September : Pulau Redang, Terengganu

Assalamualaikum.

Dalam entry yang sebelum ni, I promised I am going to share with you tentang trip ke Redang Island ie The Most Anticipated Trip of the Year, at the moment. This trip was carefully planned 5 months in advance to be a budjet trip joined by four pax through a travelling agency, Akasia Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd. Our budget limit is RM500.00. Adakah kami berjaya to stay within the budget or adakah kami tergelincir ke luar budget?

So lets begin...

Akasia Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd

I stumbled across their Redang package on the net and felt completely satisfied dengan harga pakej yang ditawarkan through my readings from bloggers reviews yang pernag engaged their. So, kakton pun terus email asking for quotations and the reply as per below :-

Redang 3D2N Snorkeling Package for 4 pax : RM320/pax

Inclusive : 

Return ferry trip from Shahbandar to Redang

Breakfast, Lunch, Tea time and dinner + 1 BBQ

Boat rides to snorkeling spots; and

Accomodations for 2 nights

Agreed with the price, we engaged Akasia Travel & Tours to arrange our trip to Redang Island.

kami berempat..bahagia tak terkata

Note : Actually our price should be RM360.00/pax sebab public holiday tapi sebab ada kekeliruan, we only paid RM320/pax sahaja.

Preparation before the trip

Remember, this is a budget trip and we were trying to stay within RM500.00. Oke, jika anda merancang trip ni pada musim cuti atau public holiday, consider the fact that you will be travelling time orang Pantai Timur pulang bercuti ke kampung masing-masing. Book your return bus tickets from KL (Hentian Putra) to Kuala Terengganu as early as possible, or flight tickets kalau uols dont mind spending more money on going to KT then on the Redang Island itself. We travelled to Kuala Terengganu using Sani Express and back to KL using Mara Liners of which both companies offer online ticketing service so tiada masalah nak beratur panjang atau tergesa-gesa dari pejabat nak ke kaunter tiket bas.

Untuk dibawa ke Redang pula, pack your sunscreen, bikini, pakaian basahan untuk dua kali or as necessary, muscle pain rub, balm in case uols sea-sick and the most important thing, under water camera atau water resistance bag for underwater picture moments with your smartphones. Shampoo and conditioner relatively adalah essential dan i would suggest you bring your toileterries untuk kemudahan.

Bus trip to Kuala Terengganu and return to KL journey

Our bus to Kuala Terengganu was delayed for 2 hours on the night of our journey.  It was supposed to leave Putra Terminal at 10.30 pm and reach Kuala Terengganu around 6 / 7 am. Since there was 2 hours delay, only God can describe how frantic I was upon knowing that we will arrive in Kuala Terengganu later than planned. Ini adalah kerana, we cannot miss the ferry ride to Redang Island at 9.00 arranged by Akasia Travel & Tours, otherwise, we ols kena purchase new ferry ride ticket for RM55.00/single trip and wait for the next trip available which is normally very unlikely akan ada because travelling agencies akan lock satu whole trip for their customers. It is a norm di Jeti Shahbandar tu that visitors akan book their ferry ticket weeks earlier before their travelling date.

However, it came to my surprise that despite the fact that the bus were delayed, we managed to reach Kuala Terengganu at 8.00 am, giving us time to take our sweet time to have breakfast and walk to Shahbandar Jetty.

Berapa jauh Jeti Shahbandar dengan Terminal Bus Kuala Terengganu?

Tak jauh. 5 - 6 mins walking distance sahaja. Jeti Shahbandar betul-betul bersebelahan dengan Pasar Besar Payang. Ask the local, they will show you the direction.

Proses di Jeti Shahbandar

Upon arrival di Jeti Shahbandar tu, tunjukkanlah surat dari travelling agency di kaunter yang telah dikhaskan orang uols. Lain agensi lain ferry service company nye. Dapatkanlah tiket anda and beransurlah ke kaunter tiket Marine Life Park where you are required to pay RM5.00 before entering the life park. Ini untuk snorkeling nanti. 

