My Bitchy Resting Face

A few weeks back when emotions we're heightened we spontaneously took a 30min drive out of the city and into the forest along Jalan (road) Gombak. We have driven down this way many times before, I have even previously written a blog post on the same place, but, for obvious reasons this was our first time this year, I swear Mother Nature is a beautiful reminder for us to slow down, check-in with ourselves & rediscover the simple joys of life 💚, and.....it's FREE!

For those of you who are still under country/state/county restrictions, how have you been taking care of yourself?

Previous Blog Post;
One Day Road Trip-Gombak, Malaysia

Links to Waterfalls & Hiking in the area;
www.montanic.com
www.hikersforlife.com
www.travelchameleon.net

Last year we decided to 'treat yo self' and stay at The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort which is a secluded getaway located on the beautiful Island of Redang, off the east coast Peninsular Malaysia. Redang Island is how you envision a tropical island to be with its white sandy beach, palm trees, pristine water with an array of sea life that makes it a great diving/snorkelling spot. One to note, It is a seasonal Island the visiting months start from March until October, so, you will find most resorts are closed during the monsoon season from November through to the end of February. The good news is, The Taaras announced recently on their Instagram page they are open all year round, however, always best to be on the safe side and check with the hotel before you go ahead and book. 
Image/www.thetaaras.com

International Flights
You will need to fly via Kuala Lumpur (KLIA/KLIA2) since there are no direct flights to Kuala Terengganu (mainland).
For more info- www.thetaaras.com/getting-here/commercial-flight

National Flights
The Taaras has now introduced direct flights from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) to the resort flown by Berjaya Air.
For more info- www.thetaaras.com/direct-flight-to-redang-island

We flew Malindo Air from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) to Kuala Terengganu, the flight duration took a little of an hour.
For more info: www.malindoair.com

Kuala Terengganu(mainland)Airport to Merang Jetty
It takes roughly about a 40-45 mins drive, you can either go by local taxi or it can be arranged through The Taaras.
For Price- www.thetaaras.com/getting-here
Local Taxi- I checked online, the prices varied between RM50-RM55.

Merang Jetty to Redang Kampung Jetty
We took a speed boat that took about 30 mins and again was arranged through The Taaras.
For price & schedule - www.thetaaras.com/getting-here

Important Note: All guest will have to pay jetty fees of MYR5.00 per person imposed by Malaysian government at Merang Waterfront Jetty upon arrival.

The Taaras is a 5-star resort which has a variety of room options including villas for you to choose from, a private beach surrounded by lush green forest and plenty of sunbeds at your convenience to layout, soak up the sun and marvel in the magic of mother nature, I can't even express to you how excited I was when I first caught a glimpse of the crystal clear water and when we finally made it down to the beach, dipped our toes into the warm water, is when we went into full holiday mode!

• Swimming pool
• Gym
• Children's Playroom
• Karaoke room
• Spa

Our Room
We chose to stay in the Cliff Hill Deluxe room. It was a comfortable, clean, spacious room facing the forest, with sea view in the distance, sadly, I didn't end up taking photos of the room, but, if you do wanna know what the room looked like you can check out my amateur video room tour I shared on my IGTV ;)

Dining
There are two restaurants, two bars on the resort and when you book your accommodation through The Taaras website a buffet breakfast is always included, there they serve a mixture of local and international cuisine.
On a side note- one of the evenings we did venture out of the resort and found a local Malay seafood restaurant, the food was good and it's no more than a five-minute walk away.
A couple of tips before I leave you

• There are no ATMs on the island, therefore, it is best to take out/exchange cash on the mainland, although at The Taaras they do accept card, or you can charge to your room.
• In the government’s efforts to conserve marine life there is a Marine Park Conservation Fee, this will be applied from the jetty.
• If you are going to take a walk outside of the resort in the evening you will need a flashlight or the light from your phone which is what we used.
• Make sure to pack medications with you, from what I can remember there is no pharmacy on the island and the local shop may not carry what you use.
• An obvious one- Don’t forget to bring your sunblock and preferably one that is kind to our ocean.

The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort