Desaru Reimagined: Why Desaru Coast Is One of Malaysia’s Best Holiday Destinations

Back in the day, there were only a number of entry points to Desaru through the old Penawar road. But with the Senai-Desaru expressway and now even an accessible ferry terminal from Singapore straight to Desaru, tourism players and holiday goers have more reasons to lie under the Desaru sun.

The new Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal for visitors from Singapore

If you’ve never heard of Desaru, the little coastal town is located less than an hour from Johor Bahru. Situated next to the sleepy town of Bandar Penawar, Desaru Coast currently offers more than just a tropical beach experience. We were invited to explore the coast and with very little knowledge prior to our trip, we allowed Desaru to give us its best offerings for us to experience and judge.

Popular attractions

As a person who loves beaches and music (who doesn’t, really?), I was glad that we landed ourselves a room at the famous Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast. The hotel welcomed us with a huge guitar monument just outside of the hotel and greeted us with two thirst-quenching welcome drinks. The hotel is everything rock n roll, as you expect from a Hard Rock Hotel.

But the most interesting part about our arrival was their collection of rockstar memorabilias. From Yuna’s dress to Fiona Apple’s signature angel wings, we were in awe looking at the number of rare and original items once owned or worn by international artists themselves. My personal favourite? A framed document containing a signed publishing agreement between John Lennon and Maclen Music Ltd for Revolution 9. Rare stuff!

Rock legacy stuff aside, you wouldn’t believe what we saw in front of our balcony at Hard Rock Hotel: a huge water park. Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast is home to a number of thrilling attractions and we tried almost all of them, including the roller coaster that turned out to also be quite wet. We spent about two to three hours at the waterpark alone before it closes at 6pm.

Pristine beaches

But Desaru Coast isn’t just waterparks and rock n roll. Another highlight of our trip is the beach itself. We were told that there are two accessible beaches: the public beach and The Westin Desaru Coast Resort's Beach. Of course we had to go to both and this is what they look like:

To my disbelief, the colour of the seawater at Desaru is blue and pristine, which caught me slightly off guard. Here are two snapshots of what it looks like - you can see my colleague’s figure in the water!

The beach is just walking distance from our hotel but since we were tired, it was nice to ride their free shuttle buses instead of dragging our sand-filled sandals along the road. So convenient!

A Hotel For Everyone

If you prefer less commercial hotels and more peaceful surroundings, then Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas is your place to be. Located slightly further into the coastal area, Anantara is a Thai-themed luxury accommodation that encourages you to relax, rejuvenate and reconnect with nature.

Personally, since it’s a bit more private than the previous hotels we mentioned, Anantara seems like an ideal place for a romantic getaway too - or a spot to drop on one knee for that special someone. Coincidentally, a newly married couple was seen taking their wedding photos by Anantara’s beach (No photos, unfortunately. We respect their privacy).

Mangrove tour and The Els Club Desaru Coast

Prior to this visit, we’ve heard so many good things about a golf club on Desaru Coast. The view, the fauna and of course the food. We couldn’t miss out on the chance to visit The Els Club Desaru Coast, so we did.

The Els Club is an establishment inspired by the legendary Big Easy himself, Ernie Els. The Club has two major courses: firstly the Ocean Course, home to possibly one of our favourite views in all of Desaru, which is the 2nd hole overlooking the ocean. The Valley course is also quite interesting as it was designed by the great Vijay Singh himself.

As a non-golfer, I’ve always wanted to ride the buggy across the club. Fortunately, The Els Club Desaru Coast offers unique packages of a sightseeing experience around its courses together with wholesome lunch at their Big Easy Cafe.

It’s interesting to see how much Desaru has changed since the 90s. From a lovely beach in a faraway place to a booming tourist hotspot with numerous attractions for every type of tourist out there.

After experiencing Desaru with my own eyes, I understand why TIME Magazine listed them as one of The World’s Greatest Places in 2021. It felt like the whole coast was carefully designed with us tourists in mind - from the entrance, the ambiance, the food and of course, the beach experience. A well-curated mega resort area for holidaygooers in need of a reset and relax.