Nature beheld a beautiful vista before us

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Rawa Island Safaris

Where : Mersing Johor, Malaysia
Place : Rawa Safaris
When : 20 to 22 June 2010

This island resort has long been overdue for me to upload in my blog. And I almost forgotten about its absence in my blog. But I will never forget the experiences that I had related to Rawa Island.

I wanted to visit Tioman Island actually. Because my lil sister love Paya Beach and this trip is my lil brother's first island resort trip. When i made my booking, it was end of May and even tho I know that June is S'pore's school holiday period, but still i'm too lazy to make an early booking. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguse.

All rooms in Paya Tioman is fully booked. The only available is HillView at Berjaya Tioman during my booking request. Since some of us is on tight budget, we try to look for another island. Thanks to a friend's holiday pic that she uploaded in her FB, I have long fell in love with Rawa Island.

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The problem is none of Spore travel agent caters for this trip. And so...with the help of my Personal Assistant, she managed to source out how to reach that place.

I made booking online. We couldn't get what we wanted and settle for what's available. We wanted waterfront chalet, but its fully booked on the 21st June. And so we just settled for Hillview chalet, since thats the only available room type and we are desperately wanting a holiday on an island resort.

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Waterfront

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Beachfront

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Hillview

Depart at 6am from Golden Mile Complex, we head towards Woodlands Checkpoint. Its a 44 seater coach. Leg space is crampy but luckily the seat is comfy.

I do not know what to expect. But is just looking for a private beach thats away from crowds and a white sandy beach.

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We reached at 9.3am, and had breakfast at the nearby food stalls. Our boat leaves Mersing Jetty at 12noon.

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This is so yummy! This is what I had.

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This is what my siblings had.

There isn't many people heading to Rawa Island. Just me and my siblings with an ang mohs family of three.

When our boat reached Rawa...OMG! I love what i see....

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Taken from the jetty

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Upon checked in, we had our lunch and what else...splash! into the water.

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This is where we had our meals.Only one dining area on this private beach.

Snorkelling...snorkelling...is all i love to do!

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I so LOVE beach life!!

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Labels: beach, malaysia beach

++ quoth nessie at 5:07 PM

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Laguna Redang Island Resort - Part Two

Where : Terengganu, Malaysia
Place : Laguna Redang Island Resort
When : 16Apr – 20Apr 2010

Throughout our stay in Laguna Redang...

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It was very very crowded in Laguna. We were ushered to a Waiting Hall where briefing on safety, the Dos and Don’ts on the island as well as other useful and handy related matters pertaining to the island were being briefed.

By then it’s already 12noon and the check-in time is at 1pm. Check out time is at 11am.

We proceed to the registration lobby to get our room number and meals voucher. In the package, all three meals are included with a one day BBQ dinner being served.

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Some of the meals served

After lunch, we proceed to check-in into the room. I opted for the Deluxe Garden View due to budget constrain.

Room is very spacious with one Queen size bed and two single bed. Equipped with a safe deposit box, fridge, hair dryer and a coffee table.

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Upon check in we couldn’t wait to jump into the sea. Here in Laguna, the mask and life jacket is at a rental fee of RM15 each for the duration throughout your stay on the island.

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Swimming, snorkelling is so much fun when a waterproof cam tag along! Cam whoring tyme!!!!

Throughout all the day stay here; sleep…eat…swim...snorkel...cam whoring…strolling…sleep! I love this life!!!

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Island resort is getting more and more packed with holiday makers. Look at these..! OMG! They looked like red ants! Euwww!

On our 4th day here…it’s check out tyme. B-O-R-I-N-G. Hates when my hols came to an end. Assembled at 8.30am at the hotel lobby and our boat leave Laguna at 9am.

This time our boat ride took 1hr 30mins.

Reached Shahbandar Ferry Terminal at 10.40am. No one from Five Stars Tours' rep pick us up. Luckily, I was familiar with the area and had to look out for the bus on our own. From my previous experience taking other bus company, the driver would stop us for lunch..sad and disappointed…Five Stars Tours did not stop for lunch break at all!

Reached Yong Peng and soon we continue our bus ride towards Second Link, and arrived in Tuas Checkpoint at 9pm. Clearance was a breeze bcos it’s a weekday anyway.

Reached Golden Mile Complex at 9.45mins. How I wish the hols will never end. Anyway, its okay…is looking forward to an island resort holiday anytime soon…..anyone? =P

Here's sharing with u the mesmerising sunrise @ Redang...

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AWESOME!!!!

Ohhh...remember I mentioned that the water was choppy during our ferry ride towards Laguna? Well...its too strong that i got hit hard too. Here's it =P

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Labels: beach, malaysia, malaysia beach, sun

++ quoth nessie at 2:36 AM

Laguna Redang Island Resort - Part One

Where : Terengganu, Malaysia
Place : Laguna Redang Island Resort
When : 16Apr – 20Apr 2010

Start of trip...

