My sisters and I went to this amazing jem of an island in Malaysia and stayed there for 3 days, 2 nights. Pulau Rawa is situated in Mersing and it is a remote, private island supposedly owned by a Malaysian royalty. I read so much about it and have always dreamed of going to Rawa, and I decided to make that dream come true last year. And I have never regretted that decision because it is still one of the best holiday spots I’ve ever been to.
Rawa Island is a small, serene island surrounded by emerald seas with white, soft sands and pretty benches. On the island, there are only 2 resorts there - Rawa Island Resort (where we stayed) and Alang’s Rawa resort. It is not as populated as say, Tioman, so it felt like we had the entire island to ourselves which was heavenly.
When we reached, we were immediately awed by the simple beauty of the whole island. I was amazed by God’s creation… simply took my breath away. It is so pretty that there were couples taking their wedding shots there. I mean, why the hell not? The place is postcard perfect!
The island and resort is so small that they don’t need so many staff there. It was hilarious when we found that the guy at the reception was the same guy who mend their humble “convenient store” and the water sports area. Haha.
If you want to have a massage there, you can too but there is only one masseuse. I suppose it’s because the place is not over-populated you don’t need so many masseuses there. The full body massage is not cheap by the way but I can’t really recall how much but it was definitely more than RM100.
The masseuse was also a friendly, bubbly person whom I have had the pleasure of knowing. She taught me what a jellyfish is called in Mandarin. There was hardly anybody on the island that she was snorkeling with us most of the time. I really envied her!
We chose the Beach Front chalet which was AMAZEBALLS. The view of the ocean was idyllic and it was only a stone’s throw away, which was convenient. The water is so clear you could see the fishes and snorkeling was a joy. There were a lot of dead jellyfishes though…
Here, you’re really in touch with the sun, sand and sea. There are activities you can do there to occupy yourself such as snorkeling, diving if you dare, fishing, kayaking, stand-up paddle-boarding and the 2 slides which kids and even adults will find fun and thrilling. I chickened out with the higher slide.
These water sports are at your own risk by the way. There are no lifeguards around but equipment and gears are all provided at a fee.
The resort has no Wifi in their rooms. You can, however, access their free Wifi at their restaurant. There are no TVs in the chalet as well, I thought I should just let you all know, for those of you who can’t live without TV. I think it is a brilliant idea that they don’t place any Wifi or TV in the rooms. The whole idea is for your to enjoy nature outside and truly relax and disconnect from the “outside world” so to speak. I have never felt so relaxed when I was there…
If you’re looking for isolation and to clear your head or to do some soul-searching, this is the place.
How to get there and what’s in store?
If you plan to go there free and easy, you can easily book the chalets and ferry directly with the resort. They are quite efficient. I can assure you that it is safe to go to Rawa by yourself. Oh and the customer service there was awesome. I can’t complain. The people there are super friendly and nice.
The 3D2N package includes 2 way speed boat transfers and 3 meals a day. All meals on board (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The meals are really good too. They fed us well.
** There are no shops in Rawa so you’re pretty much stuck on that island. You can’t go jalan-jalan there cos it’s just you and the ocean. The nearest town is at Mersing jetty.
We booked 1 Beach Front unit for 3 pax. The resort is a little bit pricey as compared to places like Tioman or even our neighbour, Alang’s Rawa. The price per person for 2N was RM1,110.00.
We then booked a coach with Discovery Tours and Travel Pte Ltd that brings us to Mersing Jetty. The return tickets cost $44 excluding surcharges for travels during peak periods.
There is only 1 timing for coach transfers to and fro for Rawa. The coach departs from Singapore Flyer (WTS buses) at 6.30 am and estimated duration is about 3 hours and 30 minutes. There will be a pit-stop at a nearby restaurant in JB where you can have a quick breakfast before they continue on to Mersing.
Upon reaching Mersing, you have to check-in at their Rawa office ½ hr before the ferry departs. We took the ferry at about 2 pm and the boat ride lasts about 30 to 45 minutes.
Returning home, the bus will only come at 4 pm, and you have to checkout from the resort by 12 pm. So you have quite a bit of time to spare (or waste) at Mersing jetty. There are food stalls and shops at Mersing for you to kill time though.
Overall, I truly enjoyed Rawa Island and it is one of the best islands I’ve ever been to. And I will say it over and over again…