Let me give away the ending right at the start: this was the most beautiful tropical island we had ever seen. We had moved up to a whole new level. From now on, no check-in and no “feet on holiday” photo will give us quite the same feeling. Still, life is long, isn’t it? Without making any more grand statements, let’s get to the story :)

We had been in Malaysia for about four months, and every time we researched a place online before travelling, we read about “crystal-clear waters and wonderful beaches.” Try impressing someone who has seen and swum in Çeşme, Alaçatı, Kaş, and Kalkan! Naturally, we had always turned up our noses at both the beaches and the murky water. We were not expecting anything different this time — until we stepped off the ferry and saw the water. The sea was blue and green in shades we had never seen before, while the island was green as far as the eye could see. We had already taken dozens of photos before reaching the shore. Because there is no jetty, our small transfer boat from the ferry approached the beach, and our eyes widened with delight. When we landed, tractors were waiting to take us to our hotel. Yes, we went to our hotel by tractor because there are no roads on the island. It was a complete Survivor experience.

This is what life looks like sometimes ;)

The first view that will greet you :)

Redang Island, or Pulau Redang as the locals call it, lies off Malaysia’s east coast. Very close to the other popular destination of the Perhentian Islands, Redang may have the most beautiful and clearest water in Malaysia.

You find yourself thinking that paradise must be a place like this — only without the flies :)

WHAT TO DO ON REDANG ISLAND

Redang is essentially a large jungle surrounded by sea. There are no local villages or towns. The only major development is the airport built to open the island to tourism, along with the hotels beside its magnificent beaches. In that sense, things to see on Redang are limited to the beach and the sea. The island attracts many visitors who come primarily to dive. Others come simply to enjoy the beach and crystal-clear water, but diving is the main draw. Most hotel programmes focus on diving rather than sightseeing. Alongside snorkelling trips, you can take a PADI certification course, go on professional day or night scuba dives, or simply stretch out on your sun lounger and build castles from the wonderful sand.

There are also tours that collect you from your hotel towards evening to watch the sunset. Even aside from the sunset, circling the island and seeing this magnificent scenery makes the trip worthwhile.

If only the sun had set the other way around…

Because almost ninety per cent of the island’s visitors are taken out on snorkelling tours three times a day, the island is almost deserted during the day. Only those who stay behind get to enjoy the endless blue water and brilliant white sand. Toward evening, when the tours return, the beach turns into a festival. Some people are exhausted; others still have enough energy to play football or volleyball. Then there are the couples taking evening walks along the sand. Entertainment here is pleasantly simple: people can have fun without a beach club or bar, just as we did when we were children :)

Sometimes all the boats arrive at once, just like the Normandy landings

While everyone is diving, this beautiful beach sits alone, looking a little forlorn :)

There are three places with live music in the evening, two of which play almost exclusively Chinese music because the island is largely dominated by Chinese holidaymakers. If you happened to have yuan with you, I am sure you could spend it here without changing it. Naturally, the food and entertainment are Chinese too. We still spent some time at one place, deciding that music is universal. It was fun, even though we found ourselves among Chinese youngsters waving lighters during romantic songs :) Laguna Redang, which plays English-language music, hosts a band led by a very sweet Malay uncle who genuinely believes he is Santana. Otherwise, you can simply curl up somewhere and embrace island life. The service is good and the drinks are decent.

No comment!

I think the most important activity here, apart from diving, is proposing marriage. Yes, you read that correctly: proposing :) In front of every hotel are little wooden, draped spaces like the ones in the photos. “Cabana” is probably the closest description. With a reservation, they place a table in the middle and provide a waiter who stays nearby throughout the evening. Some businesses use heart-shaped LED lights; others carve a heart in the sand and place candles inside. Your feet in the sand, the person you love in front of you, the sound of the sea behind you… But there is one catch: as you can see in the photos, you will not be alone at this dinner. It is so fascinating that the whole island takes photos and stops to watch. Still, you may be able to pull off your proposal :)

A “marriage-proposal spot”

WHAT TO EAT ON REDANG ISLAND

The kitchen at our hotel was very limited, so we had to defect to the restaurants at other resorts. Island life means you do not have many choices, but two places do their job very well: the restaurant at Redang Paradise Beach Hotel and the restaurant at Laguna Redang Resort. Paradise was relatively affordable and served some of the best noodles we ate. Laguna Redang Resort did not disappoint with its more Western-style menu.

Don’t let the look fool you — the flavour is top-notch :)

Laguna Redang is a good choice for lunch

Are we going to swim all the time?

WHERE TO STAY ON REDANG ISLAND

We stayed at Long Beach, which is considered the island’s centre. It is the longest and busiest part of the island, with eight to ten hotels side by side. Among these Redang hotels offer two-night/three-day or three-night/four-day packages that include transport to the island, three different snorkelling trips each day, and all meals. Others focus on luxury and offer accommodation and meals only. We chose the five-star Sari Pacifica hotel and stayed in a hotel with private beachfront villas. Further back are two-storey versions of the same villas overlooking an artificial lake. We stayed in these stylish villas, with their generous space, high ceilings, and elegant decoration. These almost house-sized rooms are the hotel’s biggest asset, since the kitchen is not its strength. Although the hotel calls itself five-star, the nearby hostels cooked tastier food. We shrugged and said that nobody is perfect, then extended our reservation by three days. For next time, we have our eye on more affordable places offering all-inclusive packages. We had overlooked them because there is little information about them online, but they offer the all-inclusive tours I mentioned at very reasonable prices and have become highly professional from doing the same thing constantly.

The view from our hotel

HOW TO GET TO REDANG ISLAND

Because this wonderful island is in Malaysia, Turkish citizens do not need a visa. We could not find a flight to the airport on the island, so you need to travel to Kuala Terengganu. You can reach it by air or by road. For bus tickets, Easybook ve Busonlineticket the websites are reliable and offer many options. You reach the island by ferry from either Shahbandar or Merang Jetty. The journey takes about two hours in a very cold ferry, so bring at least a shawl. Depending on where you arrive — we came by bus from Kuala Lumpur — you may easily miss this infrequent ferry. If that happens, Kuala Terengganu offers enough for a one-day stay. If you are curious, our article is here.

WHAT TO BUY ON REDANG ISLAND

A film that became hugely popular across Southeast Asia was shot at the far end of the island. The tourism authorities later recreated the house from the film and opened a souvenir shop inside. Most of the shop sells the same things you can find elsewhere, but one detail stands out. Because bottling and selling the island’s sand is prohibited, they sell empty bottles labelled with the island’s name. You can fill one if you really want some sand, but for a more sustainable world we believe this is something to avoid not only here, but everywhere. With our public-service announcement over, we wish you holidays as beautiful as this one.

They take the weather very seriously on the island :)

The setting of the film Summer Holiday

And this is our own island-themed film.

Practical update (August 2026): This article describes our earlier visit. Ferry schedules, resort packages, sea conditions, and seasonal availability can change, so check current details with your resort and ferry operator before travelling.

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