User:Jpatokal/Redang

Introduction

Pulau Redang located 45 km off the coast of KualaTerengganu is the largest of the group of islands dotting the South China Sea off the Terengganu coast. The island offers crystal clear waters and numerous dive sites for the enthusiast. Sheltered within the Pulau Redang Marine Park, the waters here abound with marine life. At mid-day, when the rays of the sun penetrate the sea, brilliant hues of coral, anemones and clams may be seen.

The waters around Pulau Redang also contain two historic shipwrecks. The H.M.S Prince of Wales and the H.M.S Repulse were sunk here at the start of World War II, setting the stage for the Japanese occupation of Malaya.

The paradise island is perfect for snorkeling, swimming, scuba diving, jungle trekking, boating and canoeing. No fishing is allowed within a 3.2 km radius of the island as Pulau Redang is gazetted as a marine park. The collection of corals and other aquatic life is also prohibited.

Surrounding Islands

The adjacent islands of Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Ling, Pulau Pinang, Pulau Bidong, Pulau Lang Tengah and Pulau Lima are excellent underwater havens for snorkelers as well.

Accommodation and Golf

Visitors to Pulau Redang have a choice of accommodation ranging from budget to international standard hotels. Guests staying at Berjaya's two hotel properties on the island can enjoy playing at the 18-hole golf course.

Choice of accommodation are listed below (Information on room and package rates are provided in detailed for each resort) :-

Recreational Activity

Redang Island offers crystal clear water, pearly white shores, a colorful array of spectacular marine life, a breathtaking sunset and what could be the world's most mature coral gardens. This paradise-like island is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, jungle trekking, fishing, boating and canoeing.

Marine Park

Redang has a smaller island known as Pulau Pinang which is the location for the Marine Park research Center. The marine turtles hatchery center is also situated here. Apart from that, the island is the location of the world famous Redang Marine Park - a popular spot for scuba and snorkeling enthusiasts. Chalets with good facilities are available.

Understand

The Redang Marine Park (Taman Laut Pulau Redang) covers all 9 islands in the Redang Archipelago. In contrast to neighboring backpacker hangout, the Perhentian Islands, Redang has a more upmarket imago, as all accommodation on the island is resort-based. All accommodation is on the main island Redang and the largest beach is Pasir Panjang on the east side, featuring half a dozen resorts. Redang Island is famous for its crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches. There is also an assortment of tropical fishes that inhabit the numerous reefs, many not more than 50 feet from the beach.

Tour Packages

Reservations can be made through http://www.impressions.com.my or http://www.impression.com.my or email to: impressions@impressions.com.my

Climate

Redang has a tropical climate with temperatures steadily around 30°C and frequent but brief thunderstoms. Like the rest of Malaysia's East Coast, Redang is affected by the northeast monsoon in winter, so most resorts are closed and ferry transport schedules are severely restricted between November and February.

Get in

No matter which way you choose to arrive, a RM 5 marine park fee is levied on all visitors to the island. It's easiest to let your resort arrange your transfers, as they can do it effortlessly and at a competitive price.

By plane

Berjaya Air has recently opened an airstrip on Redang (code RDN), located on the north side of the island near the Berjaya Redang Beach Resort. As of July 2005, there is one daily flight each to and from Kuala Lumpur (RM249 one-way) and Singapore (RM350 one-way). Note that, while roads connect the airport to both of Berjaya's own resorts, transfers from the airport to anywhere else will require a combined car & ferry ride that must be arranged in advance.

A considerably cheaper if somewhat less convenient option is to fly to Kuala Terengganu, a one-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur, and continue from here by boat. There are half a dozen flights daily on MAS and Air Asia, with a full one-way fare costing around RM170, but advance fares can go as low as RM80.

By boat

The traditional way to get to Redang is by boat. The main jetty is at Merang, some 30 km north from Kuala Terengganu. From Merang, the trip to Pasir Panjang takes about 40 minutes on comfortable, large speedboats and prices are more or less standardized at RM40/80 one-way/return.

In season (March-October), there are also ferries directly from the Shahbandar Jetty in central Kuala Terengganu to the Berjaya Jetty on the west side of the island (75 min). These are operated by and intended primarily for guests of the Berjaya resorts, but they'll take non-guests on board (for a price) if there's space.

Get around

In a word, you don't get around Redang much. Roads on the west side of the island connect together the airport, Berjaya's jetty and two resorts as well as the southern fishing port, but provide no connectivity elsewhere and there is no public transportation along them either. While the main strip of Pasir Panjang is easily covered on foot, traveling from one beach to another will require either chartering a boat (there are no organized water taxi services) or clambering across the 1.5-hour jungle trails leading from Pasir Panjang north to the Berjaya Beach Resort and south to Redang Kelong Resort.

See

Redang is very low on sights as such and most visitors spend their time lazing on the beach or exploring the corals. There's a fairly active set of wildlife though, including inquisitive monkeys (don't feed them) and large monitor lizards.

Do

Snorkelling is the number one activity on Redang. Many resort packages include snorkeling tours by boat to nearby islands, but there are some decent reefs right off Pasir Panjang. The best of the lot is at the southern end next to the aptly named Redang Reef Resorts. Although the small hill/island in the middle of Pasir Panjang is a nesting ground for baby sharks.

