Pulau Kapas

Pulau kapas, aka Cotton Island is located in Marang, Terengganu.

First 2-3 pharagraphs below is the glitch I 've encountered. U can skip reading if u want. Hehe.

Took the Five star tour coach which took me almost 10 hours to reach. Return coach about 110 bux.
FS was supposed to bring me to the Marang but in mainland Terengganu, the driver negotiated with another coach company and I was told to change to that coach,KKKL (I TINK) as they will bring me to the latter. A mistake I should not have made!

Upon alighting,I realized the jetty was not the same as I have googled before the trip. (Google is important) A local there said I was at the wrong jetty. I was stopped at MErang Jetty instead of MArang. The confusion is due to the almost same jetty names. Merang jetty are where boats head to Redang island.
Tada!!The coach driver was reluctant to send me to Marang saying the FS driver  paid him 10rm to send me here and drove away. I asked a local on how to get to Marang and he said I had to hitchhike !! Cuz there were no cabs etc etc. Marang is about 1 1/2 hr away from Merang. -_-

MERANG JETTY (sorta run down)

Plus point, compared to Marang jetty, Merang has better stalls for souviners etc. 

I was really panicked but stayed rational and called FS office (thank god they were opened) It was about 6am then. -_- The  driver of FS came back and I reached on time to take the ferry to Kapas Island. I VOW NOT TO TAKE FS AGAIN CUZ THE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS AS WELL.

MARANG JETTY (New and cleaner) 

Booked the speedboat from Surialink, paid 40rm for a return trip. Journey about 45mins to the island.

I stayed at Kapas Turtle Valley, run by 2 Swedish owners, Sylvia and Paul. Sweet people. The chalets are basic but was beautifully furnished with a clean bathroom and a balcony facing the sea. No tv nor aircon but I was pretty satisfied for Rm150 per night. Plus its very private.

Booking was made via e-mail. KTV Website..

http://www.kapasturtlevalley.com/home.php

I shall let the photos do the talking.

I personally think the resort is suitable for the young or fit as u will need to climb up a very steep staircase to get to the chalet and back to the jetty. Don't bother with luggage seriously. 

Please bring insect repellent. Seriously, the mosquitoes really came to play at night. 

The spacious balcony to enjoy the sea view as per below

The dining area is super laidback,  plus it is by the beach front.  Sylvia is a wonderful cook. Go look at d reviews on Trip Advisor. It is more beautiful dining at night cuz the place was lit with fairy lights. Magical! 

Li

The front view of the dining area plus veranda to chill.

Peter preparing an awesome BBQ for RM45.

Fondue at additional cost.

After a filling dinner, nothing feels better than to grab a drink, sit on a bean bag chair and have a chit chat session at a spacious veranda just beside the dining area.

Of course when I am at an island, I will opt for snorkelling. There is a dive shop nearby (have to climb the steep staircase to the other side). For 30rm, d boatman will bring u to a good location for an hour and a half. 

KAPAS TURTLE VALLEY is generous to borrow guests snorkelling equipments for free fyi. 

Boatman was nice enuf to bring me to Gemia Island, a very small private island to see turtles. The resort is called Gem Island Resort.

Adorable baby

Gemia is so serene and peaceful. 

Basically this was how I spent the rest of my trip there. On the buoy (free) lazing around on the clear blue sea .

Here's Sylvia & me! Only 3 Days there and I was being treated like their family. GO THERE AND ASK HOW THE CHALETS WERE BUILT. U'LL BE SUPRISED :) 

Hope u've enjoyed this post!

BALI 2009

Who dosen't love Bali? It has become a well known tourist destination , suitable for party goers, honeymooners, families with kids. I've been to Bali twice and I believe there are so much more to see. Kuta is the the main area where tourist tend to stay , with food and shopping paradise are of walking distances. Scooters can be rented if you're tired or lazy to walk around. Personally, I've never rented any so Im not sure of the parking etc etc. On both trips, I had drivers to bring me around out of Kuta , which is recommended if you are not familiar with the roads there. Will divide this blog in two parts. This trip is based on my 2009 trip.  I'll let the photos do the talking !

Kecak dance in Uluwatu. It is some kind of religous performance (Monkey dance) At the same time while watching the latter, you can enjoy the beautiful sunset. Can't recall how much the tickets cost but its not expensive. :)

 With the Kecak Dancers. And the monkey king. I was apprehensive while taking a photo with him. That fangs says it all.

To get here, you will need to walk down a path with gazillions monkeys everywhere (hence the name, Monkey Temple/Forest) , so be wary cause they are playful and can be too friendly . May chase after you and all that so be prepared. 

Throwing in one brave moment of mine. 

There are many beautiful spots to take beautiful pictures here! Such a wonderful place. 

Spent only 3 nights on my first trip so didn't manage to see much. But did follow my friends to bungee jump. I DID NOT participate cuz me and heights dosen't go well together. 

LOCATION : double six street. 

I think its 99usd for 2 jumps. U' ll get a certificate too. 

U may book a transport with the vendors . They operate in small stalls by the roadside along Kuta Beach.

Surfing is also a common sport people look forward to when in Bali. Not sure of the prices but once you step on Kuta beach, u will be swarmed with locals to try out their surfing lessons. 

3 nights dosen't seem enough for a first timer so in part two will be a 6 days stay with more locations to share.

A Few more pictures before I end this post. 

 Shopping can be insanely cheap.

XX .

Good things are always best shared. I've recieved tons of questions from fellow friends especially from FB about my travels; where to go? What to do? How much does it cost? Im not an avid traveller of any sort. I have yet to travel the US and Europe for all that matter. Of course I would love to! but for now, Im opting to discover Asia. You can simply find a gem just a 3 hrs drive from mainland Singapore or a mere 2 hr plane ride. I will share both positive and negative experiences. Along with pictures too :)  On a short last note, ALWAYS google to its depth of  the country u want to visit. Been through some glitches which has become a  learning lesson for me :) Follow my journey to Bali in the next post! XX