Rawa Island

Rawa Island is a beautiful tropical island in Malaysia with really white beaches and deep blue water.

The island is just 16 km away from the coast of Mersing and is also a good starting point for boat trips to visit the surrounding islands because, well... except for the 2 hotels (one of which is for backpackers only) there isn't anything: no shops, no villages, no restaurants, no nothing.

Having said so, you can imagine what well to expect on Rawa island: peace and quietness, not too many tourist and the corals standing exposed in front of you when the tide is low.

Again Mersing is the place to embark on a speed boat that brings you to this tiny island. Depending on the weather, this can be 30 minutes of smooth sailing or 45 minutes to 1 hour of a hellish journey that leaves you soaked from head to toe. So if possible book your transfer in the morning when the sea tends to be more calm.

Once you set foot on the island, an unspoilt coral island with white sand beaches and swaying palms awaits you. Did I say white beach? Yes, this must be the most white beach in whole Malaysia. Since you will go there for peace and quietness, avoid the weekends and public holidays when the local Malaysians hop over for a stay. Daytrippers have to pay to enter the private island owned by some Malay prince, which adds to most tourists avoiding the island all together.

For food, you have the choice of the 2 restaurants of the 2 resorts. When the weather is really bad and there are no supplies from the mainland coming in, do enjoy the ultimate freshness of a local catch prepared for you.

Accommodation is done in basic yet comfortable chalets. Do not expect aircon in the backpackers resort - Le Club Rawa recently renamed Alang Rawa - though, in the other resort - Rawa Safaris Island Resort -, aircon is included and most welcome after soaking up the heath of the sun or just when you want to enjoy a cool night rest. Apart from airconditioning, Rawa Safaris chalets also come with hot water but without TV: however, the sunset you can admire from your beach villa is priceless. Expect to pay at least $130 US per person per night, full board.

Your typical Rawa day will comprise sunbathing, enjoying the tropical breeze, swimming, snorkeling, diving, relaxing in the hammocks and enjoying the sunset or simply feeding the coral fishes near the jetty or just straight on the beach. If you want some exercise, you can go canoeing or wind surfing: anything that is not motorized is available. Other than that you island hopping or fishing trips can be arranged.

Part of the protected marine park, the beautiful blue-green clear sea offers: coral gardens, colorful fish and large shells. Just remember: don't take anything with you and only leave your footprints behind. There is no dive master around, nor can you take diving lessons. However diving equipment can be rented from the shop of the Rawa Safaris Resort.

Apart from the water and beach activities, you can walk up the hill (15 minutes walk) to the lookout point and have a birds eye view of the island (beach in front, cliffs on the other side) and if you wake up early, to enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

You can also walk towards the end of the beach (left direction when facing the sea), climb over some rocks to enter a small cave with a spectacular arch.

Rawa is a gem of an island, a haven of peace that will heal you from your daily stress!

Category › Malaysia , malaysia holidays

Terengganu

Terengganu State, on the east coast of Malaysia, is known for its golden beaches, clear skies and an emerald green sea with many exciting diving and snorkeling spots. Off the beaten track you will find lots of laid back typical Malaysian villages, ideal for low budget backpacker trips.

For the better resorts you can chose between the Primula Beach Resort, the Sutra Beach Resort and the extremely beautiful Tanjung Jara.

The capital Kuala Terengganu offers the Primula Beach Resort: quit busy and not the cleanest of all beaches.

A bit further to the north lies the Sutra Beach Resort: a very peaceful holiday village with a bit more than 100 accommodations and a secluded beach.

Top of the bill is the Tanjung Jara Spa and Resort - from the luxurious YTL hotels - with a beautiful garden and a river. Close by is the beach of Rantau Abang: 1 of the 6 beaches where the rare leatherback turtles lay their eggs between May and September.

