Perhentian Tunabay Island Resort

Tunabay ISland Resort: Always become #1 choise

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:28:00 +0000

When we talk about the great Perhentian Island, one thing that we should remember is to find the best resort for our accommodation there. As always been suggested, a stay at Tuna Bay Island Resort could turn your holiday to be one of the most luxurious and memorable experience. Tuna Bay Island Resort always becomes the # 1 choice among the travellers from inside and outside Malaysia.

“Tuna Bay is by far the best place to stay while visiting the Perhentian Islands. The beach may be better at Perhentian Island Resort, but it's easy and cheap to take a taxi boat there. Although the Tuna Bay beach is better for snorkelling (you can not come here without snorkelling!). The only reason I have not given this resot 5/5 is that we have stayed in some very luxurious hotels that are far above the standard of Tuna Bay, our experience here was fantastic considering the price paid!Firstly I would like to say how friendly and helpful the staff are at Tuna Bay, I am suprised by other travellers bad experieces. You don't come to the Perhentians to be pampered, you come for the fantastic beaches & snorkelling and pure relaxation!

The bar at Tuna Bay (Tuna Club), on the other hand, is great... the drinks are the best I've had anywhere. Loved the relaxed atmosphere in the evenings, playing cards and drinking Pina Coladas!We will be visiting the Perhentians again in the future, and staying at Tuna Bay!”
Credit to: jeysilaine, Sweden, member of tripadvisor.com
Source of Article: www.tripadvisor.com

“Some where in January 2008 my brother and I discuss about where to go for a short holiday prior to Chinese New Year. We have no regret on choosing Pulau Perhentian as the final destination especially staying with Tuna Bay Island Resort, where it makes your holiday to Pulau Perhentian even more perfect and I have to admit that this is the most pleasant & desirable holiday I can ever wished for.

Compliment goes to the excellent service rendered by Tuna Bay Island Resort staff (from land to island), particularly to the warm & charming Mr. Amirul. The moment we step in to the office, Mr. Amirul delightful characteristics has successfully created an expectation to the guest that "This trip is gonna be great!", this is indeed the Best Trip ever! I am sure others feel the way I do. Thousand thanks go to Mr. Amirul from the booking arrangement to coming back day from the island. Your remarkable selflessness personal ride from the jetty to the car park, I am surprised by this extra mile of offer, really appreciate for all you have done.

From the smooth ride of Tuna Express to the fine dining experience at Tuna Bay Cafe, the courteousness from the staff to the pleasant stay at Tuna Bay Island Resort with the comfortable and quiet Deluxe Garden Chalet, all these have put Tuna Bay Island Resort an outstanding resort among the rest in Pulau Perhentian. A remarkable prestige in service quality that I can find in Tuna Bay Island Resort falls beyond my expectation, greeted by the receptionist "Welcome to Tuna Bay, here is your Welcome Drink" with the cheerful tone, even the garderner, room cleaner greet a simple Hi by putting up gentle smile when seeing the guest pass by. This is merely an 'endangered greetings' that you can't hardly encounter even in local five star hotel.

My compliment does not stop as just in compliment note, free publicise is what you deserve for pempering your guest with such a great honoured of service. May thing goes well for a friend of mine in KL, he'll be staying with Tuna Bay Island Resort by 11th of Feb 2008 (one week right after my visit day), Mr. Justin. This is going to be his 1st Pulau Perhentian Trip as well. Keep on promoting Tuna Bay Island Resort is what I will definitely slip in my daily conversation and introduce more possible Pulau Perhentian visitor choose the right resort for their upcoming vacation.To the Management and all the staff who made pleasant stay for your guest, I send a hearty "Bravo"! Everyone of you deserve more than a clap for yourself.”
Credit to: xmac, Kota Bharu, Malaysia, member of tripadvisor.com
Source of Article: www.tripadvisor.com

So for more info about Pulau Perhentian and TunaBay Island Reort, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Island promises you the most luxurious holiday.

Perhentian Tuna Bay Island Resort: Unforgettable Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:02:00 +0000

Currently, Tuna Bay Island Resort has special promotions which are the 2008 February Early Bird & Chinese New Year Special and the 2008 March Exotic Perhentian Special. These special promotions will definitely offer you the best service and most importantly an affordable price. For some info about Perhentian Island and Tunabay Island Resort, feel free to read the below reviews.

“ In mid 2006 my family (2 adults and 2 children) and i travelled around south east asia for 3 months. This included Laos, Vietman, Thailand, Cambodia and Malayisa. I would have to say that Tuna Bay Resort was one of my favourite places.we only booked the accomodation at the airport in Kota Bharu, as we had been backpacking and were nearing the end of our trip we did not worry about the price. Although or rooms were right at the back, near the generator, we enjoyed every minute and wished we could stay longer.the staff we extemly helpful and friendly. And the beach was amazingly beautiful!!! At first the food will seem overpriced but it is by far the best in the area, try the club sandwich!!! I personally recomend that if you want a remote island getaway this is the island and place to stay!!!”
Credit to: swimmin-trav, member of tripadvisor.com , Northern Territory
Source of Article: www.tripadvisor.com

“We stayed at the resort for 3 nights on its full-board package in mid September. We had a good time on this peaceful island. Our rooms were basic & clean; air-con was powerful. Staff were helpful; they quickly fixed our problems with the shower & the safety box in a minute. Package food was decent Asian dishes; we liked the Chinese soup provided. The prices of its food and drinks on its menu were reasonable. The house reef was fantastic for snorkeling. Water was clear and there was an amazing variety of beautiful reef fish & coral. We also had great fun in the 2 snorkeling trips arranged by the resort. We were brought to different spots / bays where we could see turtles and stingray. It's also easy to get water taxis to different beaches around the island. We got the resort to arrange a water taxi to the beach at Perhentian Island Resort for swimming at RM12 per person per round trip; another enjoyable experience.We like this resort and we want to go back next summer.”
Credit to: travelholic99 member of tripadvisor.com, Hong Kong, China
Source of Article: tripadvisor.com

“Tips when you are at Tuna Bay Island Resort:
1) Careful of broken glass along beach. We saw a few but not too much of a worry.
2) Definitely go on the snorkel tour to see the sharks and sting rays.
3) The best beach on the island is in front of Perhentian Island resort. It’s big and has beautiful clear water. Takes about 20 minutes walk. Or you can taxi boat it for RM 5. There is also a large coral section for snorkelling next to Perhentian Island which is fantastic.
4) If you want to save some extra money i suggest you go for the jungle hut. The beach hut is nice so if you are loaded, go for that option, otherwise jungle hut is fine. But as always, you get what you pay fo
Credit to: tunabayer, member of tripadvisor.com, Melbourne, Australia
Source of Article: tripadvisor.com

Well for more info about Perhentian Island and Tunabay Island Resort, feel free to visit this website www.tunabay.com.my. You will find that Tunabay Island Resort will promise you the best service that you are looking for.

Perhentian Island Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:54:00 +0000

Perhentian Island always find a way to attract more people to come to the island. One of the way is by organising this event called Perhentian Island Challenge. The below is some info about the race.

“Kayaking, swimming, running, climbing and crawling – the participants of the fourth Perhentian Island Challenge (PIC) had to put themselves through all this to make it to the finish line.

This year was extra special because not only did the challenge see the usual determined-to-win professional athletes who undergo intensive training but also the “regular” folk, like you and me, who want to challenge themselves and see how far they can go.

This year’s race saw the highest number of participants ever with 289 individuals, an increase of more than 300% from the inaugural run back in 2004 when there were only 85 people. The competitors came from Ghana, New Zealand, Sweden, Ghana, Holland, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

The significant increase was due to the introduction of the Novice category, which was far less strenuous and involved 7km of running, a mini obstacle course and swimming. “I was excited about the Novice category as I could join the race with my son and nephew,” said Ding Chee Kok, 41, who raced with son Ding Joon Wei, 9, the youngest participant, and nephew Ding Sien Jeer, 11.

