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Redang Island: The Truth About Malaysia's "Luxury" Paradise · Phil and H Travel - Is It Worth It? Top Travel Destinations Explored!

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  Welcome back to the Deep Dive where we take all that travel
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  research you've been doing. You know the articles, the forum
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  post, the endless resort reviews, and we boil it all down
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  into what you absolutely need to know.
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  Right, the essential. Intel exactly and today, if
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  you're planning a trip to Southeast Asia or you just love
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  understanding a destination inside and out, this is this is
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  going to be your most efficient hour.
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  Today we are heading to a place that, well, it often gets
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  compared to its more famous neighbors, but it promises
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  something a little different, a bit more Polish.
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  We're going to the East Coast of Peninsula Malaysia.
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  Specifically to the jewel of the Taranganu Marine Park, the
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  beautiful and I think, somewhat complex Ridang Island.
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  Complex is a good word because when you first started looking
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  into this, the reputation is very specific, isn't it?
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  It is. It's almost universally billed
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  as the more luxurious, more manicured and definitely more
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  expensive cousin to islands like the prehensions.
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  Yeah, you're not going there to find a $5 dorm room or pitch a
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  tent on the beach. Not at all.
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  The entire islands tourism is built around these large,
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  organized, often all inclusive style resorts.
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  And that's really the core question we need to tackle
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  today, isn't it? Yeah, it's our mission for this.
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  Deep dive it. Is we have to cut through that
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  marketing language? Does polished actually mean a
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  better, more accessible, higher quality experience?
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  Or is it just an overpriced tour bubble where you're trapped
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  eating from a buffet for three days?
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  Exactly. Is this the slice of paradise
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  that families and couples are actually looking for?
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  That's what we need to figure out for you.
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  So we've structured this to do just that.
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  First, we're going to tackle the logistics the the multi step
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  journey to even get your feet on the sand.
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  Then we'll get into accommodation and how your
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  choice of hotel basically dictates your entire trip.
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  And of course, the food. We will absolutely cover how to
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  escape that potential buffet based trauma that some people
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  worry about. And finally, we'll spend the
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  most time on the real reason you go the main event.
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  The aquatic wonders, the marine life that honestly justifies the
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  entire effort of getting there. Let's just jump right in,
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  because the first challenge, the very first thing to wrap your
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  head around, is the journey itself.
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  It's a process. OK, let's unpack this because as
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  you said, there's no bridge. This isn't an island you just
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  drive to, it requires some serious coordination.
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  It really does. You're looking at air, then Rd.,
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  then sea travel, all in sequence.
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  Right, and it all starts with a flight.
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  Yes, you have to fly into the nearest mainland city, which is
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  Kuala Taranganu. The airport code to remember is
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  TGG. And for most people listening,
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  especially international travelers, that means connecting
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  through Kuala Lumpur first. Right.
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  Almost always, yeah. You'll fly into KL, the main
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  hub, and then take a short domestic flight from there.
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  OK, so that first leg, the flight from KL to TGG, that's
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  the easy part, I take it? It is, thankfully it's a really
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  quick hop, just about an hour in the air.
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  And it's a popular route. Very serviced by all the big
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  players AirAsia Malaysia Airlines you'll find multiple
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  flights a day. Which usually means the price is
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  reasonable. Exactly.
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  If you book in advance, especially outside of the main
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  school holidays, you can often find round trip tickets from KL
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  for under fifty U.S. dollars, sometimes even less.
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  Oh wow. OK, so getting to the mainland
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  coast is actually pretty cheap and easy.
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  It is the real logistical puzzle starts the moment you land at
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  TGG. Because a countdown clock starts
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  ticking. Precisely once you're on the
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  ground, you have a very limited window to get from that airport
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  to a jetty to catch the final boat over to the island.
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  And this is where your first big decision comes in, because there
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  isn't just one Jetty. Correct, and this choice can
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  make a huge difference to your travel time and frankly your
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  stress levels. You have two main options,
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  Shabandar Jetty and Meringue Jetty.
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  Let's start with Shabandar. Where's that?
