3 days 2 nights exclusive trip to Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort in Tioman Island

Tioman island is one of the beautiful and nature island which is closer to Johor state at the east side of Pennisular Malaysia. This is one of the island which I won't get boring despite how many times I visit, beside the crystal clear water, the island also has many jungle trekking and hiking trails.

I was invited for the 3 days 2 nights trip to Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort (N2.72072 E104.15162) on last month November 2014, it was a all-in exclusive package and total relax trip offered by the resort. We were the privileged few to experience the new package which officially launch on 20th December 2014. The package included the 45 minutes private chartered flight (Cessna 208B Grand Caravan) from Sultan Ismail International Airport Senai to Tekek Airport Tioman Island, that made us excited because it was a inaugural flight from Senai to Tioman. (90 minutes flight from Subang to Tioman island)

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Our itinerary for the 3 days 2 nights trip for Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort, Tioman Island.
Day 1
*  Depart from Senai Airport to Tekek Airport Tioman by private chartered plane.
*  30 minutes ferry ride from Tekek to Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort.
*  Check-into Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort and breakfast at the restaurant.
*  Free and easy around the resort.
*  Dinner at the restaurant

Day 2
*  Breakfast
*  Jungle trekking activity
*  Lunch
*  Free and easy
*  Tekek town duty free shopping
*  Evening photography session
*  Dinner at resort in conjunction with the first annual dinner and dance of Tunamaya Resort
*  Party time

Day 3
*  Breakfast
*  Check out and bye to Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort
*  Ferry ride to Tekek town, private chartered plane ride from Tioman island back to Senai airport.

Aerial photograph of Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort

The trip was excellent, all of us enjoyed very much!
The resort was clean with lush of greenery surrounded, employees were really helpful and friendly, all the basic facilities available within the resort and a 'bearable' speed of wireless internet service accessible around the reception area. Mr Paul Cheah, the Resort Manager of Tunamaya said, please feel free to enjoy the facilities and relax in the fantasy island, don't always check or look into the smart phone and Ipad...that's the reason of the 'bearable' speed of internet access in the resort. Well, we AGREE!

Mr Paul Cheah - Resort Manager of Tunamaya (right)

We had a chat with the friendly resort owner - Mr Gan after the dinner. Understand that Tunamaya was built from scratch 2 years ago, the partners of resort chose the piece of land because of the mystical 'Twin peaks' as a backdrop of the resort.
As the 'Tunamaya' was named by the reason of one of the partner owned another 'Tunabay' resort in Perhentian island, and the followed by the word 'Maya' means mystical in the national language of Malaysia.

Mr Gan - owner of Tunamaya Resort

The Exclusive package is included the private chartered plane from Senai or Subang to Tioman island, all meals and coffee break, activities within the resort and Spa therapy. Please check on their Facebook page (below) for the latest promotion.

East coast of Tioman island

It is a hassle free, relax vacation compare with other rushing tour. Relax yourself and choose each activity within the island as you wish, rather than rushing from places to places with limited time from early morning and exhausted-ly back to hotel in the late evening, some of my friends wisely said...

I will definitely visit Tunamaya again!

*  All the detail itinerary will be update soon! Stay tune!

Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort, Tioman Island.

Lot 20 & 21, Kampung Mukut, Pulau Tioman 

86800 Pahang, Malaysia.

Tel : +607-798 8108

Email : info@tunamayaresort.com

Website : www.tunamayaresort.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TunamayaResortTioman

Location map of Tunamaya Beach and Spa Resort, Tioman Island.

Container Gardenstay (???????) at Bangkok Village, Jalan Kota Tinggi, Johor Bahru

The container concept is not a new concept today, I had seen it almost 8 years ago at Langkawi island, and of course through out the world. But this is the 'first' container garden stay in Johor Bahru! Where the containers are surrounded in the lush of green and I considered as a good place for weekend city escape!

Container Garden Stay (N1.55522 E103.80122) is located in the Bangkok Village of Johor Bahru. The area was a nice nursery and now converted into restaurant, garden and the above mentioned containers...

Container Gardenstay at Bangkok Village, Johor Bahru.

Large vehicles parking area and even for express buses are available. The surrounding is well ventilated even on the hot and humid weather.