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A start for a plan made last year with someone who got the same love in travelling; island resort for a holiday! Initial plan is to visit Perhentian Island. But package is unavailable by the travel agent at the time when we did our planning. So thus, since my partner is so keen on visiting Redang island, I suggested Laguna Redang. Been here last year and love to revisit it again.

Normal package available is 4N3D, but we extend another day stay at an additional of S$135 per person with all the three meals provided – B,L,D.

Departure time : 10pm, but need to check in half hour before at Golden Mile Complex at Five Stars Tours. It seems funny bcos we book at Regent Star Travel but we are to report at Five Stars Tours where the tour package of these two varies significantly.

Norm, we went tru immigration clearance via Second Link. It’s quite busy at the Departure Hall but being Singaporean, I could clear at the automated gate and clearance is a breeze. On the Msia side, clearance was a breeze too bcos two complex is in operation. Alhamdulillah…

Stop over is at a standard port : Yong Peng. It’s already 15mins past midnite. Nothing much could be bought for supper. Moreover it’s just a 30mins stop-over for light meal and toilet break. And then we are set for a 7hrs bus ride to Shahbandar Ferry Terminal in Terengganu, Malaysia.

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Reached Shahbandar Terminal at 7.30am, did a lil wash up and had light breakfast. By 8.10am we had exchanged our voucher for the boarding pass, and paid RM5 for the marine conservation fee. This fee is compulsory in order for the Marine Park to maintain its marine life. Our ferry left Shahbandar Ferry Terminal at 9.30am.

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A beautiful sunrise @ Shahbandar Ferry Terminal greeted us

Even tho it was stated that the ferry ride is a 1hr 30mins ride, but this time it took 2hrs bcos of the choppy water. Many were seen throwing up due to sea sick. Alhamdulillah (Thank God), me and my partner are ok.

Labels: beach, malaysia, malaysia beach, sun

++ quoth nessie at 2:19 AM

Monday, August 3, 2009

Kg Paya, Paya Beach Dive & Spa Resort (Msia)

Where : Tioman Island,Malaysia
Place : Kg Paya, Paya Beach Dive & Spa Resort
When : 27-29 July '09

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A simple and cheap getaway. Paid S$174/person for this package of 3D2N which includes accommodation in standard chalet, two way coach transfer, two way ferry transfer, 2B-1L-2D meals and a snorkelling trip to Renggis Island.

Assembled at Golden Mile Complex, coach leaves at 0630hrs. Spore immigration clearance is tru Woodlands Checkpoint. There's a 20mins breakfast stop-over but sad to say its nothing being served except coffee and tea that i can see. Due to all previous experiences that i had,I am prepared and had in fact pack home-made egg-mayo sandwiches for ourselves! yum! yum! simple yet filling...

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Bus journey continues till we reached Mersing ferry terminal at 1000hrs. According to my tour itinerary, I’m supposed to drop at Tg Gemok Ferry Terminal. However, i had a good local tour guide, Christine who suggested that we drop at Mersing Terminal becos the ferry from this terminal would leave for Tioman at 1130hrs and the latter at 1330hrs. Good and considerate suggestion right? Not wasting time at ferry terminal doing nothing.

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Exchanged for our boarding pass was hassle free despite checking in at non-designated location. Had a good explanation from Christine and the ferry ticketing operator where and when to get off from the ferry to Kg Paya. Note: Don't forget to purchase the Marine Park conservation charges before u check-in. Its RM5 per adult. RM2 for children and senior citizen. This is a must for all pax visiting any island resorts in Malaysia.

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Had an early lunch at the nearby cooked food stalls and managed to grab three T-shirts as souvenirs from Tioman Island.

Ferry check-in time 15min before departing. Even tho we checked-in and seated by 1140hrs, the ferry only set sails at 1210hrs. The ferry was super crowded. All available seats are taken up. But luckily the air-con is working well. Otherwise it will be stuffy seyy...

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First stop-over : Kg Genting. Saw "Sun Beach Resort" from the jetty. Second stop : Kg Paya. Third stop : Berjaya Tioman. Forth stop : Kg Air Batang. Last stop : Kg Salang. Then the ferry would return to Mersing.

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Kg Salang. Seen here are skilled divers training wannabe diver

Amongst the above mentioned stop-over; Berjaya Tioman is a five-star rated resort in Tioman Island. And Kg Salang is a diver haven.

Reached Kg Paya jetty at 1330hrs... snap some pics and walk to recept for check-in. Even tho 1400hrs is the stated check-in time, but our room is ready to be occupied.

