Akar Beach Resort, Port Dickson

Akar Beach Resort Port Dickson

Batu 9 Jalan Pantai Teluk Kemang

71050 Port Dickson 

Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus

I stayed here in early February with my family. We booked 2 rooms, both with balcony facing the swimming pool.

 Booking

My aunt helped to book directly with the hotel because she was staying there the previous week but you guys can book online

Location

Good, walking distance to beach. Horrible, cramped parking space though

Rate

Affordable

Dining

Breakfast included in room rates. Decent selection.

We also had dinner here (different charge), decent taste even if we had to wait quite long.

Service

Good. Dinner at coffee house was a bit slow though. Owner said because they cook fresh.

Overall 3 <3<3<3 of 5 

Super Deluxe Triple Room

Large Balcony

Seaview

BBQ Area

Akar Beach Resort is suitable for family with young children. Great place for extended family reunion or company family day. Therefore, it is a nightmare for couples and family with grown kids. If you're looking for a quiet place to relax, lounging by the pool, or suntanning on the beach, avoid this place on weekend and school holiday.

  My mom had headache throughout our stay because there was a family gathering or something when we were staying. The pool was full of vigorous and joyful kids and the room wasn't sound proofed :)

  Parking was another nightmare. We had to park in the alley beside the building and some other guests were just sucky driver who have no respect for other people's car. 

  The beach nearby is a public beach. There is a public carpark between the hotel and beach. A stern security guard will stop non-guests from entering the hotel ground. There are vendors selling burger and drinks near the hotel gate so you can tarpao something to have on the beach.

Public Carpark

Public Beach

Short rant:

The beach was littered with rubbish. You can see in below pic. Seriously people, TAKE HOME YOUR TRASH!

Public Beach

Coffee House

So that's what the coffee house look like. A bit cramped la for breakfast especially if there are inconsiderate guests taking up space. I don't know, maybe it was just my luck that some real selfish/inconsiderate people were staying while I was there. Anyway, below are what we had for dinner so don't expect to see them at breakfast :D

Hutan Rekreasi Tanjung Tuan, Melaka

I swear I didn't do that to the gate

Tanjung Tuan Recreational Forest

Jalan Pantai Tanjung Tuan

Port Dickson, Melaka

Entrance Fee: RM1 per person

Eh, Port Dickson in Malacca? 

Nope, I didn't fail my Geography but really. To find Tanjung Tuan (used to be known as Cape Rachado), you gotta get yourself to Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan but Malacca governs the place. The entrance is next to PNB Ilham Resort.

What's up there?

There's a lighthouse. Supposedly the oldest lighthouse in the country, the unverified sources claimed it was there since the Portuguese era. In 1606, Battle of Cape Rachado between Portuguese fleet and Dutch happened here. 

  Aside from exercise/trekking, visitors come here for bird watching. Then there are those who visit to see the "datuk", a shrine or the old tomb, to see Hang Tuah's footprint or just to see if they can confirm that Parameswara was buried here under the lighthouse.

Our initial plan was just to see the lighthouse. I didn't bring proper shoes so I wore my Fipper flip-flop and brought a bottle of water in my favourite #NikoNiko #perfectbucketbag SO inappropriate but I survived so we can safely conclude that the trek wasn't too hard.

  There was a storm the night before and along the tarred road, we found broken twigs and branches. The 'chaos' lent a magical charm to the forest. Complete with dunno-come-from-where mist I tell you.

Migration route. For birds.

Path I was attracted to is next to this signboard, just before the lighthouse carpark

I love how you can see gorgeous spots without leaving the main (tarred) road. It wasn't even a long road. Just about 800 meters slope walk shaded by the trees.

See. Told you got mist!

If you keep to the main road, you cannot miss the lighthouse. There are a few paths into the forest but please don't venture in without preparation like water, food and decent footwear. Oh and good sense of direction because this place seriously need more signboards. 

Stairs to the lighthouse

No entry

View behind the lighthouse

One of the paths to dunno where

Bored, two of us ventured into the forest using a small path (label: rintis) marked as towards Pulau (island) Intan on the left of lighthouse when you're facing the sea. To the right is Monkey Bay but I have no idea which path you gotta take to get there.

