The Daily Telegraph - Malaysia's unsung islands
November 19, 2011
The Malaysian peninsula does not draw the numbers of tourists seen in neighbouring Thailand – and that is what makes it so alluring, says Michelle Jana Chan.
I first went to the Perhentians in 1997. It felt like a deserved holiday after a year working in western China and before starting a new job in Beijing. In Hong Kong I had met an American woman on a round-the-world trip who had crisscrossed south-east Asia and spoke most passionately about a place called the Perhentians. That was how I closed in on these two small specks cast out from Malaysia in the South China Sea.
Getting there was not simple. After landing in Kuala Lumpur, I flew to Kota Bharu on the north-east of the peninsula, from where I thumbed a ride a couple of hours south. At a small port called Kuala Besut, a few enterprising fishermen offered to ferry me across to the tiny archipelago beyond the horizon. We put-putted across the sea, arriving half a day later.
I can still remember the vivid, teal-coloured water – as if a bucket of dye had been tipped into the sea – and the sand underfoot like sieved icing sugar. There were beach shacks for a dollar a night. For another dollar you could eat three meals a day: fried rice, spicy curries, mangoes and fresh lime juice. I wanted to stay for ever – and could nearly have afforded it.
When the day came to tear myself away, I had to flag down a passing boat for a ride back to the mainland. It had been everything the American had described.
So it was with trepidation that I returned more than a dozen years later. Of course, there had been changes. At the port of Kuala Besut, there were souvenir stalls selling inflatable toys, T-shirts and buckets and spades. A host of hotel reps lined the dock. There was now a regular ferry schedule; faster boats had cut journey times to an hour.
As we neared the islands – so perfectly formed in my memory – I saw from a distance the jetties, the flotilla of dive boats and the bold lettering of hotel names. My sentimental old heart sank. On closer inspection, however, I realised commercial development had been as restrained as I could have hoped. There was still a low-key, laid-back feel – and that was true throughout my travels on both sides of the Malaysian peninsula.
WEST COAST
Facing the Strait of Malacca – one of the world's busiest shipping lanes – this is the more tourist-orientated side of the peninsula, with good transport links and five-star resorts. Unlike the east coast, this side is unaffected by the monsoon season and hotels are open year-round.
Pulau Pangkor Laut – best for families
A few hours' drive up the coast from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and three miles offshore are the twin islands of Pangkor and Pangkor Laut. The former, and larger, island is where the treaty with the British was signed in 1874, marking the beginning of colonialism. Today it is home to fishing villages, traditional Malay houses and a host of hotels.
Lovelier yet, the smaller, more secluded sister island of Pangkor Laut is the site of one of the country's first beach developments.
Where to stay
Pangkor Laut Resort is the only hotel on this privately owned island.It has bungalows built over water, a sensational spa and a half-dozen restaurants, including Uncle Lim's Kitchen, cooking up traditional Chinese and Malay dishes. Plus, there are jungle walks to see pit vipers, monitor lizards, hornbills and macaques, as well as an array of plant life. It is very child-friendly, with forest trails, watersports and tennis courts.
Penang island – best for food and culture
With a population of nearly a million and an eight-mile bridge connecting the island with the mainland, Penang is no longer a remote beach idyll. The main city, George Town, feels like a brash young Hong Kong with its colonial architecture, waterfront skyscrapers and antiquated streets. The downtown area, named a few years ago a Unesco World Heritage Site, reflects its mercantile history with the striking Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, a former residence of a Chinese shipping magnate, and the 19th-century clan house Khoo Kongsi, as well as Buddhist temples, mosques and churches. This cultural heritage is the island's greatest draw, combined with Malaysia's best street hawker food, such as roti canai (spicy lentils wrapped in hot, flaky bread), Assam laksa (a sour fish soup made with tamarind stock) and char kuey teow (stir-fried seafood noodles).
Where to stay
On the northern tip of the island, Ferringhi beach has, sadly, lost its lustre – with murky waters and pestering touts – but there is one delightful boutique hotel called Lone Pine, which has rolling lawns, swinging hammocks and a slick pool. It is less than an hour's drive from George Town, where the new Penaga Hotel is made up of a row of restored Chinese shophouses close to the hawker food centres downtown.
