Panorama Diver - Perhentian Islands

Panorama Diver is a pretty reliable spot in the Perhentians for a chill afternoon dive. We’ve seen a decent mix of creatures here, often including green turtles gliding past and the occasional narrow-barred Spanish mackerel zipping by. The site itself is a gentle slope, mostly a mix of soft corals like bubble and leaf coral, interspersed with some branch and honeycomb varieties, plus plenty of seagrass beds where you might spot a blackspotted sea cucumber or two. It’s not the most dramatic reef in the islands, but for a relaxed dive with a good chance of spotting some macro life, especially those striking bicolor nudibranchs, it definitely fits the bill. A good pick for divers who want to take their time and scan for details.

Location: Perhentian Islands, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
Coordinates: 5.919547, 102.721890

Marine Protected Area: Pulau Perhentian Kecil Marine Park

Best Time to Dive in Perhentian Islands

The warmest water temperatures in Perhentian Islands occur in June, averaging 31.2°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 28.3°C
February: 28.4°C
March: 29.1°C
April: 30.6°C
May: 31.1°C
June: 31.2°C
July: 31.1°C
August: 30.9°C
September: 30.8°C
October: 30.4°C
November: 29.8°C
December: 28.7°C

Nearest Dive Centres to Panorama Diver

Marine Life in Perhentian Islands

Home to 169 recorded species including 105 reef fish, 39 hard corals, 11 sea cucumbers, 5 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays, 2 other.

Notable Species

Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Silver-cheeked Toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) - Reef Fish
Common Ponyfish (Leiognathus equula) - Reef Fish
Yellowstripe scad (Selaroides leptolepis) - Reef Fish
Yellow Citharid (Brachypleura novaezeelandiae) - Reef Fish
Blacktip Ponyfish (Eubleekeria splendens) - Reef Fish
Lattice monocle bream (Scolopsis taenioptera) - Reef Fish
Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
Silver Sillago (Sillago sihama) - Reef Fish
Flathead Sleeper (Ophiocara porocephala) - Reef Fish
Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus) - Reef Fish
Three Banded Razorfish (Iniistius trivittatus) - Reef Fish
Golden rabbitfish (Siganus guttatus) - Reef Fish
Deep Body Silver Biddy (Gerres erythrourus) - Reef Fish
Triggerfish (Aluterus monoceros) - Reef Fish
Blue-banded wrasse (Xiphocheilus typus) - Reef Fish
Grouper (Epinephelus areolatus) - Reef Fish
Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) - Reef Fish
Banded-Tail Glassy Perchlet (Ambassis urotaenia) - Reef Fish
Estuary Cod (Epinephelus coioides) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for Panorama Diver

Based on average water temperature of 30.0°C, currents 5 cm/s.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories