The Definitive Guide to Redang Island, Malaysia

The Definitive Guide to Redang Island, Malaysia

Redang Island is one of the perfect examples of why Malaysia is considered the perfect vacation destination. It’s home to one of the country’s most beautiful beaches and a lush forest that’s begging to be explored!

If you wish to visit this tropical paradise soon, we’ve got you covered! We created this guide so you’ll know everything you need about your trip, from the best time to visit to things you can do on the island—and more!

Best Time to Go

The best time to visit Redang Island is from March to October, as these are considered the dry months of the year. Visiting during these months is great because you can enjoy all the activities that the island offers without being hindered by rainfall.

However, do keep in mind that most of these months are also considered peak times. This means that you may encounter more visitors and more expensive prices when you’re booking flights and hotels so do keep that in mind.

On the other hand, you can visit during September and October if you want to avoid these inflated rates.

Furthermore, if you’re planning on diving and snorkelling, the best time to visit Redang Island is between May and August. This is when there’s no chance of strong winds and the island’s marine life comes out to showboat and greet visitors from around the world.

Things to Know

Currency: Malaysian Ringgit

(Check the current exchange rate)

Language: Malay, English

Calling Code: +60

Location: South China Sea

Total Islands: 9

Archipelago: Redang Archipelago

District: Kuala Nepus

How to Get There 

Plane: Riding the plane is the fastest way to get to Redang Island but it’s also the most expensive. If you’re planning on flying, we recommend going to Kuala Terengganu Sultan Mahmood (TGG), which is the airport nearest to Redang.

Ferry: The only other way to get to the island is via ferry. The main stations that will take you to the tropical paradise are Merang and Shabandar Jetty, with the former being the ones with more frequent trips to the island.

It’s also worth noting that booking a stay at one of the island’s resorts would typically come with a roundtrip transfer from these jetties. 

Where to Stay

The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort

Address: Peti Surat 126, Main Post Office, 20928 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 9-630 8888

Pricing: $$$

Book Now

If you’re seeking to live lavishly during your trip to the island, there’s no better place to stay than The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort. This place is located on the beachfront so expect to witness magnificent views of the South China Sea throughout your stay!

Aside from views, however, there are a lot of things to highlight about this resort, with the most obvious one being its world-class spa. Here, you can wind down and kiss your built-up stress away, as you’re being treated to one of the best massages in your lifetime.

Redang Beach Resort

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 3-2031 5079

Pricing: $$

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Redang Beach Resort is one of the most complete accommodation options on the island. Here, you’ll have the pleasure of having easy access to recreational and essential facilities like outdoor swimming pools, mini convenience stores, coffee shops and more.

Not only that but the rooms themselves are worth highlighting as well because of their affordable price and high quality. These rooms are fitted with all the necessary amenities you need for a comfortable stay, and you’ll get to stay on the beachfront – what more could you ask for?

Laguna Redang Island Resort

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 9-630 7888

Pricing: $$

Book Now

Laguna Redang Island Resort is a relatively affordable resort that doesn’t feel cheap because of the quality of its rooms and amenities. Here, you’ll get to stay in spacious and comfortable rooms that will make you feel like you’re living in a palace that overlooks a glistening sea.

Aside from its rooms, this hotel also shines bright with its facilities like the outdoor swimming pool/jacuzzi, KTV bar and gift shop. If you’re feeling adventurous, they can also arrange a diving package for you and your loved ones to make your trip extra memorable!

Coral Redang Island Resort

From qiliecr

Address: Redang Island, Pulau Redang, 20000 Pasir Panjang, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 9-630 7110

Pricing: $$

If you’re travelling on a budget, we recommend staying at Coral Redang Island Resort. This relatively affordable lodging option may be cheap, but it will make every penny spent worthwhile with its spacious and comfortable rooms.

The facilities aren’t too shabby as well, more specifically, the outdoor pool where you can relax and pass the time. The resort is also located on the beachfront so you only have to take a few steps before you can bury your feet on the island’s white sand – an absolute win indeed!

Sari Pacifica Resort & Spa Redang Island

Address: 449, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Chow Kit, 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Phone: +603 9770 1055

Pricing: $$

Book Now

If you want to be pampered during your stay on the island, booking a room at Sari Pacifica Resort & Spa Redang Island is the move to make! Not only will this establishment treat you with high-quality rooms, but you can also avail of their fantastic spa services!

Furthermore, they feature a myriad of facilities like restaurants and pools to keep guests happy and satisfied. The biggest highlight of staying here, however, is the recreation and dive centre, which lets you prepare properly before going into the depths of the sea.

Where to Eat

RedangMoon-Vitamin Sea Kitchen

Address: Unnamed Road, Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 16-217 8054

Pricing: $$

Website

RedangMoon-Vitamin Sea Kitchen offers an amazing cliffside dining experience that you have to try if you’re one to bask in amazing foods while eating. Here, you’ll get to feast on delicious dishes made from seafood and vegetables that they harvested themselves!

