Penang Airport to the east coast islands

From Penang, the east coast is the longer way round, and the safest plan is to treat the first day as travel and the first boat as the morning after. Three links are possible: fly to Kota Bharu for Perhentian, fly to Kuala Terengganu for Redang or Lang Tengah, or drive. Which flights are nonstop is unconfirmed in our sources, so check the timetable first.

If you are building the whole route, see our guide on Penang to Kuala Besut: a long way round. The Penang island guide is for the start of your trip.

What are the three ways to link Penang to the coast?

Option	What is reported	What to confirm
Fly to Kota Bharu, road to Kuala Besut, boat to Perhentian	Firefly is listed on Penang to Kota Bharu in a dated, unofficial listing [1]. The last Kuala Besut speedboat is reported at about 17:00 to 17:30 [4]	Whether the route runs on your date; landing time
Fly to Kuala Terengganu, taxi to Merang, boat to Redang or Lang Tengah	A few airlines are listed between Kuala Terengganu and Penang, nonstop unconfirmed [2]. Airport to Merang is reported at about 30 minutes by taxi [3]. Merang to Redang is about 45 minutes [5]	Whether it is nonstop; boat time on your day
Drive from Penang	No sourced driving time found	Driver’s estimate, rest stops, parking at the jetty

The result is that the flight is the uncertain link, and the boat is the unmovable one.

How do you build a day around the boat?

Work backwards from the boat time your resort gives you. Subtract the crossing, the jetty check-in, the road and the bag wait. What remains is the latest landing you can accept.

For a morning boat, you will almost always do better to arrive the night before. For an afternoon boat, you will need a morning flight with spare time. Our guide on checking a flight against a boat cut-off walks through the sum.

What should you ask the resort or agent?

• Which jetty does my booking use, and what is the boat time on my day?
• Is a pickup from the airport included, and where do I meet the driver?
• What is the latest check-in at the jetty?
• If my flight is delayed, what happens to my boat seat?
• Can I move check-in by one day if I need a night near the jetty?

Our guide on which jetty your booking uses helps you confirm the departure point.

Is a night near the jetty worth it from Penang?

For most travellers who start in Penang, yes. A night in the jetty town costs a room, but it removes the chance of missing the only useful boat of the day. See overnight in Kota Bharu before Perhentian and overnight in Kuala Terengganu before Redang or Lang Tengah to compare.

A better fit if…

Flying is a better fit if you have a clear window of dates and a morning departure. Driving may be a better fit if your group is large, you carry a lot of luggage or you want to stop along the way. If time is short, a nearer island may suit you better than this route.