Roni on the Run

Perhentian Kecil

Perhentian Kecil is a beautiful tropical island with crystal clear blue waters, dense jungles, white sand beaches and diverse marine life.

In Perhentian Islands you can will truly get disconnected from the rest of the world, there’s no mobile network, almost no WiFi, no cars or roads and no shops except for small local stores. This is the escape you need at least once in a lifetime – ‘don’t bother me, I’m on holiday!’

How to get to Perhentians

Easy Book is the biggest transport booking system in South East Asia, it’s perfect for national and international travel. I always use it to find the best deal and book directly through the Easy Book website.

From any location you can find a route on Easy Book that’s going to Kuala Besut. Jetty in the Kuala Besut is your direct access to Perhentian Islands.

In Kuala Besut you will need a boat to take you to the islands, from the Jetty you can get an open return ticket for RM 70.

There is an additional Marine Conservation charge of RM 30 for entering the islands, you will only need to pay once.

SCUBA diving in Perhentian

If you considered travelling to Perhentian, it is likely you have thought about SCUBA diving. After all Perhentian has some of the best diving you can find! And it’s also very cheap. I always stay on the Long Beach and my absolute favourite dive centre is Oh LaLa.

With 24 dive sites, you can easily spend over a week enjoying SCUBA diving in Perhentian. There is a great variety of marine life and diverse diving options.

The beauty of diving in Perhentian is that all dive sites are very near, it’s fast to get to them and you can choose to do up to 3 dives in one day.

Oh LaLa Divers

Some of the best diving I’ve done was with Oh LaLa Divers, a very professional yet fun dive centre located in the middle of the Long Beach in Perhentian Kecil.

Oh LaLa is more of a community than a business. The first time I arrived alone and met tons of friends from the moment I stepped in. Same happened the second time! Everyone is so lovely and social.

At the dive centre you can get certified PADI courses for Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Dive Master Training etc. You can also choose to do ‘fun dives’ once you obtain your Open Water Certificate.

One of the best things about SCUBA diving with Oh LaLa is that they have one Divemaster/ Instructor for a group of 4 or less divers. This ensures you are well supervised at all times while underwater. You can expect an unforgettable and safe diving experience.

If you arrive off peak season which is around April-May, you have more freedom to request any specific dive sites you wish to explore.

Favourite dive sites

• Temple of the Sea – diverse marine life, possibility of spotting sharks and turtles
• Polis Wreck – 3 smaller wrecks, possibility to go inside
• Sugar Wreck – large wreck that’s within 18m depth – perfect for the new Open Water Divers to see their first wreck!
• T3 – natural rock tunnels you can swim-through

Majority of the dives only require an Open Water certificate and nothing more because most beautiful dives are less than 20m deep.

Oh LaLa Diving Prices

• Discover Scuba Diving RM 250 / €55
• Open Water Diver Course RM 1050 / €225 (Inc. 3 nights accommodation)
• Advanced Open Water Diver Course RM 950 / €200 (Inc. 2 nights accommodation)

You can get fantastic deals if you do multiple Fun Dives:

• 4 Fun Dives RM 300 / €65 (Inc. 2 nights accommodation)
• 6 Fun Dives RM 420 / €90 (Inc. 3 nights accommodation)
• 8 Fun Dives RM 520 / €110 (Inc. 4 nights accommodation)

You can pay in cash or card (+3% charge for card payments).

The price of diving includes all the equipment required for your SCUBA dive.

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Oh LaLa Accommodation

Another fantastic thing about diving with Oh LaLa is that they include free accommodation for the period of your training or as an incentive for fun divers. However, if you choose to stay longer or dive less, you will pay extra RM 25-30 per person/ night.

Accomodation in Oh LaLa is very simple, there are shared dorm rooms ranging from 4 to 8 bed dorms and a selection of double rooms. Your room will include a bed, a locker for your valuables and a fan.

All bathrooms and showers are shared, however there are plenty for everyone. Bring your own toilet paper and other toiletries if required.

Book directly through Oh LaLa website in advance to secure your spot! 

Private rooms only available for divers. If you don’t plan to dive it might be possible to book a bed in the dorm, but please be aware the priority is given to those who dive. Don’t worry if you want to take a day or two off from diving, you won’t be kicked out once you’re there.

What to bring

The prices on the island are highly inflated. If you’re on a low budget, I recommend you to buy everything you need from the inland before you arrive. For example the beer will cost a bit more than normally in the bigger cities.

Remember to bring:

• Toilet paper
• Enough cash (there are no ATMs on the island)
• Mosquito repellent
• Sunscreen

Safety on the Island

While visiting Perhentian I never felt unsafe! Everyone is so kind and helpful. However make sure to take care of your valuables, historically there have been cases of theft.