The Elite category was more challenging. Participants started the race by kayaking 4km from Perhentian Kecil to Perhentian Besar. Reigning champions, Eugene Chan Wai Yong, 25, from Kuala Lumpur and Heidilee Mohammad, 24, from Sabah, had obviously trained hard as they quickly built a lead in the water.

Once on Perhentian Besar, participants had to run along a jungle trail to the sea where they had to monkey swing on ropes and commando-crawl on their bellies. They entered the water next in full gear to swim with a life jacket, before climbing into their kayaks once again to paddle over to Long Beach, Perhentian Kecil.

Bubu Resort was the centre of various fun activities as contestants had to climb a vertical rope, retrieve a 30kg sandbag 100m from the shore, and drink various concoctions such as vinegar, bitter gourd juice, chilli and tomato juice, salt water, wasabi water, garlic juice, and lime juice.

Next came the interesting part as everyone put on dive flippers and ran 100m along the beach. It was hilarious to see these very serious competitors struggling and tripping over on their huge flippers, sending sand flying in all directions.

The run along the jungle trails were the hardest as participants had to go through thick jungles and climb steep slopes. The race ended with a three-legged, 100m run to the finish line.

“In past years, participants had to wait for each other to cross the finish line. We decided to have the three-legged run this year so participants could finish the race together as a team,” said Chan Chee Seng, PIC race director.

Founder of PIC and Bubu Long Beach Resort owner Ken Cheah said that besides sports, the objective of PIC was to promote eco-tourism amongst the participants.

“We wanted people to join this event and see for themselves the beauty of Perhentian Island. With the Terengganu state government subsidising the costs, everyone could take part with the affordable fee of only RM120 per participant, which includes transportation, accommodation, goodie bags and meals.

“The race fees for next year will be equally affordable. Our intention is to go international and make this a world-class event.” Whatever the reason for participating, be it to challenge yourself or just to enjoy the beautiful islands of Pulau Perhentian, you are bound to enjoy PIC. The race is expected to attract many more participants both locally and internationally in the years to come.
Credit to: JOLEEN LUNJEW
Source of Article: www.cuti.com.my

If you are interested to see the race and are having some problem to find the best place to stay, I recommend you to stay at Perhentian Tunabay Resort. For more info about Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Terengganu believes in conservation

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:03:00 +0000

I’ve read an article mainly about Perhentian Island. Basically, this article is discussing about the conservation in Terengganu. Here is what I’ve read from that article.

“Much of Malaysia’s natural beauty has been destroyed in the name of development but the Terengganu state government seems determined to preserve the state’s natural beauty and to profit from it through sustainable tourism.

The Perhentian Island Challenge is one of the events that the state government is supporting towards this end because it is an environmentally aware race as well as a visitor magnet.
One of the jewels of the state, Perhentian, consists of two islands located very close together and is very popular with local and overseas tourists.

“Conservation is our greatest strength in tourism,” says Datuk Mohamed Nasir Ibrahim Fikri, deputy chairman of the Terengganu State Industrial Development Committee. “That’s why we have kept development to a minimum. You won’t see tall buildings on Perhentian. We are also working on a method to control the number of people on the island at any one time.”

“These tourists are nature lovers and not the sort who are looking for theme parks or shopping malls. They are not litterbugs and observe the requirements in safeguarding the island’s natural beauty.

“We want to avoid our past mistakes, which caused us to lose our leatherback turtles and precious coral reefs at Pulau Redang,” adds Mohamed Nasir. “With our current conservation efforts, the green turtles and sharks are beginning to return. We hope the leatherback turtles will eventually come back, too.”

Perhentian Island’s 1,400 residents are mostly fishermen. A small number are also involved in the tourism and hospitality industry. All will come together and show off their unique culture and cuisine during the Perhentian Island Challenge 2007 on Aug 25. There will be stalls offering mouth-watering delicacies like laksam, local keropok, satar (which is made of fish and coconut) and otak-otak.

“We will also produce dishes from the past like loklit, which the younger generation has rarely seen,” says Mohamed Nasir. It is made of tapioca and banana and dipped in coconut and sugar.
All these delicacies will be served free of charge to race participants, thanks to the state government’s sponsorship.

The locals will also introduce traditional games like panjat tiang licin (where players try to climb a slippery pole to grab a flag) and pukul bantal (a pillow fight at sea, on wooden poles).
“The Challenge has done much to make the island known worldwide. When I was in London and Berlin recently, I met people who had never heard of Terengganu. They could barely pronounce the name but, surprisingly, many recognised Perhentian Island and knew its location,” says Mohamed Nasir.

In keeping with Terengganu’s commitment to conservation, race participants will join in a clean-up exercise of the beach and the ocean on the last day of the Challenge on Aug 26. This should give everyone a sense of having done something worthwhile, regardless of the outcome of the race.”
Credit to: Shoba Mano
Source of Article: thestar.com.my

Like in this article, most tourists from overseas knew where Perhentian Island is but they never heard of Terengganu. It shows that Perhentian Island is very famous among the tourists and foreigner. Well this holiday season might be the best time for you to go to Perhentian Island. For more info about Perhentian Island and the accommodation, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Tunabay Island Resort is the most recommended resort when you are on Perhentian Island.

Facilities at Tuna Bay Island Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:24:00 +0000

The below is the general information about facilities provided by Tunabay Resort. This info would be useful for everyone who are interested to go for a fantastic vacation on Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from a website.

“Sea sports For non-diver, snorkeling in front of The Resort or to other famous snorkeling sites by boat is worth trying. Snorkeling in the marine park is safe for both young and old. Children as well as adults are certain to have great time swimming among the wonders or marine life, not to forget gliding along with the turtles as well. Diving and snorkeling equipment are available for rent at the Resort.

Scuba Diving
Snorkeling trips
Island Hopping
Water taxi
Turtle Watching
Fishing and Squid Hunting
Canoeing

Recreational Activities

In-door game-board games, card, mahjong, carom
ASTRO Cable TV
Occasionally Beach Party
Special Arrangement party upon request
Beach volleyball
Jungle Trekking

Other Services

Flight, train, bus ticket booking service
IDD international call
Internet service
Taxi service
Laundry Service

Food & Beverage: As well as delicious local cuisines, our open-air, a-la-carte restaurant also serves and assortment of western, Chinese and Thai food. The Seafood is beautifully fresh and our barbeques are not to be missed. Snacks, set meals and buffets are also served.
Fresh tropical juices, soft drinks, tasty mock-tail, booze and many other beverages are served at our beach bar.

Serving western, Chinese, local, Thai cuisine and seafood BBQ dinner.
Serving both ala-carte menu and group package set meals or buffet.
Beach bar serving tropical juices, soft drinks, mock-tails and many more special tropical beverages.

Tuna Cafe

At Tuna Cafe an airy restaurant, open to the sea breeze, is pleasant. It overlooks the sea and offers an elegant setting. You can choose to dine al fresco on the sundeck. You will easily succumb to the warm and cosy ambience as we serve up the tastiest spread of delicious Asian and Continental dishes and not to be missing the famous fresh seafood barbeque.

Tuna Club

Give it to pleasure and relaxation at the Tuna Club. It’s a perfect place for you to chill out and unwind after a day under the hot sun of Perhentian.Fresh tropical juices, ice-cream, ice-cream cocktail, specially mixed cocktail, variety of beers and many other beverages are served along with free snacks from the club.”
www.marimari.com/hotel/malaysia/tunabay/facilities.html

Well for the details about Perhentian Island and Tunabay Resort, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Have a wonderful trip to Perhentian Island.

Wonderful experience on Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:33:00 +0000

As mentioned for many times, Perhentian Island is always a heaven for everyone who loves snorkeling and diving activities. Here is what I’ve read from this website.

