Redang island, aka. Pulau Redang, just off the coast of Merang in the Terengganu state, on the eastern side of Malaysia’s peninsula, is perhaps one of the country’s best-kept secrets. Or rather, that’s what it felt like when we arrived on Redang island during the Hari Raya period, a major holiday in the country and a very popular time for local tourism in Malaysia.
We had expected the little Redang island to be packed with locals since we were aware that Malaysian people enjoyed travelling to the beaches during this time of year, just after Ramadan, when the kids were off school. If you’re looking for a slightly “slow live” island in Malaysia compared to Pulau Redang, check out our blog post about Redang Island.
Pulau Redang – Why You Shouldn’t Miss It
I bet you can imagine this excitement and joy that I felt walking on the white beach, putting frangipani up my hair, drinking coconuts, and finally swimming with turtles for the first time in my life. Where did I get to do this? The answer is Pulau Redang, the ultimate tropical paradise in Malaysia!
Malaysia has lots of paradise-like destinations to offer. Langkawi, the Perhentian islands, Pulau Tioman, just to name a few. Redang happens to be the only one that I visited, so I can’t really compare them but for me, Redang is my new personal paradise. Now that you decided to go to Pulau Redang (aka Paradise!) I will help you to organise the trip by giving you all the information needed to have the perfect getaway.
How to get to Redang island (Pulau Redang)
Pulau Redang Jetty @ Merang Jetty is the jumping-off point to Redang island.
We took boat transfer & other activities services from the primary service provider, Kapas Marine Boat Services, which has an office just by the jetty.
Penang to Merang Jetty
We took an overnight bus to Kuala Terengganu from Koptar Bus Station in Penang at 10 pm for RM35 (about €7) each. Buses in Malaysia are extremely comfortable with reclining seats and air-con. It gets really cold at night. So be sure to have a jacket or warm clothes handy on your journey! Buses on this route are scheduled throughout the day and can be booked directly at the offices near Komtar Tower.
The trip was about 8 hours long, so we arrived around 6 am and took a taxi to Merang Jetty from Kuala Terengganu for RM30 (€6). We might have been overcharged for the 30-minute ride, but we were too tired to wait for a bus, especially knowing we needed to catch an early boat from the jetty to Redang Island.
Kuala Lumpur to Merang Jetty
Kuala Terengganu is also served by direct buses from Kuala Lumpur with a journey time of around 6-7 hours. The tickets cost around Rm44 (about €9).
Merang Jetty to Redang Island:
The ticket for the ferry to Redang Island, which we had already booked online from Kapas Marine Boat Services, cost Rm80 each, both ways. Various tour packages, including ferry and accommodation, can be arranged with different tour operators, but of course, we suggest dealing with Kapas Marine Boat Services .
We did manage to take the boat back from the jetty near our Laguna Redang Island Resort (where we were staying) though, after having informed Kapas Marine Boat Services of our intention to leave – a day’s notice was sufficient.
Pulau Redang accommodation
There are few Redang Island accommodation options, Tourists rarely seemed to venture much further afield than the beach on which their resort is located – the beaches are all beautiful, and staying close to the resort where you can keep your stuff is convenient.
Resorts at the main Redang Island are:
- Laguna Redang Island Resort
- Redang Beach Resort
- The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort
- Redang Bay
- Redang Reef
- Redang Lagoon Resort
- Redang Pelangi Resort
- Redang Mutiara Beach Resort
- Redang Island Resort
- Sari Pacifica
- Redang Holiday Beach Resort
- Redang Delima
What to do on Redang island (Pulau Redang)
1. Chill on the beaches in Redang island
The best activity on Redang island is to practice being a beach bum! Lie on the beach, get a tan, swing from a hammock in the shade of the coconut trees and enjoy the ultra-slow life on the island.
2. Snorkelling in The Bay
I would totally recommend bringing your own snorkeling gear with you, as I find it disgusting when putting something in my mouth that was in many other mouths before. You can find some beautiful snorkelling gear at a very good price at Decathlon, but of course there are more options! There are several options for snorkelling in Redang so let’s start with the obvious one. You can start directly at the left and right side of the bay. There you can see various beautiful fish all day long. They come in all different shapes and sizes, so I promise you, it won’t get boring!