The pathway to the reception

The check-in process was done in the minute by the friendly staffs, impressed. After we settled the rooms, I requested to walk-around the area for photography purpose...

There are lower and upper cabins for the rooms, and guests have a option for nice garden view or without view.

The staircase is on the left row of the cabins...

This was also part of the single bedrooms located...

On the right side, its the garden view cabins...

A relax and comfort tea area next to the rooms...they provide good imported Chinese tea for their guests, too bad I'm not a Chinese tea lover and can't comment much...

In the middle of the both side, there's a nice corridor for all the rooms. As for me, this was a colourful corridor for photography!

As you can see, some of the room's door are still the container original door which is solid and heavy...

The solid door for the guest room

They provide 3 types of rooms which are single bed, queen bed and king bed.
Let start from the single room...

Single room

The attached bathroom is just nice for 'one' person.

Queen's bedroom or double room

Options of garden view (below) or 'no view' (above)...

The King's bedroom with the garden view. The attached bathroom is slightly wider and we understand that it's all in the container, we won't ask for much more bigger room space. :)

The attached bathroom for the double room

The well maintained and nice garden just situated next to the containers...

There's a seafood Thai restaurant situated in the same area, where the Bangkok Village was named by the owner...

Walk way to the Bangkok Village restaurant

Facade of the restaurant

The dining area...

The dining area was transformed to a nice, comfort and relax area during the night fall...we had our dinner in the restaurant that evening and I'll blog about soon. Anyway, delicious food!

Beside that, they also serve local food for breakfast and lunch around the containers.

We had a pleasant stayed for 2 days 1 night weekend getaway! Experienced the container stay, which was just enough space for ourselves in the clean and comfortable environment! I will recommend to my friends who want to experience the relax and mind free staying!

Our package was breakfast included and car wash is provide if you drive.

It's a private area and whole Bangkok Village is lock after midnight, where the safety is concern. Please visit their facebook page for the latest promotion rate or visit the following online agents : expedia.com.my, booking.com and agoda.com

Container Gardenstay at Bangkok Village 

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Block 3,Bangkok Viilage, PTD 93547 Jln Harmonium 3, 

off Jln Kota Tinggi, Tmn Desa Tebrau, 81100 Johor Bahru.

Tel : +607-3518766

Facebook :  http://goo.gl/mpFPs0

Location map for Container Gardenstay @ Bangkok Village, Johor Bahru

Fat Cow Burger at Sun City of Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru.

Burger known as a fast food in most of the country, include in Malaysia. It is widely available at the street side stall of many of the fast food restaurant locally. Actually, it's nothing to shout about and even 3 years old kid also know the taste of burger...

Recently, there's a fast food restaurant which sell only burger as their main course started in Johor Bahru, and it catch my attention immediately. One of the day, company with few friends, we decided to have a try on their 'burger'.

Fat Cow Burger (N1.47653 E103.76856) is situated at the end of the ground floor of Sun City (as known as Plaza Mentari) in Taman Pelangi. The restaurant is easy to locate because it just diagonally opposite the CIMB Bank of Jalan Kuning, Taman Pelangi.

Entrance of Fat Cow Burger

The environment was cooling and 'green'. I like the artificial grass that they decorated on the wall...

It's quite and spacious too, unlike those popular fast food restaurant where always crowded during lunch time.

The spacious environment of Fat Cow Burger...(free Wi-Fi available)

Their menu was clearly 'written' on the wall...total of 15 different types of burger available. Mainly on chicken and beef.

Our foods served on table pretty fast, and all of us 'surprised' by the sizes and the portions of the burgers!

Moowaiian
- Spicy crispy chicken and cheese, serve with homemade thousand island sauce.

Moowaiian burger

Wagamama
- Grilled chicken patty with crispy sliced chicken and cheese.

Wagamama burger

Matado
- Crispy fried chicken, cheese, mayo and lettuce.

Matado burger

Fat moo moo
- Juicy beef patty, cheese, BBQ pulled beef, onion string.

Fat moo moo burger

Fat Cow Palace
- Double beef patties, crispy chicken, deep fried onion, Parmesan cheese.

Fat cow palace burger

All the burgers served with the very special charcoal bun, which look like normal on the outside and charcoal inside...

