Perhentian Trans Holiday Sdn. Bhd. — Local services in Terengganu

AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS!

This was, by far, the WORST experience I’ve ever had traveling—not just in Malaysia, but anywhere in the world.

We booked a full trip from Taman Negara to Kuala Besut in a van and then a boat transfer to the Perhentian Islands. Things started bad and went downhill from there.

First, a 2-hour delay at the pier. Fine, we told ourselves, it’s understandable given the remote area. But then we boarded the boat, and they casually told us to wear life jackets “just in case.” What they didn’t bother to mention was that there were 3-meter waves. The ride was an absolute nightmare—90 minutes of constant pounding, people screaming, kids crying, and elderly passengers vomiting everywhere. There was no crew on board to assist us, not even to provide vomit bags. It was just the driver, and nobody cared about the passengers’ safety or comfort.

But it gets worse.

When we finally arrived at what we thought was the destination, they abandoned us at a random pier in the middle of the night. We’re two young women, and they left us there, saying a smaller boat would come to take us to our hotel. Instead, local taxi boats showed up, offering to take us for an extra fee. One of them told us to wait and then just left, leaving us completely stranded.

We were alone, in the dark, on a makeshift pier made of floating plastic barrels that swayed dangerously with every wave. The sea was rough, and we couldn’t see anything. The company’s office didn’t answer our calls, and when they finally replied to us on WhatsApp, they gave us vague excuses and zero solutions. We begged them to send someone, but they said, “No one wants to pick you up.” They even suggested we pay more to get rescued!

We ended up stranded there for over an hour, crying from fear. I have never felt so helpless or unsafe while traveling.

This company is a complete scam and absolutely reckless. We paid for a full service, but they abandoned us in the middle of the night and had the audacity to demand more money. If you care about your safety and your dignity, DO NOT book with them. Total incompetence and no regard for their customers.

Disclaimer: The screenshots were taken recently, which is why the WhatsApp timestamp reflects Spanish time (CET). At the time of the incident, the local time was +7 hours,...

The agency were very helpful and I could not fault them at all. The women are very welcoming and sorted taxis for us too, and they were excellent with communication.

We booked a return boat transfer from Kuala Besut to Perhentian Islands through them. The return journey was smooth, and we felt safe. Sea conditions were very good, I'm sure this is what the majority of their customers experience.

However, sadly, the outward journey was hell. The 'captain' was so unsafe and reckless, it felt like they were racing each other through choppy/windy seas. All of our stuff got soaked. Kids were screaming, the boat was crashing down from big heights so fast and hard. This skipper had appalling boat skills. Customers' safety and comfort should come first, yet he kept accelerating through big waves, worsening the experience. We were not informed or briefed in advance it would be a rough crossing, and I'm unsure what conditions they would cancel the service. If I was rating it on this journey and the captain, it would be much lower. Check weather and wind conditions before crossing, and I'd hope the agency would inform customers if it would be a rough crossing as this did not...

I contacted Perhantian Trans because they have a large boat, and my pregnant wife did not feel safe on the speed boat. I inquired with Perhantian Trans if they could pick us up with their large boat. On Perhantian Trans’s website, I found the WhatsApp contact for “Captain Joe.” I explained the situation with my pregnant wife and that we would feel safer on the large boat for the baby’s health. I contacted him a few days before our departure but never received a response to my messages or calls. I find such behavior not only deplorable on a human level, but I also question why someone like “Captain Joe” is responsible for customer communication. It was particularly frustrating to see that he was online on WhatsApp almost all day, and we were simply ignored. I cannot explain why this happened; maybe they have enough customers and don’t need the business. Very...