Coral View Island Resort on Perhentian Island is located right at the end of the western main beach of Perhentian Besar Island. Run by a local Malay family, the resort has some pretty interesting features and it is cleverly located in between two beaches with a great view.

Coral View Island Resort is also easily accessible from Kuala Terengganu via boat from Kuala Besut Jetty. These fibreglass speedboats take about 45 minutes to get to Perhentian Island (Pulau Perhentian, pronounced Perhen-TEE-AHN) and the prices are usually around RM70 (US$20) for a two way trip. You also need to buy the Marine Park Conservation Charge of RM5. Once you reach the resort, smaller boats will come and pick you to take you the your resort as there is no jetty at most of the resorts in Perhentian Island.

When I got in to Perhentian Island, I was absolutely amazed with the clarity of the waters here. I had booked my trip through the Coral View Island Resort office in Terengganu town, so my speed boat brought me straight to the resort. It looked pretty nice from the outside as I was coming in to land the beach.

On arrival, we went straight to the small reception of the Coral View Island Resort. Inside a young Malay lady had our room keys ready and spoke pleasant English. I was also told that her boss was a local Malay man whose family ran the business. Looking around I could see that a lot of effort was put into the Coral View Island Resort.

We got a sea view chalet which was pretty decent. I mean if you are expecting 3 stars, don't bother. I would easily give this place a 2-star rating. The sea view chalet was basic with a lot of local Malay influence to the exterior and interior. Sadly, due to land space, the chalets were pretty close to each other.

Coral View Island Resort has a nice indoor restaurant which is tastefully decorated. The restaurant serves some reasonable food which is also ala-carte. Also to add in, this resort caters to a lot of families. So expect children running around and also large groups.

Outside the resort, there are two places for your outdoor dining. Breakfast, lunches, tea and dinners can be taken here which is much more nicer as the tables are located on the beach and are quite naturally shaded by the trees with sea breeze blowing in.

Prices of food at the Coral View Island Resort may be a little more that you expect so if you are on a budget, talk a walk down the beach as there are some cheaper alternatives there. A recommended restaurant to try is at Watercolours Resort and Dive Center just next door to the resort.

One one of the nights at Coral View Island Resort, we decided to have some fresh seafood sitting out by the beach tables. I asked the waiter about the fish and he told me it was freshly caught in the evening. So without hesitation, we ordered a large grouper cooked with Malay style sweet and sour sauce, a small plate of mixed vegetables and two plates of white rice. I must say the fish was one of the freshest fish I had ever tasted.

In the evenings, the locals come out to play beach volleyball and most of the time, they would invite the guests to join in for a game. Apart from this, there are numerous activities available here. From snorkeling, diving to jungle trekking and island hopping around the other islands.

If you want to visit Perhentian Kecil (Small Perhentian Island) you can just book a water taxi from the reception or sports center at the Coral View Island Resort. Snorkeling equipment is readily available for rent if you want to explore the corals around the resort. There is a good patch of coral garden just outside of the resort beach. If you choose to do a jungle trek, there is a good chance to see some monitor lizards where some of them grow up to about 5 feet long.

There are also snorkeling trips to various spots around the island where you can experience seeing turtles, rays, coral fishes and even sharks while snorkeling or diving. For scuba divers, there is a dive shop here called Pro Divers World. This dive center caters to dive trips and also scuba diving classes in the event you want to take your PADI Open Water Course. More details below.

In the evenings, you can just sit out on the beach and catch the beautiful Perhentian sunset while having your dinner at the outdoor restaurant or simply just lying on the beach.


The resort is pretty well lit at night so walking around would give you the feeling of living in a local Malay Kampung (Village).


Apart from the resort, I took a walk to the other restaurants and cafes along the beach. Some of them are pretty cosy serving beers and coffee. Most of the foreign travellers would be seen catching up here at the outdoor restaurants and cafes.


One of the days I was there, the weather was not too good as it looked like it was going to rain cats and dogs. Going out to the beach, the clouds looked like a major storm coming. In the end, it just rained a little and blew over.


If you are adventurous, you can walk past the Coral View Island Resort and find the wooden walkway to the more expensive Perhentian Island Resort. This wooden walkway doubles as a jungle walk as it runs through the mangrove and rocks. The length of this walkway is about 500 meters and very interesting.

My conclusion to the Coral View Island Resort on Perhentian Island - It's alright if you have a family and are not too fussy. If you are a couple looking for a romantic getaway, this place will not suit you. Definitely not for honeymooners! Best for groups and families. There is no beer and pork sold here as it is a Muslim run business. I stayed here for 2 nights but I spent a lot of time moving around Perhentian Besar and Kecil. Would I stay here again? I would.

Four Seasons Beachfront Villas in Langkawi Island is one of the most exclusive and romantic holiday getaways you can have in Malaysia. These stand-alone one bedroom luxury villas are each facing the Andaman Sea with no distractions other than the white sand beach here at Tanjung Rhu in Langkawi.