Langkawi – best for hotels
Long the destination for well-heeled tourists coming to Malaysia, the island has an array of well-established top-notch hotels, including the Four Seasons Resort, the Andaman and the newly opened Danna. Sitting on the marine border with Thailand, this is the largest island on Malaysia's west coast, with limestone cliffs, fjords and sea stacks, as well as mangroves that are home to kingfishers, eagles and dolphins. Many visitors rent a car for the day and drive a circuit taking in the island's beaches, hot springs, rubber plantations, boatbuilding yards and co-operative craft centres.
Where to stay
The classic resort is The Datai, nestled within the rainforest, fronting a beautiful beach and backing on to a golf course. I had one of the best meals of my trip – Malay-Indian curries and fresh fish dishes – at the hotel's Gulai House. But The Datai's trump card is Irshad Mobarak, its resident naturalist and a Malaysian Attenborough, who offers unmissable nature walks at dawn and dusk.
A more quirky option is Bon Ton Resort, made up of restored traditional wooden homes among wetlands. It may seem odd to stay in a marshy inland area 10 minutes' walk from the beach, but Bon Ton has an unusual tranquillity, an excellent Asian-fusion restaurant, Nam, and a shop stocked with stylish, original souvenirs – with proceeds going to the on-site animal shelter.
EAST COAST
Facing the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea are the peninsula's best beaches. The east coast is the more traditional face of Malaysia, with its fishing communities, night markets, Muslim customs and modest dress (alcohol is not served except in hotels).
During monsoon season, this coastline experiences heavy rain and rolling seas, and many resorts close from November to February.
Perhentians – best for escaping (and learning to dive)
Even today my old favourite is not the easiest place to reach, but it is worth the journey. Although there are now more than a dozen hotels across the two islands, they are all small-scale and understated.
Perhentian Besar is considered the more grown-up island; Perhentian Kecil is more popular with budget travellers. There are many dive schools here and it is a good-value place in which to obtain scuba-diving certification.
Where to stay
Nobody comes here for five-star facilities and polished service; the most comfortable options are the Perhentian Island Resort's bungalows with terraces and en-suites (book one on the beach). The rather soulless buffet-style restaurant does not serve alcohol but there is a bar on the next beach.
Pulau Redang – best for flawless beaches
A short distance south-east of the Perhentians, this island – the largest on this stretch of coastline – enjoys the same clear warm water and soft sand as its northern neighbours. But access is much more straightforward, with a small airport operating regular flights from Kuala Lumpur (60 minutes) and Singapore (75 minutes). On landing, you are on the beach within minutes of disembarking.
Where to stay
The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort (formerly known as Berjaya Redang Resort) sits on one of the best beaches on Malaysia's peninsula. The pontoon anchored in the crescent bay is a perfect place to pause between snorkelling stints. This is another child-friendly hotel with interconnecting family rooms; a theatre and entertainment zones are planned.
Pulau Tenggol – best for divers
The farthest island from the mainland in the Terengganu Marine Park, this petite outcrop is one of the country's best-kept diving secrets. There are deep-water dives to spot black-tipped reef sharks, barracudas and nudibranch. Snorkellers will find turtles by the shore, as well as schools of bat fish and giant trevallies and jacks. Whale sharks pass by between March and April and September and October.
Where to stay
Accommodation on the island is limited, but the Tanjong Jara Resort on the mainland has an excellent dive school and offers full-day snorkelling and diving trips to Pulau Tenggol. The hotel has two very good restaurants, and offers cooking lessons and visits to night markets.
Pulau Tioman – best for access (and romance)
Pulau Tioman served as Bali Hai in the film South Pacific – shot here in the Fifties – and even today it could pass off as a pretty Polynesian isle. Although tourism has grown since then, particularly among Singaporean weekenders, Tioman – part of Malaysia's protected marine park islands – has managed to maintain a sense of serenity. It has pretty coral reefs both off the north coast and at Turtle Island near the airport. The island is easy to reach, with regular direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, as well as frequent ferries from Mersing on the mainland (1 hour, 30 minutes).
Where to stay
The delightful Japamala, built on a forested shoreline in a rocky bay, may be the country's most romantic hotel. Guests arrive by speedboat at a private pier, where there is also an excellent Italian restaurant. Villas are cleverly built into the landscape and feel like a cross between treehouses and caves. Beyond the rough shoreline there is good snorkelling in the bay; a new swimming pool is due to open later this year.
