* Tanjung Jara Resort, Terengganu

Tanjung Jara Resort is a high-end beach resort owned and managed by the YTL Group of Hotels. Having stayed in 5 other YTL-owned hotels prior to this, we went to TJR with high expectation as YTL has never failed to deliver as far as excellent service is concerned.

Located in the small non-happening town of Dungun, Terengganu, this resort actually brings to you the culture and custom of the local Malay folks. It is a place where you experience real village hospitality.
Even though it is more quiet than expected, this serenity is a welcome change. Putting aside the long, tedious journey to get here, this place is a good retreat for vacationers who seek a quiet retreat away from home. 

It was a relief to see this after a 5 hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. Thanks to the Google map, this place isn't hard to find at all. There is no airport in Dungun. The nearest airport is in Kuala Terengganu which is 75km away from here.

This 200 metres stretch of private road leading to the resort is so narrow we almost got stuck as another car was driving out in the opposite direction. This small road definitely doesn't befit a luxury resort.  (hopefully TJ Resort does something about this).

This is the resort reception hall.

To announce the arrival of guests the gong will be struck once, so if you do hear the gong once anywhere around the resort you will know that someone has just checked-in.

We were greeted by the Customer Liaison Manager who checked us in who gave us a very personalised service. The assistant manager personally greeted us too. (Keep that up)

Activities for the day are displayed for guests to see at the lobby. Some are complimentary but some are not.

We stayed in "Anjung Room" (no 302) which is more a villa than a mere room and this is the frontage of the villa. The architecture and design is typically Malay.

Our bedroom.

There is a working table behind the bed. We were given a complimentary fruit platter. Usage of internet (wired as well as WIFI) is also free.

There is a sliding door that partitions our bedroom from the washroom.

Our villa is split level . The washroom is a short flight of stairs below the bedroom.

The closets are on the right as well as the left. Bathrobes, beach bag, safe deposit box, and umbrellas are provided for the guests.

There are two wash/dressing areas for the convenience of a couple. The usual bath amenities and plenty of towels are provided.

There is a separate shower cubicle and a toilet.

The washroom opens out to a backyard with an open-air bathtub.

There is also a day bed and a TV with Astro channels.

The upper ceiling of the villa is wooden carving of traditional Malay design.

The paintings on the wall depict local scenery and way of life.

A tic tac toe boardgame.

The bedroom opens out to a veranda.

...and the veranda opens out to a lawn by the beach.

These are the other types of room available in the resort. They are the Serambi Room on the lower floor and the Bumbung Room on the upper floor. ( see photo above)

This unit is called the Anjung Suite.

The whole resort is within walking distance and transportation is not provided within the resort.

There are 2 swimming pools in the resort. This one is for adults only as its depth reaches 3 metres.

The water in this pool is cold as it is surrounded by trees. There are sediments floating here and there but can't be helped I suppose as the wind is so strong here.

The Teratai pool is odd shaped and at certain corners there are bubble jets (like jacuzzi).

The other swimming pool is further away from the main lobby but the water is warmer here. Just beside it is a children's pool.

This second pool is an infinity-edged pool.

There are 2 restaurants in the resort. This restaurant called "Di Atas Sungei " (which means on top of the river) is literally built on top of a small stream.

We had our breakfast here. The staffs are friendly and very courteous.

"Nasi Dagang" indigenous to the Terengganu locals is served every morning. (See picture on Row 2 Column 2). Unfortunately it is not as nice as the Nasi Dagang I've tasted in the Klang Valley. Breakfast is partially buffet and partially a la carte.

This is the small stream that runs through the resort.

This stream meanders its way to the beach.

 During high tide the streams merge with the sea. 

We were at the resort during the monsoon season and all sea sport activities had to come to a standstill. 

The red flag is a red alert to stay away from the sea.

There's another one here. You can see the sea is really rough. If you are interested in water sports and swimming in the sea, the best time to come here is March to September. There is however a plus point: you can hear the sound of sea waves distinctly even in your room and it is windy throughout the day during this season (November)

 There's something you can do though; picking sea shells and dead corals or just stroll along the resort private beach.

This is the rocky part of the beach. I saw a few men fishing here and they claimed they get a good catch every evening.

This is the non-rocky part of the beach.

There is a library in this resort. (typical of YTL Hotels)

Computers and internet are available in the library.

There are beds like these for lazy readers.

On every Saturday evening, a special activity is arranged for the guests. It is called Kampung Life ( Village Life) to exhibit the lifestyle of the local Terengganu residents.

(1) The Bamboo Dance     

(2)The Congkak Game   

(3)  The Sepak Takraw

(4) Malay women drawing the Batik design

(5) A chef frying some local delicacies (fritters)

(6) Keropok Lekur and  Cucur Udang 

(7) A chef showing how to make the local pancake.

(8) The pancakes

I enjoy this display of activities especially the food which is on the house. Guests are invited to participate if they wish to do so.

There is also a demonstration of a monkey choosing and plucking young coconuts. Thanks to the monkey I got to drink this coconut juice.

The resort gym.

This is the other restaurant in the resort, called the Nelayan Restaurant.

The Spa Village.

Flowers in the resort

The area around the lobby are adorned with pools with  fish and tortoises, pots and waterlilies.

When it was time to check-out, the gong would be struck again. This time not once but trice.

The most beautiful thing about our stay here is the exceptionally friendly staffs especially the Customer Liaison Manager who took the extra mile to make us feel at home.