Batu Batu Private Island Paradise
"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun."
~ Sandy Gingras
We watched excitedly as the big, green island off in the distance grew closer and closer. As the boat pulled up to the wooden pier, I could instantly feel myself begin to relax. The clear, blue water surrounding the island was the first official sign that we had reached paradise. We wandered slowly along the wooden boardwalk, which wound its way along the coastline, which eventually led us to the main common area. We were served a cold drink as we settled onto the large couches and waited for lunch to be served. After lunch, we checked into our spacious villa which was nestled high up in the jungle amongst the trees and other wildlife (yes, this meant a lot of stairs, but it really wasn't all that bad). I was so excited to spend the next four days together with my husband and baby N, playing on the beach and swimming in the gorgeous island waters.
We woke up on our first morning at Batu Batu, pulled open the curtains and realized that our villa was completely surrounded by big, green trees and other types of tropical vegetation. As we sat there in bed relaxing, it almost felt like we were hiding away from the rest of the world in our own private tree house. Baby N absolutely loved hanging out in bed under the mosquito netting drinking his milk and watching morning cartoons (a real treat for him, it was vacation after all!). As we wandered down to breakfast, I could hear the sound of the ocean waves crashing onto the shore, just as the beach came into sight. We made our way to the common dining room which was situated on the beach. The unobstructed views of the ocean meant you could completely relax and enjoy your meal; unless of course, you are traveling with kids...and then even breathtaking views of the ocean can't make magic happen!
Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day and the breakfasts here certainly didn't disappoint! There were freshly baked breads and pastries, lot's of tropical fruits, eggs, pancakes, fresh juices and lots of coffee (most importantly!). The lunches and dinners were also very good and there were always several options to choose from (such as chicken satay with pineapple, roasted salmon and pasta, fragrant curries, beef rendang, homemade fried spring rolls, etc.). I suppose that I should also note that the desserts were the real highlight of the meal (and I have never been a dessert person). One of my favorites, the pandan cheesecake, was smooth and creamy with just a hint of pandan flavor. Even the ice cream (which I suspect was homemade) was incredibly good. All of the meals were very child friendly - from the Ikea high chairs to the plastic plates, cups and utensils, to the delicious kids meals. The kitchen was also more than happy to make us baby purees upon request.
We spent the next few days doing nothing but relaxing. We snorkeled together with tropical fish and baby black-tipped sharks, we swam in the pool, we played on the beach, we 'trekked' through the jungle (which led us to discover the very picturesque 'Sunset Beach'), we enjoyed several delicious meals and we caught up on sleep. In fact, there was a lot of 'obligatory relaxation' on this trip. When N napped, we napped. When N went to bed, well, we did too. The resort does offer babysitting services but we decided that a little bit of extra sleep might actually do us some good (and it did!). All in all we had a glorious visit to Batu Batu and I hope that we will one day be lucky enough to have the opportunity to return again.
When to go: We visited Batu Batu in mid-October and we could not have asked for more perfect weather. The water was clear and the weather was sunny and warm except for a few afternoon clouds on one of the days. Truth be told, we were secretly hoping for an afternoon thunderstorm so that we could sit in the beach bar sipping afternoon cocktails and watching the rain fall. According to Batu Batu's website, the Northeast monsoon runs from about December to February, where it is probably best to adhere to a 'travel at your own risk' policy. The best months to visit Batu Batu are usually March - October/November.
How to get there: Batu Batu is a privately owned island located in the South China Sea and it is very easy to reach from Singapore. While the resport does not arrange for transportation to and from Mersing (which is where you catch the speed boat, and the resort does arrange), they did kindly provide us with a list of drivers who were recommended by their guests. The car ride from Singapore to Mersing can take anywhere from 3-4 hours, depending on traffic at the border. It is advised to leave at least four hours if you are going to be traveling by car from Singapore. Since our boat from Mersing was scheduled to leave at 10:30 a.m., I arranged for the car (an 8-seater van, since we were traveling together with another family) to pick us up at 5:45 a.m. in order to give ourselves us enough time. The journey to Mersing ended up taking us about 4 hours due to heavy traffic at the border. From Mersing, it is about a 20-minute boat ride to the resort. Actually, one of my favorite things about this trip was that there was no flying involved! The car picked us up at our door (and dropped us off at our door) and drove us directly to where the boat would be departing. The drive was easy and comfortable (although it can be somewhat bumpy once you pass the border due to the hilly roads) and I look forward to doing more of these road trip-style vacations in the future.
Where to stay: Pulau Tengah (the official name of the island) is home to Batu Batu, a private island resort and the only resort on the island.
Food & Beverage: The meals were very good and everything was served a la carte. At each meal, there were always at least 2-3 options to choose from, as well as a kids meal for the youngsters. The kitchen was happy to accommodate most requests (even requests for a slightly earlier lunch and dinner start time, thanks again!) and the staff were always very kind and very helpful. The selection of house wines was also very good. You can bring your own bottle and pay a corkage fee, but I thought that the house wines were pretty good (they offered red, white and rose by the glass or bottle) and reasonably priced.
Traveling with Children: The resort is very child-friendly and the majority of the guests staying at the resort while we were there, were families with children. We let Batu Batu know ahead of time that we would be traveling with a baby and they were kind enough to ensure that our villa came equipped with a crib and mosquito netting, a baby bath tub, a step stool and a changing mat.
What to do: The resort offers snorkeling, diving, sailing, kayaking, chartered boat tours, a beach bar for lounging, a pool for swimming and a spa. There is also a Turtle Watch Camp and movies in the evening for the kids. We spent most of our time hanging by the pool playing on the beach just outside of the beach bar, snorkeling and enjoying the occasional cocktail.
Interesting Facts:
The island was the first location for the making of the TV-show Expedition Robinson in 1997.
Tengah Island was one of the few islands designated as a Marine Park by the Malaysian government in 1985, due to its abundant marine life (source: Wikipedia)
Batu Batu Resort Website: https://www.batubatu.com.my