Hotels in Kuala Besut

Kuala Besut is a subdistrict or “mukim” located in the district of Besut, state of Terengganu, Malaysia. It is located slightly more northern than the other districts with Kelantan at its border. As such, it is much easier to access Kuala Besut from Kelantan rather than from within Terengganu. This town is used to be a major fishing port. Nonetheless, it has enjoyed more development these days. This is credited to its position of being a major entry point for visitors before going to Perhentian Island, which is one of the top tourist destinations in the country.

Among such developments are the construction of a mariner by the Marine Department of Malaysia to accommodate sailing boats and luxury boats to drop by Kuala Besut. Malays are the major residents followed by Chinese and Siamese being other ethnicities that lived in Besut. The town residents, as well as its fellow district residents, identify themselves to be more Kelantanese than Terengganuan. This is exhibited in the ways they speak – they do not speak using the Terengganuan Malay accent like most people in Terengganu does, but they speak Kelantanese Malay. One of the folklores commonly told by the people here is that Besut once belonged to Kelantan, however the Sultan has handed the district to Terengganu over a loss suffered in a cockfight competition.

How to Get There

By Plane

Kuala Besut can be accessed by by boarding flights to Kelantan. There are flights to Kota Bharu provided by Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia. From the airport, guests may hail up a taxi or public transportation to Kuala Besut.

By Car

People driving from Kuala Lumpur may drive through the Kuala Lumpur-Gua Musang Highway and exiting at Central Spine Route 8 before continuing the journey towards Kuala Besut. The journey could take up around six hours.

By Bus

The express bus terminal is located at Kampung Gertak Seratus, Besut. Take the trip directly to Kuala Besut from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) terminal using express bus services such as Queen Express or Perdana Express.

Tourist Attractions

Bukit Keluang Beach

Bukit Keluang Beach is located nearby Kuala Besut and three kilometres from the Air Tawar beach which is also famous. It was once used as a hiding place for the pirates but now has been developed for tourism purposes, which has attracted the local boy scouts to organize their camps here. The structure of the beach is unique in which it has rocky trails and small caves. There is a walking platform that can be utilized by the visitors to venture through each caves and beaches nearby to experience their natural beauty. There is a resort nearby for a quick stay for visitors after the long walk.

Perhentian Island

Another interesting place and definitely a must to visit when visitors are in Kuala Besut is the Perhentian Island itself. Getting its name from the word “perhentian” which means a stopping point, it is a popular tourist destination with wide range of accommodations suitable for any kinds of budget. The locals around here can also speak English in addition to the widely spoken Kelantanese Malay hence it will not be a major issue to go around the place. Perhentian Island is in fact, a group of coral-fringed islands which consists of Perhentian Besar, Perhentian Kecil and other smaller uninhabited islands which are located 19 kilometres off the coast. From the jetty in Kuala Besut, one can expect 30-45 minutes travelling via speedboat to reach the island. The major and pretty much the sole selling point of the island is its pristine white beaches and the presence of numerous diving and snorkelling spots. Besides that, there are also some jungle trekking and turtle preservation activities happening around the island which are open to visitors too.

Hotels

Samudera Hotel

A decent hotel situated in Jalan Masjid, Besut. A clean and minimalistic two-star hotel with basic facilities such as satellite cable television, shower, private bathroom and WiFi.