If you love to swim in sweet water, then pay a visit to the Sekayu Recreational Park, 56 km away from Kuala Terengganu. The pristine jungle offers many waterfalls and pools. if you want to witness what the Malaysian women wear when bathing in the water, you will be surprised not to see any bathing suits: people just go in with normal shorts and t-shirts, not to mention the Muslim women still wearing their tudung or veil. And expect lots of locals during the national holidays...

For a more relaxing sweet water experience, go fishing at the artificial Kenyir Lake made by the Kenyir Dam.

Terengganu is about a hours boat trip away from the popular diving, beach and resort destinations of Pulau Rendang, Pulau Lang Tengah and the Perhentian Islands.

Category › cheap holidays in malaysia , Malaysia , malaysia holidays

Gem Island

Daydreaming in your private paradise at the only resort and spa on Gem Island or Pulau Gemia, a kayak trip away from Kapas island on the east coast of Malaysia.

Gem Island is still undiscovered and therefore a lot quieter than the other islands on the east coast like the Perhentian Island and Tioman. It lies just 15 minutes (5 km) offshore the jetty of Marang and you can reach it just by paddling in a canoe from Kapas Island.

The fun of this island lies in the fact that you can have the private beach all to yourself. This is because the island is overlooked when tourists pass them by traveling to the more touristy Islands of Redang, Perhentian and between these 2: Lang Tengah. Pulau Gemia is the ideal hideout for the local Malaysian during the weekend. Needless to say that when you visit the island during working weekdays, you could end up being the only visitor.

Things to do on the island are relaxing on the beach, reading a book in the swinging rattan chair of your balcony, walking around the 8 acres of rocky island, discovering white sandy private beach coves, having a swim, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, birdwatching on the jetty, jigging squid ('candat sotong'), helping out in the turtle conservation sanctuary or trying to spot a turtle.

You can also take a kayak to visit neighboring island Kapas. It's very safe to kayak in the 800m stretch between the 2 islands and especially in the morning you could to spot black-tip sharks around you. Kapas is a typical backpackers island, so a bit more busy than Pulau Gemia. Both islands are breeding grounds for turtles and part of the work of the staff of the Gem Island Resort (the only resort on the island) is seeking out turtle nests. The eggs will be transferred from the secluded beaches to the turtle sanctuary of the Gem Island Resort where they will be incubated and released in a special hatchling pool before returning them back to the sea.

The island is privately owned and like we mentioned only has 1 resort. Unfortunately for the scenery, the about 50 villa's are typical Malaysian concrete villa's built on stilts, kind of spoiling the exotic, pristine island beach scenery. The advantage of this is that you get luxury compared to the backpackers accommodations in nearby Kapas: nothing compares to the outdoor jacuzzi:

You can opt for the wooden detached Premier Hideaway Villas, completely secluded in the greenery:

At the north side of the beach you can relax and enjoy a rejuvenating spa:

To reach Gem Island, you normally take a domestic flight with MAS (Malaysian Airlines) or AirAsia to Kuala Terengganu. There a taxi can be arranged to take you on an about 1 hour drive to the jetty of Marang.

There you can choose to embark daily on 1 of the 4 boats that depart from 9am onwards, every 2 hours. Do note that on Friday, the afternoon boats are cancelled due to Friday Muslim prayers.

Category › gem island , Lang Tengah Island , Malaysia , malaysia holidays , perhentian , redang island

Perhentian Islands

On the north side of the peninsular Malaysia are the 2 beautiful Perhentian Islands: Perhentian Besar (big) and Perhentian Kecil (small).

How to get to the Perhentian Islands.

Normally you would first travel to Kota Bharu or Kuala Terengganu. From there take a bus or nook a taxi to Kuala Besut: a little fishing village where boats will take you to the islands that are about 20 km off the coast.

Kuala Besut is an hour's drive from Kota Bharu and a 2 hours drive from Kuala Terengganu. At its small harbor, you can buy tickets for the boat, but you can also purchase your tickets at the airports of Kota Bharu and Kuala Terengganu (although the prices at the airport are higher than in Kuala Besut). Just do note that when weather conditions are bad, the boats will not sail out, chances of bad weather in the tropics increase after midday, so to be on the safe side, try to book a morning trip.

