Most guides to the Perhentian Islands will tell you the season ends and everything shuts. That is mostly true - but not entirely. Perhentian Marriott Resort & Spa stays open later than the rest of the island, and every year we get guests staying there in October and November asking the same question: can we still go snorkeling?
Here is the honest answer from people who launch boats here for a living.
October: still a normal season
October is a good month, and one of our favourites. Our operating season runs from February to the end of October 2026 , so trips in October run as normal - same boats, same reefs, same routes.
What changes is how it feels. The July and August crowds are gone. The snorkeling spots that are shoulder-to-shoulder in peak season are quiet, sometimes empty. You are not queuing behind six other boats at Shark Point, and photos come out without twenty strangers in the background.
The trade-off is that the weather becomes less predictable as the month goes on. Early October usually behaves like September. Late October can start showing signs of the monsoon arriving. We watch it daily.
November: possible, but weather decides
This is where we have to be straight with you, because a lot of websites are not.
November is the start of the northeast monsoon on this coast. Most operators on the island have closed and gone home. We can sometimes still run trips in November - but it depends entirely on the weather, and we cannot promise it in advance.
Some November days are flat, sunny and beautiful. Others have swell that makes taking a boat out unsafe, and no amount of wanting it changes that. There is no way to know weeks ahead which one you will get.
So if you are staying at the Marriott in November and want to snorkel, here is how it works:
- Message us before you travel so we know you are coming and roughly which dates.
- We decide day by day, based on actual sea conditions - not on a forecast a fortnight out.
- Do not build your whole trip around it. Treat a November boat trip as a bonus if the sea allows, not as something already booked.
- If conditions are not safe, we will tell you no. We would rather lose the booking than take you out in bad water.
Guests sometimes push on this, and we understand why - you have flown a long way. But the sea here does not negotiate, and our answer on an unsafe day will always be the same.
Why late season is worth it anyway
If you do get a good window, late season snorkeling is the best of the year:
- Empty sites. Turtle Point with no other boats on it is a completely different experience.
- Better wildlife encounters. Fewer boats and fewer swimmers means turtles and blacktip reef sharks are far less skittish.
- Flexible timing. In peak season everyone leaves at the same hour. In October we can work around your day - and around the light, if you want photos.
- Quieter island. Long Beach and Coral Bay are calm. The island feels like it belongs to the people who live here again.
Picking you up from the Marriott
The Marriott sits on its own beach on the north-west side of Pulau Perhentian Kecil, apart from the village and the main beaches. That is lovely for privacy, but it does mean you are not walking anywhere to find a boat.
We handle that. We pick guests up directly at the resort and drop them back there afterwards. You do not need to arrange a water taxi or make your own way to Coral Bay. We are based at Kampung Nelayan on the same island, so we are close by.
Our Coral Bay booth has been closed since the fire in April 2026 while it is rebuilt, so there is no counter to walk up to at the moment. Everything is arranged directly with us.
What a trip looks like
- Private boat - up to 12 passengers, your group only, your pace.
- Sharing trip - minimum 4 passengers. Note that in late season there are far fewer travellers on the island, so sharing trips are harder to fill. In November, a private boat is realistically the only option.
- Where we go - Shark Point, Turtle Point, Fish Point, Rawa Island, and quieter corners around Perhentian Besar that day trips skip.
- Included - snorkeling gear and fins. We do not rent rashguards, so bring your own if you burn easily.
- Photos and video - underwater photography from RM100 to RM150; drone footage from RM200 to RM400 for a full session, supplied raw and unedited.
Practical things to sort before you arrive
- Cash. We are cash-only on the island, and there is no ATM here. Withdraw what you need at Kuala Besut or Kota Bharu before you get on the boat.
- Marine park fee - RM30 per person, paid at Kuala Besut jetty.
- Ferry - around RM70 per person return.
- Deposit - none for standard bookings; 50% for large groups and peak dates.
- Weather cancellations - we reschedule rather than refund, so late-season guests should keep a spare day if they can.
How to book
All bookings go through WhatsApp: +60 19-917 9257. Message us with your dates, your group size, and that you are staying at the Marriott. No middleman, no agency - you are talking directly to the boatman.
If you are coming in October, we will get you out on the water. If you are coming in November, message us anyway and we will watch the sea for you. Sometimes the island saves its best days for the people who come last.
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