JapaMala Resort, Pulau Tioman June 2-4, 2006

Our second visit to Tioman Island, off the east coast of Malaysia, about two hours' drive south of Kuantan then a ferry ride from Mersing, was spent at the very unique resort of JapaMala (www.japamalaresorts.com) on the western edge of the island. This very private resort boasts about 10 chalets, some in the tree tops, some on the hillside and new ones under construction. We chose to stay in a tree-top chalet, some 120 steps above sea level! (Exercise never hurt anyone, did it?!?) If you click on the link to the tree-top chalet on the website, you will see the exact one we stayed in!









View from our
tree-top chalet











Our room in the trees...
bathroom to the right through the
sheer curtain













From our deck, you
could see two other hillside
chalets through the trees,
each with a beautiful view
of the South China Sea












The new jetty, still
under construction
opposite the resort
















Another "al fresco"
dining experience,
right beside a jungle
stream. Note another chalet
in the background.














Beach and sea at the
edge of the resort
property (high tide)













The pool at JapaMala-
was it ever chilly!

















Beach in front of the
resort at high tide.
Can you spot a chalet
in the trees?












Sunset from our
chalet over the South
China Sea

Pat was able to arrange some diving on Saturday at the Berjaya Tioman Resort where he and Steph dove in January. He had to hire the resort boat to take him over to the Berjaya, just along the island from JapaMala. I spent the day in sheer luxury...sitting on the beach reading, having a manicure and pedicure, enjoying a nice Thai lunch on the patio, then more sitting/snoozing on the beach...this time in a comfy lounge chair! However, I didn't know about the sand fleas after low tide until it was too late and had been bitten all over my calves and knees! The bites came out in full force at bedtime and it was all I could do to not scratch! Wouldn't you know it, this was the time I had forgotten to bring along AfterBite and calamine lotion! And those bites were itchy for WEEKS afterwards! When Pat returned from diving, we splurged on a massage beachside on the lounge chairs...heavenly!

Food at the JapaMala was delicious: a mixture of various Indo-Chinese dishes, not too spicy, but with lots of fresh veggies and fruit, lovely curries, spring rolls and some very good local lobster! Breakfast was included in our room rate and there were several options to choose from.

Before leaving on Sunday, we hired the resort boat once again with an Australian couple to go snorkeling in two different spots around the little island, Pulau Rengis, just opposite the Berjaya Resort. It was very crowded with lots of snorkeling boats but we managed to see some interesting fish, including a small barracuda shark!

We seemed to wait for hours for the correct ferry boat to bring us back to the mainland and along the way, it began to pour rain and the seas were much rougher than on our way there. Driving home, Pat and I saw so much "wildlife" along the road, we began to make a list and here it is: chickens, goats, a herd of water buffaloes, cows, two dead monkeys (this was a first for us), a dead monitor lizard, a loose dog in the town of Mersing, monkeys running along the road beside the jungle (they come out at dusk to look for food), a cat, two cows crossing the road inbetween cars which never even slow down(!), sheep closer to Kuantan (also a first for us in Malaysia) and a motorcycle in tow/toe (the guy being towed had his toe on the first bike!).

It was good to get home...less wildlife around here, except for the occasional (small) monitor lizard or cat wandering past the house and the numerous monkeys outside the Hyatt at dusk!

Jumpa lagi!