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  Shabandar is located right in the city of Kuala Taranganu
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  itself. OK, that sounds convenient.
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  You're already in the city where you landed.
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  It sounds convenient, but it's a bit of a trap because you're in
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  the city, you have to deal with city traffic to get there.
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  But the real issue is the boat ride itself.
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  It's significantly longer from Shabandar.
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  Why is that? Is it just further away?
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  It is, yeah. Geographically it's further
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  South, so the ferry has to travel a longer distance out in
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  the open sea to reach Redang. Plus the public ferries from
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  there can be a bit slower. So you're looking at what, an
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  hour and a half? Maybe 2 hours on the water.
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  Easily, which, if the sea is a little choppy, is not a great
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  start to a relaxing holiday. OK, so that brings us to the
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  other option, Meringue Jetty. And this is the strategic
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  choice. This is the high value tip.
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  So where is meringue? Meringue is about a 30 to 40
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  minute taxi ride north of the airport, so you're actually
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  driving away from the main city. You skip the downtown traffic
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  completely. And that little bit of extra
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  time in a taxi saves you a massive amount of time on the
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  boat. Because it's a much shorter
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  crossing from there. Much shorter from Meringue.
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  You're usually on Redang in under an hour.
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  You're launching from a point that's geographically much
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  closer to the island. That makes a huge difference,
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  and this brings us to what seems like the best possible way to
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  handle this transfer. The seamless resort transfer.
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  If you want that true switch off your brain holiday, this is the
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  way to do it. So the big resorts, the ones
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  like the Taras or the huge Laguna Radang, they don't just
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  rely on the public ferries. No, they run their own private
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  high speed ferries just for their guests.
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  And I'm guessing they all leave from the better jetty.
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  They almost all leave from Meringue Jetty.
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  It's part of their system. So when you book one of those
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  all inclusive packages, the ferry is often just baked into
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  the price. It is, and that's where the
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  experience becomes, you know, truly stress free.
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  Describe what that looks like. Well, you land at TG Jew, you
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  get your bags, and there's a resort representative waiting
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  for you with a sign. No haggling with taxis.
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  None. They guide you to a pre arranged
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  shuttle bus. They take your luggage right
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  there. The next time you see your bags,
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  they're in your hotel room. Wow.
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  And the boat itself is more comfortable, often air
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  conditioned, and it takes you directly to your resort's own
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  and dock. It just removes all the friction
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  from the journey. That logistical cushioning,
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  that's what people are paying for when they talk about Radang
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  being more polished. That's a huge part of it.
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  For a family, traveling with kids and tons of gear, that
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  service is invaluable. There's always a bet this well
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  oiled machine runs on a very strict schedule.
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  And this is the most crucial planning advice we can give you.
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  You must check the ferry schedules before you book your
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  flight. It's non negotiable.
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  Absolutely. The resort's time, their
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  transfers to meet the morning and early afternoon flights.
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  The last boats of the day typically leave meringue mid
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  afternoon. Sometimes as early as 3:00 PM.
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  Right. So if you book a flight that
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  lands at TGG at say 4:30 in the afternoon.
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  You've missed it. You're stuck.
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  You've missed it. The boat is gone.
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  There are no more until the next morning.
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  And the consequences? You have to spend the night on
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  the mainland in Quala Tarangano. Which is not where you want it
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  to be. You lose a full day of your
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  vacation, and you forfeit the money for that first night at
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  your expensive island resort. So the rule of thumb is to
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  budget at least two to three hours from the time your plane
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  touches down to the time you step on the sand.
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  That's a safe buffer. It gives you time for baggage,
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  the taxi ride, checking in at the jetty lounge and the boat
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  ride itself. Respect that mid afternoon cut
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  off. OK.
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  And one final point on timing that is even less flexible, the
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  seasonal shutdown. Yes, this isn't a preference.
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  This is a meteorological reality.
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  Redang is on the East Coast of Malaysia.
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  Which means it gets hit directly by the northeast monsoon.
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  So from late October through early March, the entire area
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  effectively shuts down. What does that mean in practice?
