwater camera. hehe
The pictures didn't turn out as clear as it really is. Trust me, the scene beneath is much more colourful.
The reef was filled with all kinds of fishes. Easily a million fishes are surrounding you at a time.
And there were loads of corals like these table corals. There's also a purple clam at the bottom left hand corner.
The corals at the reef is generally healthy. with almost no sign of damages. In fact, the whole seabed is filled with corals especially the staghorn spieces that hardly any sand can be found. Among the more prominent corals are also the anemones, pitcher, brain and branching corals.
The anemones are home to one of the most famous fish in the world known as the clown fish. You won't find them near the surface as you have to dive down to the anemones to see them. They are seriously one precious little piece of nature. I wish I could take one home. lol
More amazing is that the staghorn corals changes colour when touched. *we are not supposed to touch them actually but our guide said it was ok*
I really don't know how to describe the whole experience beneath the surface of the ocean but it's definitely a breathtaking experience.
After about an hour, we got back to the boat to head to our next site which is Shark Point.
Joanne, Philly, German Guy 2, June and Me
One of my favourite pics again.
Shark Point, as its name suggests, is a snorkeling site famed for the sightings of black-tip reef sharks. Don't get mistaken with the black-tip sharks which is known to attack humans. These reef sharks are harmless unless provoked or cornered. We were obviously unaware of that and we thought all sharks attack humans. Nevertheless, I braved myself and jumped in after GG2. lol. I don't know if I'm lucky or not, but I didn't see a single shark unlike JOANNE,... who scrambled back to the boat the minute she jumped in after seeing huge sharks. I swam all the way to the end of the reef returning disappointed. June and Philly also saw nothing. Don't get us wrong. Despite the fact that there isn't any shark, there are still plenty of corals and fishes at the site including swirling schools of swordfish and colourful spotted sea cucumbers.
Knowing that the 3 of us didn't get a glimpse of the shark, our boatman promised us that he would bring us to another site later in the day. Next on the itinerary was turtles. I've never seen one in the wild before so this gotta be it. Our skilled boatman deserves a thumbs up from me. He can spot turtles beneath the ocean from the distance using his naked eyes. *bravo bravo*.
Again, being the usual excited one and not wanting to disappoint myself like at Shark Point, I was the first to jump in and feast my eyes on these reptiles which exists since the time of the dinosaurs.
I not only saw one turtle, I saw 3 at one time. The largest measuring almost 4 feet in diameter! Yellow remoras could be seen following its shell as well. Most of them are quite shy and tend to swim away.
It is not advised to get down of the boat as currents can get relatively strong at times. I had a hard time returning to the boat as the strong currents kept pushing me back, drifting me further and further away from the boat.
Sang Penyu
After visiting those reptiles, we were brought to lunch at Kampung Pasir Hantu on Perhentian Kecil, which is the one and only village on the archipelago.
Sad to say, the corals at the seabed has been mostly damaged. Leaving behind only skeletons but I managed to spot a stingray if I've not seen wrongly.
Our boatman also gave us a useful advice. Never visit the Perhentians during May. This is not mentioned in the guidebooks or travelogues. During the month of May, jellyfishes with long tentacles tend to dominate the ocean leaving no space to maneuver. And its sting is poisonous. You won't die but it hurts crazily. Seriously, no joke. You should see his facial expression.
Perhentian Kecil
Kampung Pasir Hantu Beach
Sheeps which seem to be at every corner of the village
Fishing vessels docked at the frontier coast of the village
Sheeps again..
Fishes dried under the sun to produce ikan masin
Similar to Long Beach, we were the only local tourist. In fact, the one and only restaurant opened at that time was filled with Caucasians. *No other restaurants were opened as it was the fasting month of Ramadhan*
Caucasians and more Caucasians
Black sheep
And more hungry black sheeps
And also black & white sheeps
and also cats
It seems as though the villagers forgotten to feed them as they are observing the month of Ramadhan. I guess they wanted their livestocks to fast too. lol
Unlike the villages in Pangkor, this village still boast crystal clear waters at its shore. Impressive.
After lunch we were brought shark sighting again. This site is situated North of Perhentian Besar. This time, I've seen it. mine measured about only 3 feet but seeing a shark in the wild is a lifetime experience itself.
