| The crystal clear waters and brilliant white sandy | | | | standard, and a wide range of dive sites has meant |
| beaches of the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia have | | | | that the islands have become a popular destination |
| for many years captured the hearts and imaginations | | | | for people looking to take a scuba diving course. |
| of the backpackers and travelers who passed | | | | There are approximately ten major dive sites which |
| through. Recent years however have seen a | | | | are regularly visited by the dive centers in the |
| different type of traveler coming to the Perhentian | | | | Perhentian Islands. Of these, Tokong Laut (Temple |
| Islands, as their reputation as a premier diving | | | | of the Sea) is widely acknowledged as being the |
| destination has slowly increased amongst the scuba | | | | best dive site on the islands. A large rocky outcrop |
| diving community. | | | | of boulders just off the northwest coast of |
| In fact it would be fair to say that a large amount of | | | | Perhentian Kecil offers some of the best examples |
| the success of the Perhentian Islands as a scuba | | | | of soft coral formations in the region. This carpet of |
| diving location should be attributed to the neighboring | | | | stunning soft corals provides a home to a wide |
| Thailand, and the dive resorts of Koh Tao, Phuket | | | | variety of marine life including kingfish, barracuda, |
| and Koh Samui. Large numbers of travelers who | | | | nurse sharks and black tip sharks. |
| have learned to scuba dive in the larger Thai resorts | | | | For fans of wreck diving, there are two excellent |
| often find themselves gravitating to the natural | | | | dive sites in the Perhentian Islands. The Sugar Wreck, |
| beauty of the Perhentian Islands. Looking for one last | | | | a 90 meter cargo ship which sank in 2000, and the |
| dive before the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur | | | | Vietnamese Wreck were it is still possible to dive |
| and Singapore! | | | | inside the wreck itself. |
| The Perhentian Islands comprise of Pulau Perhentian | | | | If you are planning to go scuba diving in the |
| Kecil and Pulau Perhentian Besar, and are located | | | | Perhentian Islands, the best time to visit is between |
| approximately 20 kilometers off the coast of | | | | April to October, when both the visibility and weather |
| Malaysia. Offering what can only be described as a | | | | are at their most favorable. November to March sees |
| slice of paradise, the palm fringed beaches encircle | | | | the monsoon season, when the weather becomes |
| these tropical islands, whilst the clear blue waters hide | | | | poor and access to and from the islands becomes |
| a wealth of marine and coral life below. | | | | limited due to the rough seas. |
| The scuba diving in the Perhentian Islands is of a high | | | | |