Berapa lama perjalanan ke Pulau Redang dari Jeti Shahbandar?

Our ticket states that our ferry should depart at 9.00 am but as expected, the ferry arrived slightly late from Redang Island on its 7.00 am trip. 

Disembarking and boarding the passengers and loading the luggage took amlost 30mins before the ferry started its journey to Redang Island. Perjalanan sebenarnya bermula pada jam 9.20 pagi dan memakan masa selama satu jam 30 minit before we see the sight of Redang Island. Itu tak masuk transit atas tongkang sebab ferry cannot berlabuh (eceh berlabuh, macam star cruise je guna perkataan berlabuh) on the beach. Transiting passengers to the beach on the tongkang ambil masa sekitar 15 minit. Jadi, sebagai peringatan, time membeli tiket bus/flight untuk pergi dan balik tu, consider to give 2 3 jam grace period untuk perkara-perkara di luar jangkaan macam ni.

Arrival at Redang Island

The first thing yang anda akan nampak adalah Resort Laguna Redang yang dikatakan paling mahallah di Redang Island public lagoon ni. 

Kenapa public lagoon? Sebab ada private lagoon milik Berjaya named The Taaras di belakang bukit nun yang lebih luxurious. However, your eyes akan lebih tertarik dengan clear turquoise colored sea water under your feet in which uols blh nampak pasir putih di bawah laut. The water is super clear that sometimes you forgot that you are in sea water (masin tahap gaban). Pasir die sangat halus, quoting meks "halusnya pasir nye dia... macam bedak compact powder". Bersih dan putih. Mmg pulau ni dijaga rapi oleh staff dan orang awam. 

tengok betapa jernih air laut kat sini... 

the view from the boat

i took this photo upon stepping onto the beach after disembarked from the boat

We were greeted by the resorts representatives and the tourists were all directed to their respective resorts reception counters. Our designated chalet was the Redang Lagoon chalet. We inspected the room, mandi-mandi selepas semalaman atas bas and kemudiannya dijamu dengan juadah makan tengahari sekitar jam 1.00 tghr.

Redang Lagoon Chalet : an overview

Konsep di RLC ni ada super santai ala ala hipsters. Chalets are all made of wood and ada banyak bamboo huts and hammocks di sekitar kawasan chalet untuk relaxation yang tertinggi. Compare to other hotels and resorts, RLC paling banyak pokok kelapa di sekitarnya, memberikan satu feeling yang mcmm "owhhhhh i am on  a real beach". We were, however, slightly dissapointed dengan keadaan chalet, yang mana untuk 4 orang, we felt that chalet tu sgt sempit. Kami diberi chalet dua tingat, 2 untuk di atas dan 2 untuk dibawah. Di bawah ada aircond, di atas ada kipas dinding which for us, untuk tidur kat atas tu sangat la tidak sesuai sebab panas yang amat. We are also very disapointed that di tingkat atas tiada katil, cuma tilam semata2 mcm rumah setinggan. No TV, fridge, almari, hanger even tempat paku untuk sangkut baju pun tak de. Dua lightbulbs mati tidak diganti. And there is only one electric socket. We all thought, ini mmg konsep hipster gila sebab chalet ni or bilik kitorang mmg not designed to allow the visitors to memerap dalam bilik tapi untuk beriadah di luar bilik. But, we took it all positively and decided that we werent here to enjoy the TV or cold water dalam fridge tp nak merasa sun-tanning and try to snorkel so, kami adjust and adapt ourselves to the crampy situation dalam bilik tu.

By the way, owner RLC ni melayu. Satu-satunya melayu, dont expect to have bar or club kat chalet ni. But alcoholic beverages are sold everywhere sekitar island ni cuma not at the chalet. This chalet is very syariah compliant if any of you tak berapa gemar tentang service of alcoholic beverages.