Shark, at the bottom left hand corner
Most of the corals here too have been damaged whic explains the absence of colourful fishes. Only huge bumphead parrotfish can be found. These fishes are huge. I remembered the German girl was shouting when she saw them.
The last site for the day was another turtle site, at the beach which hosts the exclusive Perhentian Island Resort.
A nice shot of the endangered Green Turtle. Joanne and I managed to molest its back. haha.
We only saw Green Turtles that day although hawksbills are said to be common too.
Striking a weird pose.
The turquoise-coloured sea
Similar to Sipadan, Perhentian has a 'wonderful' barge ready to wipe out corals in its way
Me, June
I can't get my eyes off the sea... it's just so intriguing... and the absence of strong currents makes this bay a perfect place to relax
After a long day, we headed back to our beach and thanked our boatman. I don't know what his name is but he is a nice guy and a great boatman. For those of you who intends to go snorkeling, inquire within Panorama Chalet.
It was our second last day on Perhentian so we maximized it by lazing on the beach under the umbrella again. Sha Sha then joined us and told us more stories about himself and his vacation in Malaysia, particularly Sabah.
Apparently, he works for a company which insures insurance companies. lol. Weird, but then again, its business... He also claimed that Malaysians are patriotic as he could see many Malaysian flags around the country... *he didn't know that those flags are given for free. lol*
He also shared his frustration for Malaysians typically those littering on Turtle Island in Sabah, reputed for being one of the remaining turtle nesting islands in the world. He has never tried Durian too. Another interesting fact learned is Germans love their beers that they would forgo a six-packs for a barrel. lol.
Listening attentively... It's great to bond with the tourists as they can be really friendly.
And then there was this small kid that is 'merajuking' near us. His mom was laughing when she learned that her son is being watched.
It's weird but i find him a little cute. especially the part where he threw sand to portray his frustration. haha.
And on our right, there was more bikini clad ladies soaking up more sun.
And us! Su Fen hates camera that's why you don't see her often. haha
The local kids posing for a shot
It was about 630pm when dark clouds began to cast in the skies above us.
The sky was getting darker and darker
A clear sign that a storm was coming. After all it was the beginning of the monsoon season. A season where the sea is a forbidden place.
A concerned local warning his kids to leave the sea, pointing to the furious dark clouds.
Within minutes, the sky was almost like night. It was a bit exciting as I've never witnessed a storm during the east coast monsoon period.
Caucasian junior, clearly oblivious of the fact it's time to stay indoors.
We still managed to grab a shot. haha
Time to head back to the chalets and clean up for dinner
While waiting for dinner, we indulge in a game of Jenga.
Potentially one of the most tensing game
For our last night at Perhentian, we dined at our very own resort's restaurant which features nightly movies. This time it was some unique British movie that's quite interesting.
Because it was raining, it was cold in the open-air restaurant, like being air-conditioned.
So cold that I have to wrap myself.
As it was our last night, I feasted myself with a nice BBQ set and my fish was Barracuda with spicy coconut gravy. Truly Tropical.
The rest ordered Kingfish and Tandoori fish.
And there was the Malay traditional game; Congkak
A rather unusual dessert was the Deep-fried MARS or SNICKERS bar according to your choice. Very rich.
After the rain stopped, we headed to the beach to sample its renowned nightlife.
Our resort
We came just in time as the fire dancers were showing off their skills
Fascinating
Local fishermen fishes at night and at Long Beach due to its shallowness. You could see the spotlight illuminating the shallow waters.
Fishing boats dotting the coast
Palm Tree cafe at night
And this is Sha Sha again, carrying Joanne's bag while drinking his 'Tiger'
We strolled the beach at night supplied with a small torchlight. I saw a striped reef fish jumping on the shore so I saved it and returned it to the sea. What a noble deed...
Clearly, you don't need a bright torchlight with the crystal clear waters
More striped reef fishes could be seen hiding behind small pebbles.
And a silvery blue fish swimming. I'm already missing the times where we would walk in the shallow waters at night. Another one-of-its-kind experience.
The next day, woke up at 6am sharp to catch the sunrise. It was a little cloudy that morning so I decided to take a stroll on the deserted beach.
