LF Says: ★★★★.5
Malaysia, the small South Asian country, is surrounded by many well-known cousins. The beachy Thailand; the glitzy Singapore; the culturally high Cambodia; and the lush green Indonesia. And while Malaysia is no less popular, its many virtues get hidden behind the grand Petronas Twin Towers, the deal-dripping shopping hubs, or Johor’s Legoland.
Desaru, located in the southern region of Malaysia, is one such fantastic spot. If you are done with your fill of shopping and gawping, then Desaru Coast is perfect to wind down in. And for locals, it is the ideal weekend destination. It has a stunning coastline that looks out to the majestic South China Sea, untouched beaches, greenery, and just enough activities to keep you relaxed yet entertained.
Reaching Desaru, and Anantara
Driving from Kuala Lumpur to Desaru was a breeze. The 4.5 hour drive was pleasant with gorgeous hills, low density traffic, smooth roads, and enough eateries to keep you satisfied. As you leave the hustle-bustle of Kuala Lumpur, you will slowly find yourself in the countryside. Reaching Desaru, the landscape will upgrade. A high bridge welcomes you to this coastal town, which, by the way, is being developed by the Johor state government to attract tourism.
In fact, Desaru is only 45 minutes from the Senai International Airport. It’s easily accessible from Singapore as well, being only two hours by road. A ferry from Singapore also leads you to Desaru.
Nibbling on some cookies, I took in the beautiful wicker shades on the ceiling and the earthy furnishings. I peeled my eyes away from the water, reassuring myself that there will be plenty of time to touch the waves.
After a hectic couple of days exploring Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, and surrounding areas, we were looking forward to plonking down at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. Reaching there, getting out of the car, I still can’t forget my first view. After climbing the stairs and going inside, the lobby opens out into a brilliant, sun dappled view of the South China Sea! Your feet bypass the desk as you are drawn to the view, to that aura!
The staff greeted us, and asked us to relax at the Observatory Bar – another beautiful spot that gives a view of the entire hotel and the water – while they checked us in. Nibbling on some cookies, I took in the beautiful wicker shades on the ceiling and the earthy furnishings. I peeled my eyes away from the water, reassuring myself that there will be plenty of time to touch the waves.
Our “hotel home”
Soon, we found ourselves in a buggy, being driven to our two-bedroom villa. And it was more than what I expected. We got off, opened the white gate, and were immediately transported to our very own haven. A small, landscaped garden leads to the beautiful wooden and jaali door of our villa. Open it and you’ll find yourself in a small, well-lit lobby. To the left is the living room with wicker furniture and pop-colored cushions. A small table, television, and a luxurious kitchenette with coffee machine, drinkware and cutlery, complete the living room. Looking out, you’ll be introduced to your very own private pool, set between a beautiful, well-furnished deck with lounge chairs, sofa sets and lime green cushions. Beyond the pool is a small lagoon and some more green area. You are cocooned and private.
On the right of the lobby is a very well-appointed bedroom with twin beds, a beautiful reading nook, and en-suite bathroom with double vanity. Moving upstairs from the living room is the exorbitantly sized, cathedral-ceilinged master bedroom you’ll simply want to live in forever! The ensuite bathroom is as expansive, and as relaxing as your own mini spa. There is enough wardrobe storage in the room, in the bathroom, and another small room where you can dress or keep your knick-knacks. As my sever-year old son aptly put it, the 2-bedroom 2.5-bathroom villa was our “hotel house” for four days.
Going beyond the size, what delighted me was the little features. Tiny notes on your pillow to say goodnight, Malaysian artworks on the wall, traditional carpet on the floor, and more. Even the small knicks and scratches on the solid wood furniture gave us the feeling of home! The bathrooms were made with a mix of wood, stone and glass. The master bedroom had an inviting freestanding tub. The rain shower heads in the bathrooms were absolutely refreshing, especially after the sweltering Malaysian heat. And the Anantara Spa amenities had creamy and fuller texture with a floral jasmine fragrance – instead of the usual lemon smell and thin watery lotion that you get in most luxury hotel amenities.
Full light control lets you have accent or ambient lighting. Separate thermostats for the two floors allowed you to temperature control as per everyone’s preference. In short, Anantara, with astuteness, prepared for everything a guest might need.
