A holiday in paradise

THEY say the path to paradise is not easy, and while that may be true in a divine sense, the same can also be said about my recent trip to Redang Island.
Redang is one of those destinations that most people know about but have either not visited before, or not visited recently. It was because of this that an effort was made to encourage visitors to ‘Rediscover Redang’ and its many treasures.
Our bus journey from Kuala Lumpur began around 2am, and we reached Terengganu just before the crack of dawn.
Breakfast was at Kuala Terengganu’s picturesque Chinatown, where halal and non-halal Chinese kopitiams exist side by side.
The simple nasi dagang I ordered – rice steamed in coconut milk and fish curry wrapped in banana leaf – tasted delicious, a welcome reward after the red-eye bus trip.
Then, we were off to Merang Jetty for our boat ride to Redang Island – or so we thought. Our driver almost took us to Marang Jetty instead, but luckily, we were able to turn the bus around.
Chartered speedboats were waiting for us, and because we were still within the tail end of the monsoon season, it was an extremely memorable, bumpy and very wet 70-minute ride to Redang Island.
But as our destination drew closer, the ocean began to change colour, from a murky dark blue to a rich aquamarine, and the sun began to shine a little bit brighter.
We landed at the island’s main jetty, which not only brings in tourists, but also supplies and goods from the mainland.
The island has a single three-kilometre tarred road linking houses, shops, the local school, and the island’s sole airport. At the end of the road lies The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort, our home for the next few days.
The Taaras, part of the Berjaya Hotel and Resorts group, has a very nature-inspired design built on wood and stone, and surrounded by greenery. It is connected to its own little bay with a white sandy beach.
The resort offers several room options for guests. Those looking for a view can choose the more modern, apartment-style cliff suites, which overlook either the bay or the hill.
Those wanting a more relaxed, back-to-nature holiday can choose the garden suites, or the ocean-front suites which is just a hop from the bed to the beach.
There is also the luxurious Villa at the top of the hill, This is an exclusive, five-bedroom residence that is the favourite of VIPs. We were given a rare opportunity to visit it and swim in the Villa’s gorgeous infinity pool, which overlooks the bay.
I stayed in one of the lush garden suites, and while I largely enjoyed being in touch with nature – even crossing paths with a monitor lizard once – my favourite thing about these suites is that The Taaras Spa is located among them.
Guests can take advantage of the spa’s monthly promotions and really pamper themselves.
The hotel’s dive centre also caters for avid divers and snorkellers.
Visitors can head over to the Redang Island Marine Park, or to one of the other favourite dive spots around the island.
I got a thrill out of seeing the many different species of ocean fish, swimming so close I could almost touch them, amid the mounds of yellow and red corals.
I made attempts to swim a little further away, and noticed that while the fish were still bright and colourful, the corals were beginning to appear grey and lifeless.
This was a result of climate change, pollution and human interference, I was told.
But fortunately, The Taaras is part of Berjaya’s coral reef preservation programme, and the resort itself is spearheading efforts to preserve and regrow coral reefs within its waters.
The resort also provides several tour packages that bring guests around the island to try different experiences, from jungle trekking to watersports.
While we spent plenty of time sunbathing and in the water swimming and snorkelling, my only regret is that we had no chance to visit the jungle.
Apparently, the best time for that is around the end of May, when fruiting season begins.
When it comes to dining options, The Taaras has four different choices for guests – the ocean-facing Bayu Bar, he poolside Asean Terrace Lounge, the more formal Beach Brasserie, and the Asean All Day Dining area, which serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The food is a constant rotation of western and Asian dishes, with several traditional Terengganu menu items for those who want to try something local.
All too soon, our holiday was over, and we had to bid farewell to the friendly resort staff. We took a larger boat back to the jetty this time, and the waves were a lot calmer. The bus journey back to Kuala Lumpur was no less exhausting, though.
Fortunately, there are several other options to reach Redang Island and The Taaras. You can fly to Kuala Terengganu, and charter a land/boat transfer to the island itself through the resort.
Alternately, you can fly directly to the island’s airport with Prima Air.
The charter airline recently signed a partnership agreement with Berjaya to provide direct flights between Subang Airport and Redang Island, with flexible flight and accommodation packages to suit different guests’ needs.
For more, visit The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort website (www.thetaaras.com).