“The gorgeous sea, stunning blue sky, soft beige sandy beach and wonderful sea breeze that leaves a tangy salt taste on ones lips are all I could think of Perhentian Island even way before setting foot on the shores of this east coast gems. It has been three years since I last dived into its stunning water and ventured to its reefs to be mesmerised by the sea dwellers that live down in the deep blue. Located half an hour’s speedboat ride off Kuala Besut, this famous holiday destination, which consist of two islands, Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil, is a haven for foreign travellers. Families, couples or singles, find the lure of the sparkling water and blue sky too hard to resist.

At times, schools of anchovy-like fish leap to the surface, their shiny scale glistening under the hot sun, probably startled by the boat or perhaps swimming away from predators beneath. The boat service regularly takes visitors to Perhentian Besar, catering to family packages and couples who prefer solace. On the other hand during the month of June, the 800-metre stretch of beach on Perhentian Kecil’s long beach, becomes a haven to hundreds of backpackers, mainly from Europe who come in droves to discover life under the east coast sun. Captivated by the relaxed and laid back lifestyle the island offers, it is not surprising that some visitors keep coming back for more, which incidentally sparks the only dilemma on these beautiful islands - accommodation.

What makes Perhentian Kecil a stronger attraction to its sister island is the atmosphere, sea activities and swinging nightlife. Unlike Perhentian Besar which is more subdued as the sun sets, long beach on Perhentian Kecil becomes alive with its array of games and fire shows that is normally organised after 11 pm. Among the many fascinating acts one can feast their eyes on include the fiery sticks juggling act, the fiery baton act and the Dragon Breath in which the performer spews fire out of his mouth.

If day activity is more your cup of tea, then there are just so many on offer on the beach. One can join the daily snorkeling trips that take tourists to several different snorkeling spots located around the two islands. Among them are the Turtle Bay, where you can swim next to a turtle and Shark Point, to catch a glimpse of the docile Black Tip reef sharks. Those who have always wanted to learn how to dive, Perhentian Kecil has a few dive schools like Sunlight, Spice Divers and Turtle Bay Divers that offers several courses, among others, the Open Water Diver course, Advance Open Water Diver, Medic First Aid, Rescue Diver and Divemaster course at reasonable prices.

Other attractions include the island hopping ride of which you can include the spectacular and secluded Rawa Island and Saji (where fish swim right up to the edge of the sand in the crystal blue water), the Turtle Sanctuary to view how work on turtle conservation is carried out, banana boat rides, kayaking, beach volleyball and doing a 40-minute trek through banana plantation slope for a scenic view of the beach. When it comes to food, tourists and visitors are spoilt for choice as being on the beach, this seaside destination serves a wide range of seafood dishes done in BBQ style or ala carte aside from the normal array of food from its menu card offering a variety of Western, Chinese and Malay style dishes such as chicken chop, fried rice, noodles and typical mixed rice.”
Source of article: blog.malaysiastory.com/perhentian-island-2

Well if you want to know more about Perhentian Island or known as Pulau Perhentian among the locals feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Island promises a great experience when you are there.

Jungle tracking on Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:59:00 +0000

Normally, when we go to island, the first few things on our mind should be the white-sandy beach, crystal-clear-blue water and doing some common activities when you are on island such as snorkeling, diving and others. But if you are on Perhentian Island, there is something else you can do which is go for jungle tracking. The below is some story about jungle tracking experience on Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from a website.

“Perhentian Island has always been one of my favourite places. Normally when you go to an island, you want to go snorkeling or play in the water. The mainland is for jungle trekking. Upon checking in at Perhentian Island Resort on the Big Island, we asked about trekking activities and found out that two types are available. The first one is on your own, for 45 minutes, going through a very short route near the resort where you can see some nice forest trees along the way. The second one requires a guide, for about two hours or more, depending on your “durability”. Of course the latter is more challenging and potentially more interesting with a lot more natural flora and fauna to see.

Three guides accompanied six of us. As employees of the resort, they are experienced in taking tourist on various trails in the forest. We choose a trail that was considered medium in terms of difficulty. As we started our journey, we saw that the trail was well maintained.

They have a few rules during activities in the jungle: No cutting trees. No disturbing or killing wildlife. The first set of trails were not too difficult, not as hilly as the ones up ahead. Huge rainforest trees surrounded us on each side. We could feel the freshness of nature and hear the sounds of birds and insects in the air. After 15 minutes, we came upon a stream. The water was very cooling and refreshing. It was our first “checkpoint” and after a 5-minute break we continued the second leg of the journey. Our guide mentioned that there was a cave - Gua Kelawar or bat cave – on this trail, but that it was farther off from the route we were taking.

The trail became more difficult as we climbed up from one ledge to another, holding on to tree roots and branches. At times we noticed arrows on trees pointing in the right direction, but placement was inconsistent. The forest became thicker with shrubs and smaller trees as we reached the fence that marks the boundary of the water reservoir. We then reached a well-paved road before heading towards the beach, where we encountered the mangroves.
When we got to the beach, I was stunned at its beauty. It was isolated with white sands and a breathtaking view of the horizon and the Perhentian Kecil Island. During high tide, the beach is inaccessible, except by boat. After resting, we walked along the beach, passing a small resort where locals hung out.”
Source of Article: www.wildasia.net

Well if you want to know more about Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Island will promise you a great experience and a wonderful holiday.

Info and tips about Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:37:00 +0000

Well before we talk about some tips that would be useful when you are on Perhentian Island, I would like to share some basic info about Tuna Bay Island Resort. Tuna Bay Island Resort is located in the south west side of Perhentian Besar (Big Island), an untouched part of the island surrounded by tropical jungle, on a broad expanse of powdery white beach. The resort commands a breath-taking view of Pulau Perhentian Kecil (Small Island) and the South China Sea right at your doorsteps. Even at low tide, the view from our resort is still breath taking! The ambiance here is one of peace and relaxation ideally geared towards holiday makers.
Source of Article: www.holidayasia.com

Tip! If you are sensitive to noise bring a couple of earplugs. The roar of the engines can be quite loud & remember to take your seasickness pills!

Tip! Bring you own snorkel gear to make sure that you get good and comfortable equipment. Having a mask that fits is important . And spitting into the google works better than anti-fogging spray!

Tip! If you are going to a place like this to snorkel, bring along a underwater camera. The disposable ones are not very good (we found that out at the Maldives. If I were to buy now I would buy a Olympus mju 720SW which is supposedly waterproof down to 3 meters - still considering buying it.

Tip! Snorkeling in the tropics means that you are faced with a strong sun. Remember to put on a good sun screen and when you snorkel it is a good idea to have a surfer vest or light coloured t-shirt and some protection for your head as well. We also snorkeled from the boat at the rocks that you see on the left hand side when you stand on the beach at Perhentian Island Resort. The many colours of the coral amazed me…red, blue, green, purple etc. Snorkeling is hard work …after snorkeling at three different spots from the boat we were ready for a break - a bit of relaxation on the beach.

Tip! As there is not much to do I would recommend that you bring along some board games/cards, snacks as there is not that much on sale and mosquito spray to avoid getting eaten alive.

Source of Article: www.gardkarlsen.com/Malaysia_Perhentian_Island.htm

Well if you are interested to come and visit Pulau Perhentian and want more info about this island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Island will be your perfect holiday destination.

Dive sites on Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:33:00 +0000

As mentioned for few times, Perhentian Island is the most ideal and perfect island for those who love diving activities. There are mnay dive spot actually on Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from a website about some good sites for diving.

“Dive sites at Perhentian Island are at close proximity to one another with interesting sights at each. Tiger Reel Reef offers the chance to spot green turtles. At Gua Kambing, be prepared for an underwater manicure as cleaner shrimp at some coral bommies excitedly interact with divers. Simply lay your hands down next to the coral and these shrimps will venture to your boldly. Pretty soon, they'll be nibbling away gently as they attempt to get rid of so-called 'parasites' from your nails.

