4:30 p.m. .. it is time j'extirpe Gregory impromptu meeting that just formed in his office. Singapore Branch Station (Tanjong Pagar Railway Station) for a train that takes us to 18h in Malaysia, specifically the Perhentian Islands, one of the most beautiful beaches in the South-East Asia.
Here I am now back in the station that I have experienced that once, at 5am the output of drinks at night with Bruno. The obsolescence of the station and its surrounding businesses we already carry in Malaysia, half of the job is done. Two to three months without leaving Singapore is a long time .. the organization of our weekends always leave something to be desired by cons. It is indeed without guesthouse that we leave, the Resort Cocohut have indeed ignored my booking despite a dozen telephone calls. Without doubt the worst of my guesthouse, soon, 5 years in Asia. The rest of the guesthouses are full, we will see on site.
is 18h when the train takes us on a journey of up to 13h Wakaf Bharu, one of two stations to access the Perhentian Islands. Tanah Merah station (two stations before) is even closer to the jetty at Kuala Besut (Kuala Besut Jetty). Sitting on our bunks , amidst a train without compartments, we eat peanuts and biscuits before drawing the curtains and try to shorten the trip.
Saturday, July 11
It is 8am when we arrived at Tanah Merah station. A controller advised me to go down rather than Wakaf Bharu. I quick glance at the berths and Greg Benjamin, who sleep on firm point makes me think it was a miracle to be in 2 minutes on the platform. Then I get a call from Aziz, manager of Mama's Place, asking me if I'm still looking housing. We will not sleep on the beach tonight .. We shall not go down so that the station after, Pasir Mas.
We then take a taxi to Kuala Besut Jetty (1:30, 60 MYR). We are going directly to Mama's Office (under the arches in front of the jetty) to pick up our ferry tickets (70 MYR return). It is 10am, the next boat is at 10.30, one patient playing UNO. 30 minutes by boat and here we are at Mama's place. Aziz awaits us in the small reception while listening to Johnny Halliday. Mama's Place is, it seems, the landmark of the French. In general, the island looks more like a Club Med filled Caucasian rather than a retreat for Malaysians. We take our apartments in a small bungalow . 
Benjamin share register for the diving while Gregory and I are going canoeing (40 MYR / day). We make a first stop at the beach Perhentian Island Resort , white sand and few corals a bit off but very few fish and the water is not very clear. Difficult in these conditions to exploit our Aquapac waterproof bags in which we slipped our cameras.
assumption is thus next to the creek which is the range of Turtles Beach . The beach is now closed to tourists since the enclosure of turtle eggs has recently been vandalized by children of tourists. We still brave the ban. The beach is as beautiful as the previous stroke and has the advantage of being completely deserted. It raises it twenty minutes before a local not come we beg us to go. We therefore paddle up Mama's Place where we take an aperitif on the terrace with a sausage freshly returned from France by Benjamin. We then went to a pizza dinner around a card game during a storm hits the island. It is 22:30, time for bed.
Sunday, July 12
Sunrise 8:30 am, the weather is rather gloomy and the wind rose. One patient So until 11am
to go by boat to snorkel. A short distance from at Mama's Place is a area famous for turtles. Place already arrived on 5 boats filled with tourists and a dozen snorkleurs already in the water after the turtles. The turtles generally remain at the bottom and back every 20-30 minutes on the surface. We see two to three turtles. I let Greg immortalize this moment while I'm fighting with my camera. A slight crack in the sealed bag lets the water go, my camera is flooded ... more than 3 years of loyal service that has just been completed. Then we go hunting for sharks. At the southern tip of the island, circled a small area between the white rocks and white buoys, seems busy sharks. Somewhat reassured, I walk the area to and fro without any shark sighting. The presence of a score of noisy tourists on the spot should not help suspecting it.
Finally, we go to D'Lagoon for snorkeling with potentially the opportunity to see fish Napoleons. I start from my side towards the resort. Many fish
parrots are on my route. Not knowing what it is like a fish Napoleon, the first fish I m'extasie stranger I meet. After 10 minutes of swimming, a large mass rises before me. A fish with a huge bump on the head. This seems to correspond to the meager description that I was made of Napoleon. I am then decides to get Gregory to take some pictures. The time to return, and here we are now in the middle of a bench of fifteen of these fish, which turns out to be Humphead Parrotfish (parrotfish bumpy head) and not the Napoleons. Napoleons cousins, they weigh "only" 40kg to 1.3m and have a white beak. The Napoleons can weigh up to 200kg and have purple lips. Whatever, swim in the middle of these large fish are the best memory of my weekends.
We return to Mama's Place. He is 14h, we have lunch, paying the bill for our short stay and take the last boat to Kuala Besut (16h). Shortly after arriving, I received a call from Aziz, it seems that our last meal of the day and have not been accounted Snorkeling Note. It therefore goes Mama's Office to settle the difference.
We then had lunch next to the pier while a Malaysian film is being shot. The traditional story of a girl who is stealing her purse and who falls in love with the man who comes to catch the thief. It is now 6:30 p.m. ET we take a taxi to Tanah Merah (1 hour, 60 MYR). The train was not until 21h, so we will dine at KFC opposite the station. The return will be more problematic than the go. We will arrive the next day with three hours late in Singapore .. 16h or train. Return airfare or bus seems a best option.
some outlays
- Train ticket Singapore - Wakaf Bharu: 765 MYR return for three
- Taxi Wakaf Bharu (or Tanah Merah) - Kuala Besut: 60 MYR
- Perhentian Island Conservation fees: 5 MYR /
person - Canoeing: 40 MYR / day
- mask and snorkel rental: 10 MYR
- Half Day Snorkeling: 115 MYR / boat
Budget for 3 people for 2 days : 1,900 MYR (about 380 euros)
left in:
- Housing and Food: 500 MYR
- Transportation: 1.100 MYR
- various (conservation fees, snorkeling, canoeing, ..): 300 MYR
Quelques contacts:
- Mama's Chalet (ex-Mama's Place) (Pulau Perhentian Besar)
+6-013-984 0232
Mama's Office (bureau de Kuala Besut)
Lot B11, Terminal Tourists 22300 Kuala Besut, Terengganu Darul Iman.
Sales & Marketing: +6-013-968 5988 / +609-690 4600
http://www.mamaschalet.com.my/ http://www.perhentianmamas.com/
mamas_holiday09 @ yahoo.com
- Perhentian Trans Holiday
B9, Plaza MARA Kuala Besut, Front Hotel Nan, 22300 Kuala Besut, Terrengganu, MALAYSIA.
Tel: +60 9 6903269 / +6 - 019-915 9016 / +6-019-915 0795
http://www.perhentiantrans.com/ enquiry@perhentiantrans.com
Link to photo album -> here