We can’t say for sure which one on their menu is the best because they constantly change things up, which is a great spin. Regardless of when you visit, however, you can expect that what you’re eating is their fresh catch of the day—yum!

Pelangi Bistro

Pelangi Bistro
(Photo from: Redang Pelangi Resort)

Address: Pasir Panjang, Pulau Redang, 20000 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 12-526 1335

Pricing: $-$$

Website

Pelangi Bistro offers one of the most picturesque dining experiences on the island, being located in a majestic white sand bar. These beautiful surroundings make it a great place to chill and wind down while downing some refreshing drinks and eating delicious dishes.

Speaking of dishes, the ones they serve here will be familiar to guests of all ages like pizza, waffles, pasta and other international staples. These dishes are perfect to pair with their wide array of smoothies – perfect to cool down on a sunny day on the island!

Luna Bar

Luna Bar
(Photo from: Luna Bar)

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 13-309 4197

Pricing: $$

Website

Luna Bar is a great option if you’re looking for a more laid-back dining experience. It’s located by the beachside so you’ll get the pleasure of hearing the relaxing sound of the waves crashing into the shore as you eat your favourite dishes.

While it is technically a bar, we had to highlight it here because of the solid dishes they serve along with their delicious concoctions of drinks. Out of all the dishes from their menu, however, we have to recommend the pizza, as it’s delicious and perfect for sharing!

Summer Point

From abouttravel.my

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 3-2031 5079

Pricing: $-$$

Website

Summer Point is a hip spot in Redang Island that we highly recommend if you’re looking for nightlife and delicious dishes rolled into one. This bar/restaurant features a unique fusion of Chinese and Malaysian cuisine. Are you salivating yet?

If you time your visit correctly, you may even be treated to some live music while you’re eating! Trust us, nothing beats listening to soothing music while hearing the sound of the sea in the background as you feast on delicious dishes.

Kopitiam Redang Beach

From samantha_jiahuey

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Phone: +60 12-735 6709

Pricing: $$

Website

If you’re looking for a spot where you can just wind down and sip on some expertly made coffee drinks, you must stop by Kopitiam Redang Beach. Not only that but this humble cafe also features some delicious quick bites and local delicacies that are to die for like nasi lemak!

One of the best combinations you can order in this cafe is any of their coffee drinks paired with kaya toast. This match made in heaven is perfect for breakfast and afternoon tea time while being serenaded by the sounds of the sea.

What to Do on Redang Island

Go scuba diving to admire the island’s diverse marine life

From seamonkeydivecentreredang

Since Redang Island’s waters are a protected marine park, it’s a no-brainer to go scuba diving at least once during your visit. You won’t regret it too, as you’ll get to witness an extremely diverse marine life that’s spread throughout 10 different diving sites.

If you haven’t tried this activity yet, don’t worry. The island features several diving schools that can grant you a certificate after completing their courses, leaving you swimming like Ariel in no time!

Meet friendly sea creatures while snorkelling

From redangislandresort

Snorkelling is a great alternative to scuba diving if you don’t want to head far out into the sea but still want to admire beautiful marine life. Plus, this activity is much cheaper than scuba diving and doesn’t require a certificate so win-win!

Thanks to the island’s pristine condition, you can meet various kinds of species in its waters like clownfish, baby sharks, sea turtles and of course, coral reefs! Going snorkelling in Redang isn’t exclusive to one island too, as you can also visit its small neighbouring islands.

Pro tip:

Make sure to visit from the months of April to August to make sure that you get full visibility of the island’s marine life.

Discover marvellous wildlife while jungle trekking

From lagunaredangislandresort

One thing you should know about Redang Island is that it’s more than just glistening waters and white sand. It also features a bunch of jungle trails that will test your trekking skills!

Don’t worry though, as you’ll be rewarded with sightings of beautiful fauna and flora during your journey. Some of the most interesting species you may come across during your trek include deer mice, monkeys, macaques and monitor lizards just to name a few.

Pro tips: 

  • We recommend doing this activity early in the morning so the temperature will be pleasant for walking for extended hours. Plus, this will let you admire a beautiful sunrise – a perfect way to start the day.
  • Some popular routes that we recommend you explore on the island include:

— Pasir Panjang/Long Beach to Teluk Dalam

— Long Beach to Teluk Kalong

— Tanjung Mak Chantek

Learn more about sea turtles at the SEATRU Turtle Lab

From thetaarasmalaysia

One of the things that Redang Island is famously known for is its sea turtles. You can easily spot these friendly creatures roaming around during one of your snorkelling and diving adventures but the best place to learn about them is at the SEATRU Turtle Lab.