Many empty cans of beer could be found strewn all over the beach from last night's beach party but it was shortly cleared after dawn.
Within few minutes, the sky gets brighter and brighter as the waves start to get more vigorous
Everyone else was asleep including Su Fen, famed for beign the early bird. While waiting for everyone to rise, I walked up and down the beach taking advantage of its emptiness.
And I found a snake! Thank God it was bright enough for it to be spotted.
Then I headed back to the chalet. Looks really cool with its lighted passageways.
It was about 7am so I woke Philbert up and called Su Fen for breakfast while the other 2 remaining pigs continued sleeping.
Hot water at the chalet is provided for free. This, of course, is to compensate the absence of a coffee and tea making facility in the chalet. It is advised to bring your own cup noodles as the price may double on the island. Also bring a mosquito repellent. Mosquitoes on the island are exceptionally huge and fat.
After savouring my hot and steamy cup of noodles, headed down to the beach for a cup of tea by the beach and the morning sun which looked like a moon.
Thin mist fills the air along the beach
There's nothing more perfect that morning than a cup of tea coupled with a scenic beach.
After breakfast, I ventured over to the rocks at the right-most corner of the beach. Climbed up a few steep rocks and boulders to get to a secluded spot
Spot the crab
The waves starting to charge against the boulders
The water is so clear you could see schools of large fishes measuring half a metre each swimming around the rocks. This place seems so peaceful that 30 minutes passed without me knowing it.
Soon got myself back to the chalet where I literally drenched myself in sunblock learning from the sunburns obtained the day before. Before meeting up with our snorkeling guide, June and I scurried to the local store to find out how to work our underwater camera. lol. The guy wanted to take a picture of us but we stopped him right before he pressed it as the shots were sooo precious. haha
We then chose our snorkeling gears according to our size. Impressive I would say, some of the flippers bear the "Body Glove" logo; a sign of quality. haha. They even wash the equipments with dish washing liquid unlike the ones in Pangkor. In addition to that, the snorkeling gears are much more durable and expensive.
Look at June... LOL
While selecting our equipments, met up with GG, whose real name is Sha Sha. A German guy whose friend abandoned him for the more adventurous, diving.
There was also another German couple probably spending their honeymoon on this pristine island.
I got my gears ready and headed to our 1st snorkeling spot.
Somehow, the boat rides often, in fact always seem interesting.
We were took thru a scenic ride, passing by Perhentian Besar and its crystal clear coast.
A one-of-its-kind shaped canoe. Unlike conventional ones, this one has no pockets to insert your legs. It's almost like a surfboard.
I was kind of worried as we were heading to the snorkeling site as the weather was cloudy and the sun is nowhere to be seen. For optimum visibility underwater, the sun is vital as it provides light through its ray and it attracts fishes out of their habitats. The sea also looked dead with grey hues matching the gloomy sky. I asked our guide and he said "don't worry". I took his words, after all, he's the guide.
The islands of Rawa and Susu Dara could be seen from far
It was not long till the boatman stopped in the middle of the ocean beside a lighthouse and said "This is our snorkeling site". I was totally.. *omg*... you kidding me? The water is grey and murky. There goes the Perhentian holiday. There was practically no sign of marine life nor postcard-perfect scenery.
But then he told us to look carefully....
And he threw down a few pieces of stale bread
Suddenly plenty of fishes could be seen scurrying to get themselves a piece of "rotten carbo". Fyi, feeding wild animals or marine life isn't going to help protect the ecosystem or preserve their existence. Over the years, fishes get too dependent on these "tourist food" and lose the natural hunting instincts. On top of that, these bread aren't healthy and do not provide a well balanced diet.
A kaleidoscope of colours
Lucky enough, the sun came out from its hiding and visibility improved. Being the usual over-excited one, I jumped into the sea without my life-jacket and swam around like never before.
I can only describe what I saw beneath my feet as 'breathtaking'. Visibility was great and the sea was deep and filled with staghorn corals as far as the eye can see. It can be a little scary for those afraid of heights as you are suspended at a height of a 3 storey building. *which is why Su Fen was freaking out and crying for help. Lucky for her, she got a 'personal' guide which happens to be our boatman, who showed her around under his guidance* lol.
