Desaru, Malaysia - a 4-day Family Trip!

As the school holidays begin in June, like most Singaporeans, we headed out of the country for a change in scenery. This year, we spent a pleasant four days up by the seaside resorts of Desaru. I hadn’t been back for a while, and visiting Malaysia had been a treat as always. 

I left a difficult work situation recently. After 6 years, the crazy working hours had gotten to me and I was glad to depart. I’ve been enjoying myself in the last few weeks since, working part-time and spending the rest of my weeks studying for my upcoming exams.  That understandably wouldn’t sound too enjoyable to regular folks, but after I left my job (and hence could sleep regular hours once again), being able to spend entire days just studying feels blissful. And a trip by the seaside feels downright luxurious.   

Driving through Malaysia, we stopped at Bukit Indah to stretch our legs and have lunch before continuing on our way to Desaru. Being monsoon season, the weather can get stormy, and we drove through a couple of squalls before we reached our destination. But as they say, the most vibrant skies come after the rain.

While in Desaru, four days passed by in a blissful haze of brunches, water activities and late-night drinks. Being so close to the sea, we ate well. Every night was lobsters and crabs accompanied by world-class zichar. We went to the fan-favourite Super Lobster Restaurant, where we were recommended to have their Lobster Sashimi and then to have the lobster heads cooked in porridge over claypot. The lobsters were as fresh as they come, but still, we chickened out of the lobsters sashimi, given the safety of eating raw seafood isn’t just based on how fresh the products are, but also if “(they) had been frozen at specific temperatures for a specific period of time.” Instead, we had their Lobsters Cooked in Superior Stock, paired with Salted-Egg Calamari and some of the best hor fun that I’d had. And of course, we had the chilli crabs with the obligatory deep fried mantou (buns).

Lobster in broth, served at Super Lobster 

Lobsters, Jade Garden Seafood

Our favourite restaurant was Jade Garden Seafood. Though it’s a bit on the pricier side, the food was so good that we went twice. My parents knew the restaurant  from way back decades ago as a small (but popular) restaurant by the roadside. Over the years, it had grown into a restaurant and relocated itself next to the sea at the tip of the Desaru peninsula. (In fact, the J.G. Resort located next to the restaurant might have stood for Jade Garden too). Walking around the nearby harbour after our meal, we got great views of the setting sun. 

Our trip at the start of June coincided with the start of the durian season. The durians found here were of the local variety, and not the typically renowned varieties like mao shan wang. Perhaps just like how the best Egyptian cottons that fetch the highest prices are sold in international markets rather than in Egypt, the best-quality durians seem to be exported than sold locally. But we certainly has our fill of durians at the fruit farm and from several roadside stalls selling durian out of lorries or rickety wooden carts.

We had a good stay in Westin Resort and made full use of their private beach, which was located just minutes away from our rooms. The fine sand was just as soft as I remembered - and can be brushed off your skin without leaving a coating. The resort is also entirely wheelchair and stroller friendly, and we had no trouble wheeling my grandma around the resort and down to the beach.  The place was spotless, and was as clean and comfortable as any top hotel. Aside from one night where I was startled awake in my room  by rambunctious toddlers running outside the hallway (the soundproofing could use some work), I had no complains about my stay.

When we first got arrived, we optimistically signed ourselves up for their 6.6km sunrise run, which was to be held on our second last day in Desaru. But when the day came around, none of us felt like attending. In fact, just the night before at 11pm, we were sitting in the hotel bar complaining about the upcoming run over our wine and beers, which should have been my first clue. 

The Firefly River Cruise is a popular attraction in Desaru, but we would have had our hands full trying to keep an eye on several young children and infants on the boats, so we skipped that and instead let them run around the Alpaca Farm. The farm was a family-run menagerie. The kids even managed to ride on the good-natured horse, and feed the animals, much to the children's delights. 

A gang of Rockets (anyone seen Guardians of the Galaxy 3 yet?) 

The weather was sweltering hot, and the sun hung heavy in the sky, but at the Desaru Waterpark, we somehow didn’t mind so much. We tubed down the steep waterslides, drifted down their Lazy River and bobbed up and down their wave pool. We caught plenty of sun, and played to our hearts’ content. We left Desaru a little sunburnt, but happy and re-energised.