Pulau Perhentian Island Map

Accommodation

Both islands offer quite a few accommodations from resorts with airconditioning to very basic lodges without air conditioning. There is no freshwater Perhentian, so do you shower in filtered salt water. There aren't any internationally known hotels, so if your in for pampering, you better go to nearby Redang Island.

There isn't much to say really about accommodation and food: Perhentian is first and foremost a place to enjoy diving and snorkeling. Perhentian Kecil is mostly frequented by backpackers and is crowded, with their best resort being Tuna Bay. The better resorts however are on Perhentian Besar, like the Perhentian Island Resort. However, do know that the food in the Perhentian Island Resort is way overpriced: it's your typical Malaysian cuisine that you can find anywhere on the island for much cheaper prices. Do bring a torchlight though, as walking from the Resort to the rest of the island crosses quite a scary, dark, staircase in decline.

The monsoon season is between October and March: most of the resorts will close because of the really bad weather.

Diving and Snorkeling

Perhentian is a true diving and snorkeling paradise. Just like Pulau Redang, it is situated in the Terengganu Marine Park. Unlike Redang, Perhentian is more flat and therefore more suitable for snorkeling, as the waters around the island are quite shallow and various resorts in Perhentian have their own house reef. The fishes on these house reefs will come towards you, hoping to be fed. It is advised not to feed them as they aren't bread eaters.

Do know that the corals are deteriorating fast, so the best way to find secluded snorkeling spots is to rent a boat for a day or a canoe and peddle around the island by yourself.

A nice spot for snorkeling that is reachable by boat-taxi is the so called Shark Point. The secret is that there are no sharks, but the water is quite deep: it's not possible to step on corals and the amount of fishes is just amazing.

The beaches of Perhentian Kecil are very small and don't be surprised to find an empty plastic bottle here and there: a far cry from what you would expect from a Marine Park. However the island is by far more lively than its bigger brother.

On the right side of the Perhentian Island Resort, you have very good snorkeling, less crowd and you could spot grazing turtles.

For about RM1000 (330 USD) you can get your diving PADI on the Perhentian Islands, but you do need to stay at least 5 days. Highly recommended though!

Category › cheap holidays in malaysia , Malaysia , malaysia holidays

The Andaman Langkawi

Datai Bay, on the north-west coast of Langkawi, is an exclusive stretch of beach for guests of the high-end resorts: The Datai Langkawi Resort and The Andaman.

Datai Bay offers you a retreat for pampering in an oasis of tranquility. And at The Andaman Spa you can enjoy massages and therapies with an exotic view of the clear, cool waters around the Langkawi and the beautiful islands that rise in the distance.

For the more adventurous, you need to know that there is hardly anything else to do than to relax, stroll to the Datai Langkawi Resort or rest on the beach and take it all in. Other than that, be prepared to crack your brain over the following choices: beach or pool? snorkel or dive? smoothie or cocktail? ... :-) Nearby after a jungle walk you could visit a crocodile farm or put some holes in one of the 10 best Golf courses in Malaysia: the Datai Bay Golf Course. For more activities, you need to venture out at least 7 km to find the nearest attraction, being the Langkawi Cable Car.

But if you want to be high up in a more peaceful surrounding away from all the tourists, just book a spa in the Andaman Langkawi Spa. A buggy from the Andaman resort will drive you high up to the 5 private suites that offer you an amazing view over Datai Bay and the Andaman Sea. Try the seaweed baths, the volcanic mud or an eye mask with roses.

Datai Bay is about 30 km or half an hour drive north of the Langkawi International Airport. It is not advisable to hire a bike and drive to the Datai or Andaman resorts, as the roads become quite steep and are more suited for seasoned professional bicyclist than for people that want to relax and enjoy on the beach.