And it was time to make use of the underwater camera. hehe
The pictures didn't turn out as clear as it really is. Trust me, the scene beneath is much more colourful.
The reef was filled with all kinds of fishes. Easily a million fishes are surrounding you at a time.
And there were loads of corals like these table corals. There's also a purple clam at the bottom left hand corner.
The corals at the reef is generally healthy. with almost no sign of damages. In fact, the whole seabed is filled with corals especially the staghorn spieces that hardly any sand can be found. Among the more prominent corals are also the anemones, pitcher, brain and branching corals.
The anemones are home to one of the most famous fish in the world known as the clown fish. You won't find them near the surface as you have to dive down to the anemones to see them. They are seriously one precious little piece of nature. I wish I could take one home. lol
More amazing is that the staghorn corals changes colour when touched. *we are not supposed to touch them actually but our guide said it was ok*
I really don't know how to describe the whole experience beneath the surface of the ocean but it's definitely a breathtaking experience.
After about an hour, we got back to the boat to head to our next site which is Shark Point.
Joanne, Philly, German Guy 2, June and Me
One of my favourite pics again.
Shark Point, as its name suggests, is a snorkeling site famed for the sightings of black-tip reef sharks. Don't get mistaken with the black-tip sharks which is known to attack humans. These reef sharks are harmless unless provoked or cornered. We were obviously unaware of that and we thought all sharks attack humans. Nevertheless, I braved myself and jumped in after GG2. lol. I don't know if I'm lucky or not, but I didn't see a single shark unlike JOANNE,... who scrambled back to the boat the minute she jumped in after seeing huge sharks. I swam all the way to the end of the reef returning disappointed. June and Philly also saw nothing. Don't get us wrong. Despite the fact that there isn't any shark, there are still plenty of corals and fishes at the site including swirling schools of swordfish and colourful spotted sea cucumbers.
Knowing that the 3 of us didn't get a glimpse of the shark, our boatman promised us that he would bring us to another site later in the day. Next on the itinerary was turtles. I've never seen one in the wild before so this gotta be it. Our skilled boatman deserves a thumbs up from me. He can spot turtles beneath the ocean from the distance using his naked eyes. *bravo bravo*.
Again, being the usual excited one and not wanting to disappoint myself like at Shark Point, I was the first to jump in and feast my eyes on these reptiles which exists since the time of the dinosaurs.
I not only saw one turtle, I saw 3 at one time. The largest measuring almost 4 feet in diameter! Yellow remoras could be seen following its shell as well. Most of them are quite shy and tend to swim away.
It is not advised to get down of the boat as currents can get relatively strong at times. I had a hard time returning to the boat as the strong currents kept pushing me back, drifting me further and further away from the boat.
Sang Penyu
After visiting those reptiles, we were brought to lunch at Kampung Pasir Hantu on Perhentian Kecil, which is the one and only village on the archipelago.
Sad to say, the corals at the seabed has been mostly damaged. Leaving behind only skeletons but I managed to spot a stingray if I've not seen wrongly.
Our boatman also gave us a useful advice. Never visit the Perhentians during May. This is not mentioned in the guidebooks or travelogues. During the month of May, jellyfishes with long tentacles tend to dominate the ocean leaving no space to maneuver. And its sting is poisonous. You won't die but it hurts crazily. Seriously, no joke. You should see his facial expression.
Perhentian Kecil
Kampung Pasir Hantu Beach
Sheeps which seem to be at every corner of the village
Fishing vessels docked at the frontier coast of the village
Sheeps again..
Fishes dried under the sun to produce ikan masin
Similar to Long Beach, we were the only local tourist. In fact, the one and only restaurant opened at that time was filled with Caucasians. *No other restaurants were opened as it was the fasting month of Ramadhan*
Caucasians and more Caucasians
Black sheep
And more hungry black sheeps
And also black & white sheeps
and also cats
It seems as though the villagers forgotten to feed them as they are observing the month of Ramadhan. I guess they wanted their livestocks to fast too. lol
Unlike the villages in Pangkor, this village still boast crystal clear waters at its shore. Impressive.
