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Soaking in a tropical paradise
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广告招租，e-mail:yesize@hotmail.com FOR a long, long time, I have dreamt of a holiday destination that is a tropical paradise: safe, hospitable, romantic, and exotic. When last month I had the opportunity to visit the impressive Pangkor Laut Resort - an internationally acclaimed destination off the west coast of Malaysia in the Straits of Malacca - I knew I had found "the" place. After a six-hour flight from Shanghai, we arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 9 pm and were immediately picked up by a limousine and transferred to the JW Marriott Hotel on trendy Bintang Walk. We felt totally refreshed after a good sleep at the hotel, so on the second day we could scarcely wait to head out for shopping and sightseeing in the city. Yet before shopping, we first had to find a currency exchange bureau to change our RMB into the local currency - Ringgit Malaysia (RM). After a few hours exploring the shopping malls on the Bintang Walk we realized that it would be unwise to exchange our money at the first bureau we came across, since there were many such places in the malls, all offering different exchange rates (and some of the offers were quite good). We took a domestic flight from Subang Airport to Pangkor Island the following day, and then a leisurely ferryboat ride to the island of Pangkor Laut. While crossing the Straits of Melacca, the ferry made several changes of direction until a lush forested tropical island, fringed by miles of white beaches and exquisite private estates, suddenly appeared before us. This was our destination: The Pangkor Laut Resort. We received a warm welcome, including a cup of refreshing drink made from a flowering herbal plant locally known as "Roselle". The girls among our tour immediately fell in love with the sweet but slightly sour drink and continued to order it during the remainder of our two-day stay on the island. Our tour guide described the island of Pangkor Laut as a 120-hectare, privately owned site currently managed by one of Malaysia’s most dynamic conglomerates: YTL Hotels & Properties. The whole resort featured 156 luxurious Malaysian-style villas, with various suites and estates scattered amidst the lush rainforest, white beaches and rocky headlands. The resort had earned a reputation as "one of the most luxurious small hotels in the world" - acclaimed by numerous distinguished international publications. No wonder the world-renowned tenor Luciano Pavarotti, when he performed here on the island, said: "I almost cried upon seeing how beautiful God had make this paradise." Luxury and isolation Guests here can choose from different types of accommodation, including buildings on stilts over the sea, or spa villas nestled among the tropical forests, hills and gardens. I personally liked the typical Malaysian-style sea villas: clusters of wooden villas linked by zig-zag bridges stretching out into the crystal-green sea. Opening the windows and looking down, guests staying in these exotic buildings can watch groups of fish swimming around beneath, or - looking up - watch the pure blue sky and white clouds in the day and the twinkling stars at night. The villas we stayed in were positioned half way up a hill. They were beautifully and traditionally furnished. Opening the door, we had a ravishing view of the tropical forest, with the sparkling green sea and white beach in the distance. There was a white stone bath tub in the open-air backyard of my villa, where guests could soak in water mixed with fragrant flowers, bath foam and salt provided by the hotel, totally relaxed, sipping a glass of champagne while listening to music or simply observing birds flying across the sky. As an alternative to the private bath there were three swimming pools scattered across the resort and beach bathing was also an attractive option. No books or TV could be found in the room. The purpose, according to our tour guide, was to entirely isolate visitors from the outside world so they could peacefully enjoy themselves without any interruptions. During our two-day stay on the island, with the exception of other tourists, the local animals -monkeys, house lizards and peacocks - were our only companions. I saw one monkey breaking into a friend’s room and stealing fruit from her desk. As a result, when one night I heard a monkey knocking at my door, I didn’t dare let it in, afraid that it would leap onto my bed. Malay massage Saying farewell to Pangkor Laut Resort, we headed for Kuala Lumpur Airport and transferred to the Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu. Terengganu is endowed with a wealth of charming and visually appealing natural features. Beaches, exotic islands, rich virgin tropical jungles, quaint fishing villages and dazzling waterfalls were plentiful. The islands lying off the coastline are among the most picturesque, with activities such as diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and kayaking being popular diversions for tourists. With this in mind, Tanjong Jara Resort is ideally situated opposite the popular Tenggol Island, famous for its tropical jungles and white beaches but most of all for its exciting diving sites. These sites, approximately 13 in number, provide ample opportunity for both amateur and professional divers to experience the wonders of underwater life. Unfortunately November was not the ideal season for water-related activities since the tide was high and fierce, turning the once crystal clear waters into a turbid yellow. Nevertheless, we immediately overcame our disappointment when the staff showed us around the Tanjong Spa Village at the resort. This "village" is an award-winning complex hosting Malaysian-style gardens, pools, a state-of-the-art gym and a therapy centre. At the therapy centre, we treated ourselves to a traditional Malay health and beauty treatment. A middle-aged Malaysian masseur gently applied a unique blend of natural ingredients found in various herbs and plants to my body and softly rubbed it into my skin until the oil was totally absorbed. The formula is treated as a national treasure, handed down from generation to generation. After the 50-minute treatment, I found myself totally relaxed and refreshed. By Lu Hong
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