To the north of Perhentian Kecil, you will drift dive past a rich bed of soft and hard corals, shaded by large angelfish, parrotfish and black-spotted snappers, green turtles and manta rays make occasional visits here.

Sail Rock is a naturalists' dream. This little pinnacle offers multi-level diving as you encircle it, checking out the diversity of life. Common are blue-spotted stingrays, boxfish, angelfish and parrotfish. However, you'll have plenty of time to marvel at the huge staghorn gardens, lettuce corals and table corals. Just off the west end of Perhentian Besar is another dive site for coral enthusiasts.

Known as Tanjung Besi, or Iron Cape, it is home to large tracts of staghorn corals. Making your way around this cape often yields encounters with oddball inhabitants of the reef. Giant groupers make their home here. Humphead parrotfish make many a meal-stop here in the evenings. Those with a keen eye should also study the crevices between corals: several large moray eels inhabit these.

For the ultimate, relaxing dive, a night-time shore dive from the north end of Perhentian Kecil's, Long Beach or Pasir Panjang is recommended. You will encounter blue-spotted stingrays, cuttlefish and plenty of reef fish. As you surface for shore, fin gently on your back and gaze into the starry night. The sound of faint music beckoning from the seaside cafes is a magical welcome back to the island. Suffice to say, the relatively shallow depths here allow you to maximise your diving time. Perhentian Besar has ample accommodation and several dive centres. It has a more sedate lifestyle, with chalets only a few metres away from the shore.

Perhentian Kecil offers wider beaches and an even wider range of accommodation. Its vibrant nightlife is renowned. Along the famous Long beach, visitors can enjoy their evenings at the many rustic cafes and bars that open till early hours.

Batu Tokong Laut (Temple Of The Sea)

This rocky outcrop islet is situated on the northwest of Pulau Perhentian Kecil and is accessible by a 30 minutes speedboat ride. The boulder like terrain gradually slopes down to about 30 meters. Strong to mild currents usually sweep the boulders bringing plankton-rich nutrients and attract anything from pelagic to the whale shark. You can easily cover the entire dive site without getting lost around the somewhat triangular boulder terrain. Soft corals in all colours and sizes carpet the seascape offering refuge for numerous small reef fish and mollusks. The presence of smaller reef animal attracts larger predators up the food chain. Jacks, barracudas, kingfish, black tip sharks and nurse sharks are usually sighted.

North of Pulau Susu Dara Besar and Kecil

Facing the open sea front, hard and soft coral communities thrive on the rich nutrients from the sea.

Soft corals - are not as plentiful as Tokong Laut. However, the diving is interesting with good water clarity and abundant reef fish. Expect to see damselfishes, wrasses, trigger fishes and a moray eel peeping out from its lair. You can dive close to the island and let the current take you along the reefs. The fringing reef gives way to sandy terrain at about 18 meters.

'Terumbu Tiga' when translated from the Malay language means three coral blocks and is rated to be one of the top dive sites around Pulau Perhentian, together with Tokong Laut. Situated towards the east of Pulau Perhentian Besar, this dive site is usually washed by currents and makes an interesting drift dive. The boulder terrain slopes down to about 20 meters at the sandy bottom. Visibility fluctuates between 5 to 15 meters depending on the tidal changes. The granite boulders support various soft corals, sea fans and coral whips swaying with the current.”
Source of Article: www.etourz.com

Well, if all these information are not enough for you, then may be you will need to experience it by yourself. Diving on an island that is known as one of the most beautiful islands in the world, should give you a memorable and enjoyable experience. For more info about Pulau Perhentian and the accommodation there, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Perhentian Island and accommodation

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:46:00 +0000

Perhentian Island is always a paradise island to everyone who loves the nature beauty of an island. When you are there, there are lots of activities that you can do. Well as a proof, read the below story.

“The Island was a dream. There is really no other term for it! Anyways, the photos should speak for themselves.

We arrived at about 9am. The beach was pretty big, and seemed really peacefull. But it wasn’t that everybody was still asleep. Since the weekend did not start yet, we could enjoy this paradise on Perhentian Island without crowds and noise typical for most of the beautiful holiday destinations. Pehentian Island seemed from the beginning more like a place that you know about from some friend’s travel hints rather than from tourist guides. There are only a couple small “chalet” type hotels on the Long beach, not too sophisticated and really cheap. The one we stayed at was ONLY 30 RM per night for a double bedroom with fan. It is only 3.5 EUR per person per night!!! Considering the price, we obviously did not expect any luxury. But we weren’t disappointed either.

The room was very simple but clean and cosy. Over the bed, there was this white mosquito net which was very practical but also gave the room a more friendly look. Most chalets on the island are low budget, simple standard hotels, so people you meet there are mostly young, back-packer tourists, like us.

We spend there 3 wonderful, relaxed days: enjoying the sun (the weather was fantastic !), clear, blue and warm see water and delicious food . Numerous restaurants there offer a vast choice of sea food that you simply have to try in order to make the whole experience of the place complete.

One hint for divers and snorklers: the place is absolutely perfect for diving! Coral reefs and amazing diversity of sea life are all around the island. There are plenty of diving schools there, offering open water courses, and different dive trip options.”
Credit to: Patric Boelstler (The author)
Source of Article: www.singtime.de

Anyway, I would like to give my own opinion about Perhentian Island or known as Pulau Perhentian among the locals. If you are planning to go there, don’t worry about the accommodation. As recommended, Perhentian Tunabay Resort always provides the best service to their guests. They have various types of luxury rooms which are very affordable. If you come to Perhentian Island this holiday season, they offer you a very special promotion with a special price. Befor I forget, the rooms are very comfortable for you if you come with a group of family or even come with group of friends. Apart from that, they also offer few courses for dive-lovers. Well for more info about accommodation and the dive course feel free to visit Tunabay’s website www.tunabay.com.my. Enjoy your holiday on Perhentian Island.

Paradise on an island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:18:00 +0000

If you are still not sure where to go for this coming holiday season, then my suggestion come and visit Perhentian Island. This is the place where you can relax your mind and enjoy the beauty of the nature. If you want to get the idea of how this island looks like, read the below story.

“The phrase 'the grass is always greener' is certainly true of most travellers who have zig-zagged the globe thrice over but not have even ventured so far out of their home state. Well, this has provaed true of me in any case.I have certainly travelled to faraway locations but never has it crossed my mind to spend time travelling through my own birth country. Until that is, this February, after meeting countless Swiss, Finnish and Australian backpackers who were perpetually raving on about the Perhentian Islands..I thought to myself, "This is pretty embarrassing, I better go see for myself what the hoopla's all about". So off I went on my search for this Malaysian paradise..me, my backpack, heaps of sunscreen and a big thick book for company. The journey there was relatively stress-free, a bus ride from KL to Kuala Besut, and a 30 min boat ride (fast boat, expect to pay more than the 1 hour slow boat) to Perhentian Kecil. Despite my doubts, I have to admit that my first glimpses of the Perhentian islands were pretty breath-taking.

I found it difficult to believe that there existed off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia, crystal clear blue waters and white-lined shores. I soon found myself a nice spot along Long Beach (Pasir Panjang) and kept myself occupied with obtaining the perfect tan.

The island itself is rather small, there are a couple of walks that take you to the other parts of the island, but I found the best beach to be on Pasir Panjang.

However, I was disappointed to discover that most of the corals around the island have since been destroyed by speedboats, by too much human contact (and abuse) and general lack of environmental-consciousness by both the resort/restaurant owners and tourists. Whilst the water remains clear, there really isn't much to see by way of sea-life unless one goes diving. Which I did, and found it to be pretty interesting.

