Sea water sprayed our faces as we flew across the waves. The ropes securing our pile of bags threatened to give way to the violent crashing. Taking my mind of the nausea I concentrated on the couple sitting next to us, trying to make sense of their thick Bavarian accents. In about thirty minutes we would be unloading at a little couplet of islands off the eastern Malaysian coast; Pulau Pehrentian.

Thus far, Malaysia had been a very impressive country. Surprisingly modern cities and people, an immaculate public transportation system, and an elegant melting pot of cultures and traditions. The previous country on our journey, Australia, had me convinced that nowhere else on the planet could possibly contain such flawless beaches and waters. The Pehrentian Islands however, proved to be equally if not more gorgeous.

For centuries the two Islands Kecil (little) and Besar (big) were small fishing villages for a handful of lucky locals of mixed heritages; Malay, Filipino, and Thai. Only recently did the first travelers set foot on the beautiful white sands to wade in the crystal clear waters of the islands. The locals have since discovered they can make ten times the money for half the work by catering to those seeking to soak in such unparalleled beauty.

We stayed on the little Island (Kecil), which is less developed, in a quaint wooden bungalow for $12 per night. Many hours a day were well spent laying on smooth baby-butt white sand under long palm trees while listening to the waves crash from the warm, crystal blue waters.

On our $10 snorkel tour around the Pehrentian Islands, the spots we visited were strikingly true to their names. “Sharks Point” was actually filled with reef tip sharks darting left and right searching for the next kill; “Rainbow Cove” contained a remarkable myriad of colorful fish and coral; “Turtle Bay,” you guessed it, tons of turtles. One sight was covered with brown coral housing bright beautiful neon anemones teeming with true clownfish! The clownfish get particularly aggressive when you dive towards their ‘nest.’ The largest of them will come out to fight you as the littler glowing orange specs stare at you from their home, hiding behind poisonous neon fingers swaying with the tides. If you get really up in their faces, these brave, fierce warriors will actually dart and attack your goggles, to hastily retreat into the safety of their home.

Afternoons on the island you’ll find yourself sipping a smoothie and eating fresh fruit, while watching a pirated version of your favorite movie in one of the many restaurants along the beach. It is impossible not to make friends with the laid back travelers from all parts of the world. At night the beach glows with flames from bonfires and torches lining the ocean. Each hostel has its own little party where everyone meets to dance, chat, and sip some of the local brewed Orangutan ‘whiskey’ (which really tastes more like nail polish, but moonshine is all you can hope for in predominantly Muslim Malaysia).

For $6 per person Jessica and I took a boat trip with a Swedish couple Bob and Maddie. Our guides were two fishermen with masks and spears trying to make a little extra cash. They spoke almost no English, but we put our trust in them, and they showed us an unforgettable time! Thirty minutes away from the Pehrentian beaches floated another collection of tiny, uninhabited islands. The snorkeling was even more flawless than before, and the pure 100% isolation from the whole world was a priceless experience. One guide used his spear to spill fish blood and attract reef sharks for us to swim with (probably very illegal). We attracted one cute baby shark, who seemed to genuinely regret the decision to follow his nose after sighting six massive pink and brown blobs floating in the water.

The days we spent on the islands were too few. Later we would visit the famous Thai islands Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, and Koh Samui, only to be slightly disappointed in comparison to the Pehrentian islands. These islands are under constant construction trying to keep up with increasing demand of visitors. Development is slow and the islands still remain a quaint, relaxing, remote place to visit. Within the next ten years however, there is sure to be a booming tourist industry like the Thai islands. So go there now while it still has all its charm!

Written by: David Jackson