Wanted: good food in Perhentian Islands

The nature in Perhentian Islands is breath-taking, but you can’t live on beauty. You need good food as well! Unfortunately, the islands are not a foodies’ paradise. And that’s being polite. In addition to lack of decent food, the resorts in Pulau Besar are dry. In our desperation for a meal to suit our holiday mood, we took a taxi boat to Long Beach on Pulau Kecil. Amidst plastic beach umbrellas we found a little gem of a restaurant, World Cafe. Well, we didn’t exactly stumble upon it, but had looked it up on Tripadvisor.

Fresh ingredients, light meals and attentive service on a lovely patio overlooking the beach in the evening sun – now that’s what we want on a holiday. And a glass of cold white wine for my dear friend, and the sound of the ice in my GT.

Malaysian beaches have not generally capitalised on the tourists’ need to have their holiday-burdened shoulders to be massaged, but the World cafe had a little massage parlour. We didn’t try it, or the tempting massage hut with a view between the PIR and Coral View on Pulau Besar for that matter – the prices are comparable to your local Thai Odyssey back in KL.

Back on Pulau Besar we kept returning to Paradise, a basic beach side cafe with plastic chairs. Food is simple and affordable. The Thai dishes are especially good but there was no urgency in making a sale. Beer is available from the shop next door.

On the last night we headed back to our hotel slightly later than the previous nights and walked into this pop-up restaurant on the beach. The set options consisting mostly of grilled seafood were displayed on the board and looked delicious. Could this be the place that offers just what you want on your paradise island holiday: simple good food like seafood straight from the ocean? We will be sure to check it out next time.

Planning a trip to the Perhentian Islands? Have a look at our article here.