There were a couple of interesting marine life to be found like the trigger fish, turtles, whip-rays and large schools of fish. However, my regret is that I left it 10 years too late in paying a visit to this once-idyllic paradise.

There's not a lot by way of night-entertainment which is I think part of the appeal to so many western travellers who are seeking respite from the incessant techno beats being belted out from every Thai island. If you love your beer/alcohol, a friendly piece of advice..stock up on the mainland and bring your booty over (beer is NOT cheap on the islands).”
Source of Article: www.journeymalaysia.com

So, if you are looking for more info about Perhentian Island and the accommodation there, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Island could be the island that you have been dreaming of. Have a visit to Perhentian Island.

Diving on Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:26:00 +0000

Are you still looking for a good dive spot on Perhentian Island. Well, here is another story about good diving spot on Perhentian Island. This might help you while looking for a good spot to dive on Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from the website.

“LOCATION:
This hugely popular dive site of the two Perhentians is located to the northwest of the archipelago. In fact, Tokong Laut is the probably the last frontier of coral reef structure on the north and west side of the group of islands. Journey by boat from Teluk Dalam will take about 30 minutes on fast dive boats, passing by the spectacular rocky island of Pulau Susu Dara. Boat trips from either Teluk Pauh or Long Beach will take just about the same time.

Maximum diving depth of about 25 metres with somewhat average visibility of about 10 metres, and total dive time of a paltry 20 minutes.

DESCRIPTION:
No doubt, Tokong Laut is the most popular dive site in Perhentian. It was not entirely a surprise to see 5-6 dive boats during an early morning dive. Because of the distance and somewhat significant depth, Tokong Laut is often featured as the first dive destination for the day.

Above water, only a marginal portion of this huge sea mount appears on the surface. The rest of the it is to be discovered underwater. Unfortunately, I did not see that many fishes that I initially expected. In fact, the much-talked-about resident nurse shark was also nowhere to be found, though I could argue that due to my shorter dive time, I was bound to miss a lot of things. Lurking a few meters below the surface were a number of common barracudas, patrolling the area surely. I also spotted an overly protective red-girdled anemonefish (Amphiprion rubrocinctus) that gladly swam towards any approaching divers. Other fish specie includes various damselfish, pink anemonefish (Amphiprion perideraion), blue-ringed angelfish (Pornacanthus annularis), etc. Nonetheless, the highlight probably went to the hundreds of yellowtail snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) that created a breathtaking underwater scenery as they swam in formation.

As for the corals, this dive site is profusely filled with sea fans of various colours such as white, light green and blue. There are plenty of sea anemones at shallower depth, along with Porites sp. corals, Millepora sp. corals, barrel sponges of Xestospongia testudinaria and of Petrosia sp. with Alabaster sea cucumbers (Opheodesoma sp.), plenty of honeycomb oysters (Hyotissa hyotis), etc."
Source of Article: www.malaysia-islands.com

Well, if you are ready to dive on Perhentian Island, let’s make your plan now. For more info about Perhentian Island and the diving activities on Perhentian Island, feel free to visit this website www.tunabay.com.my.

Dive sites on Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:42:00 +0000

The article that I’m going to share in this entry might be very helpful for you especially to those who love diving activities. I’ve read one short article about diving on Perhentian Island from a website. Here is what I’ve read.

“The Perhentian Islands, comprises of Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil lies 20km from the coast of Kuala Besut.

On the edge of the Pulau Redang's Marine Park, Perhentian's coral fringed waters provide excellent underwater scenery. For divers, the group of small rocky islets to the northwest of Pulau Perhentian Kecil is a location not to be missed. Common to the area are harp and black corals, while large hard corals are also present. The waters at Perhentian are crystal clear and within the turquoise waters of the islands dwell an amazing variety of marine life. Don't be surprise if you see dolphins and pilot whales in July and August, which is during the peak of the dry season. There are abundant of corals in Perhentian, especially the colorful soft corals and gorgonian sea fans.

Favorite Dives:
Tokong Laut is a rocky outcrop islet situated on the northwest of P. Perhentian Kecil and is accessible by a 30 minute speedboat ride. The boulder-like terrain gradually sloped down to about 30 metres. Soft corals in all colors and sizes carpet the seascape offering refuge for numerous small reef fish and mollusks. Jacks, barracudas, kingfish, black tip sharks and nurse sharks are usually sighted.

North of Pulau Susu.
Diving is interesting with good water clarity and abundant reef fish. Expect to see damselfishes, wrasses, triggerfishes and a moray eel peeping out of its lair.

Terumbu Tiga.
Rated to be one of the top dive sites around Perhentian together with Tokong Laut. Slopes down to about 20 meters at the sandy bottom and visibility fluctuate between 5 to 15 meters. The granite boulders support various corals, sea fans and coral whips. Schools of fusiliers, rainbow runners, jacks and batfishes swim about searching for a feed. Black tip sharks can occasionally be observed at the outer reaches of the reef.”
Source of Artilce: www.diving-malaysia.com

“Pulau Perhentian is a tropical paradise. Blessed with protected bays and emerald green waters, scuba diving is a breeze in both islands. Their marine life is richly diverse and prolific.
The islands are blessed with variety of hard and soft coral reefs of breathtaking majesty. Divers can also expect to see schools of surgeonfish, damsel fish, yellowtail barracuda, variety of fusiliers, butterfly fish, and hawksbill turtles, even white-tip and nurse sharks.

Diving in Perhentian can be both relaxing and challenging depending on your preference. With many dive sites, Perhentian will sure keep even the most discerning divers satiated. Visibility can reach up to 30 meters during the dry season of July to September.
Come and dive the Perhentians, the world’s best kept secret.”
Source of Artilce: www.perhentianresort.com.my

For more details about Perhentian Island feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Just for your information, if you logon to the website you may notice a section called "Diving". Here you can get information about some diving course and as well as the rates. Have fun on Perhentian Island.

A nice Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:40:00 +0000

Again, in this entry I would like to share another story about Perhentian Island experienced by this traveler. Here is what I’ve read from the website.

“It was a 1/2 hr boat ride out to the Perhentian Islands where we did a mid-water transfer from our larger boat onto one of the smaller water taxis which can travel right to the beach. There are two main islands on Perhentian Island. Big Island and Small Island. We opted for Long Beach on Small Island. It was coming towards the end of the season for the islands and so it was relatively quiet. It was good for us since we hadn't booked anywhere to stay. It was also a good tool for haggling the price down since most places would rather take a little less for their rooms than have no one in them at all.

We decided to stay on the island long enough to celebrate our Birthday.....plus one day to catch up on potential lost sleep. We wanted to do something a bit special. We settled on a trip to a deserted island for the day. It was 30mins away by boat and there was only a small sandy beach, rocks and a little island forest. Just off the beach was some of the best snorkelling I've ever done. Even as you stepped into the water the fish came towards you and swam around your legs. They got so close! There were huge schools of little silver fish which let off sparks of light every now and then.

Lots of lovely coral and anemones. Chinny saw a baby shark a bit further out and a huge, graceful jelly fish. We were both bitten by an over-protective Damsel fish, right near the shore. I was just standing in the water, minding my own business, when he attacked me. I think I'd got too close to his stash of treasures. No other boats turned up all day and so we had the whole place to ourselves. Our boat man came back, as promised, at 4pm and we headed back. We'd arranged to have a few drinks with some friends and I'd arranged, with the help of our Water Taxi guy, to get a cake sent over from the mainland. We had a great night out and got home far too late. After our long break from travelling around we were raring to go and get stuck into Malaysia. So far, it had been great.”
Credit to: Chin & Tweeky, members of travelpod.com
Source of Article: www.travelpod.com

Well as suggestion, we recommended to everyone who is planning to go to Perhentian Island to stay at Perhentian Tunabay Resort. It is a nice, descent and a good place to stay when you are on Perhentian Islands. For more info about Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Found paradise in Perhentian Island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 04:09:00 +0000

When we go for a vacation, the most important thing that we are looking for is satisfaction. We want to make sure that the vacation will be full of sweet and unforgettable memories. In this entry, I want to share this story about a perfect vacation on Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from this website.