Constructed in traditional Malaysian kampong style houses, the villa offers plenty of natural light and open area. The hotel offers one-bedroom villas as well, along with 90 deluxe rooms. But if you want to go even grander, then indulge in their 3- or 4- bedroom residences – which are available for limited time rent as well as purchase. And they come with their own infinity pools overlooking the South China Sea, butler service, and fully furnished kitchens. Price? Starting at $1.78 million.
In tune with nature
Perhaps the best part of Anantara Desaru Coast is the fact that you are in communion with nature. From the design of the villa, to the carefully curated greenery outside, to the sea, to the activities offered. For four days of my life, I would sleep to the rhythmic croaking of frogs and chirping crickets, and wake up to bulbuls and mynas singing.
The hotel is surrounded by a wide range of flora and fauna, as I found out during my birdwatching walk at the hotel. Bird watchers, you’ll have plenty to observe through those binocs! Take a peek at Olive-backed sunbirds and the sultry Asian Glossy Starling. After my walk – once I could identify a few birds – I realized the garden beyond the private pool was regularly visited by hen birds. And I witnessed a very proud monitor lizard walking leisurely near the lagoon once! It was a sight to see!
An absolute stress buster. You are away from the world, but still just enough in touch.
The secluded beach offered plenty opportunity to take in the waves or bask in the sun. A cute swing tempted me multiple times to get that “me” time with the Sea roaring across. If you want creature comforts coupled with nature, then maybe just hang out at the Observatory Bar, or sip a cocktail in the lounge, right outside the lobby, to stare endlessly at the Sea. An absolute stress buster. You are away from the world, but still just enough in touch.
Hacking into Malaysian delicacies
Dining at Anantara Desaru Coast is a delight. Right from the in-house baked Pandan lattice bread at breakfast to Laksa Johor – a traditional Malaysian dish made with noodles, gravy and spices. The length and breadth of Anantara’s culinary prowess is immeasurable. Offering multiple avenues to satiate your appetite, the Desaru Coast resort covers a wide range of cuisines.
Turmeric, the Malaysian-Thai restaurant at Anantara Desaru Coast, was also the site of breakfast. We usually started our day with delectably prepared detox shots, moving on to a wide assortment of local Malaysian and international fruits. Jackfruit is a must try, so is star fruit (delicious with plum powder!). I do wish Durian was a part of the breakfast buffet, but its strong smell – despite its sweet taste – usually is a turn-off for many guests. Hence, I did not see it in hotel buffets.
Apart from the usual egg station, Turmeric offers very refreshing smoothies, a noodle station, Nasi Lemak station with curries and toppings, and Malaysian roti and curry stations. A make-it-your-own dish, Nasi Lemak is Malaysian style coconut rice which can be customized to suit your tastes. Indeed, Nasi Lemak differs across different regions of Malaysia. Don’t miss the Malaysian kueh – the local sweet – made in a variety of flavours and colours. Let me warn you though – it’s not too sugary sweet! Nothing in Malaysian food is overly sweet in fact – not even the desserts.
Every week, Turmeric also hosts the Thai-Laysian dinner buffet. And the sheer assortment of noodles, biryanis, fried rice, curries will overwhelm you, yet work up a sizeable appetite!
A variety of breads and salads accompanied steamed red bean buns, prawn dumplings, bread pudding, flat noodles, and so, so much! The usual oats, pancakes and waffles were available as well. Double it down with your style of cappuccino or mocha, and you are set for the day. Every day I could choose something new at breakfast, and not have to repeat.
Every week, Turmeric also hosts the Thai-Laysian dinner buffet. And the sheer assortment of noodles, biryanis, fried rice, curries will overwhelm you, yet work up a sizeable appetite! Malaysia is known for delectable seafood, and you can see that at the Thai-Laysian buffet as well. Apart from featuring in dishes, there is a fresh seafood bar also, equipped with a variety of sauces. I was blown over by the comfort of the Garlic Soup. Made in front of you, you could taste the freshness in the green papaya salad, as the server crushes the papaya, the peanuts and the chilis. It was juicy and stimulating! The red curry was piquant with the fresh flavour of lemongrass. The lamb biryani was delicious and the fresh-grilled chicken skewers were seasoned just right. You could see the similarity in Malaysian and Indian spice levels!