These beachfront villas are so unique, the distance from your villa to the sea is about a hundred meters over the white sand beach. When you step out on the beach and look around, all you see is pure privacy here. No other resorts are within the vicinity of the private stretch of beach here at the Four Seasons Resort.


The Four Seasons Beachfront Villas has a secluded garden path that leads you into the units. There is a 12 square meter private pool at each of the beach villas and when I walked in, I was amazed with the detailed finishing for everything here. A dining table for four and an over sized daybed lay in the veranda of the beach villa. At the private pool, a pair of deckchairs face the sea where you can enjoy a suntan in privacy.


Beach front villas come with a king-sized bed in the main living room facing the huge wood and glass sliding doors that open up to a view of the Andaman Sea. There is a 42 inch plasma TV in each of the villas complete with a DVD player, mini bar, espresso machine and tasteful decorations. Every detail here is well taken care off so you need not worry.


Walking further in, I noticed a huge writing desk in a fairly large area and walk-in wardrobe the size of my home living room which is every woman's dream from what I am told. There is also something for the kids which is a sandcastle making kit. Around back, there is your own private spa treatment room where the masseurs will visit you for your spa treatment on request.


The full marble bathrooms are absolutely beautiful where guests are given a choice to have showers indoor or even outdoors via a door from the main bathroom. On the other end lies a terrazzo tub which can fit a family of four. The sheer size of this bathroom will put a big smile on your face as some guest claim the bathrooms at the beach villas are about the size of their homes which I do believe after stepping inside here.


Each section of the bathroom is tastefully designed with top-of-the-line products and materials. Even the rain shower is amazing. I had two baths as I needed to experience them both. After having my shower inside, I simply opened the doors and stepped outside for shower number two in seclusion.


From the main living room of the beach villa, you can simply slide open the huge wooden and glass doors to open up your living room with an amazing view. Watching the Langkawi sunset from the beach villas would be really romantic. Another plus point here is that you can order the in-villa dining menu of an Asian Steamboat or a Barbecue set at your veranda.

If you have children, I would easily recommend staying at the beach villas as the amenities are simply amazing. A private pool, your own beachfront, private dining, extremely spacious at 2,369 square feet and you have an option of getting two beds with additional bed on request.

But for newlywed couples, honeymooners and those seeking a luxury romantic getaway, the Four Seasons Beachfront Villas is the place to stay. You will not regret it as this is one of the places in Malaysia that is definitely worth the experience though it would put a huge dent in your credit card. When they say luxury does not come cheap, they are referring to the Four Seasons.

There have been many reviews of the resort and every one of them is positive so I had a full on experience here to justify this and also to kill my curiosity. I would definitely stay here for a romantic holiday but a heads up to those interested as the prices here are above average compared to the normal resorts.

Price for the Beachfront Villa a Four Seasons Langkawi - RM1,663 (US$475) a night

Manukan Island Resort also has a showroom and office just as you make your entrance to Pulau Manukan when you pay for the Marine Park entrance fees. Getting here is fairly simple as you can hop on a boat from Sutera Harbour's Sea Quest Watersports Center at a price of RM50.00 (US$14) or from the KK Ferry Terminal (Next to the Malaysian Royal Customs Department) for RM23 (US$6.60) for a return trip.

The semi-luxury resort offers four different types of accommodation which are 4 units of Hilltop Lodges, 6 units of Split-Level Hilltop Lodges, 4 units of one storey Beach Lodge bungalow and 6 units of Split-Level Beach Lodges. I had the pleasure of being shown around by the staff of Sutera Sanctuary Lodge on one of my many trips to Pulau Manukan.

The Beach Lodges or bungalows are carefully located just when you walk in and turn right towards the main area of the island and are sea view and away from the main activity of Pulau Manukan. However, when boat loads of tourist arrive, they will pass the beach lodges on route to the main area so the crowd can be a little noisy. The Hill Lodges are on the other side so it is located in a private area.

The beach lodges are pretty much all made from high quality wood and glass and is surrounded by lush tropical plants which are well maintained by the resort. Fixtures inside are pretty much basic and nothing to shout about. Hot water, Air Conditioning, Television are available.

Inside the Hilltop Lodges, the decoration is kept to a minimal. Wooden doors around with glass planes give you glimpse of the South China Sea at a distance. Tropical trees grow high in front of the lodges so it is quite cooling. The balcony area can sit about four people as well.

The bedroom at the lodges are very spacious and comfortable though they are not your 5-Star hotel style setting. As everything is made from wood, you get a very cabin-like feeling staying here.

Bathrooms at the lodges single bungalow are simply amazing. It is like having your own little spa in there with an eclectic mix of modern, zen and Balinese. The semi-open concept where the top potion is uncovered gives you the airy feeling. A bath tub sits amongst pebbled walls and tropical plants fill the mood here.

I would stay here if I plan to visit Pulau Manukan for an overnight trip though this place suits those who want to experience a luxury beach resort in Borneo but lacks time. Therefore when you land in Kota Kinabalu, you can be at the resort in under an hour from the airport and check out the next day.