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  The seas become incredibly rough, dangerous even, and the
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  weather is just torrential rain for days on end.
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  It's not a pleasant beach holiday.
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  So the resorts just close. They close completely, they
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  board up the windows and most of the staff home and all boat
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  services are suspended. You can't book a trip then
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  because there's nothing there to book.
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  So the prime time, the only time you should really consider going
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  is April to September. That's the window.
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  That's when you get the calm seas, the sunny skies and that
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  incredible 20m water visibility that the island is famous for.
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  Don't even try to risk it in October or March.
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  It's a gamble you will almost certainly lose.
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  OK, so you've timed it right, you've made the transfer from
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  meringue and you've finally arrived.
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  Now comes the next huge decision, which is where to drop
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  your anchor. And this is so important on Red
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  Dang because unlike a lot of other islands, you can't just
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  rent a scooter and zip around. Right.
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  Getting between the different bays and beaches requires a
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  water taxi. Which can be slow and frankly,
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  pretty expensive. So your choice of resort doesn't
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  just define where you sleep, it defines your entire experience,
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  your food, your social life, your activities.
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  So let's break down the main options, starting with the heart
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  of the island, Pasi or Pancheng. Which literally translates to
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  Longbooch and it is the island's center of gravity.
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  Visually, what are we talking about here?
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  It is that postcard image of Paradise, a huge wide Crescent
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  of the most perfect powdery white sand you can imagine.
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  And this is where the famous squeaking sand is.
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  It is. The sand is so fine and has such
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  a specific composition that when you walk on it, it actually
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  makes this little squeaking sound under your feet.
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  It's a really unique detail. And this beach is where most of
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  the main resorts are located side by side.
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  Correct. And the big one, the one you
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  can't miss, is the Laguna Rodang Island Resort.
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  The sources describe it as a giant a self-contained universe.
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  That's a good way to put it. It has hundreds of rooms,
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  multiple restaurants, a massive swimming pool complex, its own
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  dive center. It's designed to be a world unto
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  itself. So let me challenge that for a
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  second. If the goal is this pristine
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  natural paradise, yeah, doesn't a resort of that scale kind of
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  work against the vibe? That's a great question, and the
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  answer is that Laguna isn't selling quiet, secluded
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  paradise. It's selling convenience and
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  scale. The vibe is definitely more high
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  energy, it's very social and it is absolutely perfect for a
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  specific group of people, families with kids.
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  Because everything is right there.
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  Everything they offer those three day, two night packages
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  that bundle your room, your buffet meals, and your snuggling
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  trips. It's a complete turnkey beach
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  holiday solution. And that energy carries into the
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  the evenings on Long Beach. For sure, with all the resorts
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  lined up, the beach comes alive at night.
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  You'll find little pop up bars on the sand, live music, those
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  seafood barbecues we'll talk about later.
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  If you want atmosphere and social energy, Long Beach is the
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  spot. And it's not just Laguna right?
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  There are other similar places like Redeing Reef or Seri
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  Pacifica. Exactly.
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  They offer a very similar vibe, just on a slightly smaller
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  scale. Same convenience, same package
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  deals. OK, but what if that sounds
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  like, well, a nightmare? What if you want the the
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  opposite of a giant busy resort? Then you are looking for the
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  secluded sanctuary, the total antithesis of Long Beach.
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  And that would be the Taras. The Taras Beach and Spa Resort.
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  It's in a different league and more importantly, a different
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  location. It occupies its own completely
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  private Bay. It's a world away from the Long
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  Beach crowds. A world away and you pay for
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  that isolation. We should be upfront about the
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  price. This is the premium luxury
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  option. You're looking at several
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  hundred U.S. dollars a night. So what's the vibe there?
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  Quiet, exclusive, impeccably maintained.
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  It's all about privacy and high end service.
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  It's the perfect spot for a honeymoon or a big anniversary
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  trip. For people who are actively
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  trying to avoid the family focused energy of Long Beach.
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  Precisely, they're buying seclusion.
