Redang - Black Coral - Perhentian Islands

We’ve done Black Coral more times than we can count, and it’s consistently one of our favourite dives in the Perhentians. Forget the name for a minute; the black coral is just a small, albeit pretty, part of the story here. What we really love is the sheer density of fish. Drop in and you’re immediately enveloped by schools of fusiliers, just thick grey walls that part as you swim through. Keep an eye out for the yellowstripe scads darting in and out, and the scissortail sergeants zipping around the staghorn corals. It’s a relatively shallow reef, maybe 15-18 metres at its deepest, which means plenty of light filters through, illuminating the intricate leaf and montipora corals. We’ve had some fantastic encounters with stonefish here, perfectly camouflaged, so move slowly and really scan the reef. Look for the little whipfin ponyfish too, shimmering over the sandy patches. You’ll often find them alongside deep flounders. The site suits almost everyone, from newer divers to those of us who just appreciate a vibrant, healthy reef without the need for extreme depths or strong currents. It’s a proper fish soup, and it always puts a smile on our faces.

Location
Perhentian Islands, Malaysia, Southeast Asia
Coordinates
5.773966, 103.058760
Type
reef
Maximum Depth
15-30m

Marine Protected Area: Pulau Lima 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

Nearby Dive Sites in Perhentian Islands

Nearest Dive Centres to Redang - Black Coral

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

Recommended Packing List for Redang - Black Coral

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