The taste was excellent! I tried all types of burgers on our table and I like their own recipe sauce and especially the fluffy bun! All the chicken and beef patties were really juicy, not too dry. By looking at the photos above, I believe you can feel the juiciness of every patty...
Among all, I love the Fat Cow Palace burger, suit my taste bud very much!

And not forgetting to enjoy the burger by your hands, that's the best way to savoring the yummy yet affordable burgers.The portion was tall and big, we were all overloaded, it definitely satisfy everyone even for those big eater.

According to the owner, they made their own patty, toasted bun and many other sauces. Totally a new experience for us by enjoying the perfect burger in town!

As for the standard serve, you can also option to add on like beef patty, mix forest mushroom, cheese, caramelised onion and others.

Beside their main course burgers, they do have 7 types of side dish. So we tried their chicken wings.

Fat Cow chicken wings

The sauce of the chicken wings had the unique taste, it was special! Another thumbs up!

Appreciated the creativeness by the chef who changed the 'public impression of the burger' and I will be going back for more to try out other burger available in the restaurant!

*  All burgers available in reasonable price.

Fat Cow Burger Taman Pelangi

G-09, Blok A, Plaza Mentari (Sun City), 

Jalan Kuning, Taman Pelangi, 80400 Johor Bahru

Tel : +607-3310934

Email : fcb2@tastebugs.com.my

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/FatCowPelangi

GPS coordinates : (N1.47653 E103.76856)

Location map of Fat Cow burger at Sun City, Taman Pelangi - Johor Bahru.

Pulau Ketam fresh seafood Steamboat at TUTA, Skudai, Johor Bahru.

Every year when come to the raining season, most of us like to choose steamboat for dinner during the cold evening. Everyone will be gather around the steamboat pot and keep warm...actually I like the special moment...

Recently, there is a newly open seafood steamboat restaurant located at the intersection of Jalan Temenggong 10 and Jalan Hulubalang 1 of Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, with the name of 'Pulau Ketam Steamboat Restaurant'. (N1.50904 E103.65284)

Pulau Ketam Seafood Steamboat Restaurant

The restaurant has a simple setting, clean and well ventilated environment. You can have choices of indoor or outdoor dining area...

The indoor dining area

Outdoor dining area

The staffs and the owner - Mr John were friendly and helpful. Our steamboat served on table pretty fast.
Their delicious chicken broth is prepared by few types of fresh ingredients and also one of the main attraction for the diners. Beside, they do serve Tom-yum broth and both were well presented in the common 2 in 1 steamboat pot (widely available in JB area)

They serve in minimum 2 persons package (RM35 for single type broth, RM37 for 2 types broth) and you can have a choice to taste only the side dishes (more than 40 types) without ordering the main package.

We ordered the 3 persons package, follow by the other fresh seafood...

3 persons package (photo taken from 3 different angles)

3 persons package

3 persons package

3 persons package

And don't forget the fish noodles (must order!)

Fish noodles from Pulau Ketam seafood restaurant

Their fish noodles is made from a blend of rich fish paste, it's a nice to savour with the steaming soup. The fresh springy fish noodles was different from other restaurant that I tasted before, it was a new experience for me!

We had few types of their popular seafood, crabs (with roes and without), big scallops,  white pomfrets, mussels and fresh oysters. Beside seafood, we also tried their New Zealand beef slices and deep fried dumplings.

Crabs with roes

Scallops

White pomfrets

Mussels

Fresh oysters

New Zealand beef slices

Deep fried dumplings

We were really satisfied and convinced with the fresh seafood and the yummy broth! Not to mentioned the shabu-shabu beef slices and fried dumplings. It was a enjoyment having the steamboat in the raining evening, do you? (Yes, it's the local culture...)

According to the owner - Mr John, the fresh seafood and ingredients are ship 'daily' from Pulau Ketam to ensure the satisfaction for their customers taste bud.

It's good news for the steamboat fans to have another choice in Johor Bahru area. Have you try it before?

Pulau Ketam Seafood Steamboat Restaurant
33, Jalan Temenggong 10,
Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, 81300 Johor Bahru.
Business hour: 4pm-12am Daily
Contact number: 016-7451 599 (John)

GPS coordinates - (N1.50904 E103.65284)

Location map of Pulau Ketam Steamboat Restaurant at TUTA, Johor Bahru.