If your ideal holiday consists of clear blue skies, white sandy beaches, and stunning ocean views, then the Taaras Resort in Malaysia is the perfect place to enjoy that island getaway you’ve been longing for. The resort is situated on the Pulau Redang, the largest of the islands among the Redang Archipelago. Not only is this island famous for its beautiful scenery and beaches, but also what lies beneath the crystal clear waters. The marine life in Redang is a whole new experience for divers, with 3,000 species of fish and 500 species of reef-building coral; you won’t have a moment of boredom.
What to expect at Taaras Resort
The Taaras Resort knows how to pamper their guests. Tucked away on a private beach residence, the resort offers a wide range of rooms. Guests can choose from anything between luxurious double rooms, to a five bedroom villa complete with personal chef, butler, private elevator, swimming pool, and home gym. If you can tear yourself away from this paradise for long enough, the Taaras Resort spa offers a range of relaxing, stress relief treatments, massages, facials, and more.
Of course, you can’t visit this beautiful island without experiencing the amazing underwater world. Taaras Resort has its own dive centre which is both a registered PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centre, and Five Star Dive Resort. The centre’s experienced divers can take guests to a number of dive sites around the island where they can explore the colourful marine life in some of the clearest waters. Expect to see turtles, corals, reef sharks, moray eels, barracuda, octopus, and many more extraordinary species as you dive up to 18 metres in depth with an average visibility of 12 metres. The warm waters will invite you in and make snorkelling and diving at night a treat.
If diving isn’t for you, the resort also offers a range of other activities, including discovering the natural flora and fauna on a 2km jungle trek that offer breathtaking views of the island. For those who want to be out on the water, why not try parasailing, windsurfing, fishing, island hopping, banana boating, paddle boating, kayaking, or boogie boarding, all offered by the resort.
Couples visiting the resort will also be thrilled at the range of activities available. The Robinson Crusoe experience takes couples to a private beach with a picnic hamper, snorkel gear, and kayak. A guide will escort couples by boat to their private retreat for a true castaway experience and return later in the day. Couples can also indulge in a sunrise or sunset cruise, or enjoy dinner on a floating pontoon in the middle of the South China Sea.
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Where to eat
You’ll be spoilt for choice when choosing where to eat on Redang Island. The Taaras Resort alone offers five amazing dining experiences. The Asean offers a range of traditional Malaysian cuisine, the Beach Brasserie offers a selection of western, Japanese, and Indian cuisines, while the Horizon Club Lounge allows guests to overlook the water and enjoy some fine dining. The resort is also home to the Asean Terrace Lounge offering a variety of finger food and cocktails, and the Bayu Bar which offers drinks, pizza, and tapas.
If you’d prefer a taste of the fresh seafood offered on the island, Aima Grill Fish Restaurant is the place to go for a memorable dining experience, and will cost you a fraction of the price of other restaurants nearby. Also on Redang Island are Palm Restaurant and Hazeme Seafood Restaurant, sure to give you plenty of options for your stay at Taaras Resort.
When to go
The best time to visit Redang Island is between March and October each year. Due to the tropical weather of the area, monsoon season is between November and February and resorts will be closed during this time.
How to get there
The simplest way to travel to Redang Island is by air. Berjaya Air offers direct flights to the island from Kuala Lumpur’s Subang Airport and Singapore’s Changi Airport Budget Terminal. Visitors can also choose to catch a ferry departing from either Shahbandar jetty in Kuala Terengganu or from Merang Jetty.