“We have found paradise here in the Perhentian Islands. Palm trees, pure white sand and turquoise water - it's beautiful here. The islands are about 20 km off the coast and are relatively under-developed in tourist terms. There are no high-rise hotels here, the majority of the accommodation is in the form of beach chalets facing the ocean.

The transit to the islands was an adventure in itself. We had heard that the speedboat transfer was going to be 'interesting' and that you had to hold on tight to avoid being left out in the South China Sea. As we were preparing our waterproof covers for our bags and expecting the worst, three girls were lounging around at the front of the boat as if it was going to be a leisurely cruise. I have to say that I did laugh when the boat picked up speed and they were left screaming and hanging on for dear life!

The boat dropped us off on a little floating jetty on the larger island and then all we had to do was get ourselves and our bags down a little ramp through some water and on to the beach. This looked simple enough but it was really slippery and I was that close to going under the water with all my belongings.

Having somehow made to the islands with our belongings dry and in one piece, we relaxed in our chalet right on the beach. There were palm trees and you could sit outside your chalet and watch the sun go down with the waves gently lapping on the shore. Pure relaxation.

Over the next few days we relaxed, we read some books and swam in the sea. One of the days we went out for a snorkelling trip as the islands are surrounded by coral reefs. Cath saw a reef shark and we also saw some green turtles feeding on the way back. They feed right on the sea bed but I was lucky enough to be in the right place to swim with the turtle as it came up to the surface to breath. That was magical.

We could have stayed here for longer but we knew there were other sights to see so the time came to say goodbye to the Perhentian Islands. I doubt we'll see more beautiful islands on this trip.”
Credit to: Chris & Catherine, members of realtravel.com
Source of Article: realtravel.com

Well these two travelers have great and memorable experiences on Perhentian Island. Perhaps, now it’s your turn to experience all these on your own. For more info about Perhentian Island, feel free to visit to www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Tunabay Resort is what we are recommended for a good accommodation on Perhentian Island.

Fantastic trip to Perhentian-paradise-island

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:49:00 +0000

It’s been a while that I haven’t shared some great stories about Perhentian Island experienced by other travelers. Well while looking for some great info about this paradise-Pulau Perhentian, I read this one great story. Here, in this entry I want to share the story with you.

“The gorgeous azure sea, stunning blue sky, soft beige sandy beach and wonderful sea breeze that leaves a tangy salt taste on ones lips are all I could think of Perhentian Island even way before setting foot on the shores of this east coast gems. It has been three years since I last dived into its stunning water and ventured to its reefs to be mesmerised by the sea dwellers that live down in the deep blue. Three years I thought is way too long to be away from a place I have considered to be a home away from home. Located half an hour’s speedboat ride off Kuala Besut (RM60 for a return ticket), this famous holiday destination, which consist of two islands, Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil, is a haven for foreign travellers. Families, couples or singles, find the lure of the sparkling water and blue sky too hard to resist.

Day activity is more your cup of tea, then there are just so many on offer on the beach. One can join the daily snorkeling trips that take tourists to several different snorkeling spots located around the two islands. Among them are the Turtle Bay, where you can swim next to a turtle and Shark Point, to catch a glimpse of the docile Black Tip reef sharks. Those who have always wanted to learn how to dive, Perhentian Kecil has a few dive schools like Sunlight, Spice Divers and Turtle Bay Divers that offers several courses, among others, the Open Water Diver course, Advance Open Water Diver, Medic First Aid, Rescue Diver and Divemaster course at reasonable prices.

Other attractions include the island hopping ride of which you can include the spectacular and secluded Rawa Island and Saji (where fish swim right up to the edge of the sand in the crystal blue water), the Turtle Sanctuary to view how work on turtle conservation is carried out, banana boat rides, kayaking, beach volleyball and doing a 40-minute trek through banana plantation slope for a scenic view of the beach. When it comes to food, tourists and visitors are spoilt for choice as being on the beach, this seaside destination serves a wide range of seafood dishes done in BBQ style or ala carte aside from the normal array of food from its menu card offering a variety of Western, Chinese and Malay style dishes such as chicken chop, fried rice, noodles and typical mixed rice.”
Source of Article: blog.malaysiastory.com

Well, as usual for more info about Perhentian Island as well as the accomodation on Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Currently, this Tunabay Isand Resort offers you great promotions and packages. So, enjoy your holiday.

Shark Point

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 03:27:00 +0000

It should be an exciting and memorable experience if you have a chance to see sharks in open water. It’s great to see how they live in their wild and free world – under the sea. Well, if you go to Perhentian Island, you can have a chance to see these sharks by yourself. The place is called Shark Point. Here is what I’ve read about this Shark Point on Perhentian Island.

“Dominated by staghorn coral, this site offers not only opportunities to see blacktip reef sharks cruising the shallows, but also a wide variety of fish and other marine critters. There are several options for how this site can be dived allowing either drift diving or a protected relaxed dive in the bay.”
Source of Article: www.diveperhentian.com

“On our way to the Perhentians from the mainland, I began chatting to the captain of the ferry as we pulled towards Besar, the larger of the two Perhentian Islands. He pointed to an area marked off by a lenthy rope buoy and told me, “lots of sharks there every morning.” Black Tip Sharks, it turned out. I certainly wasn’t expecting that. I asked him if the rope buoy was a shark net, but he said, “no, no, lots of people snorkelling there every morning”. My curiosity was certainly aroused, but having never seen a shark in open water before, I was also rather hesitant about the thought of sharks swimming so close to where we would be staying, a short distance away on the other Perhentian Island Kecil. Incidentally, this spot, known as Shark Point, would become the third stop of our snorkelling trip the next day.”
Source of Article: sunsandsnorkelling.blogspot.com

Well, obviously Perhentian Island will give you the kind of vacation that you have dreamt of. You would never get this kind of experience anywhereelse. so, for more info about Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Check out the latest promotion on this website.

2008 3 Days/ 2 Nights Fullboard Package

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:51:00 +0000

For this 2008, Perhentian Tunabay Resort has four fantastic packages to offer to you. This is due to a high request from everyone out there. The packages are as below:

2008 3 Days/ 2 Nights Fullboard Package
2008 3 Days/ 2 Nights Fullboard Discovery Diving
2008 4 Days/ 3 Nights Fullboard Open Water Dive
2008 3 Days/ 2 Nights Fullboard Fun Diving

Here in this entry I will explain in detail about the 1st package which is 2008 3 Days/ 2 Nights Fullboard Package. The rates for this package are as below:

Single – RM 610
Twin – RM 460
Triple – RM 440
Child (4-12 yaers) – RM 280

The charges for Additional nigt per person as below:

Single – RM 610
Twin & Triple – RM 440
Child (4-12 yaers) – RM 280
However, for this package, there will be holiday surcharge during the Public Holidays. The surcharge is RM 60/adult/child/package.

We also would like to inform you that the package will include:

Welcome drinks
2 night accommodation in Deluxe Jungle or Garden Chalet (subject to availability)
2 breakfast; 2 lunch; 2 tea break; 2 dinner
return sea transfer by speed boat
2 x snorkeling trips around PERHENTIAN

However, as a reminder that this package does not include the snorkelling equipments and the Marine Conservation fees which need to be paid at the jetty.

Well with this great package, this could be the perfect time for you to visit Perhentian Island with fantastic and comfortable stay at Perhentian Tunabay Resort. For more info, visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Diving Course Rates

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 04:08:00 +0000

In the previous entry, I have talked about the Diving Courses offered by Tunabay Dive Center on Perhentian Island. So in this entry, I would like to share the info about the dive rates for each of these courses.

