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Kylie Knott

Malaysia is a popular destination for Asian travellers, particularly the capital Kuala Lumpur, the food paradise island of Penang, and Kota Kinabalu, which offers easy access to the jungles and mountains of Borneo.
Now a new hotspot is pinging on the radar.
Desaru Coast, in the state of Johor, boasts 17km (11 miles) of pristine coastline dotted with a quartet of five-star resorts: the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, The Westin Desaru Coast Resort, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, and the One&Only Desaru Coast.
Time magazine named it one of the World’s Greatest Places of 2021 – but it is not only attracting tourists seeking a luxury escape.

Desaru Coast is positioning itself as an events location, having already hosted an Ironman triathlon event and the L’Étape Malaysia by Tour de France, Malaysia’s top amateur cycling race.
In September, it hosted the inaugural Ombak Festival where singing legends Macy Gray, Grace Jones and Nile Rodgers headlined a three-day celebration of music and culture.
Exclusive events have also graced its shores, none more impressive than 2023’s Dioriviera, when luxury brand Dior staged a takeover of the luxurious poolside Ember Beach Club that is part of the One&Only.
It is all part of a 30-year master plan to turn Desaru Coast into a premium destination, says Karina Ridzuan, director of business services at Destination Resorts and Hotels (DRH), the Malaysian hospitality investor behind the project.
“Desaru Coast is where you can explore natural wonders, embark on culinary adventures, and relax in luxury, far far away from the madding crowds that throng the usual tourist hotspots,” Ridzuan says.

Desaru Coast is learning from the mistakes made by more established destinations in the region that are struggling with environmental degradation, cultural dilution and infrastructure strain caused by overtourism.
Thailand hotspots such as Phuket, Pattaya and Krabi, for example, are feeling the strain following a post-pandemic tourism boom.
In September, the Indonesian island of Bali announced a ban on the construction of new hotels and villas as a way to tackle overtourism in the wake of a surge in visitors since pandemic restrictions were lifted. In the first six months of this year, Bali recorded almost 3 million foreign tourists, a 24 per cent increase from the same period in 2023.
While a time frame for the moratorium is unclear, one Indonesian official was quoted in local media as saying it could last as long as 10 years.
Having a strong sustainability plan is crucial if Desaru Coast wants to avoid the overtourism trap, Ridzuan says.
“As master developer and operator of Desaru Coast, we have control over the wider sustainability plan for the development, which we aim to implement in phases over the next few years,” she says.

Sustainability steps include a partnership with eco-tour company JungleWalla, whose founder, Irshad Mobarak, one of Malaysia’s leading naturalists, is advising on issues from biodiversity to wildlife conservation.
While rapid and unregulated urbanisation in places such as Bali has resulted in a loss of green spaces, Desaru Coast is heading in the other direction with a “ReWild Desaru” plan to plant 3,000 trees annually.
So far 1,000 trees have been planted, Ridzuan says, the species carefully selected to feed wildlife and create a network of wildlife corridors to allow the safe migration of animals between forest patches.
“We also carry out camera-trapping of wildlife found within and around Desaru Coast,” says Ridzuan, adding that the data will help JungleWalla’s conservation strategies.

Visitors can also experience Desaru Coast’s natural wonders via JungleWalla’s beach-life and tidepool discovery walks, river cruises, and birdwatching tours, Ridzuan says, adding the area is home to more than 100 species of birds.
If pampering is on the agenda then visitors are spoiled for choice. The Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas has been recognised as Malaysia’s best resort spa for the last four years by the World Spa Awards, while the One&Only is the only resort in Southeast Asia to offer treatments by Augustinus Bader, the cult luxury brand loved by celebrities including Hailey Bieber, Margot Robbie and Victoria Beckham.
Families are also catered for, Ridzuan says, with each resort having a kids’ club.
“For watersport lovers, the resorts offer everything from paddleboarding to jet skiing and even zorb water balls,” she says.
There is also the Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast, which has more than 20 wet and dry rides and is popular with school groups and corporate teams.
Golf fans can tee off at The Els Club Desaru Coast, which scooped the World Golf Awards’ prize for best golf course in Malaysia in 2021 and 2022. It offers two courses, one designed by Ernie Els – the South African golfer and former world No. 1 – and the other in collaboration with Fijian golfer and 2000 US Masters champion Vijay Singh.

