Backpacking Coral Bay on Kecil Island

Spending some great beach time here on Kecil island was like taking a break from all the hustle of life that seems to catch up with all of us day in and day out. It’s a great place to unwind and since we were here during the end of the touristy season, it was very relaxed and uncrowded. It was as if you had all the beaches to yourself. Although we did spend our time doing a fair share of snorkeling and scuba diving while staying in Kecil in the Perhentian Islands, there is a lot more to do…

Coral Bay on Kecil Island

Coral Bay on Kecil Island

Long Beach  on Kecil Island

Long Beach on Kecil Island

From where we were staying on the quieter Coral Bay side of Kecil (the western side of the island), it was just a short walk through the woods in the middle of the island to get to Long Beach, on its opposite side.

Coral Bay to Long Beach on Kecil

The pathway connecting Coral Bay to Long Beach on Kecil

And Long Beach is arguably the best place in all of Kecil if you’re wanting to spend time on the beach since it offers the longest stretch of sand with rocks being situated only on the sides of the beach area. And off the piers (on both Coral Bay and Long Beach) there are thousands of fish swarming around. It’s a great place to rent some snorkeling gear and spend a couple of hours… which we did on our last day here. And if it weren’t for the waves, especially on the Long Beach side, you’d have thought you’re swimming in a pool as the water is so clear and warm.

Coral Bay and Long Beach at Kecil Island

Coral Bay and Long Beach at Kecil Island

Just some of those thousands of fish I was talking about by the piers…

It did rain on us one night while here and to be honest, I was quite sure the island was going to get swept away by the amount of wind that came through with the storm but it didn’t last too long and was calm and clear by morning. And one of the great things about being on Kecil island at Coral Bay was being able to eat right on the beach every night while catching the sunset. Nearly all the restaurants on the beach will bring out their tables and chairs right on the beach around 7pm.

Coral Bay on Kecil Island - On the beach

Coral Bay on Kecil Island – On the beach

Nightly BBQ grilling on Coral Bay on Kecil

Nightly BBQ grilling on Coral Bay on Kecil

Coral Bay on Kecil Island

A beach front view for dinner in Coral Bay on Kecil Island. You had to keep an eye on the tides too… it wasn’t unusual for a wave to reach your table!

And most places are grilling everything thing from shrimp and squid to chicken and many other seafood options . And of course, you would be getting this all at backpackers pricing! You couldn’t have asked for more. If you are looking to come and spend a few days on Kecil island, check out this travel article by Wiki travel for more information about the Perhentian Islands. It seemed to offer a good ‘objective’ view apart from my subjective experience for those needing additional details before coming to Kecil island.

Coral Bay Sunset on Kecil

Coral Bay Sunset on Kecil

My days here will be missed. We ended up taking the rough-riding speed boat back to Kuala Besut after a few days on Kecil. This island is a fantastic place to just enjoy beach life and is more affordable than many other places in Malaysia. And although things are a bit different, it reminded me of the 3 weeks I spent in Goa… another ‘beach haven for beach goers’… I’d recommend Kecil Island to any one looking to travel to Malaysia that is in search of a great beach spot!

Coral Bay on Kecil

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