Long Beach Perhentian Kecil Guide

Long Beach - Pasir Panjang to locals - is the busiest and best known beach on Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Wide white sand, water that goes from clear to turquoise, and after dark the only real nightlife on the islands. If Coral Bay is where you go to be quiet, Long Beach is where you go to meet people.

"Long Beach Perhentian Kecil Guide"

Here is what to expect, where to stay, and how to get there.

Where is Long Beach?

Long Beach faces east, on the opposite side of Perhentian Kecil from Coral Bay. Because it faces east it gets the sunrise rather than the sunset, and it catches more wind and swell - some days the water is glassy, other days there is proper surf rolling in.

The beach itself is much longer and wider than Coral Bay. Behind the sand you will find chalets, hostels, dive shops, restaurants and bars packed along a sandy walking path. There are no roads and no cars, just the path.

Long Beach or Coral Bay?

Choose Long Beach if you want nightlife, plenty of restaurants and bars, a big stretch of sand, and other travellers to meet. It suits backpackers, solo travellers and younger groups.

Choose Coral Bay if you want calm water, sunsets, an early night, and a quieter base - usually the better call for families with young children.

You can have both. The walk between the two beaches takes about 10 to 15 minutes, so many people sleep on one side and eat on the other.

How to get to Long Beach

All boats leave from Kuala Besut jetty. Tell the boatman you are going to Long Beach and he will take you there directly.

One thing to know: Long Beach has no jetty. Boats come in and land on the sand, and passengers step off into shallow water. Bring a dry bag for anything that must not get wet, and be ready to carry your own bag up the beach. On days with bigger swell, boats sometimes drop passengers at Coral Bay instead and you walk over the hill - it is not a problem, just a 15 minute walk.

Standard island costs apply: RM30 marine park fee at Kuala Besut jetty, and around RM70 for the return boat transfer.

Water taxis also run all day between Long Beach, Coral Bay, the fishing village and the Perhentian Besar resorts. Agree the fare before you get in, and please do not haggle hard - the boatmen work a short season and the fares are already low.

Where to stay on Long Beach

Long Beach has the widest range of accommodation on the island, from backpacker dorms to proper resorts. Always confirm directly with the property, since rooms and rates change every season.

Resorts and comfortable stays

BuBu Long Beach Resort - the most established resort right on the sand, with a restaurant and beachfront rooms.
BuBu Villa - larger, more stylish villas set above the beach.
Mimpi Perhentian - comfortable rooms and a spa, popular with couples.
Cocohut Long Beach Resort - chalets built up the slope behind the beach, cooler and away from the noise.

Chalets, hostels and budget stays

Matahari Chalet - long-running and right in the middle of the action.
Harrera Perhentian Long Beach - chalets with beach bars attached.
Monkey Hut - one of the most social hostels on the beach, good for solo travellers.
D'Rock Garden - simple chalets up the rocks at the north end, with a view worth the stairs.
Lemon Grass Chalet - old-school wooden bungalows, cheap by Perhentian standards.
Perhentian Tropicana Inn and Tivoli Inn - set back from the sand on the path towards Coral Bay.

Long Beach fills up fast in July and August and over Malaysian school holidays. Book ahead if you are travelling then, and expect island conditions: intermittent Wi-Fi, generators, and hot water that comes and goes.

If Long Beach sounds too busy, Alunan Resort sits over at Petani Beach, on the Coral Bay side of the island. It is noticeably quieter than anything on Long Beach, and we pick guests up from there too.

Dive centres on Long Beach

Long Beach is the diving hub of Perhentian Kecil. Between the beach and the path you will find operators including Matahari Divers, Spice Divers, Angel Divers, Sea Sight Scuba, Ohlala Divers, Monkey Dives, Seahorse Diver and freediving schools. Most run Discover Scuba sessions for beginners as well as full certification courses.

To be clear about what we do: we run snorkeling and private boat trips, not dive courses. If you want tanks, talk to the shops above. If you want to spend a day out on the water seeing turtles, reef sharks and coral without any training, that is us.

Nightlife and evenings

This is what Long Beach is known for. Beach bars, fire shows on the sand, music, and a crowd that keeps going long after the rest of the island has gone to sleep. It is friendly rather than wild, but it is the only place on the Perhentians where you will find a real party.

Two things worth remembering: this is a Muslim community, so keep the noise near the accommodation and cover up when you walk inland. And if you have a boat trip booked for the morning, an early night is a good investment - the sea does not care how your evening went.

"'Long Beach Perhentian Kecil Guide"

Snorkeling trips from Long Beach

Perhentian Private Snorkeling by Mat & Man picks up guests directly from Long Beach. We are based at Kampung Nelayan, and our Coral Bay booth has been closed since the fire in April 2026 while it is rebuilt, so all bookings now go through WhatsApp: +60 19-917 9257.

Private boat - up to 12 passengers, your group only.
Sharing trip - minimum 4 passengers.
Trips visit Shark Point, Turtle Point, Fish Point, Rawa Island and quieter spots around Perhentian Besar.
Payment is cash on the island. There is no ATM on the Perhentians - withdraw what you need at Kuala Besut or Kota Bharu before you board. No deposit for standard bookings; 50% deposit for large groups and peak dates.
Bad weather means we reschedule, not cancel.

Message us your dates, your accommodation and your group size, and we will confirm availability. We will meet you on the beach.