PADI Open Water Course (RM 980)

3-5 confine water dives (Mask clearing, Recovery regulator, and other related skill)
4 open water boat dives (Boat dives at various dive spot around the island)
PADI original Open Water Manual 1 Dive log Book
Dive Equipment (Mask, fin, regulator, BCD and wetsuit)
Unlimited house reef dive (Upon completion the course)
PADI Advance Open Water Course

PADI Advanced Open Water Course (RM 850)

5 Course Dive (Navigation, Wreck, Night, Deep and Fish identification dive)
1 free fun dive
PADI Advance Open Water manual
Dive Equipment (Mask, fin, regulator, BCD and wetsuit)
Unlimited house reef dive (Upon completion the course)

PADI Discover scuba tryout Course (RM 150)

1 fully guided dive with our Dive Instructor at house reef dive
Dive Equipment (Mask, fin, regulator, BCD and wetsuit)

PADI Discover scuba Diving Course (RM 250)

1 fully guided dive with our Dive Instructor at house reef dive
1 fully guided boat dive at selected dive site
Dive Equipment (Mask, fin, regulator, BCD and wetsuit)
PADI Discover Scuba Diving certificate

So now you already have the info about the courses as well as the rates for the causes. However, as reminder before you are going to sign up for any of the courses, you have to declare your health condition. Apart from that, as for PADI Discover scuba Diving experience, the certificate will bring credit to your Open Water Course. So, have a try!

For more info about Dive Center and Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Perhentian Island will give the experience that you ever wanted.

Courses offer by Universal Centre

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:03:00 +0000

In the previous entry, I have talked about Tunabay’s Dive Centre. Here in this entry, I will explain about some of the courses offered by our dive centre.

With a diverse and fascinating underwater world just waiting to be uncovered, here is the range of courses offered by our dive center catering for everyone, from budding enthusiasts to seasoned diving veterans.

Discovery Dive
The Discovery Dive is an excellent introduction for interested individuals to try their hand at scuba diving under the constant watch of a qualified scuba master. Discovery Dives is only a day long, and provides a hands-on, yet safe starting point for first-time divers.

PADI Open Water Diver
In the PADI Open Water Diver course, your certified instructor will take you through the basics of scuba diving, consisting of five theory sessions, five-confined water dives & four open water dives. At the end of the course, you will receive your PADI Open Water Diver certification, opening the door to a whole new world, with many fabulous destinations, exciting escapades and interesting people awaiting you, anywhere in the world.

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
More experienced divers can take their experience a step further with the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course. With a prerequisite of having completed your PADI Open Water Diver course beforehand, this course consists of five Adventure Dives comprising of compulsory deep and underwater navigation dives, as well as a choice of any three other Adventure Dives which can include wreck diving, search and recovery, underwater photography diving and night diving.

PADI Rescue Diver
Divers looking for more of a challenge can also take the PADI Rescue Diver course, which trains divers advanced techniques to spot and prevent diving problems, and if necessary, manage any emergencies that may arise. This intensive course covers a wide variety of scenarios that can arise in the process of diving and even entails an Emergency First Response course which teaches CPR and other first aid techniques, giving participants the knowledge and confidence to react promptly and properly in case of unforeseen circumstances.

PADI Divemaster
Lastly, divers who have managed to complete either of the previous two courses, or both can earn their PADI Divemaster rating. Working closely with a PADI instructor, divers hone their skills to a professional level, through a combination of classes on diving theory to practical diving exercises. Of course, nothing beats the experience garnered from actual diving, so an aspiring PADI Divemaster will also have to log a minimum of 60 dives in order to obtain this coveted level.

Underwater Photography and Videography
Besides our extensive range of diving programmes, divers can also take advantage of Universal Diver’s status as the only dive centre in Pulau Perhentian to offer the full service of professional underwater photography and videography, from the actual filming to the final cut in our fully equipped editing studio. We take pride in our ability to offer divers the chance to learn underwater photo/videographing techniques from our talented team, with a selection of underwater cameras and video cameras available for rental from our dive centre.

Underwater Photography and Videography
Besides our extensive range of diving programmes, divers can also take advantage of Universal Diver’s status as the only dive centre in Pulau Perhentian to offer the full service of professional underwater photography and videography, from the actual filming to the final cut in our fully equipped editing studio. We take pride in our ability to offer divers the chance to learn underwater photo/videographing techniques from our talented team, with a selection of underwater cameras and video cameras available for rental from our dive centre.

For more info about Tunabay Dive Centre and Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Tunabay Island Resort always provide the best service to everyone.

Welcome To Tunabay Dive Center!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 04:38:00 +0000

Well, in this entry I would like to welcome everyone to Tunabay's Dive Center. It is located just less than a minute walk from the resort, lies a beautiful wooden structure that over looking the South China Sea.

Being awarded the prestigious PADI 5 Star Gold Palm Resort, Universal Diver caters to both budding diving enthusiasts as well as seasoned underwater adventurers. Our training facilities have certified many divers and we have contributed to make this sport a popular activity in Perhentian Island.

With a comprehensive facility capable of handling up to 30 divers at any given time, Our dive center is the ideal destination for both individuals, as well as diving groups of any level of experience.

Our experienced and passionate both European and local Malaysian staff together with our extensive knowledge of the Perhentian Islands will ensure that you enjoy first class diving during your stay in the island.

In addition to our extensive range of scuba diving equipment, we are also Pulau Perhentian’s underwater photography and videography experts. With state-of-the-art photo and video cameras available for rental, qualified and trained personnel, and a modern editing studio, Universal Diver is clearly the one-stop shop for all your diving needs.Well for more info about Tunabay Dive Center, please visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Amazing Island and amazing experience

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 02:25:00 +0000

I’ve read an article about how great Perhentian Island is from a website. Here is what I’ve read from the website.

“We arrived in Kuala Besut at around 7am, after taking the 12hour bus ride from Lavender the day before. It was a bumpy ride alright. I was dumb and numb. Should have taken a flight instead. So while waiting for the Tunabay mainland office to open, we had a nasi lemak breakfast somewhere, with super sweet chili sambal.

We were greeted by a local, who looks very Malay, but with an Australian accent. I was wondering “Are we in Besut or the Outback?” Haha, really! The guy had an Australian accent, very much like the late Steve Irwin! “Maybe that is protocol, just to add up to the experience”, I thought to myself.

Perhentian Besar Island is the perfect getaway for simply appreciating the nature, and of course relaxing and sun tanning your butt off. The pace here is very relaxed. Even the staff of the resort, you can see that they enjoy working there. The staff of Tunabay was very accommodating, very friendly and most important of all, they know our needs.

Rooms were average air conditioned huts, fitted with glass doors. Kinky!I must admit that i’ve been a naughty boy. I didn’t heed my doctor’s warning and i went snorkeling. Yikes! But it was a worthwhile decision.

So yeah. I went snorkelling. I was suffering from muscle spasm a few days before i went to Perhentian Island. The experience was…whoa. You gotta be there to experience it.

Perhentian Island is a must-go for nature lovers and diving enthusiast. Superb accommodation can be found here at a great price, just like Tunabay. I'm missing Perhentian Island already. I miss that 5 second power shutdown every morning at 8am. I miss the delicious dinner that makes you feel like home. Most of all, i miss the great hospitality.”
Source of Article: www.mrmalique.com

Well, instead of reading other people experience and great stories, why don’t you experience it by yourself. For more info about Perhentian Island and Tunabay Resort, visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Perhentian Island - A tale of Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 07:13:00 +0000

I have recently read an article about Perhentian Island. What interest me in this article is it talks about one dangerous creature, SHARK. Have a look at the article below.

