Perhentian Islands History

The name perhentian means "stopping point" in Malay, referring to their longstanding role as a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia. The islands were sparsely inhabited by fishermen for centuries. The Perhentian Islands appear on many maps of the nineteenth and twentieth century as ‘The Station Islands’. This arises from the British colonial period, as an English translation from the Malay "point to stop." The Perhentian Islands were also used as a refuge by outcasts in the start of the 1900s. However, throughout most of the 20th century, the Perhentian islands remained predominately filled with fishing communities until the growth of the tourist industry in Malaysia during the last decade.

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