A Stopover In Batu Layar

On our way back from Punggai we made a stopover in Batu Layar. Its ultra wide screen view of the sea and beach will make any traveler want to stop over. A great view to gaze for hours but not to dive in for a swim unless you are a surfer or windsurfer. But there are no surfers around. Probably it is just too way out of reach.

There are many chalets around from single room to dorm. The price is quite reasonable. During this holiday season it is surprisingly quiet. Probably the management needs to add more facilities for guests who are staying in the middle of nowhere.

This particular chalets are just beside the beach. Being able to gaze at the amazing view from morning till night is just sheer bliss. Added to that the front space is large enough for outdoor activities. The rest is just limited by your imagination.

The biggest setback of this place is the cafeteria which is under renovation. If you are going to stay here for days you just need to drag along a bagful of canned food. The nearest town where you can buy groceries is around 15 km from here. Probably that is the reason that we did not choose to stay here despite its spectacular view.

A Getaway In Punggai

It was a weekday and there was no traffic on the road. It is not an episode in a dream. I was fully awake. Quite an awe for a city guy like me. But in Punggai, at the east coast of Johor, it is an everyday sight. So last Monday my sister and I decided to pack up and head for this middle of nowhere guided by my trusted GPS unit.

The weather was unpredictable. It rain and shine at any minute. All the photos that were shot here look like the sun was shining all day long. I just dread of the idea sleeping in a wooden hut in the middle of the night. Surprisingly the accommodation at the resort is not primitive as I thought it would be. It is kind of a remote suburb with concrete walls, flushed toilets and air-conditioned. I was expecting mosquitoes and crawling insects all over but it was quite tamed.

Well there is a wooden structure in the middle of it. Not a total concrete jungle after all. Trees are scattered everywhere and the walkway is paved with sand with electric cables hanging from pole to pole. It is looking more like a holiday resort.

Below that wooden structure is actually the cafeteria where we can dine or the food can be delivered to our chalets and we can eat at the front yard under the trees. I was actually prepared to rub two sticks together to make a fire if things fail. Here they have all the modern cooking facilities. The downside is they only serve rice and noodles which are all fried from morning till evening. But you can cook your own stuff at the backyard. If you drag in some kind of meat you could have a barbecue too.

They said the beach is just behind but if you want to be safe and live longer you could splash in the pool. The swimming pool is just in front of the cafeteria. A favourite place for the kids especially my niece. During peak hours the pool may look like a tadpole colony.

Here is the view of the pool and part of the resort from the second level of the 'Mawar' chalet. It is the only one in the resort which is two storey

They do have a kid playground at the backyard but not that well maintained for what I saw. But to a little girl like Sofia a swing of any condition is fun. Though she fell a number of times.The sand on her palms and knees just bewildered her. Not the kind of thing she experienced at home.

With her feet buried in the sand and waves coming on to her with big wave sound which is beyond her home TV speakers. The look in her eyes revealed many questions. For the first time she realized that it is not a small world after all.