I never imagined that Malaysia could offer a sea to rival that of the Seychelles islands. Untouched nature and forests, deep contrasts and above all a culture that has nothing to envy of the European ones. Instead the great surprise was precisely the sea, the beauty of this island on the east coast of Malaysia. Reaching Redang island from KL requires a good dose of patience because the transfer is long and the journey overall can be rather tiring. There are a few options: 1) Direct flight from KL. This is certainly the least tiring. You have to take a flight from the second airport of the Malaysian capital, Subang Airport, and buy a ticket with the charter company "Berjaya Air", which operates a direct flight to Redang island, where there is a small airport.
The flight costs around 100-120€ return, taxes included, per person, but you have to accept travelling on a private 40-seat plane… that crosses the Malaysian nation lengthways. We didn't trust it, but it's up to you. You can also have a look at the company's website to see the aircraft and to book (in summer you should do so well in advance). Be careful, because the frequencies are not many and you have to fit your needs around them, and above all always remember: the departure from KL is not from the same airport where you arrive from Italy… so always allow about an hour for the transfer between the two airports. This is because I read that someone missed the return flight to Europe for exactly this reason. 2) Flight + ferry. In this case you leave from KL international airport, KLIA, with Malaysia Airlines.
You reach Kuala Terengganu in about 45 minutes on a brightly coloured 120-seat plane. It is a scheduled flight of the flag carrier, professional and efficient. The cost we paid was about 45€ return, all included, but if you book 15 days in advance the price can drop to 25€ return. Once in Kuala Terengganu you have to take a taxi to reach the port (jetty). The taxi takes about 40 minutes, including traffic. Once at the port you have to take a fast boat, which takes 2 hours to reach Redang harbour. The wait, however, can be rather long, also because the boat does not leave in the evening and during the day there are only three departures. The boat is completely enclosed, a kind of torpedo with very strong air conditioning… moreover the lack of fresh air causes, for those already weak of stomach, a rather strong seasickness.
The long swells (even with a very calm sea) finish the job… after about an hour many resort to the bags (rubbish bags!) hanging from the boat's ceiling to be sick… personally on the way there I felt terrible and nearly lost it, while on the way back I took my good old Travelgum to avoid worse trouble. Once at Redang harbour you have another 20 minutes of a flat-bottomed boat that takes you to the resort. I couldn't tell you the individual cost of these transfers because we bought a package directly from the resort with all these transfers included. Most tourists do it this way because those who book through the resorts also have boarding priority over those travelling independently. 3) The bus from KL to Kuala Terengganu, to which you then add the boat transfer.
The bus tour could be interesting for the scenery but takes over 5 hours and the heat could be considerable, not to mention the waste of time, since the arrival times do not fit with the presence of the boat to Redang. Choosing option number 2, we left the KL hotel at 5.30 am to arrive at 2.00 pm at the Coral Redang resort that we had booked from Italy. Resort Coral Redang We booked it from Italy on the resort's website. The site matches the resort exactly; in fact, to tell the truth, it is understated compared to what you actually find in reality. The rooms are quite comfortable. Coral Redang is a resort for those travelling "on budget", that is, who don't want to spend large sums, have a minimum capacity to adapt and don't have great expectations of the services offered, the classic ones of a big hotel, to be clear.
To anyone who doesn't recognise themselves in this description, I warmly recommend going to the Laguna or the Berjaya (or soon the Sari Pacifica). The complex is strongly integrated with the surrounding nature and the rooms are made in small but comfortable bungalows located near the jungle behind the beach. There are about twenty bungalows; in most of them a small house holds two apartments. Each bungalow is of course independent. There are few "solitary" bungalows and then there is a small two-storey building of small rooms. For those who want more comfort (or for a special occasion) there is also a suite right on the beach; it is an independent bungalow directly on the sea and decidedly larger than the others. We had even tried to take it but the Chinese lady explained that you have to move a few weeks in advance because it is often booked.
Our bungalow (shared) was opposite the pool, with a nice lawn in front of the entrance. Every structure is entirely in wood and at the entrance there is a small water tap to wash your feet. Inside, a double bed and two bedside tables; a desk and a wardrobe (rather small) with a handy safe. Of course an air conditioner, two chairs and a low table (there are also two comfortable chairs on the veranda) and then the bathroom, which is decidedly spartan with very old furnishings, with rather worn and shabby tiles. It is certainly the sore point of the resort. The shower has a floor mat that I advise you never to lift, to avoid discovering what is underneath (so sandals are a must) and the sink also has a small surface and a 10W light with which it is impossible to shave unless "from memory".
Overall the room is quite clean but there is a clear smell of mould that will accompany you in the following days too. Another sore point is the linen change: it is absolutely not done except when you take possession of the room. They told us it is done once a week for environmental reasons linked to washing with detergents. We stayed a week with the same sheets… the towels, however, are changed every day. Moreover you are given beach towels daily (free of charge). The room has no design and is certainly not inspired by Malaysian architecture: it seems to be made with furniture from 20 years ago that is continually patched up to keep it going. I forgot: above the bed there is also a mega fan but we tried to switch it on and the room almost took off! We opted for classic air conditioning! Excellent the view over the pool and the sea.
I don't recommend the bungalows facing the jungle, if only for the night "noise" of the thousands of frogs that crowd a small pond and of the monkeys that skirt the resort. I'd say it is better to opt for those near the bar. I also don't recommend the standard rooms in the small building because they are really small and even more spartan. There is no room service in any case. The
Day 110 Sep 2009
Redang
She wasn't very courteous in pointing out that we had to take off our shoes to climb onto the bar stools: after a journey lasting 6 hours from Kuala Lumpur, maybe a little understanding is needed... also because neither the period nor the resort presuppose a daily landing of dozens of customers. Fortunately, however, all the other staff of the property were very nice and friendly, always very discreet and always available to give information. There is no entertainment at all so it's a place for true relaxation, without the anxiety and distress of "no, thank you". Very well prepared too are the guys at the scuba dive center. The resort bar was open from 10 in the morning until 1 at night. It's the most lived-in spot of the resort and from the morning you can hear the blender going... smoothies, fruit mixes... they sell like hotcakes. The two guys are very nice and always friendly.
Very acceptable prices: they range from two euros for a big fruit smoothie to a maximum of 4 euros for an alcoholic cocktail. There's a wide choice of drinks anyway but at the bar there's no possibility of eating except when the restaurant is open. The pool is behind the bar. It's not very big but still spacious for the property, also because almost everyone goes to the sea. There's no children's pool, also the shallow end has low water. It's used a lot by the scuba center to teach the basics of diving for beginners who decide to approach this wonderful sport. In front of the resort there's a small volleyball court (you can ask for the ball free of charge at the reception) and a few canoes available for rent. Furthermore you can (in fact you MUST!) rent snorkeling gear and the prices are quite low.
They gave us a package deal of about 5 euros per week for mask, snorkel and safety jacket, that is, a little life vest (like the ones you find on rubber dinghies). They insist a lot on having you take it for safety reasons: in fact they don't rent you fins to avoid damaging the corals. If you have your own, no one will say anything but no one will rent them to you unless you do scuba and not snorkeling. So without fins, especially in some areas, the vest will help you, also because after a few hours in the water tiredness sets in and sometimes the currents wear you out. The restaurant is very nice: built on a raised level, as if it were a stilt house, it is completely open and in the evening (or when it rains) it is closed by very nice and scenic straw curtains.
There are several paddle fans that make the environment comfortable but being directly on the beach we never suffered from the heat during meals thanks to a pleasant breeze. The variety of food is not its strong point: at lunch and dinner there are always 4 dishes offered, not counting the salad, soup and fruit. Normally there is always a chicken dish, a fish dish, a type of pasta and possibly a Chinese/Malaysian dish. There's no bread but only plain basmati rice. Let's say that if you stay a week you won't suffer much because the serious repetition happens the second week when... the menu starts over from the beginning! Breakfast, on the other hand, is always the same: there are croissants, bread, eggs and sausages. Sometimes I've also seen beans or a rice soup (Malaysian). Tea and coffee are always available, also at lunch and dinner.
The only free drink is water (microfiltered, so they say) and orange juice at breakfast. The rest you can order. On Saturdays there's a wonderful barbecue with curry pork, chicken (unmissable) and fish (prawns). On Saturdays many people also come from the other resorts so you'd better move early, if you don't want to be left with an empty plate. The other "unpleasant" aspect is that the main dishes are almost never "replenished". If they run out, there's no more. And this becomes annoying because you're forced to order à la carte. The hours are quite rigid: breakfast 8-10, lunch 12:30-14:30 and dinner 19:30-21:30. As I was saying, it never pays to go right at closing time because you won't find any choice. If you want (or if you don't opt for all-inclusive like us) you can order from the menu. It doesn't cost much; the most expensive dish I saw didn't exceed €10.
Obviously, even with all-inclusive, you can opt to order from the menu, paying separately. The barbecue, on the other hand, is included (otherwise it costs €10 per person). Service is only for à la carte orders, otherwise it's self service. Anyway, the dining room guys are always very nice and available for anything. Usually at lunch the restaurant is stormed by cute squirrels (I don't think they're squirrels but they look like them). They're really quite big and aren't afraid to come onto your table to beg for a piece of your food. Obviously you see hilarious scenes with ladies screaming at the sight of them, with children fascinated by them and with someone... who just can't stand them! As I was saying, there's no notable nightlife at Coral Redang. Let's say that absolutely on the island there isn't much excitement in the evening.
The resorts frequented by the Chinese are the more "lively" ones and some of them even put on an evening disco, right on the beach. Among these, certainly the Pelangi Resort which seemed to be the most lively one, but the Redang Beach Resort also had an evening disco; moreover at Redang Beach there's a tattoo artist (temporary ones) and a kiosk where they paint batik. At the Laguna in the evening (except Monday) there's a kind of singing show at the beach bar with three Chinese singers. Many walk along the beach and move from one resort to another taking a little stroll and going to have a drink at another resort's bar. In short: there's a lot of tranquility but still if you want to spend a couple of hours in good spirits you won't have any trouble.
If instead you're looking for real discos, the ones with people dressed up and made up, with wild DJs (Ibiza style), you've got the wrong place and you'll be very disappointed. The beach, on the other hand, is excellent: beautiful, spacious, wide, gentle. No doubt about it. The sea is wonderful, warm, blue in the most unexpected shades and full of fish and coral. It's the exact same sea as the Seychelles with more fish and more coral (which we didn't find in the Seychelles). A little annoying: the boats that take vacationers around for snorkeling and diving (even 3 times a day for each resort) or the little boats that load and unload goods (there's even someone loading trash...). The other thing that isn't exactly pleasant is a little stream that passes next to Coral Redang and reaches the beach.
In reality they told us it's a jungle river but to us it seemed that it was also used as a drain for "non-black" waters. Fortunately the river was dry and didn't reach the sea except after a violent nighttime downpour. In any case it didn't give the impression of being polluted or giving off strange odors or colors... maybe they were right. The Coral has sunbeds (many) and umbrellas (few) available to vacationers. In the morning you'll notice that the smartest ones put a towel on the sunbed to hold the spot but we never found a shortage of sunbeds. Many of the guests go around, go to the sea, snorkel. Few are the sedentary ones who sit and read. On the other hand, many in the evening nav
Coral Redang Resort
Day 210 Sep 2009
Redang Marine Park
The Redang Island Marine Park is probably the most important and most famous attraction on the island. To access it you need to have a boat take you (just ask the resorts, the excursion is scheduled every morning leaving at 9:30) and pay a sort of entrance fee (which is used for the protection of the park) of 5 MR, that is €1. The ticket is valid for 3 days but it allows you access for only one, so if you want to repeat the visit you'll have to pay again. The first ticket is paid directly at the Kuala Terengganu pier when you take the boat to Redang (you'll pay anyway even if you don't go) and any further visits are paid directly at the Dive Center hosting you. Every morning the Coral Redang, the resort hosting us, organized a visit to the Marine Park. Always in the morning, never in the afternoon. You sail south for about twenty minutes with a fast boat.
When you arrive the water takes on colors that are hard to describe because it takes on incredible shades of light blue and green... there are numerous little islands and rocks that line the way to reach the Park, which is also on an island almost directly in front of the Berjaya Golf Resort and near the island's only airport. The island hosts a resort and therefore access is possible only in the part of the beach where they land you: if you feel like it you can also take a walk around, no one will stop you from entering the resort even though they recommend you don't swim in the pool. But the real pool is on the beach side, that is, the sea. The only real negative note is that to avoid inconvenience to the guests of the resort on the island, all the resorts' visits are concentrated only in the morning and therefore... there's a crazy overcrowding.
Groups of Chinese armed with bread who dive in to feed the fish and to be photographed surrounded by thousands (not a random number, believe me) of small and large fish... that touch you, ravenous in search of bread!
The area designated for snorkeling isn't very big, also because the channel separating the islet from the main island has a strong current (you can see it with the naked eye) and the guides will repeat until you're sick of it not to go past the marker buoys to avoid being sucked in by the channel's current.
There are lots of fish and lots of coral.... green and yellow predominantly. We also saw a wonderful grouper of about thirty kg that, blissful and placid, was dozing under a big rock. Near the shore you are truly stormed by thousands of silvery fish looking for some bread crumbs (evidently they don't distinguish Chinese from Europeans!). The water, like everywhere on the island, is very warm even though we were attacked by sea fleas, that is, insects that live on the surface of the water and give you annoying pinches, leaving little blisters on your skin that will go away after a few hours. To remedy this problem I recommend at least a t-shirt in order to limit the damage to your legs. We also asked our guide and she confirmed that there's no particular remedy other than covering up.
