Kuala Besut, Malaysia – 10-12 July 2022

I follow the signs at KLIA for Malaysia Airlines check-in area (on Sunday 10 July) - I’m flying to Kota Bharu then all going well getting a taxi (that won’t rip me off!!) to drive me around one hour south to Kuala Besut.

I’m asked where I’m flying too and whether or not I have bags to check-in. The line looks semi long so I ask if there is a business class check in (my Qantas status allows this 😊). Within seconds I’m walking back in the direction I came from. There is one counter open, bingo. The lady is unbelievable helpful!! She’s from Kota Bharu and is very excited I’m going there.

In the end I’m with her for at least 20 minutes - she gives me instructions on how to get a taxi once I land. Beyond helpful!!! She then decides to call a couple of her friends to get a taxi number and arranges a taxi for me. Wow! All going well there will be a driver waiting for me at the other end. Watch this space!!

It’s straight through the boarding pass check and security - no issues with the 2 water bottles I have on me. I did need to take off my Apple Watch though and put it through with my bags. First time I’ve had to do this.

The first thing I notice about the airport is how big it is and how many high-end shops there are. Totally didn’t expect this for a domestic airport but then again this isn’t Blenheim, New Zealand!!!

I high tail it to the lounge. I choose a seat at the end of the lounge where there is one other person. A great view of the airport! Bags down, time to get a very, very late lunch. We get chatting - he’s from Singapore and is heading to Kota Kinabalu to join his wife. Travel stories are exchanged. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

On arrival at the gate I board immediately. Luckily (or unluckily if you are like me and only like sitting on the aisle….) I have a window seat. I see my bag going onto the plane.

We push back from the gate 6 minutes early - ye ha!

We land into Kota Bharu at 5.31pm, nice and quick flight! I used the time to delete old travel photos. Brought make lots of memories reviewing them! Time to make more memories.

I see a sign when I walk out of the passenger only section - ye ha a driver is here for me!!! When we get to the car he tells me we need to make a stop on the way as the precious passenger left something in the car. Only 5 minutes……aah ok, I really hope it only adds 5 minutes as the journey is already over an hour. Let’s see! Before we can depart he takes a photo of himself and I and sends to someone, I’m assuming to confirm he has collected me 😊

We departed the airport at 5.53pm. Of course it’s not a 5 minute journey to drop the item off!!! Doesn’t help that there is lots of traffic and the traffic lights do take forever.

Finally I see a sign for where we are going…..I’ve only been on the car for 1 hour and 7 minutes. According to the directions google map directions we have 36 minutes to go. Let me assure you the time to go is reducing at a snail’s pace. Give me strength!!

We are hopefully 10 minutes away! The lady from Malaysian Airlines just rang to see if I was ok. Super nice!!!!

We finally pull into the hotel at 7.40pm and the heavens well and truly open. Buggar!!! At check in I’m informed the hotel only does food for breakfast. Well well well this will be fun, NOT!! We go to leave the lobby for the room and the rain increases even more. I’m outside for no more than a minute and my shoes are soaked. I ask if there is another way - yes there is, great. She calls up two staff and they come and collect me and drive me to the block.

As I walk into the room I breathe a sigh of relief that I’m only here for two nights. I’ve only been in the room for 30 seconds when I decide there is N O way I’ll be having a night here on my return!!!! Must make other plans for my return (to KL).

It was a short (or perhaps long??!!) night - the bags under my eyes are big. At least when I wake just before 7.30am on Monday 11 July I have just over 24 hours to I leave for the Perhentian Islands. And lots of admin to do!!!!

Within minutes of being awake my neighbours continue with last night’s fun by ringing their friends doorbell constantly…..no no this isn’t annoying.

I’m impressed with the shower, If it had warm water it would be even better!

I head to reception to complain about the state of the room. The lady asks if I want to check out today…..yes I do (as long as I can find something else). She needs to speak with her manager about a refund. I’ll also be contacting Booking.com. I really have royally stuffed up this hotel!!! But the cleanliness, or lack of it, is the worse I have ever experienced. 

