The signature welcome drink at the Tanjong Jara Resort is roselle, which is derived from the petals of a herbal flower called asumpaya. This was the first taste of Malaysia's refreshing hospitality. After the flight to the country's capital Kuala Lampur, it is a 45 minute flight into Terengganu's small airport.
Tanjong Jara is located on the timeless coast of Terengannu on the northeastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A village style resort composed of stone, rattan and wood, it is true to its motto: unmistakably Malay. Its distinctive architectural style is inspired by 17th century Malay istanas, wooden palaces of long ago sultans. Villas decorated with belian (borneo ironwood) and teak fit into the natural environment between the wide, sandy beach and dense jungle. Tanjong Jara is an excellent place for couples and families seeking a semi-private slice of sand to relax.
The resort's open air Nelayan restaurant serves fabulous local cuisine and fresh fruit. At night, tables and storm lamps are set up on the beach for an open pit barbecue. Dine barefoot in the sand listening to the symphony of the crashing South China Sea.
Experience Malaysian Culture and Wildlife
For something more stimulating than the balmy beaches, Tanjong Jara offers cultural and culinary jaunts to the Dungun Night Market for shopping and sampling of savoury Malay cuisine. The area is well known for making traditional songket cloth. Terengganu also has some the world's oldest rainforests and few remaining hatcheries for giant leather-back turtles. For the eco-adventurous there are snorkeling and diving excursions to the coral reefs, daring treks into the pulsating tropical rainforests and river safaris to quaint fishing villages.
The river tour is guided by the resident naturalist, Captain Mok. An agile, compact man with a smile-etched leathery-brown face, Captain Mok had lived among the jungle tribes when he worked as an officer for the Malay Special Forces.
Lucid jellyfish and iridescent iguanas swim by his converted fishing boat. The mangroves on the river's muddy banks are alive with chirping insects, brightly plumed birds and tribes of macaque monkeys. The sleepy fishing village seems to be suspended in time. Men build fishing boats of hardwood beams, old women efficiently weave baskets of dried palm fronds
The Spa and Traditional Malay Medicine
Back at Tanjong Jara, the spa offers a range of organic treatments based on traditional Malay medicine. A convergence of Islamic, Chinese, Indian and Indigenous medicine, Malay medicine is a treasured practice that has been passed from generation to generation.
Taking advantage of the curative properties of the ancient tropical rainforests, Malay herbal treatments use a combination of various native herbs and plants. Healing massages and treatments take place in private rooms with female masseuses for women, following the local customs of modesty and respect.
For more information, visit: Tanjong Jara Resort and the official tourism site of Malaysia.
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