Fortunately we found these nice little friends so concentrated only here while in the other areas of the island there are decidedly fewer. It seems the concentration depends on many factors... water pH, the external climate, the temperature... who knows...
The stop lasts no more than an hour and then you have to line up to get on the pier and leave again, each on their own resort's boat. Here's the negative thing, this idea of "transhumance" that takes away from the place the enchantment it deserves. Obviously I would never take a room in the island's resort considering that this crowding worthy of Ostia beach in August happens every morning. What we thought was: luckily it's late September, we don't dare imagine what it could be like in mid-August.
Anyway a beautiful excursion that's definitely worth the stress of the crowd. Some things can't be visited "solo" and so you have to adapt. But the visit to the grouper and its friends will repay you for your efforts!
Redang Marine Park
Day 310 Sep 2009
Beach
At the end of your vacation, when you return home from Redang and your friends and relatives ask you "So, how's this island? How's the sea?" you'll hardly find the words to do justice to this paradise. You'll be speechless because there are none to describe a place that is a perfect and harmonious blend of wild nature and the serenity of a deserted island. A beach almost two kilometers long and made up of two enormous coves divided by a promontory. White, fine sand almost like talcum powder... always cool thanks to the presence of micro-coral that prevents it from overheating even in the hottest hours of the day... the turquoise water, warm and almost never rough. And then all the snorkeling areas to make you spend hours glued watching the seabeds, with the mask that in the evening will leave the marks of your passion on your face.
This is what you should say upon returning, but believe me no one will be able to understand you. Along this beach stand almost all the resorts of Redang (except for the Berjaya). They are all decent (except a couple that are decidedly invasive) and adapt wonderfully to your needs: international, local, Chinese, chaotic, serene, spartan, luxurious. At Long Beach you'll find everything you desire.
The beach is the opportunity for long walks, taking photographs, visiting the resorts, getting something to drink (during the central hours the sun beats down but the heat even more). And obviously sunbathing, taking very long swims and then, especially along the rocky coasts, a few meters from the water's edge, snorkeling and entering into a Folco Quilici documentary. You'll find truly rich fauna with fish of every type and every color. You'll break out in a cold sweat when you encounter the blacktip sharks, creatures about 1.5 meters long that swim near tropical reefs, or you'll watch with unaware curiosity one of the strangest (and feared) fish of the reef, namely the triggerfish. Not to mention the groupers or the hundreds of sergeant major fish with silvery colors and yellow stripes.
But there will also be parrotfish that spend their days scraping rocks and small stones, or butterflyfish beautiful and elegant as if they were going to the theater. And the backdrop of this film is the green corals of the reef, they almost seem drawn by a skilled caricaturist, and even more you'll feel like you're in a Walt Disney film when you encounter the sea anemones... look carefully and attentively because you'll surely find some clownfish that can't fail to bring to mind the Nemo cartoon.
Hours and hours spent in the water. You'll experience this beach little because most of your time you'll be soaking in the water. But in the afternoon, holding a wonderful and fresh fruit cocktail, sit on a sunbed and breathe in the scent of these lands. Forget about mal d'Afrique, forget about saudade: since I returned I do nothing but think about Redang, a lost paradise. Animals on the Island In the forest behind the various resorts there are numerous monkeys, of different types and species. They're of I'd say small and medium size. Especially in the morning and evening they show themselves at the edge of the forest, they let you get close but be very careful because they are unpredictable and especially the bigger ones are aggressive. I say aggressive... not that they steal but that they try to jump on you with their mouths open.
They do it if they feel threatened and to avoid this you shouldn't get closer than you should. We overdid it to take photos but we were attacked by a couple of specimens that didn't jump on us only by chance (we screamed so loudly that they got scared!) Monitor lizards. There are many both inland and on the beach but they are very shy animals. They don't like chaos, confusion and humans, so if they see you (and they always do, don't worry) they always move away quickly. They're also skilled swimmers and we saw them in the most isolated nooks of the beach but I think they only swim to reach other beaches without staying in the water for long. Fish Near the promontory of the beach there are blacktip sharks about one and a half meters long, very beautiful and harmless. There are generally lots of fish and they're all non-dangerous except the triggerfish.
Ask your resort to show you photographs (in English trigger fish) or drawings of this fish which is the "crazy one" of the group. It's rather aggressive even when there's no need. There are no particular precautions; when you see it stay calm and steer clear... that's all.
1 reader comments
Complimenti....da vero amante e frequentatore della Malaysia il vostro racconto valorizza le emozioni che questi splendidi posti regalano....