Walking to the area for breakfast I pass the pool. One of the guests has made a corner of the pool area their personal laundry as they have a HUGE pile of clothes out drying.

Breakfast is a very sad state of affairs. I decide on a coffee only. There must be at least 1 kg of sugar added in. Thank goodness I have a muesli bar left!

I head back to reception, the lady goes to get her manager. I’m advised they will clean the room this afternoon (as they have an event this morning). She informs me she’ll speak with her manager then come to my room in half an hour.

Less than half an hour later my doorbell goes, it’s the manager with two others to clean the room. I first show her around the place…..she doesn’t seem happy with what I’m showing her and when she sees the water on the bathroom floor offers to move my room. Ok I guess. I ask to see the room first (want to make sure I’m not going from the fire to the fire pit!!). Thankfully it’s much better. I’m told it’s a VIP room. My VIP room and yours are very very different.

I decide to head to the town area, for food and to waste time! Trying to get a grab taxi is painful - after many tries it tells me it’s a no go and to try again later. The lady on reception calls me a taxi - we have a bit of back and forth and in the end I say let’s do it. They wanted to charge double the cost of grab. The joys of being somewhere on a public holiday. Hey ho, it’s only money and hopefully I’ll make more.

My taxi driver is very friendly and we chat the whole way. The standard questions to start with - where are you from / how long are you here for for / where to next / are you alone…..He offers to drive me to the airport on Saturday and even lowers the price while chatting. He tells me people from NZ and England speak quickly, yes yes we do. I make a concise effort to slow down. When he drops me off I take his number - he tells me it might be two hours before he can collect me again as he is going to the airport. No issues! Not like I have anything to rush back for!!! He points to a cafe and says he’s heard good things. I realize it’s one of the two places I had researched last night. I hand over a MYR 20 bill and he starts to get change, odd. He tells me he’s giving me a discount (so sweet). I quickly say it’s a discount because I speak so quickly. We both laugh! There really are some genuine people in this world and I’ve been very fortunate to come across two in less than 24 hours.

I wander around the streets - there really isn’t a huge amount here other than shops for the hotels on Perhentian Island, a few places for food and some tourist and local shops. There are quite a few places closed too. I’m in no rush so take my time wandering. I manage to stumble across the place I need to come to tomorrow for the boat so that’s an added bonus. I couldn’t find the other cafe I had researched so headed back to Ko fei.

As soon as I walk into the cafe the a/c hits me, heaven! I’m handled the menu, a piece of paper and pencil and told to sit where I like. Thanks but I’ll order coffee immediately. Latte please, hot. I’m asked single or double shot, most definitely a double shot!!!

When my coffee arrives it looks amazing!! The lady tells me she taught her by practicing and watching YouTube videos. Got to love YouTube. I manage to find a couple of photos I have of coffee from HK and NZ to show her.

Aah the coffee is great! I decide on an egg mayo sandwich - think I need to eat something that will at least fill me up for a while! Plus I’m thinking I’ll order something to takeaway with me.

Wholly smoke this sandwich is tasty!!! I’ll 100% be coming here tomorrow for breakfast.

I get chatting to the table next to me. They are from KL, and are here for the long weekend visiting the wife’s parents. He is an artist (I’ll be googling him later on). Lovely to have a conversation that doesn’t require working out what the other person is saying. They very sweetly ask the owner of the cafe what time they close - 10pm. Excellent!! I’ll be here for a while and will order food to take back to the hotel. For now another coffee is needed. If only I had brought my sudoku book.

When I go to pay the owners inform me the family paid for me. Ooh my goodness me, so lovely! My eyes fill with tears. Some people really are so so kind. As soon as I get Wi-Fi I’ll be sending them a message.

I chat to the owners for a bit. Devastating they are closed tomorrow…..ooh no!!! I have one recommendation from them so let’s see. They give me directions to the supermarket but tell me it’s too far to walk. 1-1.5 Kms, easy as lah.

It’s hot in the sun, where possible I walk in the shade. 