Top dining options include contemporary Japanese cuisine at Hoshi at One&Only Desaru Coast, seafood and grill at Sea Fire Salt at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, and Mexican cuisine at The Elephant & The Butterfly at the Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast.
At the Westin Desaru Coast Resort there is the Italian restaurant Prego as well as Kedidi, which pays homage to the indigenous Seletar community and prioritises locally sourced seafood with a zero-waste ethos.
Helping to sharpen Desaru Coast’s sustainability edge is the BoomGrow machine farm, a state-of-the-art hydroponic system on the grounds of The Westin that supplies fresh vegetables to all four resorts.
The vertical indoor farming systems – hi-tech repurposed shipping containers – deliver pesticide-free vegetables with a reduced carbon footprint: they use about 95 per cent less water and land than traditional agriculture.

While there is much to love about Malaysia’s new, shiny and much-hyped holiday destination, the big question is: will travellers make the effort to get there?
Desaru Coast is an hour away from the nearest airport – Johor Bahru Senai International Airport – and a four-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, visitors from Singapore – “the gateway market”, Ridzuan says – can catch a new 90-minute direct ferry straight to Desaru Coast.
The reward is a crowd-free holiday in an unspoilt paradise – definitely worth the effort.


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Asia travel

Why Desaru Coast, new 5-star Malaysian resort hotspot, is well worth a visit

People play at Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast, one of many attractions designed to appeal to families visiting Malaysia’s new five-star resort destination. Photo: Desaru Coast

The Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. Photo: Desaru Coast

A quiet beach in Desaru Coast. Photo: Kylie Knott

Karina Ridzuan is the director of business services at Destination Resorts and Hotels (DRH). Photo: Desaru Coast

The brahminy kite is one of the more than 100 bird species that can be found in Desaru Coast. Photo: Desaru Coast

The Els Club Desaru Coast offers 27 holes of championship golf. Photo: Desaru Coast

Shelves of vegetables line the inside of the BoomGrow machine farm, located on the grounds of The Westin Desaru Coast Resort. Photo: Desaru Coast

What to do in Takamatsu, a shopping, art and seaside hotspot on Japan’s Shikoku island

Two people pose for a photo seated on Red Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama on Naoshima island, Takamatsu, Japan. Photo: Ed Peters

Two people pose for a photo seated on Red Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama on Naoshima island, Takamatsu, Japan. The island is one of Japan’s foremost arts venues and should rank high on any list of what to do in Takamatsu. Photo: Ed Peters

Takamatsu Port is on the city’s northern waterfront area. Photo: Ed Peters

The entrance to the Tamachi shopping street, part of Takamatsu’s sprawling shopping arcade. Photo: Ed Peters

The hip Zoo clothing store in Takamatsu’s shopping arcade. Photo: Ed Peters

Kimonos for sale at a shop in Takamatsu. Photo: Ed Peters

Dishes at Legend, a restaurant on the top floor of the Mitsukoshi department store. Photo: Ed Peters

Takamatsu Castle, near the city’s waterfront. Photo: Ed Peters

A colourful shop in Naoshima. Photo: Ed Peters

‘It’s Malaysia’s time next’: Penang food festival is a good sign for culinary travel, but how will the industry fare amid climate breakdown?

Chefs Andrew Martin from Thailand’s 80/20 and Johnson Wong from Malaysia’s Gen at the Kita Food Festival in Penang. Photo: Instagram / @kitafoodfestival

Martin’s goat curry served at Kita Penang. Photo: Ron Gluckman

Wong’s pork jowl reimagined as comfort food burgers served at Kita. Photo: Ron Gluckman

Kim Hock Su (right) with Aitor Jeronimo Orive. Photo: Ron Gluckman

Su and Orive’s heirloom tomatoes served at Kita. Photo: Ron Gluckman

Starters prepared by Su and Orive at Kita. Photo: Ron Gluckman

Julien Royer, chef-owner of Odette in Singapore. Photo: Odette

Kirk Westaway, of Jaan by Kirk Westaway in Singapore. Photo: Jaan by Kirk Westaway