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  OK, so we have the busy hub and the exclusive sanctuary.
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  Is there a middle ground? There is, and it tends to
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  attract a more focused kind of traveler.
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  These are the resorts in quieter areas like Tuluk Along or
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  Tulukdullam. A place like Redon Kalong Resort
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  comes to mind. And what's their niche?
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  They often cater to the more serious, dedicated diving crowd.
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  So the resort is built around the dive center, not a giant
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  swimming pool. Exactly.
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  The atmosphere is much quieter, more laid back.
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  The focus is purely on the marine life, less on the evening
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  social scene. And there's a little secret
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  benefit to staying in these quieter bays.
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  There is, because there's so much less boat traffic and fewer
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  people in the water. The snorkeling right off the
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  beach in a place like Tulikkalong can actually be
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  better than on the main beach. The fish are less disturbed.
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  Exactly. You get healthier coral and
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  boulder fish right near the shore.
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  But no matter which of these three styles you choose, you
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  have to accept that practical consequence of being isolated in
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  your Bay. You do.
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  If you stay at a secluded resort like the Taras, you are
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  essentially a captive of that resort.
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  You can't just decide on a whim to pop over to Long Beach for
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  dinner. Not easily.
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  You have to arrange one of those water taxis, which, as we said,
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  can be surprisingly expensive and takes time to organize.
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  The cost and hassle often mean people just don't do it.
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  So the take away is clear. Choose Long Beach if you want
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  options and energy. Choose a private Bay if you want
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  silence, but be prepared to stay put and pay for it.
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  Your resort choice is the single biggest decision you'll make for
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  your Redang trip. OK, so from where we sleep to
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  what we eat, let's talk about the food because this is often
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  the biggest worry for people booking those all inclusive
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  deals. We have to tackle the buffet
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  trauma. It's a very real fear, isn't it?
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  The idea of queuing up for the same lukewarm food every day.
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  Yeah, nobody wants that. And with Redang being so reliant
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  on full board packages, you're going to be eating at a lot of
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  buffets. You are, but the reality,
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  especially at the bigger places like Laguna, is actually better
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  than you might think. They cater to a wide audience.
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  A very wide international and Asian audience, so it's not just
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  bland western food. They put a strong emphasis on
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  good quality Malaysian dishes. So you'll find things like beef
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  rending. Absolutely.
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  You'll find authentic rending, various curries, stir fries,
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  noodle stations right alongside the pizza and pasta that you
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  need to keep the kids happy. So it's more about variety and
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  function than gourmet dining. That's the perfect way to put
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  it. It is plentiful, it is
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  convenient, and it works very well for families.
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  But, and this is a big but, Redang is not a culinary
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  destination. Right, You don't go there for
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  the food scene. No, it's built for consistency
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  and volume, not for foodies seeking some kind of revelatory
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  dining experience. So if you're the kind of
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  traveler who needs to escape the hotel canteen, you need an
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  escape hatch. And luckily there is a fantastic
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  one. It's the absolute culinary
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  highlight of the island. The evening seafood barbecue on
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  Long Beach. Yes, this is the must do
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  experience. These are small, standalone
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  places, often tucked between the bigger resorts.
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  Hate the picture for us. What's the scene like?
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  As sunset approaches, they drag these big charcoal grills right
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  out onto the sand. The whole beach starts to fill
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  with that incredible smoky, savory smell.
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  And you don't order from a menu. No, this is the best part.
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  You walk up to a big display of fresh seafood on ice and you
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  point. You choose your exact fish, or
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  your squid, or these huge beautiful tiger prawns.
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  And they cook it right there for you.
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  They weigh it, price it, and throw it on the charcoal grill
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  with a simple marinade. You eat it at a plastic table
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  with your feet in that squeaky sand.
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  It is simple, fresh and absolutely delicious.
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  That's the authentic experience people are looking for.
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  It is a place like Summer Point. Near 1 of the smaller villas is
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  a great example. It's the real deal.
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  OK, but we have to ground this in the reality of island
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  economics. We do everything on the island,
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  from the fish to the charcoal to the bottled water has to be
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  brought in by boat from the mainland.
