Islands

Malaysia island ferry / fast boat time matrix

Boat times and frequencies change a lot online and are often copy-pasted from old sources. This matrix shows current operators, typical journey times, frequency and most importantly the months to avoid because of monsoon.

Island ferry matrix

FAQ

Wind and waves from the South China Sea make the open-sea crossing unsafe. Boats don't run, dive shops close. November through February is the worst period.

March and October are sweet spots: water starts clearing, fewer tourists, prices lower than peak July-August.

The crossing from Kuala Perlis to Langkawi is short (45 min) and the strait is sheltered. Most of the year it's calm.