Richard Ekkebus of Amber in Hong Kong. Photo: Jonathan Wong

A game changer? Coffee farmers in Malaysia hope to plant the seeds of tourism in a remote corner of Sarawak, Borneo

Coffee grower Tomy Pangot and his wife, Anne, with some of the coffee berries from their bushes in Long Banga, Sarawak, Malaysia. Indigenous farmers like him hope to increase their income and draw more tourists to the area. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Coming in to land at the Long Banga airstrip, the shortest in Malaysia. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng 

A famer in Long Banga holds coffee beans he has just harvested. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

A rice storage barn decorated with traditional Orang Ulu motifs in Long Banga. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Alasdair Clayre is a British anthropologist who was raised in Long Banga in the 1960s, and believes coffee cultivation can be a game changer for Sa’ban farmers. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Dr Kenny Lee Wee Ting, co-founder of Kuching-based Earthling Coffee, surveys Long Banga’s coffee production. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Liberica coffee plants and cherries on Tomy Pangot’s plantation in Long Banga, Sarawak, Malaysia. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

Travelling to the Um Wang rapids, the last navigable point on the Baram river. Photo: Chan Kit Yeng

4 luxury eco-resorts in Langkawi, Malaysia to book this summer: from five-star hotels Four Seasons and The Datai Langkawi to boutique retreat Ambong Ambong and family-friendly Cottage by The Sea

Langkawi Island in Malaysia is home to a Unesco Global Geopark and is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after eco destinations in Asia. Photo: Lartisien

High-end resorts and hotels are expanding their operations in green destinations like Malaysia’s Langkawi Island. Photo: Lartisien

Family-owned eco-retreat Ambong Ambong has spectacular views of the Andaman Sea. Photo: Agoda

Ambong Ambong Rainforest Retreat has Langkawi’s only vegan fine dining establishment. Photo: Agoda

The Datai Langkawi is a five-star resort integrated into the surrounding rainforests. Photo: Datai Langkawi

The Datai Langkawi has numerous environmental initiatives like local coral regeneration. Photo: Datai Langkawi

Luxury hotelier Four Seasons Resort Langkawi is upping its green game by reducing water waste. Photo: Lartisien

Who says you can’t marry opulence with sustainability? Photo: Four Seasons Resort Langkawi

Cottage by The Sea Langkawi is a laid-back beachside resort located right next to the sea. Photo: Cottage by The Sea Langkawi

Cottage by The Sea Langkawi boasts more than 300 initiatives designed to minimise carbon footprint. Photo: Cottage by The Sea Langkawi

Cottage by The Sea Langkawi offers a variety of nature-based adventure activities ideal for families. Photo: Cottage by The Sea Langkawi

Shenzhen travel guide: how to get a visa on arrival, which apps to download and cashless payment in the Chinese city

To get to places in Shenzhen like Dongmen Pedestrian Street (above), Hong Kong residents without the right visa can apply for one on arrival. That’s not all you need to know - we break down the essentials for your trip from Hong Kong. Photo: Shutterstock

WeChat is useful for electronic payments and for its mini-programs – apps within the app. Photo: Shutterstock

The simplest option within Hong Kong to reach Shenzhen is to take the MTR East Rail Line to Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau stations. Photo: Erika Na

Shenzhen taxis can be ordered via Didi Chuxing, the Chinese equivalent of Uber. Photo: Shutterstock

Alipay accepts foreign-issued credit cards and can be used to make e-payments in Shenzhen. Photo: Shutterstock

Baidu Maps is more accurate than Google Maps in Shenzhen. Photo: Shutterstock

Lifestyle

Travel & Leisure

Luxury resorts, pristine beaches and award-winning spas combine with a strong eco ethos at Malaysia’s crowd-free Desaru Coast


Luxury resorts, pristine beaches and award-winning spas combine with a strong eco ethos at Malaysia’s crowd-free Desaru Coast.
