Pulau Tioman Travel Forum

Hi, will be gg to japamala hillside plunge pool villa. Can any one tell me more abt the accomodations? Thks & greatly appreciated

Hey, you lucky lucky one!!! Tioman and especially JapaMala is like a slice of PARADISE!!! absolutely romatic:-) but do change your villa!!!! no no for plunge pool! any other villa is better than THIS one, honestly!

hope you are looking forward to doing nothing, so bring books of Nintendo DS to keep yourself occupied. i was contented just sitting on the porch and look out to the ocean and feel the sea breeze... and to meditate... WOW!

do ask the staff named Vichan to take you up to the highest spot (and absolutely breathtaking view!!) on his free day.

now nothing is for free (so make sure you have your credit cards!), other than books and DVDs in the evening. breakfast is included, you can choose from the varies dishes on the menu, but only ONE serving is free, so if you need a second cup of tea or coffee, you gotta pay for it - Italien mentality ??? the owner is a young italien guy.

also, forget about the trips to the Village (Tek...something), the resort's own speed boat is VERY expensive and there is nothing to see in the village. if you really want to get out of JapaMala, try to catch one of the fisher boats and bargain with them. BUT try not to ask them to pick you up on some other day, we met a couple who waited 3 days for the fisher boat to come and pick them up *HAHA*

need to know more? write to me:-) if this information is enough, then i wish you a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL stay and enjoy this tiny peace of PARADISE!!

regards from Germany
Gerlinde

JapaMala is a wonderful resort. The plunge pool villa was under construction when I was there in March. I stayed in a sarang villa that overlooked the pool/small stream. But if I go back, I would stay in one of the Sea View Chalets. Breakfast was good and the dinners are quite good (people come from other resorts to have dinner there). My girlfriend said the spa was fantastic. And I highly recommend snorkeling/diving at Baggus Rock. It's a very peaceful location.

Hey NitNoy, looks like we stayed in the same Sarang Villa (Villa 2), and i agree with you, i would stay at one of the sea cliffs villa, too if i stayed at JapaMala again....

....the villa at the plunge pool is right next to the "public" toilet, and soemtimes one can smell it when walking by... the guest that we met who were appointed to this villa all changed their accommondations within days!

and yeah i agree with you, JapaMala is the BEST! the spa was good, i agree with your gf. massage, pedicure, manicure etc is highly recommendable. i booked a head and shoulder massage but it ended up to be a body massage! so inside of booking the most expensive massage, try out the cheapest first for RM 95,-

the food was great! still dreaming of the yummy green papaya salad with seafood *HMMMM*

Hi, thks to all for ur replies. Really appreciated. 1 more question, the plunge pool vlla is it really located nex to the villa toilet or public toilet? frm wat i understand the villa is suppose to be secluded. Hows the cleanliness of the rm? heard need to brg along a pesticide.

Hi, thks to all for ur replies. Really appreciated. 1 more question, the plunge pool vlla is it really located nex to the villa toilet or public toilet? frm wat i understand the villa is suppose to be secluded. Hows the cleanliness of the rm? heard need to brg along a pesticide.

Room was clean when I stayed there. No need for a pesticide.

it's the only toilet outside of the villa... you can call it "poolside toilet" if you want, for me it is the "public" toilet (for course for guests only!) as it is the only toilet one can use if you do not want to go back to the villa. i have used the toilet once and it wasn't clean and it smells! the villa are very very clean, thanks to the hardworking staff named Dom. no need to worry. besides, villas are tidied twice a day!
as i mentioned before, if you can manage to change to another villa before arrival, do that.
hope this has helped.

Hi i hv juz returned from JapaMala & stayed @ the hillside plungepool villa. The experience there was mixed... Had a slight culture shock, 1stly no hp recept, which is fine but no tel in the villa????? I hv to walk up and dwn the long flight of stairs ( Its on top of the hill, wat do u expect!!!) juz to ask for room service or assitance( though i really needed a workout...). The hillside plunge pool villa is not nex to the toilet, there is another villa there but dont really knw the name of the villa, & i do agree wth Eurasian68, the toilet stinks. By the way the plungepool villa itself has 3 levels, which i think its unique, minibar, tv living rm and bedroom respectively. Overall this is still an ok place to chill out, once u get used to. I absoultely agree tat the spa and the food is one of the best in malaysia & definitely there is peace and serenity in the resort. One will feel relaxed as everything seems slow-paced. I will strongly reccommend for others to go there again but only after Sept 07. There will be a major change to the resort itself, for e.g there will be a new main pool which will be bigger, a spa treatment centre, tel line & cable tv in ALL the villas and of course new villas to stay. Prices will go up wth the additional facilities and flexibility be it the new or old villas.. One shld look out for their new seaview swimming pool villa. A villa wth a private pool overlooking the sea. From wat i understand frm the staff, the prices will start frm RM$2500++/night.

Hi, I've booked a sea-view chalet at the Japamala in May. Did any of you come across any dangerous insects in your room (such as spiders, scorpions, snakes etc)?

Thank you!

OH NO!!! don't worry, the chalets are very clean:-)

the most dangerous "animal" was the ant colonial we had on the terrace, it was interesting observing their busy life while you are laid back and just enjoying the peacefulness of this wonderful resort!

Geeez have a nice time! lucky you:-)

Never saw any in our room, but we did watch a monitor lizard catch/eat a snake when we were having breakfast at the restaurant. Yummy!!!

HAHA! really? how exciting! we didn't even see any snakes *thank God!* but if we were uo early in the morning before anybody else (even the staffs), we were lucky to observe a few monkeys by the pool:-) that was fun!

oh btw, the ants were on the terrace, not inside the hut.

glad to hear it, that makes me feel a lot better!

Oh don't worry, you'll have a GREAT time! it's really wonderfully relaxing! just make sure you don't get the hut right next to the toilet (it stinks!)

Hi, I have been reading about all your views on Japamala resort and I am really excited about my trip there. Will be going there next week and I have just booked for Sarang Villa. I am really concerned about what you guys said about the villa next to the toilet. I am wondering whether the room that I am getting will be that particular one. Anyway, I was wondering what activities you guys did on that island. I was thinking of exploring other parts of the island as well but since the water taxis are not cheap, what are the alternatives in travelling around?

There are cheaper ways in exploring the island, for e.g hiring the boat taxis frm other resorts, nearest is frm Genting Village. U muz bargain wth them otherwise u will get ripped. Prices ranges frm MYR$15. Of course japamala staff may not be pleased if u take the transfer frm other resorts. By the way, not much to explore on Tioman Island. Food quality Japamala is the best esp for the lobster. But u will hv to pay a higher rate compared to the other resorts in the island. Enjoy ur trip!

Hi, thanks a lot for your reply. Hmmm, was hoping for boat rides from Nipah Village. Think that is nearer...anyway, will take your advise... :)