The Manukan Island Resort is also very family friendly as most of the lodges are large enough to cater to families. A beach is readily available and there are quite a number of things that can be done while staying there. Snorkeling at the TAR Marine Park is also one of the highlights here. The best thing about staying here is catching the amazing Sabah Sunsets that are seen from the sunset view point of Pulau Manukan.

Getting to Pulau Manukan, catch a boat from;

• Sutera Harbour's Sea Quest Watersports Center - RM50.00 (US$14)
• KK Ferry Terminal (Next to the Malaysian Royal Customs Department) -RM23 (US$6.60)
• Fares are return trip

Lao food in Luang Prabang was actually quite tasty as most of the local hawkers or coffee shops serve excellent Lao food which is a little similar to the Vietnamese and Cambodian style food. So if you have been to either of the those countries and tried the local food there, then it should not be a problem trying the Lao Food here. If not, there is always a first.


Luang Prabang is also famous for the local Lao Baguette. They are found throughout Laos at makeshift stalls by the roadside or coffee shops sell them. Some of the restaurants may even serve the Lao Baguette. I personally tried one baguette a day from different vendors and they all tasted almost similar. Most of them are served with roast chicken stuffed with fresh cut vegetables and herbs.





Exploring Luang Prabang's back lanes and outer roads from town, I came across many local road side stalls that sold all kinds of Lao delicacy. A lot of them were mainly roasted or grilled above charcoal fire or wood fire. Grilled pork, chicken and fish were the usual suspects at most of the stalls.


Even in Luang Prabang main town area, there was a side lane filled with various Lao hawkers selling all kinds of local Lao food. Some which looked totally delicious while others looked pretty odd to the foreigner. Among the odd ones I encountered were a bucket of eggs with numbers written on each of the egg. I asked the stall owner what they were and she politely told me that they were the age in weeks of the unborn ducklings inside the egg. Alright, that is something I am not going to try but I was told that the locals love it there. They are Fertilized Duck Eggs by the way.


Other roadside makeshift stalls sold mainly Lao soup noodles or fried noodles. I did try some but not at the road side stalls. I opted for the coffee shop soup noodles which were equally tasty from what I was told.


If you walk along the main road along the Mekong River, you will be greeted by many restaurants that have outdoor seating with a beautiful view of the mighty Mekong River. This is one of the popular tourist places with local staff there speaking good English and serve a variety of local Lao and Western food. If hawkers or roadside stalls are not your style, then I suggest you give these places a go. Most tourist are seen here trying the local Lao food and having a cup of Lao Coffee admiring the scenic views.


Before you go into some of the Mekong River View restaurants, there are huge picture menus outside for you to decide on. This makes things a whole lot easier to understand what you are going to order.


I couldn't help but give it a try since the weather was pretty cooling and the view was beautiful. The restaurant was simple and we ordered some authentic Lao coffee, some Iced Lemon Tea and a roast chicken baguette the size of an American football, which we only ate half and took the other half on our exploration around town. I could understand why travelers would sit with a book and pass the afternoon here sipping some good Lao coffee.


The overall view was fantastic considering the restaurant was naturally shaded by the huge riverside trees. They sell Beer Lao and also Wines at some of the restaurants, a perfect setting for some travelers.


Moving to another area near the Dara Market in Luang Prabang town area, we found a nice little corner Lao coffee shop which served mainly locals. In we went and the waitress didn't even speak a word of English, so the lady shop owner had to take our order. I hesitated at first but looking at the interesting menu, I ended up ordering the Lao Fried Rice while Lilian ordered some Lao Soup Noodles and some authentic pure Lao Black Coffee. The food was great with no complaints but the coffee........


The Lao Coffee was really interesting for the both of us. In the picture above, you see Lao black coffee with condense milk at the bottom and served with a coffee spoon. So, what one has to do is stir in the condense milk with the coffee, giving it a good mix and then drink it. But in this scenario, after stirring the condensed milk, the coffee still remained black. Alright, maybe it's like that so Lilian has a go and wow! Just sipping one spoon of the coffee and she could not take it. The Lao Coffee was just too strong. In fact, it was the strongest coffee she had ever tasted and we left it as it was, paying the bill and moving on.



Other than trying out the local food in Luang Prabang, we did walk to a local market selling fresh produce for the locals. All we saw were just shops and shops of fresh vegetables, herbs and dried goods. The Lao people tend to cook a lot with local grown herbs which gives the food a very distinctive taste compared to Southeast Asian cooking.


My conclusion to the Lao local food - Please try whatever you see that would suit you and also the Lao Baguette. Don't forget the traditional Lao Coffee. Lao food is pretty much clean and tasty especially when they use the local fresh herbs and vegetables. We hardly ha any stomach issues while trying out the local food and saw many foreigners having a go at the local stalls. If you have a very weak stomach, then you should not attempt this.