The supermarket is much bigger than I expected! Thankfully there is a/c. I’ll be taking my time here…..

 

I wander back into the town, again time wasting, before heading to the Tuna Bay office. I want to confirm how long the boat ride is and the time needed to get to the airport. I get talking to Lin (potentially the owner) and spend about half an hour with her. Again a lovely interaction and she gives me a few tips for breakfast tomorrow as well as taking the train from the airport in KL. They have advised they have availability for me if I want to extend by a night - I’ll decide tomorrow once I’m there.

When I walk back into Ko Fei it’s like a completely different cafe, it’s absolutely packed. Great for them! The owner informs me there will be a wait, no issue with me! I’m not overly hungry and I have time to kill. Win win.

Wow they weren’t wrong about a wait! It’s been a good 40 minutes and I’m still waiting. The noise level in here is crazy and unfortunately the a/c machine doesn’t seem to be working that well. I didn’t think I’d ever day this…..I think I’m looking forward to going back to my hotel room.

I’m told my turn is next.

Finally it’s quiet! Goodbye large, loud family group. I can now near myself think as well as hear the birds outside. Given it’s a lot quieter I don’t feel bad asking the owners to call my taxi driver for me 😊 Unfortunately he’s at the airport. No worries I’ll wander down to Tuna Bay office and see if I can order a grab.

Bingo, grab ordered and on its way. Before it arrives I ask Lin where I can buy beer. There was none in the supermarket nor in the 7 Eleven. Lin advises her husband sells them; two cans are ordered. I’m set for the night!

When I walk back into my room it’s lovely and cold. A nice change from the heat and humidity outside. Time for more planning and organising.

Within minutes of being in the room it becomes dark, the sky is changing to black. Then the thunder begins and the wind picks up. Very glad I’m not outside!! A few minutes passes before the heavens well truly open up. Thank goodness this didn’t happen earlier in the day.

I spent the rest of the day in my little sitting room area researching hotels / flights / buses for the rest of my journey. Very pleased that I’m basically done.

The hotel seems a little quieter tonight compared with last night, hopefully that remains. I’m feeling pretty tired. Not sure my dinner of a can of beer and a bag of chips will help or hinder my sleep. Time will tell!! And a VERY good lesson for booking hotels in the future is to ensure they either have a restaurant onsite or places are within walking distance of the hotel.

I end up “waking” just after 6.30am on Tuesday 12 July. 2.5 hours to I can leave this hotel!!!! Was another interesting night…..my neighbours had visitors just after 2am who kept ringing the doorbell. What is wrong with people??! I was already awake, thankfully?! Then probably two hours later, when I’m finally asleep, the bloody roosters start crowing. It’s still pitch black so I have zero idea why!!!!

No need to EVER return here again…….If I’m fortunate enough to go back to the Perhentian Island’s I’ll be going straight from Kota Bharu airport.

I have a 13 minute wait for my grab driver ~ I did think this could happen so I’m glad I’m going earlier than I planned. It’s the same driver as I had yesterday morning - too funny. He ended up making 2 trips to the airport yesterday which is why he couldn’t come and collect me.

There are definitely a lot more people around this morning; my driver advises it’s a workday. Aah that would be why.

I drop my bags at the Tuna Bay office and head off to the cafe the lovely owners from yesterday recommended. I know it’s not going to be anywhere near as good as yesterday but I need something to eat before taking my sea sickness pills.

The orange juice is not drinkable…..the coffee just passes (I finish it all only because my pills don’t have caffeine in them). Not the best start to the day (in terms of breakfast).

I wander back to the office the long way. I have time to spare! On arrival I’m asked for my passport, sure thing. We have a few minutes wait before the bags are taken to the boat. Longer to wait before we are finally told it’s time to head over to the jetty.

We each had to purchase two tickets before we are allowed on the boat. Not entirely sure what for but hey ho. As a foreigner one of the rockers is MYR 30 whereas for the locals it’s MYR 5.

Kuala Besut you have been interesting. I won’t be returning!!! Well to that hotel anyway!!!