EXPLORARTODIVE@PERHENTIAN ISLAND
KUALA BESUT JETTY
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The Perhentian Islands can be reached by taking a speedboat or ferry from the Kuala Besut jetty, located approximately 17 kilometers from Kota Besut in Terengganu. The distance between Kuala Besut and the Perhentian Islands is about 21 kilometers. The boat journey usually takes around 30-45 minutes, depending on the weather and sea conditions.​Kota Besut itself can be reached by public transportation such as buses or trains from major cities like Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu. From Kuala Lumpur, you can reach Terengganu by using public transportation such as buses or airplanes, and then continue your journey to Kota Besut.
PERHENTIAN ISLAND TERENGGANU
Perhentian Island is a group of islands located on the East Coast of Malaysia, near the coast of Terengganu state. It consists of two main islands, namely Perhentian Kecil Island and Perhentian Besar Island. Perhentian Island is a popular tourist destination due to its stunning natural beauty, with white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and captivating marine biodiversity. Perhentian Island is located approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km) off the northeastern coast of Terengganu, Malaysia, about 40 nautical miles (64 km) south of the border with Thailand.
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Interview with The Owner of Sea Voice Divers : Cik Pah
According to Cik Pah, whose real name is Sharifah Noor Ridzuan Binti Syed Muhammad, she began her scuba diving career after quitting her job as an engineer because she fell in love with the world of diving. She travelled for a few months before delving deeper into the diving world and taking a two-month divemaster course. This was also because Cik Pah's mother used to be a diver. Cik Pah left her previous job because she wanted to do something meaningful, which is to contribute to the ocean. This is because she wanted to raise awareness among not only divers but also all human beings about the importance of the sea. Cik Pah wanted everyone to know and learn about the significance of the ocean for all life on Earth.
The first step Cik Pah took was to become a dive master and start sharing awareness with the people. This was because there was a lack of awareness among the local Malaysian population. Cik Pah also felt that she wasn't very knowledgeable about the subject. She started taking action to protect the precious ocean.
In 2016, Cik Pah opened a dive centre with a mission to contribute back to the ocean. Moreover, people can go diving while also protecting the ocean and acting ethically. Cik Pah named her dive centre Sea Voice Diver because she wanted to be the voice for the sea. The reason for this is that the ocean lacks a voice to highlight the issues it faces. 80 percent of the tourists who come to the dive centre are locals, while the remaining 30 percent are foreigners.
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In addition, Sea Voice Diver organizes diving conservation programs and awareness education for the public. During the monsoon season, they set up booths in shopping malls. This is because when the monsoon season arrives, the dive centre is closed, and all activities are temporarily suspended, and the staff went home.
According to Cik Pah, there are three popular dive sites: Tokong Laut, Terembu Tiga, and Sugar Ship Wreck. These three dive sites are a little bit challenging. As for the Romantic Beach dive site, it is famous for its beautiful, peaceful, and serene sunset view. Romantic Beach is suitable for novice divers as it serves as a training ground due to its calm currents and proximity to the bay. It is safe, with abundant marine life. The distance from the dive centre to Romantic Beach is 2 to 3 minutes, and the maximum depth is 16 meters.
The Police Wreck dive site has its own uniqueness and allure as it features three sunken ships intentionally submerged by the Malaysian maritime authorities in September 2013 for recreational diving and marine life. The uniqueness of the Police Wreck dive site lies in the coral growth around the ships. Among the corals found there are Compact Coral, Maze Coral, Boulder Coral, Orange Sea Whip, Sea Fan Coral, and Weed Coral.
The Panglima Abu dive site is famous for its coral and marine life. It boasts a plethora of marine life and incredibly healthy coral. One of the attractions of the Panglima Abu dive site is the Mushroom Coral, while from a marine life perspective, it offers encounters with turtles, Blacktip Sharks, Jenkins Stingrays, and Giant Moray Eels. The travel time from the dive centre to the Panglima Abu dive site is 6 to 8 minutes.