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  And that means you're paying an island premium for everything
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  you. Are don't expect Kuala Lumpur
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  prices, a can of soda, a bag of chips, and especially that fresh
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  seafood. It's all going to cost more than
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  you'd pay on the mainland. Manager price expectations.
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  Exactly, and that price premium goes way up when we start
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  talking about alcohol. This is an important cultural
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  point. It is Rodang is in the state of
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  Taranganu, which is one of the more conservative states in
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  Malaysia. So what does that mean for a
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  tourist whining a beer with dinner?
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  It means alcohol available, but it's pretty much only sold
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  within the tourist resorts and because of taxes and import
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  costs it is expensive. There are No 7 elevens on the
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  beach selling cheap beer. Definitely not, and that cost
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  combined with the general atmosphere really shapes the
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  island's identity. It's not a party island.
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  Not in the slightest. The vibe is wholesome and family
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  focused. The price of alcohol naturally
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  keeps the evening scene very calm and relaxed.
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  OK, so we've navigated the journey, found a place to stay,
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  and we've eaten. Now we get to the real reason
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  we're here. Yes, this is where it gets
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  really interesting, the aquatic wonders.
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  This is the heart of the Redang experience.
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  The entire island is a protected marine park and you can tell
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  you. Absolutely can.
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  The first thing you'll notice is the water clarity.
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  It is phenomenal. We're talking 15 to 20 meters of
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  visibility on a good day, and that clarity reveals an
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  incredible abundance of marine life.
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  This is a thriving, healthy ecosystem.
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  And snorkeling is the number one activity.
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  It's built into every resort package.
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  It is. It's the most accessible way for
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  everyone to experience it. So let's talk about the main
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  spots you'll go. First up, the Marine Park
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  Center. This is the place everyone goes,
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  right? The guaranteed siding spot.
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  It is because the fish here are so used to people and
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  unfortunately used to being fed. They gather in enormous schools.
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  You are guaranteed to be surrounded by clouds of fish.
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  So for a first timer or a kid, it's an instant wow moment.
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  Absolutely. You'll see huge schools of
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  jackfish, colorful parrotfish. It's an immediate.
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  Reward, but there is a major downside.
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  A huge 1 during peak hours. This place is chaos.
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  You can have hundreds of people in the water at once, all in
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  their orange life vests. It's been described as human
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  soup. Not exactly a tranquil nature
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  experience. Not at all.
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  And it brings up that physical issue of feeding the fish.
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  Many operators hand out bread to attract them you.
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  Just terrible for the fish in the reef.
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  It is. It's just not a sustainable
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  practice. So we'd say go see the fish, but
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  please do not participate in feeding them, Just observe.
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  OK, so if the marine park is the chaotic introduction, what's the
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  spiritual highlight? That would be Turtle Bay near
• 18:39
  Tulip Kalong. And this is an absolute must do.
• 18:42
  This is the experience that will stay with you.
• 18:44
  You just float quietly on the surface, and below you in the
• 18:48
  seagrass beds are giant green sea turtles just eating, just
• 18:54
  peacefully munching on seagrass, completely unbothered.
• 18:57
  Seeing these huge ancient creatures in their natural
• 19:00
  habitat is just it's incredibly moving.
• 19:04
  And it's not a rare sighting. Not at all.
• 19:06
  It's common to see half a dozen turtles in under an hour.
• 19:09
  That kind of reliable natural encounter is what makes Redang
• 19:13
  so special. So we have these two very
• 19:15
  different snorkeling experiences.
• 19:16
  This leads to the high value strategy.
• 19:18
  Yes, the best advice we can give you is this.
• 19:21
  Skip the big scheduled group tour from your resort.
• 19:24
  And instead. Hire a private boat for a few
• 19:26
  hours. It costs more, but it is
• 19:28
  absolutely worth every single penny.
• 19:30
  Why is that? Because you are in control, you
• 19:32
  can tell the boatmen let's go to Turtle Bay before the big crowds
• 19:35
  arrive, or you can visit the marine park after they've all
• 19:38
  left. You get the place to yourself.