Running a close second in the popularity contest is scuba diving. The waters around the island are usually crystal clear — although visibility can drop dramatically after a storm — and home to a host of sea creatures including turtles and reeftip sharks. While Redang caters to divers of all levels and is a popular place to complete a diving course, some of the sites further out can have fairly strong currents. More or less every resort on the island has its own dive shop, but it may be worth looking beyond the house shop as quality varies considerably.

• Coral Redang Divers, Pasir Panjang (at Coral Redang Island Resort). Very professionally run PADI outfit with custom-built dive boats as well as knowledgeable and helpful staff. Single dives from RM70/105 with/without your own gear.

• Redang Bay Divers, Pasir Panjang (at Redang Bay Resort). This NAUI-affiliated dodgy dive shop focuses on cramming in as many divers as possible while ignoring safety, which means they have the lowest prices on the island — RM40/65 with/without your own gear — but can hardly be recommended.

Other available sports options include beach volleyball and sea kayaks, but jet skis and water skis are mercifully absent (banned to protect the coral). Fishing within the marine park is not permitted, but fishing trawlers can be hired for excursions beyond the 2-mile park limits.

Buy

Shopping opportunities on Redang are largely limited to touristy gewgaws in the resorts' little convenience stores. One of the larger operations, open until 11 PM, can be found at the Redang Bay Resort with one store for food and drinks and another for clothes and souvenirs.

Eat

Every resort has its own restaurant, serving up burgers, pizza and bland local food at outrageous prices (at least by Malaysian standards). But a few better options can be found lurking in the gaps.

• Redang Laguna Food Court, Pasir Panjang (at Redang Laguna Resort). Don't be put off by the name, this is in fact a simple full-service restaurant offering the some of the most authentic local food on the island. The menu covers the usual Chinese and Malay favorites, but throws in spicy Thai-style salads (called here kerabu, RM10) as well as Terengganu's state dish, the fish sausage keropok lekor (RM2). Still, the best deal here is the curry fish head, a huge bowl of which costs just RM8 and feeds three (reservation 24h in advance required). Open for dinner only.

• Sandfly Cafe, Pasir Panjang (next to Redang Bay Resort). Serves up basic local fare at half the price of the hotel restaurants as well as a limited Western menu, and the second-floor seating is pleasantly breezy. Try the beehoon ikan masin (fried rice vermicelli with fish, RM5) and the ais kacang (shaved ice with syrup and goodies, RM3.50). Open all day.

Drink

Tap water is salty and not drinkable. Bottled water is widely available at around RM3 for a 1.5L bottle.

Unusually for Terengganu, alcohol is widely available both in convenience stores and the resort restaurants (probaly because most resorts are run by chinese businessmen), although it's not exactly cheap. A can of beer purchased at a store starts at RM7.80 and a flask of cheap Malaysian vodka at RM15, but the restaurants will happily gouge you over RM100 for a bottle of wine. Self-catering aside, nightlife on Redang is limited to resort bars offering blinking lights and Chinese tour groups belting out karaoke.

Sleep

Redang does not have any backpacker accommodation. Most resort rack rates are above RM300/night, always quoted for two people staying together, but steep discounts are usually available if you book a package or visit in the off or shoulder seasons.

Budget

One budget option is the campground at Teluk Kelong, but even this is more of a mid-range affair with prebuilt tents with beds, toilet/shower, electric power, etc. From RM80/tent/night with full board, book via any travel agent (eg. Ping Anchorage).

Redang Lagoon Chalet offers rooms going at RM100-150 per night. The rooms are simple wooden accomodation in traditional malay arhitecture with built in bathrooms and air-conditioning. Food can be bought at the canteen at ~RM10 for an all-you-can-eat buffet meal(halal food only). For more information go to www.redanglagoon.com.

Splurge

• Ayu Mayang, Pasir Panjang, tel. +60-9-6248617, [1]. A basic operation offering simple but functional chalets with air-con, hot water, 23.5-hour electricity and limited pest control. Rack rates from RM180/chalet with breakfast, rather overpriced for what you get.

• Berjaya Redang Beach Resort, Teluk Dalam (north side of the island), tel. +60-9-6973988, [2]. 152 rooms offering all modern conveniences including pool, gym, dive centre, tennis court etc. Rates from RM350/night in the low season.

• Berjaya Redang Spa Resort, Teluk Siang (south side of the island), tel. +60-9-6971111, [3]. Uniquely among Redang's resorts, this is located up on a hill with no convenient beach access, so you had better like the spa or the golf course if you choose to stay here. Rates from RM300/night.

• Coral Redang Island Resort, Pasir Panjang, tel. +60-9-6920110, [4]. A small 40-room operation offering comfortable beachside chalet accommodation with a pool.

• Laguna Redang Resort, Pasir Panjang, tel. +60-9-6977888, [5]. The largest and one of the newest of Redang's resorts with 212 rooms, fairly pleasantly done in a pseudo-Thai style. Rooms are set in large buildings and some are quite a distance from the beach. Pool, jacuzzi, three restaurants, Internet cafe, good access to the beach. Rates from RM240/night.

Stay safe

There are no unusual health risks on Redang. Wear sunscreen and heed the warning flags on the beach, although they're more or less permanently set on green.

Respect

Wearing bikinis and skimpy beachwear is perfectly acceptable, but going topless is not advisable.