Snorkeling trips

untuk memudahkan proses memberi ikan makan, kami amik inisiatif sendiri untuk menggentel roti yang diciluk dari dining hall into small balls and letakkan dalam botol supaya roti tak basah

Our first snorkeling trip was scheduled at 2.30 pm on our first day kat Redang Island. The chalet itself provide rental service of snorkeling equipment (goggles and life jacket) for RM20/pax untuk kegunaan sepanjang penginapan kita di chalet tersebut. We got ready for our trip at 2.00 pm before we were taken to a spot. This is my first time in open sea after I drowned di swimming pool my mother's office. Shameful i know. I didnt trust my life jacket and I got panicked in the sea. I didnt enjoy my first snorkeling trip. I remember dipping my head into the water but I am far fond to remembering my experience trying to survive and breathe dalam air tu.

My bikini is from Whopzbikini

Second trip took place at 9.00 am di Marine Life Park on the second day. This time I gained my confidence dalam air dah due to some practice after snorkeling di pantai depan chalet lepas first snorkeling trip the day after. You just gotta trust your life jacket, and you will enjoy snorkeling even you cant swim. On this spot, I managed to cover the whole spot tengok ikan-ikan dan coral yang dying. Yes, sadly, the corals are dying. They are dull and lack in colors. It is not like in NatGeo underwater documentaries or Finding Nemo. Walaubagaimanapun, the sight is to die for sebab air yang jernih dan ada banyak spesis ikan berenang-renang dengan kita.

off  to snorkeling spots. again, lihatlah kejernihan laut dibelakang.

MashaAllah

Third trip took place later that evening at 2.30 pm. This time kat open sea. Ini agak scary sebab airnya sangat dalam. Ikan di sini kurang friendly but coralsnya agak banyak. Lively sikit dari yang di Marine Life Park. I dont know why but I am scared of corals. I tend to swam away from coming close to corals. Mgkin sebab geli kot. The bigger the coral, the scarier I was to swim closer.

petang selepas balik dari snorkeling, kita akan disajikan dengan hidangan petang.

Now makan cucur, minum teh di tepi laut, di bawah pohon kelapa,

siapa kata tak ohsem mmg chachat.

The best snorkeling experience, however, is at the beach in front of our chalet. Who would have guessed. The water is clear... the fishes are friendlier (mostly sebab we brought food) and there is less to none, corals. 

Checking out from Redang Island

sunrise, bidding us goodbye that morning

Our ferry return ticket menyatakan bahawa our trip is at 11.00am. Now that wouldnt cut it sebab our bus to KL is at 12.30pm. So, what we did was, joining the earliest trip out from Redang that is, the 7.00 am trip. This is normally allowed sebab kurang passengers and ferry crew selalunya tak kisah. We woke up at 5.00 am untuk bersiap sedia dan ferry datang kutip kitorang sekitar jam 8 pagi. Delay itu kebiasaan. Bear that in mind and reached Kuala Terengganu sekitar jam 10.30 pagi. Ample time to do some light shopping di Pasar Besar Payang untuk beli ole-ole untuk dibawa ke KL.

So, what's the total cost of this "RM500" budget limit trip? Jom sesama calculate:-

Belanja wajib

3D2N Redang Package : RM320.00/pax

Return bus fare KL - KT : RM83.00/pax

Snorkeling equipments rental : RM20/pax

Marine Life Park ticket : RM5.00

Belanja tak wajib (yang I spent in Redang and Kuala Terengganu)

Ice Cream Cornetto in Redang : RM4.50

Kokyok : RM3.00

Ole ole di Pasar Payang (Lempuk durian & keropok lekor) - RM21.00

Total : RM428.00 + RM28.50 = RM456.50

Now, that is ohsem! RM500 for experience yang cantik mcm ni adalah sangat worthy. Ape lagi?? Book a holiday through your favourite travelling agency, pack your bags and leave!

Got questions to ask me about Redang? Leave a comment or email me at krylonglue@yahoo.com

More photos are stored here

Dalam next entry, I will share dengan uols how this beautiful trip ruined by one particular jackass old prick hairy man.

Notakaki : I was totally fried during this trip... Lesson learned, no short-sleeve during beach vacation (or any vacation under the sun)