Experience the best of Kuala Besut

Kuala Besut lies at the mouth of the Besut River on the north-east coast of the Malay Peninsula in Terengganu, close to the Kelantan border. It is a working fishing town, with painted boats along the river, a market selling dried fish and a busy jetty from which small boats cross to the Perhentian Islands in about forty minutes.

The Perhentian islands, Kecil and Besar, have white-sand coves, clear water and coral reefs for snorkelling and diving, with turtles often seen. On the mainland, Bukit Keluang, a hill south of town, has a quiet beach below a lookout over the South China Sea. Kota Bharu in Kelantan lies a drive to the north-west, and Kuala Terengganu a drive to the south.

Keropok lekor, a chewy fried or boiled fish sausage sold by roadside stalls, is Terengganu's best-known snack, and nasi dagang, rice cooked in coconut milk and served with fish curry, is a breakfast favourite. The north-east monsoon from November to February brings heavy swells and closes the island services, and boats run through the drier months from March to October.