There is no bridge and no working airport on Redang, so every trip ends with a short boat from the Terengganu mainland, almost always from Merang jetty. The single most useful thing to know is that Redang is sold as all-inclusive packages that bundle the return boat transfer at a fixed time — so for most visitors, “getting there” really means getting yourself to the jetty in time for your resort's boat. The two decisions are how you reach the coast, and which jetty.
~45-min boat
from Merang jetty, ~30 km across
Fly to Kuala Terengganu
then ~30 min to the jetty
Shut in the monsoon
~Nov to end-Feb, boats stop
The boat from Merang
Merang jetty (not to be confused with Marang, further south) is the main departure point for Redang. The speedboat crossing takes about 45 minutes over roughly 30 km of open sea, and boats run from around 8am to mid-afternoon. If you are on a package, your resort allocates you a departure and you simply check in at the jetty — the boat, your meals and the snorkelling trips are all part of the price.
Travelling independently instead? You can buy a return boat ticket from the jetty operators or on platforms like Klook — commonly in the region of RM 100+ per person return, but check the current fare. Either way you also pay the marine-park conservation fee on arrival (Redang is a gazetted marine park). The boats are weather-dependent, so build in a little slack rather than booking a same-day onward flight on the way home.
Merang vs Shahbandar jetty
Two jetties on the mainland serve Redang. The difference that matters is the length of the crossing and how many boats run:
Merang jetty
The main one · shorter boat · most resorts
About 30 km (30 minutes) north of Kuala Terengganu airport. The crossing is the shorter ~45 minutes, there are more departures through the day, and it is the jetty most resorts run their package transfers from. For the large majority of visitors, this is the one.
Shahbandar jetty
In KT town · longer boat · fewer services
In Kuala Terengganu town, closer to the airport (about 20 minutes, taxi ~RM 25). The trade-off is a longer crossing of around 1.5 hours and fewer departures, so it is the less common choice. Use it only if your operator does.
Reaching the Terengganu coast
From Kuala Lumpur
Fly ~55 min, or ~450 km by road
Flight + transfer in a morning; driving ~6-7 hours
The easy way is a short flight to Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu (Firefly, AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines fly from KL/Subang), then about a 30-minute taxi or bus to Merang jetty for the boat. Driving east across the peninsula is a long 6-7 hour haul — only worth it if you want the road trip.
From Singapore
No quick single hop
Best via Kuala Lumpur or a KT flight
There is no fast direct route. Most people fly to Kuala Terengganu via KL (or fly to KL and connect), then transfer to Merang jetty. Overland the whole way is a very long drive — fly the long leg.
From Kuala Terengganu airport (TGG)
Merang ~30 km · Shahbandar ~12 km
Merang ~30 min · Shahbandar ~20 min
Merang jetty is about 30 km north of the airport — roughly 30 minutes by taxi (around RM 60) or an hourly local bus (around RM 4). Shahbandar jetty, in Kuala Terengganu town, is closer (taxi around RM 25) but the boat from there is slower. Confirm which jetty your resort uses before you book a transfer.
Getting around once you are there
Redang is not an island you tour by car — there are no public roads or taxis to speak of, and you do not hop between resorts. You stay at one resort, walk its stretch of beach, and reach the other snorkel sites, the Marine Park Centre and the better reefs on the boat trips your package includes. That is why choosing the right resort and beach up front matters so much: for the trip, it is your whole base. Pack what you need on the island — there are no shops of consequence, and prices for the little there is run high.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Pulau Redang?
Redang is an island, so the last leg is always a boat from the Terengganu mainland — almost always from Merang jetty, about 45 minutes across. Most visitors first reach Kuala Terengganu (a ~55-minute flight from KL, or a long drive), then it is about 30 minutes from the airport to Merang jetty. The key thing: if you book an all-inclusive resort package, the return boat transfer is normally included at a set departure time, so you do not arrange the boat yourself.
How long is the boat from Merang to Redang?
About 45 minutes by speedboat from Merang jetty, covering roughly 30 km of open sea. Boats run from around 8am to mid-afternoon. The alternative, Shahbandar jetty in Kuala Terengganu town, is a longer crossing of about 1.5 hours with fewer departures, which is why most resorts use Merang.
Do I need to book the boat separately?
Usually not. Redang resorts sell per-person all-inclusive packages, and the return boat transfer from Merang jetty is bundled in at fixed departure times — you just turn up at the jetty for your slot. If you are travelling independently rather than on a package, you can buy a return boat ticket from the jetty operators or on platforms like Klook; it is commonly in the region of RM 100+ per person return, so check the current fare.
Merang or Shahbandar jetty — which should I use?
For most people, Merang: it is the jetty the majority of resorts run their transfers from, it has more departures through the day, and the boat ride is the shorter ~45 minutes. Shahbandar jetty in Kuala Terengganu town is closer to the airport but the crossing is about 1.5 hours and services are fewer. The simplest rule is to use whichever jetty your resort or package operator tells you to — they coordinate the boat with your check-in.
Is there an airport on Redang?
No. There was once a small airstrip on the island, but there are no scheduled flights to Redang. The nearest airport is Sultan Mahmud (TGG) in Kuala Terengganu on the mainland; from there you continue by road to a jetty and cross by boat. There is no bridge to the island.
Can you visit Redang in December or January?
Generally no. The northeast monsoon brings rough seas and heavy rain to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and Redang effectively closes for it — most resorts and the boat transfers shut down from around November to the end of February. The season runs roughly March to October, with the calmest, clearest water in the June-August peak. Plan around the closure; it is the single biggest mistake first-timers make.
Boat times, fares, drive times and transfer costs change, and the island closes for the monsoon — these figures were last checked in June 2026 against the jetty operators and travel sources. Confirm live with your resort or package operator before you travel, and never plan a trip into the November-February closure.
Got the journey sorted?
Next: which resort and package, and the months that actually work.