Japamala Resort

Our mother daughter six nights stay at the Japamala Resort in Tioman was otherworldly. We stayed in a sea view chalet with spectacular views overlooking the sea and witnessed amazing sun sets and sunrises. The style of the chalet resembles a Malay wooden hut with materials sourced from the forest but was beautifully curated with locally crafted furniture and furnishings. The attention to detail was impressive, with eco friendly bath products, turndown service with a night cap and a special nighty inspirational message hand written on leaves to inspire positivity. All three restaurants on site delivered great service not to mention deliciously prepared meals. We loved the Malaysian dishes especially, the complimentary breakfast until 3 pm!, afternoon tea with delicately prepared Malay sweet and savoury treats. Kenny and the hospitality team deserve special accolades for their enthusiasm, dedication and service always with a smile which made us feel most welcomed. The beach is rather rocky with sharp corals, so caution is advised and do wear sea shoes but the snorkelling is great with equipment provided by the resort. Do go to the nearby islands for amazing snorkelling opportunities and do visit the turtle sanctuary and please support this private venture with Hakim volunteering his time and resources to save the turtles. Please do bring a donation as it is such a worthy cause to support, otherwise these beautiful creatures will become endangered. Thank you to the whole Japamala resort team for outstanding hospitality and for preserving this eco resort in all its splendour to co-exist with nature. We loved seeing the monkeys swinging in the trees while keeping a respectful distance, the giant squirrel with its winged arms, the mouse deer foraging in the hills, the large iguana on its daily stroll and the many colourful butterflies, birds and even bats. It is clearly a spectacular, intimate resort for the ultimate rest and relaxation. Highly recommend doing their spa treatments, the massages added to our blissful stay. 5 star overall with outstanding service, hospitality not to mention the spectacular location of the Japamala resort. Congratulations to the whole team for seamlessly organising everything to perfection.

A truly special place. Travelled as a family and we stayed the Penghulu House. A breathtaking master bedroom upstairs and a twin bedroom downstairs with a private pool. From the moment we stepped off the Mersing Ferry (make sure you book that early) Japamala greeted us and whisked us away for a very relaxing 7 days. We booked direct so we benefited from an amazing package which made it even more unforgettable. They looked after us so well, what a treat. The accommodation is first class and food very good. The sundowner drinks and breakfast were a highlight of our day - I’ve never been so excited to work my way through a juice menu with such amazing flavours. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to the staff who looked after us so well, everyone is so cheery and always greeted us with a smile and appreciated the lovely chats - the staff are a credit to the island. They did unfortunately have some monsoon damage but this is no way going to affect your stay, everything is amazing. Didn’t want to leave. Thank you Japamala

Nestled in pristine rain forest, the resort and its surroundings are quiet and serene, and turqoise blue clear waters. The wooden villas, restaurants, and walkways add rustic charm to the resort. We stayed at the Beach Sarang villa. It's spacious and clean. However, we find the interior of the villa rather dim. We also checked out the sea cliff villa. While the view from the sea cliff villa is breathtaking, the room itself is rather small. The manager Kenny and another staff, Bella, were very friendly and cheerful, but some waiting staff at the main restaurant were a bit slow, and some of the bartenders at the sunset bar appeared lukewarm, probably due to manpower shortage. Breakfast consists of a small buffet and a la carte menu. The buffet spread consists of salad, nasi lemak, turkey ham, cheese, porriage, homemade yoghurt, fresh fruits, bread and cake, food from the a la carte menu was rather disappointing, in terms of quality of the ingredients (e.g. the chicken sausage was dreadful), culinary skills (e.g. the chicken sandwich had way too much mayonaise/thousand island sauce, poached egg was cold, etc.) and plating skills. Nikoi Island (another eco luxury private island resort off Bintan) offers a higher quality and more sophisticated breakfast. The complimentary local afternoon tea during our stay was nothing to shout about, with a very small spread (about 3 items). We dined at both the Italian restaurant and the main restaurant serving Malaysian cuisine. We enjoyed the food at the Italian restaurant. The seafood was fresh. The price was reasonable (about MYR 230 for a salad, a pasta dish, and a main). We enjoyed the guided morning hike (about 20-30 min to the summit) and massage at the hotel spa. Overall, it was an enjoyable stay. Given the travel time (6-7 hrs from Singapore) and the price tag, we will return to this resort if the quality of breakfast improves.

A scenic sanctuary with rustic charm and excellent service. The food was carefully prepared and we loved having sundowners on the pier. Some aspects of the buildings and steps are a little faded and in need of repair but we did not mind as the place is remote and sits lightly in a beautiful natural environment. The team there took care of our every need.

Friends, I just can't keep quiet. YOU should know what awaits you at this "Paradise" resort. And what awaits you is a dirty and small beach, disgusting cuisine, destroyed infrastructure and very polite staff. Yes, the staff, unlike everything else, was welcoming and friendly. But, this is not enough to drive a thousand kilometers and be disappointed. Yes, you can interrupt your vacation and they will even promise to return your money! Amazing, right? Don't flatter yourself! You will not get your money back! At least I have been waiting for a refund for more than a month! So, my advice to you is - DON'T GO THERE.