Event videography in the Perhentian Islands

The Perhentian Islands are in Besut District, about 20 km off Kuala Besut. For a video crew, the event starts at the jetty: boats, baggage, power and weather decide what is possible.

Besar or Kecil: one decision, two settings

Perhentian Kecil is the more popular island with budget travellers, with Long Beach on the east and Coral Bay on the west. Perhentian Besar is quieter and more family-oriented, with a resort beach at Teluk Pauh in the north-west and a long, quiet beach at Teluk Dalam in the south.

So we need the exact island and resort, not just “Perhentian”.

Power: the question to ask first

Generators supply most of the electricity on the islands, and outages are reportedly common. On some Besar beaches, blackouts of about three hours in the late afternoon, around 4 to 7 pm, have been reported.

That window often matches a sunset ceremony or an early dinner. Ask your resort for its power schedule and whether the event area has a generator or battery backup. We plan camera batteries, lighting and sound around the answer.

How crew and equipment get there

Speedboats run from Kuala Besut, reportedly about hourly in the daytime. After the last boat, a charter is the only way across. Equipment goes in the same boat, so that shapes the plan:

• Gear is limited by the boat. We pack to what can be carried and loaded safely.
• Timing is set by the operator. Ask your resort for the current schedule and the last boat.
• An arrival day may help. Share your guest and boat plan so we can suggest whether the crew should arrive earlier.

Our guide on booking video for an island event with limited transport windows goes through this in detail, and filming a beach or island event covers the shoot itself.

Season and weather

The good season is reported as roughly March to late October. Outside it, seas are rough and many accommodations and shops close. If your date is near either end, ask the resort whether it will be open and agree a backup date before you commit guests.

Marine park and drones

Ask the resort what applies to filming, boats and aerial shots. A drone request needs approval first, and we plan ground shots as well. See event drone footage for what a drone request involves.

Planning checklist

1. Island and resort name.
2. Guest arrival plan by boat.
3. Crew and gear transfer, and the last boat.
4. Power schedule and backup at the event area.
5. Ceremony spots, with a covered alternative.
6. Resort rules on filming and drones.
7. Backup date or plan for bad weather.

How an enquiry works

Send the resort, date and what you want filmed, or use the event video brief builder. We confirm the crew and the travel involved, and a booking is confirmed after scope and terms are agreed. For the region, see Terengganu, the mainland starting point Besut, and the other island group, Redang.