  Like I mentioned earlier, there was not enough signboard here so it might be a good idea to ask the staff at entrance and snap picture of the map before you use the paths. 

  On Rentis Rumah Api a.k.a rintis ke Pulau Intan, we didn't go all the way down because I got lazy halfway. Plus, there's another path off the main road (on left side if you're heading to the lighthouse) just before the lighthouse carpark that I wanted to try. I believe it's marked as bird watching path.

  I didn't know that the path led to a secluded beach and if we go the other way, we'll come out at the path before carpark! It was a big loop you see. I'll try to explain properly later.

  So, back on the increasingly steep path towards Intan Island, we turned back and met two local ladies at the Wakaf (gazebo) Perhilitan going down the path. Later, we'll meet them again on the beach we reached by taking the bird watching path before lighthouse carpark, proving it's just a big loop! This path had concrete steps so I was feeling more confident. But at the bottom, it was just earth before you find this poorly maintained wooden walkway.

Careful here

A well supposedly dug by the Dutch (or one of the angmohs I'm not sure which)

Camping area by the beach

We met the ladies (again) near the camping gazebo and one of them told us to take path on the right if we want to get to the light house (we didn't). She also told us that the "datuk" and Hang Tuah footprint are nearby, just down the beach.

I think that is Pulau Masjid with the invisible jamaah

"Datuk" aka keramat aka shrine

The Hang Tuah well is on the left of the shrine. The paths are just behind the well. Left to Pulau Intan and right to lighthouse. 

Another well- allegedly dug by Hang Tuah. Clean water.

There's an old grave that I wanted to visit but something happened and I changed my mind. Also, I didn't know which path leads to the old grave and apparently there's another old grave on Pulau Intan. A lot to see, which means I gotta return with a more sensible footwear (and bag), food and drinks!

PNB Ilham Resort Port Dickson

PNB Ilham Resort

Batu 10 Tanjung Biru

71050 Port Dickson

Negeri Sembilan

(+606) 662 6800

On the second day of Syawal, my family and I went to Port Dickson to unwind. Mom booked two 3-bedroom apartments for us and my uncles, aunts and cousins.

PNB Ilham Resort is a popular choice for family and companies. Pretty sure lots of you have been here for some programs or another. So expect crowds especially during check-in/check-out and breakfast.

I love our huge apartment! At less than RM100/person per night, it is a good deal when you are on vacation with family or group of friends. The apartments have up to 4 bedrooms. Room decor and furniture are a bit dated and worn but the units are well equipped with iron, kettle and mini bars. No cooking allowed though.

View from our unit

Old-style keys, pool towel card & breakfast tokens

Dining table

Kitchenette

Spacious master bedroom

All rooms in the unit we got come with ensuite bathroom.

Booking - Easy. Cheaper via websites like Agoda than directly from hotel website.

Rate - Good value. Less than RM500 per night for 3-bedroom apartment

Location - It's better for tourists to have own transportation. Beach is just outside the hotel property but restaurants and other attractions are quite far. 

Dining - Average taste. They can handle big crowd and they offer variety of cuisines - local and basic western (egg station, toast, cereal, etc). There was no shortage of food. Good enough.

Service - Average

Overall 3 ½ <3<3<3< of 5 

Breakfast selection

Mannusalwa, Port Dickson

#PusingPusingPortDickson

Most Malaysians would know Port Dickson but how many of us know where can 'makan sedap' in Port Dickson? I had that trouble a couple months ago when I was visiting. 

  My online 'research' suggested that there aren't many choice aside from the seafood and when you're not in the mood for seafood, that isn't a good news. Luckily I came across a suggestion for the best cheese naan in town. 

Finding the shop is quite easy. Just head towards that roundabout near the temple. Mannusalwa is located at the row of shops there. It's right opposite the Kolej Jururawat building below.

A typical mamak restaurant set up, seemed to be popular among the locals.

Unfortunately for me who came during lunch hour, there was no cheese naan. Cheese naan is only available in the evening (mamat waiter cakap). Fortunately, I got to taste one of the best-est chicken briyani rice evahhh~

I don't like too much gravy so this is perfect for me!

<3<3<3<3