A Very Short Break at Nipah Bay

About two weeks ago as the Bkworms were frolicking about in the not-as-clear-as-Redang waters of Pangkor Island, I was drafting a blog entry in my head. We were trigger happy with the camera and I had so many thoughts lined up, I figured it would take me days to post them all up. In the end, I just posted an album of photos on Facebook. Done. No need to rack my brains further.


Several years ago when I was still in my thirties (ok, it was more than several years ago!) AND single, I had gone on budget holidays to Redang and Phuket; staying at one star hotels/chalets and surely not soaking in luxury of any form. As long as the toilets were clean, the rest didn't really matter. After all, where would one spend the bulk of one's time at the beach, if not at the beach!

Fast forward a few years and I am almost ashamed at my initial reaction when I reached our hotel of destination in Pangkor. I was horrified at the size of the chalet (though I have stayed in smaller ones), turned my nose up on the simple (but working) shower head and a toilet that won't flush. Little Bkworm was more vocal and made it quite clear that she would not be showering for the next three days in such a bare looking toilet/bath and a sink that have seen better days. Never mind that she had it worse when she was at her KRS youth camp two months ago. I swallowed the rising complaints that were already at the tip of my tongue and tried to help her see the positive side of things i.e. a beach that is a street walk away, packed to the brim with holiday makers and no semi naked Caucasian men resembling Matthew McConaughey at the beach!

But as the sun began to set and we spied the many road side stalls selling souvenirs and snorkels with the smell of barbequed seafood wafting through the air, I felt life seeping back into my tired body. The four hour journey from home to this island off the state of Perak had been long and arduous; the wait for the ferry ride was torturous! After the initial disappointment at our dismal quarters, the simple life of hornbills and barefooted children running around dripping wet from a swim in the sea was a nice change indeed. The next morning, we went further away from the crowds and spent a leisurely first half of the day in a quieter section of the beach. I bravely put on my teeny weeny bikini top but hidden under a short singlet and was mostly hiding in the water, lest I should be hauled up for indecent exposure since we didn't see any other females (no, not one person) in sight that had a swimsuit on. No, they were not naked. Rather, most of the holiday makers were covered up right up to their heads and they were clad the same way when they went into the waters. T-shirts, sarongs, track suits and head scarves! Yes, they all went a swimming along with screaming kids and rubber tubes.


My little gray singlet and blue swimming shorts would have been an abomination to them, not to mention the layers of fat that, I swear, were never there before I turned 40 just five years ago!


The holiday was short. Three days and two nights. Given more time, perhaps I would have summoned up enough courage to go on the banana boat ride or whiz around on a water scooter. I vaguely remembered saying something similar after I returned from a holiday to Phuket some years back. That would have been a nice feather in my cap before I turned 45 just a few days after I returned to KL.

Thank God for Astro and mobile coverage, we were still in touch with our movies and handphones. Just goes to show how spoilt, us city rats have become. Having stayed all our lives in the hustle bustle of a big city, lounging at the beach is indeed a nice break but give us a week more, I think I would be missing the malls, expensive coffee and of course, Wifi!

On the last day of our holiday, Little Bkworm asked if we could return and stay at the Havana Beach Resort again next year. Sort of like an annual pilgrimage. It looked like the young lady has gotten over her early disdain for the simpler things in life, hasn't she?


p.s. The Resort's not bad, actually. The place is quite popular with families and is located along one of the nicer beaches in Pangkor. Staff were friendly and helpful and if you don't mind the bare necessities, you will find the price affordable and a nice place to just relax for a few carefree days. Apart from that flush that wasn't working properly, they even had Star Movies playing on Astro (for entertainment when there is nothing else to do at night after a delicious dinner of barbequed seafood!) and most of their chalets are also fully airconditioned for additional comfort.