Posted from Kuala Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia.

The night before we left to go to the Perhentian Islands we were told as it was the weekend, it would likely be booked out and expensive. We’d received different reports on where to go to, but settled on Coral Bay on the small island. The minibus ride was an experience. Double yellow lines were considered a suggestion only, it seemed fine to overtake another car which was overtaking a motorbike which had 2 adults and 2 children on it. But we got to the boat to go to the islands alive. We bought our tickets and just made it onto the boat.

The boat was overloaded, short on life jackets and loads of fun as we roared over, bouncing all the way. We arrived in coral bay and Nici and I left the kids in the local resort whilst we went hunting for accommodation. A walk along coral bay revealed nothing left except what could only be described as a shithole of a place, for 70 ringits a night per room. Highway robbery considering it had no power point, not lights of fan during the day and it had a swamp underneath from waste water. But we were there, and the beach was ok so we stayed.

Later in the day we walked to the other side of the island to find the beach far nicer, with softer sand rather than coral intermixed with sand. Loads more places(all also full) but we set our minds on Moonlight guesthouse right up the end. Nici went back the next day, booked us in and we caught a water taxi around. We stayed one night in a poshish family room, and 3 nights in less glamorous but still fine double rooms for 90 ringgits for two rooms. With this saving and with only a little coaxing from Nash, the dive shop manager, we booked in for our advance open water dive course.

Neither Nici or I could even remember how to put our regulators on, but by the end we were fine with all equipment setup, had done a wreck dive, a deep dive and an advanced buoyancy dive. Our divemaster Sharon was really good, Nash was your typical brash Scouse boy. We’d already met dozens of lads like him so knew his heart was likely gold even though his exterior was less polished. You needed a sense of humor, and to turn off you political correctness and sexist filter which a couple at the shop struggled with. But in our case, Nash sorted out a good price, helped us change some cash, pretty much bent over backwards to make things work for us so we were well pleased. We did the course with 2 girls, Sarah from Bermuda and Rachel a Malaysian local
The diving was awesome. Look – it’s not pristine live coral abounding everywhere. We saw a lot of evidence of human damage to the coral, coral bleaching and the crown of thorns starfish were there in big numbers. But the fish were amazing, especially at the temple and sugar wreck dives. We saw giant morays, turtles, sharks (small and not scary) massive hump headed parrotfish and too many other beasties to name.
We ate out morning noon and night, with the average feed per person costing $3AU. Beer was expensive, but it’s and island so go figure. There was a party of one kind of another every night which we kind of attended once, but I was so fagged from diving I was not that keen to go more. Nici would have liked to party more. We snorkeled with the kids and they got to hand feed fish, swim with turtles and reef sharks.
The water was an amazing 32 degrees, you had to keep getting out to rehydrate.
At the guesthouse there was a cat with 4 kittens. The kittens would roam the restaurant all day till mum came to round them up for a feed. She was an excellent mother. We also made friends with Meelo the monkey. She was a little character. Rejected by her mother, hand raised by one of the staff, she lived in pretty tough conditions being on show for one and all most of the day. A large monitor lizard roamed the area and had apparently tried to eat Meelo so she would not sleep without someone there to protect her during the day even when she was exhausted. She often got tired and irritated and bit people, but if you made it clear you did not wish to make demands of her, she would run over, plonk herself in your lap, look into your eyes and chirp herself to sleep. She loved to play in the sand, and swim in the ocean. She was a bit standoffish to the kids, and scratched them both at one time of another.
The staff at moonlight were great, the kids were adopted them and were especially fond of a young woman named Boon who thought they were delightful. Zac and Deedee were especially nice and made sure we were well looked after.

It was a most relaxing fun time on a beautiful sandy island and we were very sad to leave.

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