Guide No. 10 of 20
Island · Johor
Pulau Besar
- Boat from
- Mersing jetty, Mersing
- Crossing
- 30–60 minResort boat
- Season
- Feb–OctMonsoon closures Nov–Jan
- Park charge
- RM30MyKad holders RM5
Pulau Besar off Mersing in Johor, not the Pulau Besar in Melaka, is a small forested island in the Sultan Iskandar Marine Park about 15 km offshore, reached by resort boat from Mersing jetty in about 30 minutes.
Where to stay
Order is editorial, not paid. An editor sets each stay’s tier by hand; within a tier, stays follow the beach. Booking partners have no say.
Pick: our first choice on the island. Good: sound, with a catch. Listed: facts only.
GoodSound, with a catch
2 stays- 1
Aseania Resort Pulau Besar
West coast · Beside the main jetty, west coast
Right beside the main jetty, with the boat and meals in every direct package and an 8.3 guest score on Agoda. No Wi-Fi, cash or bank transfer only, and no power from 3 pm to 5 pm.
- 2
Bayu Lestari Island Resort
West coast · About 8 min walk from the jetty
About a dozen chalets and villas, rooms from RM330 a night and full-board packages with the boat. Closed November to February, and its own pages quote different boat fares and times.
ListedFacts only
1 stay| No. | Stay | Beach |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Emerald Sands Resort | West coast |
Things to do
Not sold by our partners. Ask your resort.
Island hopping and snorkelling trips
Jungle trail to the far side of the island
When to go
- JanShut
- FebPart
- MarOpen
- AprOpen
- MayOpen
- JunOpen
- JulOpen
- AugOpen
- SepOpen
- OctOpen
- NovShut
- DecShut
Open: the resorts and their boats run. Part: a few resorts open from mid-February; check dates. Shut: the resorts close for the monsoon.
The resorts and their boats run from March to October and close for the northeast monsoon (musim tengkujuh) from November to February. As of 8 November 2026 the 2026 season has ended: Bayu Lestari and Emerald Sands sold packages only until 31 October. A few resorts open early; Bayu Lestari sold its 2026 packages from 14 February. No resort has published its 2027 opening date, and Emerald Sands says its 2027 rates will come out in January 2027. Aseania gives April to September as the best time, and school holidays are usually the busiest weeks.
Getting there
- Kuala LumpurBus from TBS, 4.5–6 h, from about RM32. Or drive about 370 km, 4–4.5 h.
- Mersing bus terminalWalk to the jetty, about 10 min, or a 5 min taxi.
- Mersing jettyResort boat about 30 min, RM110–130 return. Pay the marine park charge.
- Pulau BesarIsland jetty on the west coast; resort staff carry your bags.
There is no public ferry. Each resort runs its own boat from Mersing jetty (Mersing Harbour Centre), usually once a day: out around midday and back mid-morning. The crossing takes about 30 minutes, up to an hour in rough seas, and costs about RM110–130 return per adult on most resort packages; some resort pages quote up to RM150, so confirm with your resort. Mersing jetty also serves the Tioman ferries, so look for your resort's counter. Boats to Sibu and Tinggi leave from Tanjung Leman, not Mersing.
Packages explained
Most stays are sold as 2D1N or 3D2N packages, priced per person sharing a twin or double room. A package covers the room, full board and the return boat from Mersing jetty. Children aged 4 to 11 pay a child rate, and under-4s are free without a bed.
Packages leave out the marine park charge, tourism tax for non-Malaysians (RM10 per room per night), snorkelling and island-hopping trips and, at weekends, school holidays and Malaysian and Singapore holidays, a surcharge: two resellers list RM40 per person per package. Rates are quoted with 8% SST. As a guide, Bayu Lestari’s full-board package cost RM560 for 2D1N and RM855 for 3D2N per person sharing a double room, including SST (rates as of 29 April 2026). Emerald Sands also sells rooms only, from RM290 per room per night without the boat or meals. We do not sell packages.
Rules in the marine park
Pulau Besar is a federal marine park: the park waters run 2 nautical miles out from the low-tide line, and the Department of Fisheries sets the conservation charge. The island is also one of six island groups in Johor’s Sultan Iskandar Marine Park, run by Johor National Parks.
The official charge is RM30 for adults without a MyKad and RM5 with one; RM15 (RM2 with MyKad) for children aged 6 to 12 and adults over 60; free for people with disabilities. Resellers in Mersing quote RM5–10 (MyKad) and RM30–40 (non-MyKad) per adult, usually collected with your boat ticket. Check the total with your resort.
- Since 1 January 2026, take your rubbish back to the mainland.
- Do not take shells, rocks, plants or marine life, and do not touch coral or marine animals.
- Do not fish in park waters.
- Pets are not allowed.
- Wear modest swimwear out of respect for the local Muslim community.
Power, Wi-Fi and parking
The resorts run on generators. Aseania switches the power off from 3 pm to 5 pm every day for maintenance, and a reseller reports the same cut at Emerald Sands. Aseania has no Wi-Fi and says mobile data is very limited; Bayu Lestari has Wi-Fi in common areas only, and says the signal is slower than on the mainland and drops in bad weather.
Medical help is on the mainland, so bring a basic first-aid kit. If you drive to Mersing, the guarded public car parks at the jetty cost about RM15 a day.
Pulau Besar or Pulau Babi Besar?
The island’s old name, still used in addresses, is Pulau Babi Besar. Locals tell two stories for it: one of wild boar that once lived on the island, one of a fisherman’s curse. There is also a Pulau Besar off Melaka; this guide is about the one off Mersing.