• 19:39
  Or close to it. Plus the local boatmen know all
• 19:43
  the secret spots, a little coves and reefs that aren't on the
• 19:45
  official tour map. It completely elevates the
• 19:48
  experience from mass tourism to personal discovery.
• 19:51
  OK. And for those who want to go
• 19:52
  deeper, what about diving? Rodang is a fantastic and very
• 19:57
  convenient place to dive. There are over 20 registered
• 20:00
  dive sites around the island. Catering to all skill levels.
• 20:03
  All levels there are beautiful shallow coral gardens for
• 20:06
  beginners and for more advanced divers there are deeper
• 20:09
  pinnacles and even a couple of wrecks to explore.
• 20:12
  And the coral health is good. It's generally very good.
• 20:15
  You see these huge fields of table coral, vibrant soft
• 20:18
  corals. It's a really healthy, protected
• 20:21
  reef system. What are some of the star
• 20:22
  attractions for divers? You can pretty reliably expect
• 20:26
  to see black tip reef sharks, especially in the shallows.
• 20:29
  Big schools of Barracuda are common on the deeper sites and
• 20:33
  just a dizzying variety of reef fish.
• 20:35
  And it's easy to organize. Super easy.
• 20:37
  Every single major resort has its own Payday certified dive
• 20:41
  center. You just walk in, show your
• 20:42
  card, and book your dives. It couldn't be simpler.
• 20:45
  So the water is clearly the main event.
• 20:48
  What is there to do on land when you need a break?
• 20:51
  Land activities are pretty low key.
• 20:52
  Lounging on Long Beach is probably #1 people watching,
• 20:56
  reading a book. But there's a hike.
• 20:58
  Right there is a small but very hot and sweaty jungle trail
• 21:03
  connects Long Beach over to the Bay where the Taras is.
• 21:07
  A good way to see the island's interior.
• 21:09
  It is, but you absolutely must bring mosquito repellent, the
• 21:13
  industrial strength kind. Don't even think about doing it
• 21:15
  without. And in the evenings, aside from
• 21:17
  the BBQ, you'll. Find fire dancing shows on Long
• 21:20
  Beach. They're a bit, you know,
• 21:21
  entertainingly cheesy, but it's fun for families and adds to the
• 21:25
  relaxed, wholesome atmosphere. Right, we've built a really
• 21:27
  detailed picture. Now let's apply that essential
• 21:30
  filter. What are the things you should
• 21:32
  actively skip to have a better trip?
• 21:35
  OK, number one, and this might sound counterintuitive, skip the
• 21:38
  standard three day two night package.
• 21:41
  That's the main product they sell.
• 21:42
  Why skip it? Because it's too rushed.
• 21:45
  When you factor in the travel time, you arrive and you're
• 21:48
  immediately thrown onto this rigid schedule of meals and
• 21:51
  snorkeling trips. There's no time to just breathe.
• 21:55
  You feel like you have to do everything because you've
• 21:56
  already paid for. It exactly you lose all
• 21:58
  flexibility. The much better strategy is to
• 22:01
  stay for at least four or five nights, book your room only, and
• 22:06
  then pay for your activities a la carte.
• 22:08
  That makes so much sense unless you have a lazy beach day
• 22:11
  without feeling guilty, right? My turn for an emphatic skip.
• 22:15
  And we've touched on this skip interfering with nature.
• 22:18
  Do not feed the fish. Even if the boat operator gives
• 22:21
  you bread. Especially then just politely
• 22:23
  decline. It's bad for the fish, it's bad
• 22:25
  for the coral. Be a respectful observer in the
• 22:28
  Marine park, OK? What's next on the skip list?
• 22:30
  Skip trying to do Redang on a shoestring budget.
• 22:33
  It's just not that kind of place.
