Friendliness, natural beauty, lashings of luxury and relaxation at Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu
After a prolonged period of reviews, articles and interviews, some rest and recuperation was sorely needed. It was decided that our next luxurious resort vacation should be somewhere that would allow us to unwind whilst mixing a little work and pleasure with the added options to get into the sea to try some diving and, of course, sample some great food.
Finding the right place is not always as simple as it may sound, as many resorts had some of the things we wanted but not all. We trawled the Internet for suitable locations and reviewed the many kind offers given to us from hotels to stay and write a review, but nothing really met with what we wanted at this time.
It was only when I telephoned a friend in the hospitality industry to get some advice that the suggestion was made to book a stay at Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu.
I went straight to the Tanjong Jara Resort website and, after a few minutes of reading, proclaimed, ‘I’ve found it!’ A short time later, we were booked in for five nights at what looked to be the perfect place to relax and unwind.
To drive or to fly was the next decision; being slightly adventurous, we opted to drive to Tanjong Jara Resort from our base in Penang, which proved to be a wonderful re-eduction into the stunning beauty of Malaysia, driving through mountains, villages and witnessing a wide range of flora and fauna on the way.
How many drives will you ever do where you pass signs warning about elephants crossing and spotting large lizards, wild boars and monkeys by the roadside?
As enjoyable as the drive was, the excitement only started to really build upon entering Terengganu, witnessing the wonderful coastline, golden sands and calm blue sea. Another thing that also heightened this excitement was the people we met on the way.
The Malaysian people on the East Coast of Malaysia are truly warm and friendly, always happy to chat and assist, coupled with a genuine warmth and smile on their faces; it’s something that you will have to witness in person when you come to the East Coast.
The Garmin GPS was as reliable as ever, bringing us straight to the Tanjong Jara Resort entrance without any fuss or hassle. A salute and smile from the security guard welcomed us down the private road through the manicured tropical gardens to the Tanjong Jara Resort reception, where we were warmly greeted by the hotel staff in traditional Malay uniforms and a nice cold towel and refreshing drink.
The first of many nice touches we noticed was when the staff asked us our names, and from that point onward, all the staff knew our names, even people that we hadn’t met before would come up to us, greeting us by our names and asking if there was anything that needed. This is something that other luxury resorts could learn from…
About Tanjong Jara Resort
Tanjong Jara is a sister property to the award-winning and world-renowned Pangkor Laut Resort, which leads one to expect a luxurious experience along similar lines, and in this respect, Tanjong Jara does not disappoint.
The resort fronts the expansive Tanjong Jara ‘private’ sandy beach with the emerald sea lapping on the shore, the outlines of smaller islands in the distance and thick forest slides surrounding traditional 
Malay architecture.
Our initial impression was one of awe and satisfaction that we had made the correct choice for a luxury vacation.
There are four types of accommodation at Tanjong Jara Resort, starting with Forty-Four Bumbung rooms (Bumbung means ‘roof’ in Malay), Forty-Four Serambai rooms which are similar in size to the Bumbung rooms but with the added benefit of partially covered veranda overlooking the tropical gardens, just right for a private barbecue dinner.
Ten single-storey beach rooms, each 88 square metres in size, with a sunken outdoor bath within its own private garden. The Beach rooms also have windows and doors that open out to a canopied veranda that, in turn, looks out over the gardens and the sea.
The most outstanding accommodation you can stay in at Tanjong Jara Resort is the Anjung Suite, a stunning detached villa that rests above the river waters on stilts with incredible views over the beach and the South China Sea.
This huge property extends to 176 square metres and is furnished with comfortable sofas in a spacious living and dining hall with its own bar and powder room. Whatever type of accommodation you decide upon, you can be sure that the accommodation will be of consistently high quality.
Click here to read our interview with General Manager – Eric Tea
Click here to find out about Diving and Snorkelling at Tanjong Jara Resort
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