“I wanted an island - peaceful, attractive, and with good snorkeling as I still don't dive, though the day may soon come when I do. We decided on the Perhentians, particularly Perhentian Kecil as it's cheaper and there was supposedly good snorkeling on the north end of the island. I wanted quiet and I wanted snorkeling at my doorstep. The guesthouse provided both as well as friendly staff.

There's a large reef in the lagoon. Still, while the coral is brown and broken the marine life is plentiful. Lots of colorful fish, mostly small, a few large groupers, many barracuda, and sharks. Supposedly turtles are frequently seen but I saw none.

This was also my first shark encounter. Prior to this day the most seemingly menacing things I had ever seen were, in the Florida Keys - stingrays, a lion fish (or one of those prickly colorful poisonous things), and barracuda and more recently I met a moray eel off Koh Lanta in Thailand that had, like all the aforementioned critters, no interest in me at all. For as with most marine life, none of these animals are the least bit dangerous if you leave them alone.

I was on the opposite side of the island, a ten-minute walk through the jungle on a cleared path to a nice secluded beach. It's quite rocky offshore and just beyond the rocks is another dying reef but it's abundant in marine life. Floating through it all in water streaked with sunlight I caught a glimpse of something flashing about five or six meters away. Looking closer I saw it was a blacktip shark about six-feet long. First thing I thought, "Blacktips! They eat people!" And like the silly underwater novice I am, I got the hell out of there pausing one time to consider the irony that if this shark really was interested in me, my hasty exit and the vibrations I would have made in the water in this retreat would surely have attracted the fish.

Before long, one shark swam by a few meters below me completely ignoring my presence. A few hours later, on my next swim, I had my closest contact of the day. While I was gently treading water, trying to be as motionless as possible, it took all of about five minutes for a shark to turn up. This time it was swimming straight at me, however it showed no signs of aggression whatsoever. It came within about two meters of me then satisfied with whatever it needed to know, it turned to the right and disappeared. We had bonded. A special moment between man and beast. We were one. Our respective slots in the food chain, on the ladder of evolution, we knew where we stood (or swam as the case may be).

Before long, the shark returned, swimming in a wide circle around me. More bonding. We were a team. Secure, confident, I watched my soul mate disappear in the murky, sunlight streaked depths in front of me. Then I turned to look behind me. Another shark. Wait. I had bonded with... which one? Oh, never mind. Lastly, my quick impression of the Perhentians are of attractive and peaceful islands.”
Source of Article: www.talesofasia.com/malaysia-perhentian.htm

Well if you want to experience all this by yourself, come and visit Perhentian Island. For more info about Perhentian and the accommodation, visit www.tunabay.com.my.

Tips for budget traveler

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:35:00 +0000

Before you go for a holiday on Perhentian Island, it is better if you find as many information as you can about Perhentian Island. In fact, this is a good practice before you go for a holiday. The below are some tips that migt be helpful if you are palnning to go to Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from an article.

"We can take boats to Perhentian Island at Kuala Besut jetty. How to get to Kuala Besut. If by air, take flight to Kota Bharu. From Kota Bharu, take taxi to Kuala Besut. Usually it’s around 1 hour and cost from RM50-RM60. By bus, you have two options. There’s a bus company called Mahligai that take you direct to Kuala Besut. It’s usually departs from Putra Bus Station, Kuala Lumpur at 9-9.30 pm and arrives at 5.30am. There are many other bus company but they only take you to Jerteh. From Jerteh to Kuala Besut takes about 20-30 minutes. You can take taxi (cost around Rm12-15 per cab in daytime. Not sure if it’s different on the wee hours) or bus (cost you only RM1.50 per person but the schedule is very unreliable).

Use backpack as your luggage. This is because between the jetty to your resort in Perhentian Island, you need to change to smaller boat. May resort doesn’t have jetty and you are force to cross over the boats in the middle on the ocean. It is wise to bring backpack as it is easier. Imagine you bring the rectangular plastic luggage that have wheels, it’s heavy and you need to balance yourself with your beg at one hand to cross over the boats. Hmmm… dangerous. But don’t worry, the boatmen are very nice people, they will help you.

The first boat departs from Kuala Besut usually at 9am and the last one at 5pm. But there’s one travel agency, Kuala Besut Travel Agency, their boats depart at 7.30 am. And their people will wait for you when you arrive at Kuala Besut at the bus stop even at 5.30am. Other travel agency only open at 8am. Including mine. Sigh.

Don’t be afraid if you arrive at 5am coz there’s few restaurants that already open and you can hang out there. And there’s surau nearby. And there’s also parking lot that charged you on day-to-day basis. Suitable for those for drive to Kuala Besut.

For snorkeling trip, there are many prices on what I observed. My travel agency (Anjung Holidays Travel Agency) charged RM 35 per person per trip but at Flora Bay Resort, they charged RM45 per person per trip. However, I already checked area of the trip cover and both showed the same place, which is marine park, turtle area, shark area and spring water. I think 1 trip would be not enough especially if you go in the evening coz the turtle couldn’t be seen. I went twice and both trips were at different place and time except the shark area. The evening trip usually at 2pm and the morning trip at 10am.

To make your snorkeling fun, bring a loaf of bread. Fishes will surround you to eat the bread. The second trip we were lucky to bring the bread coz then only I felt like a part of nature. Even bigger size of fish (a size of 2 palm hands) came to enjoy your bread. They are very gentle creature. Except 1 fish, the others never bite you. Ok, maybe they might confuse your hand with the bread once a while but it was not painful."
Source of Article: purplymoon.blogspot.com

So now, you have the tips on traveling to Perhentian Islands. For more info about Perhentian Island and the accommodation there, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. Have a nice trip to Perhentian Island.

Perhentian Island - another different point of view

noreply@blogger.com (Optima Innovations) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 05:29:00 +0000

We have heard a few reviews, comments and stories of Perhentian Island. In this entry, I would like to share with you another point of view about Perhentian Island. Here is what I’ve read from the website.

“The Perhentian Islands appear on many maps of the nineteenth and twentieth century as 'The Station Islands'. This arises from the British colonial period, as an English translation from the Malay "point to stop".

Perhentian Island also has a very beautiful beach call "Pasir Panjang" (Long Beach). It is located at Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian). It is a very beautiful white sandy beach, crystal clear water and it is the best place for picnic.

Both islands are fringed by white sand beach, and the reefs and crystalline water are host to a wide variety of coral, sea-turtles, jellyfish, small sharks and reef-fish. The islands' maximum elevation is approximately 100 m and they are uniformly covered in coastal tropical jungle, with few interior foot-trails and no roads.

Other than the owners and staff of the numerous cabin-style resorts that dot the islands (many of whom depart for the monsoon season), the islands' only permanent inhabitants live in a small fishing village on Kecil. With the exception of a single mainland-communications tower, there are no structures taller than two storeys.

In the absence of tourism, economic activity on the Perhentian Islands would be limited to small-scale fishing.Owing to the Islands' protected status, the main tourist activities are minimal in environmental impact: sunbathing, snorkeling, scuba diving, turtle and shark-watching.

The only electrical power is provided by diesel generators and is not 24-hour. Fresh water is provided by springs. In this respect, the Perhentian Islands are prized by tourists as an 'escape' from the modern world.

As the state of Terengganu follows Islamic customs, the consumption of alcohol and wearing of immodest clothing are discouraged. In order not to offend local inhabitants, tourists are advised to consume alcohol discreetly and to wear one-piece bathing costumes. No penalties are imposed on tourists for 'breaches' of the local customs, however.

The only access to the Islands is by boat from the fishing villages of Kuala Besut and Tok Bali. Local tourist operators run fishing boats and speed boats several times a day.”
Source of Article: travelyourself.blogspot.com/2007/07/perhentian-island-malaysia.html

So, if you want to know more about Perhentian Island, feel free to visit www.tunabay.com.my. You can also get information about the accommodation on Perhentian Island from this website.