Located in The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort, this place aims to educate visitors about the importance of preserving these animals. It also features an incubator where people can get a chance to see these adorable creatures come to life.

Pro tip:

  • If you want to witness something memorable, we recommend visiting from May to July, as this is when the turtles lay eggs. Aside from that, you can also witness their release into the sea from around April to October.

Take tons of photos at the Redang Maldives

Redang Maldives is one of the most unique-looking sand bars near the island because of its otherworldly crescent moon shape. Because of this appearance, tourists and locals alike flock toward the island to take hundreds upon thousands of photos – and you should too!

The sight of white sand surrounded by beautiful cerulean waters is a scenery that you must keep in your memory or on your phone. You’ll usually stop by this island if you’ve arranged a snorkelling package on Pulau Redang so you won’t have to worry about missing out on it!

Relax by the beach

From igredangisland

You don’t always have to engage in fast and thrilling activities when you’re in Pulau Redang. Sometimes, it’s nice to slow down and just relax by the beach while being treated to a beautiful view of cerulean waters as far as the eye can see.

You can also go to one of the beach’s bars and sip on your favourite drink while getting tanned! If that’s not enough, you can also dip into the beautiful crystal clear waters and experience relaxation at its finest.

Test your kayaking skills with a plus-one

From malaysiafoodandtravel

One of the ways you can enjoy the beautiful waters that surround the island is by kayaking. You can do this alone but we recommend bringing a plus one along to test your teamwork or to simply have someone by your side if you’re scared to go alone.

There are also these things called “crystal kayaks”, which feature a fully transparent material so you can admire the bustling marine life underneath while you’re kayaking. 

You can easily rent kayaks around the island, more commonly in resorts!

Feast on fresh seafood

From igredangisland

A huge advantage of staying on an island like this is that you’ll get to eat the freshest seafood of your life. Several restaurants here feature menus that are made with catches made on the same day – it couldn’t get any fresher than this!

Some of the unique dishes that we recommend you try on this island include kelopor lekor and telur kubis, which are Redang’s specialty. The former is a type of sausage that’s made with fish while the latter is more of an omelette kind of dish that also consists of fish.

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind nightlife experience
(Photo from: Redang Beach Resort)

If you think that the night is still young, we recommend heading to Long Beach to satisfy your inner night owl. You’ll find various bars and restaurants that serve delicious meals and drinks and the best part is that they’re open until late at night!

Live music is commonly played in these establishments from Friday to Sunday, creating a lively atmosphere on the island. In some resorts, you can even sing your heart out in karaoke

Hunt for nocturnal animals

Hunt for nocturnal animals
(Photo from: Wikimedia)

If your idea of an exciting nightlife is observing nature, then you’re on the right island! Come nighttime, various nocturnal animals will be visible around the island such as crabs, mudskippers and ostracods.

These interesting creatures are interesting to observe, especially ostracods, as they emit blue light to attract a mate – talk about showboating. They’re also responsible for the blue tears phenomenon, which can also be seen on other beaches in the country like Tusan.

Admire a beautiful sunset

From igredangisland

Although one could argue that you can enjoy gorgeous sunsets everywhere, nothing beats the one seen on Redang Island. There are different ways to observe it too!

Some people like to simply take a romantic stroll across the beach as the sky slowly turns from orange into black. Meanwhile, others prefer to charter a boat and watch as the sun disappears from the horizon – pretty cool!

Where to Shop

Mini Mart

Mini Mart
(Photo from: Redang Beach Resort)

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Website

If you feel like you’ve under-packed for your trip and you’re missing some necessities, don’t worry! There’s a convenience store located at Redang Beach Resort that’s open until 10 PM, where you can buy stuff like snacks, toiletries, etc.

More More Tea Inn

More More Tea Inn
(Photo from: Laguna Redang Island Resort)

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Website

More More Tea Inn is a famous gift shop on the island located in Laguna Redang Island Resort. It’s frequented by visitors, as it offers cute and affordable knick-knacks that are perfect as souvenirs.

Also, fun fact: did you know that this store was originally built just to be part of the background for the blockbuster Hong Kong film, Mummy Tea in Summer? Fortunately, it managed to maintain its charm and is still a photo-worthy destination on the island today.

Summer Collection

Address: Pulau Redang, 21090 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Website

Summer Collection is the best place to go shopping on the island mainly because of its sheer variety. Here, you’ll get to choose from different collections such as beachwear, loungewear, gifts, bags and more!

If you’re looking for more traditional souvenirs, they also sell keychains, plush toys and key rings! 

Apps to Download for a Trip to Redang Island

Travel Malaysia: A pocket travel guide to Malaysia

iOs | Android

Maps.me: Offline map of the world

iOs | Android

XE Currency App: Real-time currency exchange rate app

iOs | Android

Google Translate: word translation with offline capabilities

iOs | Android