Kuala Lumpur to Perhentian Islands
How to Travel by Bus, Train, Flight
Below you will find the best ways to get from KL, Kuala Lumpur to Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian Besar & Kecil).
As there is no airport on the islands, the first step of the journey is to get from KL to Kuala Besut Jetty.
From here regular boats depart for the short trip out to the islands.
The distance from Kuala Lumpur to the Perhentian islands (jarak KL ke Perhentian) is around 545 km overland by road and ferry.
Please note:
The Perhentian Islands are not open to tourists all year round.
Between the months of November to February, the monsoon season, the islands are closed down (no hotels open or boats operating).
Bus from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Besut
(Bas dari KL ke Kuala Besut)
Easily the best option if you want to travel overland, is to take a bus from TBS Bus Terminal in KL, to Kuala Besut.
The duration of the journey is about 7 and a half hours, with both daytime departures and a night bus.
Bus ticket prices from TBS to Kuala Besut (harga tiket bas dari TBS ke Kuala Besut) cost around 50 RM.
Once you arrive at Kuala Besut Bus Terminal (Terminal Bas Kuala Besut), you will have a short walk (about 800 metres) to the jetty, where you can take the next boat out to the islands.
To check the latest bus departures times and fares:
Visit our bus booking page here >
The islands of Pulau Perhentian Besar & Pulau Perhentian Kecil are popular destinations and accommodation is limited (especially at weekends on public holidays)!
Before you arrive on the islands, we would recommend you book a room to make sure you can get somewhere to sleep.
Flight from KL to Perhentian Islands
(Penerbangan KL ke Perhentian)
The nearest airport to the Perhentian islands is Kota Bharu Airport (KBR).
Flights are operated by AirAsia from KLIA / KUL to KBR.
Flights operated by Malindo Air and Firefly leave from Subang Airport - SZB to KBR.
From Kota Bharu Airport to the Perhentian Islands you can then take a taxi for the 55 km journey to Kuala Besut Jetty.
Another option is to fly from KL to Kuala Terengganu Airport (TGG), but this airport is much further away from the jetty (around 96 km).
To find cheap flights from KL to KBR click here >
Ferry Boat Timetable from Kuala Besut Jetty to the Perhentian Islands
(Jadual feri Kuala Besut ke Perhentian)
Small boats (seating around 10 passengers) leave from the jetty in Kuala Besut to the islands throughout the day, every hour or so, or when they have enough passengers.
The first boats depart at around 8 am, until the last boats at around 5 pm.
The trip over to the islands takes between 30 to 40 minutes
The Kuala Besut to the Perhentian Islands boat tickets cost 35 RM for a one-way journey or 70 RM for the return trip.
Buying Tickets:
There is really no need to book boat tickets in advance, just turn up and get a seat on the next departure.
If you do want to book boat tickets before you arrive at the jetty, you can do that here >
Kuala Lumpur to Perhentian Islands by Train
It is possible to travel most of the way by train (kereta api), but not really recommended as the route takes you south from KL Sentral to Gemas, then along the Jungle Line to the nearest train station to Kuala Besut Jetty, at Tanah Merah.
From there, you will then have to take a 60 km taxi ride to the jetty.
Related pages:
Penang to the Perhentian Islands >