Mekong, Jaws & Psycho Jellyfish

The beautiful beaches and reefs of the Perhentian.
see all photos »

After my stay at Koh Phan Gan where else would i go but to another tropical paradise?  After the brief stop to fill my belly in Penang (mmmm...beef and oyster sauce!) i had made my way to Kota Baru.  A nice enough town, rich in Islamic culture with a cheap little marketplace,  but i was here for only one reason - to head over to the Perhentian Islands.

The bus trip to a little fishing village was uneventful and the little boat trip (and i mean LITTLE boat) was quite pleasant.  Arriving at my pension of choice, the Lagoon Beach, i was astounded at how gorgeous this place was.  Beautiful reef just off shore,  more reef and beaches 5 minutes walk away, cheap Mekong - i was in heaven.

Definitely my vote for most beautiful island in the World

A couple of fellow travellers i had met soon arrrived and were greeted by the sight of me lying in a hammock, half pissed on Mekong.  Five days of swimming, snorkelling and drinking followed.  I swam with my first reef shark, which i am not afraid to say scared the living sh*te out of me! I saw moray eels, clown fish, schools of baby sharks - lovely.  Even the fact i got stung on my face by a jellyfish, leaving a huge welt, didnt detract me from having a ball.  I could have stayed there for weeks,  but for one small problem - No TV and the FA Cup final was on over the weekend.  Time to leave once more,  my last beach adventure for a fair few months.

Definitely my vote for most beautiful island in the World.