If you are very lucky you might be able to spot a turtle there too, as they sometimes come to play in this area.
3. Snorkeling Tour
I also attended a snorkeling tour, organised by Kapas marine. Our first stop was at a coral reef which was quite interesting. There was a lot of fish and coral to see. I was even lucky enough to see clownfish (Aka Nemo – for the uncultured swines among you.) But at the same time it was also devastating to see how the reef is suffering. Most of the corals were dead or dying and I felt so bad to contribute to that, as I had to buy sunscreen and on the island they only sell Nivea (not reef proof.)
The second stop on this tour was the Marine Park and I have to admit that I didn’t like this one. Instead of going snorkeling with trillions of other tourists, I decided to sit down and to read and this wasn’t too bad either.
4. Swimming With Turtles
But there is one major highlight, I already talked about on my blog and that is swimming with turtles!
After being sad about not seeing anything breathtaking on my snorkeling trip I decided to do something I would always recommend to you: I talked to the concierge. I told her that I wish to see the turtles so badly and she organized that I could hire a private boat that would bring us directly to the turtles.Next thing I knew that I was surrounded by the most amazing animals and that I could pet and feed them. It was an eye-opening experience that only strengthened my will to live a plastic free life, so I don’t contribute to the plastic crisis! After the turtle bay we also visited two other snorkeling sides we really enjoyed and even stood on a sandbank before returning to the bay!
So I think you can skip the snorkeling trip and should hire the private boat directly if you want the best experience possible!
5. Beach Soccer or Volleyball
From time to time, you will find a net on the beach for playing volleyball. In the evening, when the sun isn’t burning your head and the hot sand isn’t burning your feet anymore the guests of the resorts come together and play.
Don’t be shy, ask them if you can play with them. Worst case would be they say no. But then you didn’t miss the chance. They will miss their best player instead.
6. Playing in The Ocean
If you aren’t down for putting your head underneath the surface, this is fine too. The beach is so nice and the water is incredibly warm, very nice to swim in. Perfect for a short refreshment or a long swim if you prefer. Some even had a fight with throwing wet sand at each other. (Somehow I wanted to join them.)
Where to eat on Redang island
Being on a tropical island comes with the joy of having sea food all day long! Good news is you can’t go wrong with anything. Every restaurant we tried was a total win. My two recommendations are to visit the seafood bbq at the Laguna Redang which takes place every Saturday and costs Rm75. And the second tip is the restaurant at the left side of the bay, that is located directly at the rocks!
Tips for visiting Redang island
Sundry shops
There are sundry shops in most resorts selling daily essentials, snacks, drinks, tidbits, souvenirs and even beachwear so you don’t need to bring everything with you, although these may not carry a wide variety. There are also many food and beverage outlets especially at Pasir Panjang. Beer and alcoholic drinks are available for purchase by non-Muslims at some of these outlets.
Banks and ATM machines
There are no banks and no cash withdrawal machines (ATM) on Redang and at Merang. If you need to use banking facilities, use those in KT before going to Redang. The majority of resorts at Redang now accept credit cards so you need cash only for things like souvenirs, food, snacks and drinks from the various cafes.
Medical facilities
There are in-house medical doctors with basic clinics at Laguna and Berjaya that are available to visitors from other resorts too so there is no need to bring a lot of first-aid supplies except for your own personal medication. Emergency medical cases are usually rushed back to the mainland for treatment.
Initially we had wondered whether four nights on Redang island would be an overkill, but had we not had transport and accommodation already booked on Kapas Island (our next stop), we would have been happy to spend more time in one of our favourite destinations in Malaysia. We hope that our Pulau Redang blog will convince you that Redang Island is one of Malaysia’s top destinations!
“Nak Dapatkan Pakej dan Trip Pulau Redang Terbaik?”
Jangan risau. Anda Sudah Berada Di Tempat Yang Tepat ! Kami Adalah Syarikat Yang menguruskan pelbagai aktiviti pelancongan di Pulau Redang dan penginapan Di Pulau Redang, Jom Travel Like A Local Bersama Kami Kapas Marine !