We have just had a totally relaxing week in the Perhentian Islands, off the Malaysian East Coast. The two islands are covered with jungle, fringed with perfect yellow sandy beaches and surrounded by coral. We had some very chilled, lazy days snorkelling and swimming in the warm, crystal clear, turquoise waters.
Under the surface, pink, green and yellow corals of different shapes (called names like mushroom, table and brain coral) are home to blue and purple clams with their rubbery, zig zag lips. Ghost-like fish make nests in the sand; lots of little Nemos hide in the wavy sea anenomes and shoals of anchovies swim past like silver metal decorations, moving like a huge flock of starlings on a winter's day. Bright blue darts of fish, shoals of yellow angel fish and the unmistakeable wavy swim of a small shark catch the eye (and with the latter, make the heart beat a little faster for a few minutes). We also saw green turtles, a huge eel with rows of sharp teeth, two-tone pink and green fish (I remember someone at school having some two-tone trousers way back in the 70s) and a stingray.
We stayed by a little beach - no roads, just boats - which was quite "back to nature" in a shed-like sort of a way. We had a frog living in our shower and had a pit viper snake on our porch (now removed!). Monitor lizards roam the undergrowth and squirrels fling and jump through the trees. The owners have a pet otter!
We have had a stay in paradise for sure. And we had never heard of this place until a short while ago when some friends recommended it (thanks Annie!). Wow, Malaysia, you really gave us a fabulous snorkelling surprise!
