An evening in Desaru

It is not always about discovery when you travel but re-discovery and this was exactly what I experienced when I recently headed to Desaru after almost 15 years.


The place of choice was The Pulai, Desaru Beach. Located right by the beach, The Pulai Desaru was not those run of the mill beach huts but rather a full-serviced hotel with the latest amenities and facilities and even a little bit extra. These little extras presented themselves from the moment we arrived which was 5 hours ahead of the official check in time. Seeing that we were looking rather weary, the kind staff allowed us to check into one of the rooms which was already available. The room did not disappoint for it housed a huge bed along with a sitting area, with room left to spare. The room which was on the ground floor opened up to a porch that led straight6 to the beach. Literally beachfront living!

A walk around the resort unveiled even more interesting sights such as a mini-zoo, a kid’s club and even a PS2 game station. They even had a daily activities board that lists down special activities that were on offer for the day such as a treasure hunt or a special penalty shootout by the beach. Very reminiscent of a Club Med! And to add to that, guests can rent out board games such as scrabble and carom for the day as well as paddles and ball for a round on the ping pong table. Definitely makes one heady from excitement as well as confusion. (What should I do First?!)

Well if that doesn’t whet your appetite, a walk on the beach might. The beach is but steps away from your room and the sand is of a soft and fine blend that will tickle your feet. The water is of a gorgeous clear blue shade with rock formations dotting its shoreline. You will definitely feel calmness pervading your senses as the beach is tranquil and intimate even. (We were the only ones on that stretch!) The water was very calm and cool, perfect conditions for a relaxing dip or for skimming stones with friends (just as I did, for they have really nice polished stones perfect for such a sport littered on the beach!) The beach is also a great place to have afternoon tea as wooden chairs and tables are provided all along that stretch. Do watch out for the flies though (so much bigger here) and remember to always keep your food covered.

Before you know it, you will be welcoming the evening sun and the resulting sunset. The views are very pretty and the ambience even better. For the more adventurous, this would be the best time to go and ‘korek for remis’ (dig for clams) by the sea, a pastime that locals of the area enjoy doing.

When night falls, it is rather difficult to get around outside of the resort, especially if you do not have your own car. Shuttles as well as taxis are available upon request but charges can be rather expensive and since the towns are pretty rural, it would be best to ask the staff around should you wish to eat dinner outside.
We managed to find a little town not too far away that had some restaurants and food centers. (This is where one’s resourcefulness comes in.) This little town, Bandar Penawar became our dining destination for the next 2 nights where we even managed to catch a ‘pasar malam’ (night market) that served yummy local fare such as putu piring and the famous Ramly burger

Apart from these nightly sojourns to Bandar Penawar for dinner, we were very happy to just stay in the resort for there were many activities to be done daily whether your guilty pleasure of choice is a decadent spa treatment or a day trip exploring the reefs at ‘Minah Rock’ on the snorkeling tour. Both activities really left me screaming for more, although one left me hoarser than the other. It is this excellent customer service that allows guests to get involved and feel like part of the Pulai family. We certainly did!

Currently The Pulai, Desaru Beach are offering promotional packages for the family and I highly recommend that you embark on this discovery or re-discovery and if possible, do consider making it a road-trip, that always makes it much more fun!