• 22:35
  It really isn't the island prices for food, drinks and
• 22:38
  transport will just lead to constant frustration if you're
• 22:40
  trying to count every penny. So if you're a budget
• 22:43
  backpacker. You will have a much better time
• 22:45
  and get far better value for your money on the nearby
• 22:48
  Prehension islands. Rating is firmly a mid range to
• 22:51
  luxury destination. And the final, most important
• 22:54
  skip of all. We have to say it one more time.
• 22:57
  Skip the seasonal risk. Do not under any circumstances
• 23:01
  try to go during the monsoon from late October to early
• 23:05
  March. It's a guaranteed trip runner.
• 23:07
  Guaranteed. OK, So what does this all mean?
• 23:10
  We've gone through all the details, let's synthesize it.
• 23:13
  What is the actual real vibe of the island?
• 23:15
  I think the best word for it is manicured.
• 23:18
  It's a curated paradise. The sand is raked.
• 23:21
  The transfers are seamless. The schedules are efficient.
• 23:24
  Which means it's beautiful, clean and very safe.
• 23:26
  It is, but the trade off is that it lacks a wild, rugged,
• 23:30
  adventurous feel. It's a very polished product.
• 23:33
  And it's not necessarily quiet and deserted, especially on Long
• 23:36
  Beach. No Long Beach can be quite
• 23:37
  fizzy. You'll hear jet skis and boats.
• 23:40
  It's not a silent retreat unless you pay the premium to be
• 23:43
  isolated at a resort like the Tararas.
• 23:45
  But the overall feeling is relaxed and wholesome.
• 23:47
  Overwhelmingly so. It's incredibly family friendly.
• 23:50
  It is not a party island. And maybe it's biggest selling
• 23:53
  point is that it's an escape from decision fatigue.
• 23:56
  That's it right there. It's a switch off your brain
• 23:58
  holiday. Once you're there, everything is
• 24:00
  taken care of. It's easy and in today's world
• 24:03
  that has immense value. So let's give the final verdict
• 24:07
  for different types of travelers, honeymooners or a
• 24:10
  romantic couple. If you can spring for a secluded
• 24:13
  resort like the Tara's, it's a nine out of 10 truly world class
• 24:18
  romance and relaxation. Families with kids staying on
• 24:21
  Long Beach. Also a nine out of 10 the
• 24:23
  safety, the convenience, the easy access to the water.
• 24:26
  It's a perfect family holiday spot.
• 24:28
  What about a hardcore adventurous diver?
• 24:31
  I'd say A7 out of 10. The diving is very very good,
• 24:34
  but it's a resort based and highly organized.
• 24:36
  It might not scratch the itch for someone looking for true off
• 24:39
  the grid exploration. And finally, that budget
• 24:42
  backpacker. A5 out of 10.
• 24:44
  The value just isn't there for them.
• 24:45
  The prehensions are much better fit.
• 24:47
  So in the end, Redang is this beautiful, accessible marine
• 24:51
  Wonderland that delivers exactly what it promises.
• 24:54
  It does, as long as you go in prepared to spend a bit for
• 24:57
  comfort and you're ready to focus purely on that squeaky
• 25:00
  sand, that crystal Clearwater and those magnificent turtles.
• 25:04
  That's our deep dive into Redang Island.
• 25:07
  Hopefully that gives you everything you need to plan the
• 25:09
  perfect trip. And as a final thought, to leave
• 25:11
  you with something to think about.
• 25:13
  Go on. Rodang is a fascinating case
• 25:15
  study. You have this incredible, highly
• 25:17
  visible natural treasure, those turtles in Turtle Bay, and you
• 25:21
  have this incredibly efficient tourism machine that brings
• 25:24
  thousands of people right to their doorstep.
• 25:26
  The seamless logistics we were just praising.
• 25:28
  Exactly. So the question to Mull over is
• 25:32
  how does the global tourism industry balance that need for
• 25:35
  convenient, easy access with the absolute imperative to protect
• 25:40
  the very thing everyone is coming to see?
• 25:42
  That tension between access and preservation.
• 25:45
  It's a tough balance to strike, and Redang is right at the heart
• 25:48
  of that conversation. It's something worth thinking
• 25:50
  about long after you've left the beach.