I drowned in pure bliss as I had the Sayur Masak Lodeh – a warm and heartening vegetable curry made with thin glass noodles. Laksa Johor, a Malaysian street food dish, was as delicious!
My heart was reserved for the desserts though. The sago pudding was mild, interestingly flavoured with just a hint of caramel. The gold garnished strawberry tart was, well, tart and sweet at the same time.
During a lunch session at Turmeric, I drowned in pure bliss as I had the Sayur Masak Lodeh – a warm and heartening vegetable curry made with thin glass noodles. Laksa Johor, a Malaysian street food dish, was as delicious! The veggies had a crunch, and it was the perfect consistency – not too thick and not too watery. It was not as zesty as the street version though – and I assume it was deliberately so to cater to an international diner.
We truly dug into the Malaysian Ice Batu though. It was a gorgeous looking big bowl of mixed ice cream, shaved ice, green coloured noodles, red beans, longan (a local fruit) and more! Again, not too sweet, it was just the perfect dessert to indulge in on a hot Malaysian day.
And more food
Apart from Turmeric, Anantara Desaru Coast also hosts Sea.Fire.Salt., a fine dine seafood and grill restaurant. But in true beach style, the restaurant has a casual, breezy feel. The Golden Ocean, our gin and yuzu tonic cocktail, was sweet and refreshing, while Sea of Pineapple cut the sweetness of pineapple with Cointreau, and lemon added a tanginess.
For traditionalists, the restaurant offers prime cuts of Wagyu and Angus. Seafood lovers will enjoy Roasted Tiger Prawns, Lobster & Scallop Pasta and Grouper Fillet among other options.
Their Eggplant Croquette came beautifully plated, where spicy mayo gave a slight kick to the gentle eggplant! It was crunchy, hot and delicious. Beef Wellington was a show in itself as our server came armed with a jug of gravy, which was poured right in front of us over the dish. Beef Wellington turned out to be a good choice as the strong flavour of beef – which was cooked to medium softness – blended well with the pastry and gravy.
For traditionalists, the restaurant offers prime cuts of Wagyu and Angus. Seafood lovers will enjoy Roasted Tiger Prawns, Lobster & Scallop Pasta and Grouper Fillet among other options.
We ended the meal with the Anantara Reef – their signature dessert that came with strong recommendations – and Chilled Chocolate Mousse. The Reef turned out to be a surprise! The black stone board came with a mélange of flavours and textures! Spongy cakes, mint, passion fruit jelly, sweet crumbles – they all mixed to make something sweet, something tangy! Thanks to Sea.Fire.Salt.’s location right next to the South China Sea, we had a lovely evening of waves and wagyu!
Infinity Bar, a casual lunch restaurant with small bites, is perfect when you are hitting their infinity pool. The bites, however, were not too small. My Kimchi Slaw Bruschetta was deliciously lip-smacking, while my seven year old was in raptures with their Chocolate Extravaganza dessert (I have forgotten the actual name, but it was truly a chocolate extravaganza). It was a huge bowl of chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream and marshmallows. You know what I mean.
From Crispy Chicken Tacos to Lobster Salad on Brioche, Infinity Bar’s menu is perfect for a sunny day meal.
As green as outside
Anantara takes sustainability seriously enough to take some strong actions. It has an in-house bottling facility, ensuring that glass water bottles replace regular plastic water bottles throughout the hotel. Interesting biodegradable straws were featured all across the hotel as well. Made of rice, once they had fulfilled their purpose, you could chew on them as well! Or even before if you want to. Bathrooms are equipped with wooden combs and biodegradable shower caps.
‘Dollars for Deeds’ is another program that Anantara supports across all its properties. At Desaru Coast, they ask for donation to rehabilitate the area with native plants, which in turn support local animals, birds and insects.
Perhaps the best part about the hotel is its staff. Ever smiling and courteous, they genuinely make an effort to understand and assist you. The multicultural staff, coming from all over South Asia, is phenomenal. From Shafiq at Sea.Fire.Salt. to Ezra at Turmeric to the housekeeping staff that would come again and again when called, they truly epitomize the philosophy of ‘service with a smile’.
Now that you are comfortable at the resort, it will be hard to peel yourself out from the villa, and that gorgeous big pool.
LF Says: ★★★★.5
Coordinates: Persiaran Pantai, Desaru Coast, 81930 Bandar Penawar, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