Category › langkawi , Malaysia , malaysia holidays , spa

Tioman Island

On the southeast side of the Peninsula Malaysia is an archipelago of 64 islands out of which Tioman Island is the largest (about 350sq-km). Other famous islands in this region: Pulau Seri Bulat, Pulau Sembilang, Pulau Tulai, Chebeh, Pulau Labas and Pulau Renggis. Tioman is situated about 60 km from the coast in the state of Pahang and was used once to shoot the reality show Survivor.

How to get to Tioman

There are 3 ways to reach Tioman Island: by land (and sea), sea and air. Berjaya Air (from the famous and luxurious Berjaya Hotel chain) brings you in about 60 minutes from Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur to Tioman for a bit more than 200Rm one way.

A bus or taxi ride will take you in about 4 to 6 hours from Kuala Lumpur to the fishing village of Mersing. You can also hire a rental car and rive yourself to Mersing. However there is no drop-off point there for your car, so you will be paying a rental car to be just parked during your stay on the island: quite a waste of money.

Boats on the Mersing jetty will take you to your final destination. The boatride from Mersing to Tioman will take at least one hour: be prepared to wait until boats are full before they depart or make sure you arrange a private pick up from your hotel.

Pulau Tioman Island Map

Tioman island map with diving sites, hiking trails, beaches and hills, snorkel sites, jetties, airport, jeep tracks and 1 wreck site.

Accommodation, hotels and resorts on Tioman

Accommodation can be found from cheap budget hotels to luxueus 5 start hotels like the 5-star Resort Japamala. Other popular resorts on Tioman are: Berjaya Tioman Resort and Inn Impian. Besides these larger resorts you have many basic accommodations on the island starting at RM50 per night. The top 5 best rated accommodation in Tioman according to Tripadvisor:

1. Bagus Place Retreat
2. Japamala Resort
3. Minang Cove Resort
4. Bamboo Hill Chalets
5. Tioman Paya Resort

Mersing Fishing Village

The Mersing jetty looks quite crappy and around the jetty are quite a number of your typical souvenirs shops. Most likely you wont venture into the village itself that does have more than 20.000 inhabitants.

Things to do in Tioman

Although the interior of the island is jungle area, the edge of the island is densely populated and houses all the resorts. The islands of Tioman and nearby Perhentian and Redang are known as a diving and snorkeling paradise, although the spots they will bring you are sometimes a bit too touristy. The better beaches are: Genting Beach, Tekek Beach and Salang Beach.

The easiest way to travel from one place to the other in Tioman is jumping on the ferry or renting a more expensive water taxi. Hiking is also a possibility as well as renting a jeep.

When to visit Tioman

The best time to visit the island is between March and October. The rest of the year you could get hit by the monsoons. Since the island is inhabited by locals, you can get there the whole year round, but the ferry will only sail
when the weather conditions permit.

As usual, avoid local Malaysian holidays, school holidays and the national holidays in neighboring country Singapore as well.

Category › malaysia holidays , tioman

Cheap holidays in Malaysia

Have you booked one of those cheap holidays in Malaysia in July or August? Even if you booked luxury holidays in Malaysia, as soon as you travel to Malaysia to enjoy your holidays, you notice that Malaysia looks sunny yet the sky is not clear:

Malaysian holidays doomed with haze

Spending your holidays in Malaysia these days is like trying to enjoy a BBQ but the smoke is all blowing towards you...

In Malaysia: the beautiful rainforest of Sarawak and Borneo is being burned each year at the exact time the school holidays start in Europe: July. The same time a haze starts to sticks above Malaysia: these days people are even smelling the haze inside their office in Kuala Lumpur: the capital of Malaysia:

Every year in June and July Malaysia will suffer from bad air and haze, did your travel agency business tell you about that when you were booking your flight to Malaysia. No wonder these days people travel to New Zealand: they call it not for nothing "Pure New Zealand".

If you still need to plan your autumn or winter holidays, consider spring or summer in New Zealand. Read some expert tips on how to save money and find good yet cheap accommodation in New Zealand.

Category › cheap holidays in malaysia , haze , malaysia holidays , new zealand , rainforest , thailand holidays , travel agency business , travel to new zealand