After lunch we were brought shark sighting again. This site is situated North of Perhentian Besar. This time, I've seen it. mine measured about only 3 feet but seeing a shark in the wild is a lifetime experience itself.
Shark, at the bottom left hand corner
Most of the corals here too have been damaged whic explains the absence of colourful fishes. Only huge bumphead parrotfish can be found. These fishes are huge. I remembered the German girl was shouting when she saw them.
The last site for the day was another turtle site, at the beach which hosts the exclusive Perhentian Island Resort.
A nice shot of the endangered Green Turtle. Joanne and I managed to molest its back. haha.
We only saw Green Turtles that day although hawksbills are said to be common too.
Striking a weird pose.
The turquoise-coloured sea
Similar to Sipadan, Perhentian has a 'wonderful' barge ready to wipe out corals in its way
Me, June
I can't get my eyes off the sea... it's just so intriguing... and the absence of strong currents makes this bay a perfect place to relax
After a long day, we headed back to our beach and thanked our boatman. I don't know what his name is but he is a nice guy and a great boatman. For those of you who intends to go snorkeling, inquire within Panorama Chalet.
It was our second last day on Perhentian so we maximized it by lazing on the beach under the umbrella again. Sha Sha then joined us and told us more stories about himself and his vacation in Malaysia, particularly Sabah.
Apparently, he works for a company which insures insurance companies. lol. Weird, but then again, its business... He also claimed that Malaysians are patriotic as he could see many Malaysian flags around the country... *he didn't know that those flags are given for free. lol*
He also shared his frustration for Malaysians typically those littering on Turtle Island in Sabah, reputed for being one of the remaining turtle nesting islands in the world. He has never tried Durian too. Another interesting fact learned is Germans love their beers that they would forgo a six-packs for a barrel. lol.
Listening attentively... It's great to bond with the tourists as they can be really friendly.
And then there was this small kid that is 'merajuking' near us. His mom was laughing when she learned that her son is being watched.
It's weird but i find him a little cute. especially the part where he threw sand to portray his frustration. haha.
And on our right, there was more bikini clad ladies soaking up more sun.
And us! Su Fen hates camera that's why you don't see her often. haha
The local kids posing for a shot
It was about 630pm when dark clouds began to cast in the skies above us.
The sky was getting darker and darker
A clear sign that a storm was coming. After all it was the beginning of the monsoon season. A season where the sea is a forbidden place.
A concerned local warning his kids to leave the sea, pointing to the furious dark clouds.
Within minutes, the sky was almost like night. It was a bit exciting as I've never witnessed a storm during the east coast monsoon period.
Caucasian junior, clearly oblivious of the fact it's time to stay indoors.
We still managed to grab a shot. haha
Time to head back to the chalets and clean up for dinner
While waiting for dinner, we indulge in a game of Jenga.
Potentially one of the most tensing game
For our last night at Perhentian, we dined at our very own resort's restaurant which features nightly movies. This time it was some unique British movie that's quite interesting.
Because it was raining, it was cold in the open-air restaurant, like being air-conditioned.
So cold that I have to wrap myself.
As it was our last night, I feasted myself with a nice BBQ set and my fish was Barracuda with spicy coconut gravy. Truly Tropical.
The rest ordered Kingfish and Tandoori fish.
And there was the Malay traditional game; Congkak
A rather unusual dessert was the Deep-fried MARS or SNICKERS bar according to your choice. Very rich.
After the rain stopped, we headed to the beach to sample its renowned nightlife.
Our resort
We came just in time as the fire dancers were showing off their skills
Fascinating
Local fishermen fishes at night and at Long Beach due to its shallowness. You could see the spotlight illuminating the shallow waters.
Fishing boats dotting the coast
Palm Tree cafe at night
And this is Sha Sha again, carrying Joanne's bag while drinking his 'Tiger'
We strolled the beach at night supplied with a small torchlight. I saw a striped reef fish jumping on the shore so I saved it and returned it to the sea. What a noble deed...
Clearly, you don't need a bright torchlight with the crystal clear waters
More striped reef fishes could be seen hiding behind small pebbles.
And a silvery blue fish swimming. I'm already missing the times where we would walk in the shallow waters at night. Another one-of-its-kind experience.
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