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Check-in counter

Looking for our chalet..an old man help us. Friendly uncle. Walking towards my chalet...OMG! I love what i see...

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This is where i'm staying

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This is whats in front of my chalet

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Here's how my internal unit looks like

Even tho it’s a Monday, but the resort is super crowded. As I walked towards my chalet, saw that all the standard unit are occupied.

Since this trip is a rest n relax trip…we took our own sweet time to enjoy the ambience in the room and its surrounding.

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Another chalet operator on Kg Paya

Walked around the resort, I see lotsa changes since my last visit many years ago (more than five years ago…). Firstly, I see that the resort is more crowded now. There’s more competitive resort sprung up next to it. More local stalls just outside my resort. And there’s an on-going construction of new units. Prob in my next visit, Kg Paya will be accommodating more holiday makers and be more super crowded with beach lovers and enthusiastic divers.

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Went for a swim during the day. The water was super crystal clear with fishes seen swimming near the shoreline. Big. Small. Colourful. Mono-color. WOW! So love the clear, clean seaside!

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This is my first time having a waterproof manually operated camera with me. For a film roll of 27, it cost me S$18.

The day ends with our buffet dinner, sunset watching and a stroll along the super low tide beach.

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Day 2
We plan to start our day as early as the breakfast starts i.e 0700hrs. After breakfast we went fast asleep. Kheheee….I guess the tiredness of the trip still lingers. Had a quick nap, and went we woke up, went snorkeling.

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As my partner was commenting…this is the best trip we ever had. From a “snorkel” it went “dive”. And I quote…”My morning dive is so WOW. The fish was so huge. The stone fish was staring at me!”

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Included in the package : Buffet breakfast and dinner and lunch. But only had this during lunch. Just one serving with a glass of plain water.

Went on shore; had lunch and soon we went snorkeling again. It was by then the tides come to a low tide. High or low tide..the beauty of Tioman beach is awesome.

I regret not taking an extra day leave this time. Otherwise would have extended a day stay like I always love to do when I’m go for beach vacation. Cos 2N is always not enuf. :D

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This ice kachang looks simple…no ice-cream topping, but was substituted by Milo topping. Still…its simply delicious! Its RM2.50

Day 3
So sad to think that I’m leaving Tioman after 1000hrs. As I check out and walk towards the jetty…I stop to admire the beauty of the island. Never had enough admiring its beauty! Will be visiting Tioman again….for sure!

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Ferry set sails at 1000hrs from Paya jetty. Drop by Berjaya, Air Batang and Salang for other tourists from the island. Reached Tg Gemok jetty at 1230hrs.

Upon reaching Tg Gemok, a representative from my bus company is there to pick us up. At Tg Gemok jetty, it isn’t anything like Mersing jetty. No souvenir shop. So no shopping. Boarded the bus and went for lunch, a 5min bus ride to Nusantara makan house.

Soon we’re on the bus again. Now, we’re on our way to Mersing jetty to pick up some more tourists. But we did not alight to get some goodies as we’re rushing to get back to Spore. Sad isn’t it? But I’ve bought what I needed on my first day :D

Reached Woodlands checkpoint at 1620hrs. Home sweet home? Nah! Tioman is THE home sweet home. Thats where i call My Home. Kheheee….

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Other useful notes:

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This is called Paya Lodge. Cheaper to stay here than in the standard chalet.

Even tho there's a TV in the room, but only one channel running at one time. Here's the schedule...

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Who need to watch TV anyway when u have breath-taking scenery just outside your door...

Don't expect a sundeck chair on the beach. Its has been relocated.

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There used to be so many of this on the beach for sun-tanning during my last visit. But not anymore now. This is just the one and only left, others has been relocated.

Here's a layout of the units on Kg Paya (in case you wanna select whats best for you during your visit here)

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For those who read this post...do visit Tioman at least once and enjoy the peacefulness and the beauty of nature. Njoy...

Labels: beach, food, malaysia, malaysia beach, nights, overseas, sun

++ quoth nessie at 8:05 PM

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nATuRe XpLoRer Contact Me

This blog is more of nature themed.

Here i will share my findings and observations by means of photos and narration to places that i rambles in Spore.

Beside that i will post on what i have been doing (but not so much into writing such stuff actually).

There's also post of my overseas trip, with photos and narration of course.

So, please feel free to tell me which other new places or interesting place which of nature related that I should go explore next.

Nature lover.

Hate late-comers. I dunt hv high patience level u know.

One thing that i always hold onto; wenever sometg bad happen to me, i'll nvr ask God "Why me?" Cos in times of goodness and happiness i nvr ask God "Why me?" Cos everything that happened, happens for a reason.

My favourite love quote : "Missing someone is the kind of hurt a heart should be thankful to feel."

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