What it’s like Diving in Perhentian
Written by Anabella & Annereena Ravi 29 October 2022.
Located on the East coast of Malaysia (very, very close to Thailand), Perhentian is an amazing trip for a short dive trip. With over 20 dive sites, beautiful reefs and wrecks you’ll definitely be able to spot loads of sea creatures! Perhentian is a very good learning ground for beginners as it is usually very laid back and with good visibility (10-20m) and for those of you who get cold easily – don’t worry, the temperature is always above 27C, most of the time closer to 30C.
Having two islands close to each other, you are given the choice to experience a more family-friendly stay on Perhentian Besar or a have a beach party vacation on Perhentian Kecil. Regardless where you choose to stay, the dive sites are the same.
We recently made a short visit over and conditions were amazing! Here’s a recap of our favorite dive sites!
T3 (Terumbu Tiga) – Boulder Swim-throughs!
The Three Brothers aka T3 is a very popular dive site in Perhentian, it’s called T3 as there are three huge boulders visible above water. Underwater is where the magic unfolds, the dive site mainly consists of big rocks, but there are some small swim throughs (perfect for practicing your buoyancy). This dive site is covered with soft corals, barrel sponges, gorgonian sea fans, giant clams and solid table coral. Many reef fishes swim around with chances of spotting barracudas and bigger pelagic are sometimes seen here. For those who are not interested in the “big” stuff, there’s good macro life hidden on the rocks and shrimps!
Tokong Laut (Temple of the Sea) – Pinnacle dive
Tokong Laut is dubbed Temple of Sea as it’s said to be the best dive site in Perhentian. From the pinnacle, the deepest part of the reef area slopes to a sandy bottom at 24m – perfect for those who want to do their AOW deep dive skill. This dive site is home to giant puffers, moray eels, trevallies, snappers, squids, reef fishes and even bamboo sharks – it’s like an aquarium!
San Choi Wreck
Want to go to Sipadan but worried about the currents and not enough funds yet? Don’t miss the opportunity to be surrounded by a vortex of yellowtail barracuda’s diving at this wreck! The San Choi Wreck is a relatively new wreck under the Artificial Reef Project. This wreck consists of three sunken fishing boats and is home to huge schools of juvenile barracuda and yellow tails – you’ll definitely be able to spot the vortex here! Besides reef fishes, there’s chances of spotting blue spotted stingrays and bamboo sharks. Want to learn how to penetrate a wreck? Check out our wreck speciality!
There are many more dive sites that are amazing, but you’re going to have to go there to believe me. Not only is marine life amazing, with the beautiful beaches and palm trees covering the interior of the island Perhentian is definitely a great place to kick back and relax. Development is still low key, so your view of the ocean will not be obstructed by highways or high rise buildings.
So, what are you waiting for? Come join us on our trip to Perhentian next year!