Redang Island Travel Guide

Redang Island, also known as Pulau Redang, is one of Malaysia’s most renowned island getaways and scuba diving destinations thanks to its rich marine life and pristine beaches. It belongs to the northeastern state of Terengganu on the Malay Peninsula and is located 45 kilometres off the mainland. Redang Island is one of the nine islands that make up the gazetted Redang Marine Park.

Redang is well-known for its beautiful beaches, clear waters and rich underwater fauna, which makes it one of the top places in Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast for diving and snorkelling.

Compared to the nearby Perhentian Islands, which are popular among backpackers, Redang Island is favoured among leisure travellers for the many resort-based accommodations found on the island.

Redang's most popular beaches can be found in Teluk Dalam, Pasir Panjang and Teluk Kalong.

Teluk Dalam

Teluk Dalam consists of two stretches of beach which are Teluk Dalam Besar and Teluk Dalam Kecil and these are separated by a short rocky headland. Teluk Dalam Kecil is a private beach, home to the exclusive luxury beach resort Taaras Beach & Spa Resort. The waters of Teluk Dalam are calm and crystal-clear, making it the perfect place for a relaxing swim and snorkel session. To help you explore the island on foot, you will find a 60-minute jungle path connecting Teluk Dalam Besar’s beach to Pasir Panjang.

Pasir Panjang

The largest beach on the island is Pasir Panjang which translates to "long beach" in the Malay language. This distinct white sandy beach can be found on the east side of the island where most of the accommodation and resorts are located. A walk along the beach from Redang Reef Resort, on the southern tip, to Redang Holiday Beach Villa on the northern tip, will take you between 15 and 20 minutes.

Teluk Kalong

The three beaches found at Teluk Kalong are smaller than those at Teluk Dalam and Pasir Panjang. This is the perfect beach for travellers looking to enjoy the sun in solitude as there are relatively fewer resorts and travellers on Teluk Kalong’s beaches.

Snorkelling and Scuba Diving

The main activities travellers come to Redang for are snorkelling and scuba diving. Most, if not all, of the resorts on Redang offers diving and snorkelling packages for trips around the island and neighbouring islands. The sea surrounding Redang is relatively calm, suitable for beginners learning to snorkel or dive, however, the waters further offshore from the island can have fairly strong currents. Some resorts have swimming pools if you prefer to swim in freshwater.

Visit Pulau Lima and Surrounding Islands

Pulau Lima in Malays means "five islands". It is one of the most beloved islands within the Redang Marine Park as it is famed for having an abundance of stunning coral reefs.

Easily accessible from the resorts in Redang Island, there are good diving spots to be found on every corner of Pulau Lima. Among the most popular dive spots here are Big Mount in the north, and Black Coral Garden in the west, with its large fields of anemone and other soft corals.

Beach Sports and Activities

Besides snorkelling and diving, travellers can also relax on the many beautiful beaches of Redang or partake in fun watersports such as sea kayaking. Jet skis and water skis are not made available on the island to protect the coral reefs.

Redang has a tropical climate with temperatures averaging around 30°C. Brief rainfall and thunderstorms happen regularly on the island.

Just like many parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Redang is affected by the Northeast monsoon between October and March. During these months, most of the resorts are closed and the transport to the island is heavily restricted.

Meanwhile, the dry season falls between April to August.

There are no direct flights to the island. Travellers will have to journey to Kuala Terengganu first, either by flight or land transportation, and head to the island by sea.

There are two modes of transportation from the mainland to the island: by boat and by ferry.

Travellers opting to go by boat can head to Merang Jetty and purchase a one-way ticket to Redang for RM40. The travel time is about 40 minutes.

Travellers opting to go by ferry can head to Shahbandar Jetty instead. The ferry is operated by the Berjaya Resorts between March to October. The ferry is primarily used for guests staying in the resorts, but it can also take non-guests if there are empty slots available. The fare costs RM110 for a return ticket and the journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way.

The island itself is small and there is no public transportation to connect different parts of the island. Travellers wishing to visit the different beaches will have to charter a boat as there are no established water taxi services.

The resorts on the islands will have their own restaurants that travellers can dine in, although, they can get quite pricey. There are also a couple of restaurant options outside the resorts, such as Sandfly Cafe and Redang Laguna Food Court, both located on Pasir Panjang.

There are not many shops available on Redang Island, however, visitors can find a limited selection of tourist souvenirs and clothing.

Accommodation on the island is limited to only mid-range and luxurious resort stays. There are currently no options for backpackers.

Most of the accommodations are located on Pasir Panjang and are equipped with air conditioning. There are only a handful of other resorts located elsewhere on the island in Teluk Dalam and Teluk Kalong.

Remember to bring sunblock and proper beachwear as travellers will spend most of the time on the beach and in the waters. Packing some water bottles and snacks would be a wise choice since those sold in the island’s convenient store or resorts’ gift shops can be expensive. For those who get seasick easily, purchasing some motion sickness pills is recommended.

In terms of clothing, bikinis and swimwear are acceptable. However, going naked or topless is heavily frowned upon.