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Town and mukim in Besut, Terengganu, Malaysia
Photo: adiput, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Kuala Besut is a small town in Terengganu, on the east coast of Malaysia. It's mainly known for being the gateway to the Perhentian Islands, though it's a fairly cute town, with many murals, colourful hotels, and old-looking wooden buildings.
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Good and basic with cold showers and fan only. Friendly hosts.
Has big, clean rooms with TV and WiFi. Good choice to stay overnight. The hotel provides the PIN for the key lockbox before check-in.
Cheap but bad quality with holes in the bed sheets and lots of mosquitos or bed bugs. Better off getting into Kuala Besut early enough to go straight to the islands.
A well sorted 2-floor supermarket near the Kuala Besut bus station and the market square. But they're not selling any alcoholic drinks.
If you still need sunscreen, toothpaste or a charger this is the place to get it.
By bus
Alternatively, you can go to Prangin Mall and ask any bus counter for a ticket to Kota Bharu (RM37 or RM38). From KB Bus terminal, follow directions under "from Kota Bharu" above.
By rail
The nearest railway station is Tanah Merah, although most travellers use Kota Bharu's better-serviced Wakaf Bahru station instead.
By plane
The nearest airport to Kuala Besut is Kota Bharu Airport (KBR). It takes 1 hour 15 mins to Kuala Besut Jetty.
The downtown area of Kuala Besut, around the jetty, is small and easily walkable.9 km from the jetty or center of downtown, though there is also some kind of taxi active at both sites.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kota Baharu · Regional · KBR
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