We made our way to the LCCT from Tunes hotel feeling very zombified. The same staff was still on their work shift and yes, it was a bit awkward seeing them again. I can’t imagine working the graveyard shift.

I was expecting the LCCT to be quiet at 430 in the morning but boy, that was just wishful thinking. There were so many people, some already queuing up at the eateries, some sleeping on the floor, chairs anywhere imaginable, baggage trolleys included, some were arguing with each other about their extremely overweight baggages etc.

It was like watching the documentary airports, hectic and ridiculously crazy at times! Amidst this chaos, check in was a breeze. Before going into the departure hall, we looked around for a place to eat. Both Starbucks and McDonald’s were closed. Old Town Kopitiam was packed. The only option we had was Marrybrown.

Meh.

We regretted eating there, not that it was terrible or anything, there were other options inside the departure hall… Meh.

Anyway, the departure hall was not as chaotic as I remembered from my trip to Hong Kong via Air Asia in 2010. It was large, with a few dining options, Duty Free shops, toilets and a lot of seats.

The flight was uneventful. No turbulence. We only bought some mineral water. Slept throughout the flight.

The last time I was there, immigration clearance took over an hour due to the crowd but this time, less than 15 minutes!

Once we got our bags, our driver was already waiting outside with our names on the signboard. Our ride was a shining BMW 7 series!

In order to reach the resort, we boarded a speedboat. Island hopping, y’all!

From there, we did not have to worry about dragging our baggages here and there. The hotel staff took care of everything.

We were also given a cold tower scented with lemon grass. It was really refreshing! The excitement pretty much woke us up. No more a zombie, y’all!

Cloudy paradise island but nonetheless, beautiful!

We got on the buggy, where the lovely staff, brought us straight to our room.

On the way to our room, we stopped by the gong to do a welcoming ceremony. We were given a flower bracelet each. Each wish we make, hit the gong twice. I only had one wish.

On our way to the room, we were also showed around the resort. Lovely place, more photos later.

Now, where we will be staying for the next four days is not exactly a room…

Fearing we might miss breakfast (Quite a silly thought as it finishes at 1030 am and it was only 830 in the morning?), after we’ve checked in (not at the lobby but in the villa!!!), we went straight to the restaurant.

After I had my fruits, I ordered the warm meal. Poached eggs with spinach and chicken. It was lovely!

Buffet spread is good and simple but fills the tummy. I will take photos of the buffet spread tomorrow.

Now, let the tour of the villa begins.

See that little rock to the left of me? It is in fact a privacy sign.

The rope with the small rock to my right is the door bell.

And this is the view that greets you as you walk through that door…

Our villa is not just a villa but a sea view villa with a plunge pool! How cool is that???

The first thing one sees upon entering the villa…

We were told by the staff that when we are here, we are encouraged not to think about work. Rest the body, mind, soul and spirit. We did exactly that. Explains why this post takes quite a while to be published (Went there in January, only publish it in March… )

Wi-Fi is available for free at the cafe but in the room, it cost THB400 or RM40 a day. A bit crazy but cheaper than having to use data roaming on Maxis.

I think the next time I go on a  beach holiday, I ought to leave my laptop home. It distracts me from connecting with Mother Nature. Bad bad bad. But I can’t live without my laptop!!! I need therapy.

Anyway, tour of the room continues…

One thing I find it a bit tricky about the villa is the outdoor bathroom. The mosquitos are a bit of a nuisance but I think we managed to cope. They also burn some insect repeller in the evening and do regular organic fogging.

It is a lovely concept, but I can’t help feeling paranoid about people peeking. It is an open concept but cleverly designed to avoid any exposure. But I still keep myself covered all the time.

Although doing the ‘business’ can be a little bit awkward…

There is also a door leading directly to the pool area from the bathroom area.

The view from the villa is simply breathtaking. In the day, it can get quite noisy, a lot of boats and ships around in the area but it is nothing that we can’t get used to, besides, everything seems to blend in harmoniously.

Failed to resist temptation, Aslan went for a swim. The almost freezing water deterred me from a swim session. So while Aslan splashed around, I napped on the lounge.

Once the food went down properly, we decided to do a little bit of exploring. They have sent another bike, that made our exploring easier. Our villa is situated about 8 minutes walk from the cafe, main pool, beach, spa etc, so it is a bit of a walk but very pleasant regardless.

One challenging part about cycling is the steep hills along the way and the fact the pavement is small, I don’t want to hurt anyone as I cycle downhill.

First stop was the Jungle Gym. You don’t need high tech gym equipment when you can have equally good workout in the jungle!

We monkeyed around at the jungle gym. See it for yourself:

The monkey bars were a bit challenging but it did make us feel like we were some sort of gymnastic athletes.

Time for the more challenging ones…

I am not going to show you of my horrid looking photo trying to struggle to defy gravity.

We then cycled on to the beach. They say the beach near the village is nicer but we missed it. Perhaps next time.

Tempted to go for a swim but did not cross my mind to bring my swimwear. =.=’

A resort would not be complete without…

Famished, we went to Tonsai cafe where we had a late lunch / early dinner.

Due to the majority of Muslims living on this island, pork is not served here. They have quite an extensive range of dishes and  you can always request for dishes (minus pork) not in the menu to cater to your wants, provided it is easy enough for the chef to comply to.

We opted for something local. It was quite a daring move since most of the guests who stayed here complained about the quality of local dishes.

It is slightly sweet but it tasted wonderful. The serving portion is enough for two people. For hotel quality, this is alright. Honestly, not the best but edible.

We retired to the villa early because of fatigue. Lack of sleep and the sudden increase in physical activities is not a good combo.

Here are some photos of the villa in the evening…

So, by now you must be wondering, where on earth is this so called paradise? I will tell you.

The Naka Island. Such lovely place for a great peaceful secluded retreat. Click here for more information. And now, time for bed.

Love,
E.

P/S: We got the sea view villa with pool at such affordable rates due to the opening promotion, 30% discount! On top of that, Starwood member benefits! Woohoo!