Malaysia Travel Blog – Pulau Rawa

photo credits to: asiaexplorers.com

Rawa Island is an unspoilt coral island and is located 16km off the coast of Mersing.Famed for its white coral sand tall palm trees and offshore coral reefs with neon-coloured fishes and other exotic marine life. Pulau Rawa (Rawa Island ) is truly a paradise island.

This is the type of place you can leave your cares, worries, your problems behind, just lay back soak it all up, and enjoy the moment, forget the phone, time and all the rigors of town life; Live life to the full on “Rawa”.

It was nice to take a break this month on Pulau Rawa, my favourite island paradise in Malaysia. Lots of rest and relaxation, a great beach, waves lapping beneath our waterfront chalet overlooking the South China Sea, good company and of course good friends there too.

Mersing is base in Johor Bahru Malaysia, Johor is the third largest (19,984 sq km) and one of the most developed states in Peninsular Malaysia. It is situated at the southern tip of the peninsula, just across the Straits of Johor from Singapore (with which it is connected by a road and rail causeway). Johor’s population exceeds two million people, comprising an ethnic mix of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other groups. Its capital is Johor Bahru.

Pulau Rawa is located within the archipelago that dots Johor Marine Park. Other islands in the marine park include Pulau Aur, Pulau Dayang, Pulau Pemanggil, Pulau Tinggi, Pulau Sibu, and Pulau Besar, among others. The island is accessible by speed boats or ferries departing from Mersing jetty and the journey normally takes less than 30 minutes.

Note that most of the boats operated by either Seagull Express or Bluewater Ferry are heading to the more popular Pulau Tioman, so you will need to inform the personnel at the counter prior to boarding so that the boat captain will divert its course to drop you off at Pulau Rawa. Boat fares usually cost anywhere between RM35 to RM45 for one way journey.

Getting There:

Speedboats and ferries to Rawa

All boats and ferries depart from Mersing.When booking your stay on Rawa, a speedboat transfer between Mersing and Rawa can be included in your package. The departure time is dependent on availability of boats, tidal conditions and the size of your group and cost about RM 35-45.Alternatively, ferry services between Mersing and Tioman Island can make a stop at Rawa on your request. Tickets cost RM 45 each way and ferries leave every one to two hours between 09:30 and 17:30.

Tips:

1.Rawa Island closes during the monsoon season (November to March)
2.Tidal conditions may influence the departure time of your boat
3.Ferries are often delayed and there are sometimes cancellations.
4.Book your ferry ticket in advance if travelling over weekends, public holidays and Singaporean and Malaysian school holidays.

Getting to Mersing

Mersing lies on peninsular Malaysia’s east coast, around 3 hours’ drive north-east of Singapore. If you are relying on public transport, you may need to spend the night in Mersing in order to catch the early morning ferry or boat to the island. Book well in advance if your trip coincides with the weekend or Singaporean and Malaysian public and school holidays.

Fly

The closest airports to Mersing and Rawa Island are the Senai airport in Johor Bahru and Changi airport in Singapore. A large number of international and regional airlines fly to Changi Airport. More information is available here. Senai airport is serviced by Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines with flights from various national and regional destinations. Long-haul international flights to Johor Bahru connect through Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Take a bus

From Johor Bahru (Larkin Bus terminal) take the Causeway Link, Transnational or S&S Express bus to Mersing (2.5-3 hours; around RM 10 each way): An alternative is to take the local bus between Johor Bahru and Kota Tinggi and then transfer to the local bus between Kota Tinggi and Mersing. From Singapore (Lavender St. Terminal) take the Transnational bus to Mersing (3 to 4 hours). Tickets cost around RM 12 (if bought in Malaysia) / SGD 27 (if bought in Singapore) each way.From Kuala Lumpur take the Transnational bus to Mersing (5 hours). Tickets cost around RM 23. From elsewhere in Malaysia: Transnational, S&S Internasional and other bus companies that serve destinations along the east coast (Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Kota Bahru etc.) mostly stop at Mersing as well. S&S Internasional also has a service from Melaka.

Tips:

1.It is strongly advised to book your bus ticket (including return) between Johor Bahru and Mersing or between Singapore and Mersing well in advance if you are travelling on weekends, public holidays and Singaporean and Malaysian School holidays.
2.Buses are often delayed, but will not wait for you if you are late. Call bus operators to be sure of bus schedules.
3.Remember to bring a sweater as the air-conditioning in the buses can be quite severe.
4.In Mersing buses arrive and leave from the bus station close to the ferry terminal (Plaza R&R) or the newer bus station in the centre of town (about 15 minutes walk to the ferry terminal). Check which bus station your bus uses.

Take a taxi

From the Johor Bahru Larkin bus station, you can charter a taxi to Mersing. The cost is around RM 100 and the journey takes around 2 hours. To get to Larkin from Singapore, take a shared taxi from the Queen St. bus terminal (S$ 10 per person).You can also charter taxis from Tanjung Leman (1 hour, RM 70-100) and Kota Tinggi (1 hour, RM 70-100).

Drive

From Singapore cross the border to Johor Bahru and Malaysia at the Causeway and continue down Jalan Wong Ah Fook. Keep an eye open for the left-hand side exit and flyover to Kota Tinggi. Continue east on the Tebrau highway and follow the signs to Kota Tinggi. From Kota Tinggi, the way north to Mersing is clearly signposted on Route 3. The journey should take around 3 hours. From Kuala Lumpur the most common option is via the PLUS highway (E2) to the south, exiting at Segamat and continuing through east on Route 50 through Kluang to Mersing. Alternatively, take the East Coast Highway (E8) from KL to Kuantan and Route No 3 southwards through Pekan and Rompin to Mersing.

Frequent travellers from KL may want to consider these shorter, less busy roads that cut through the palm oil plantations and are advisable for daytime driving:

1.KL to Kuala Pilah (winding road) to Bandar Muazzam Shah. The exit is between Endau and Mersing, continue south to reach Mersing.
2.KL to Kluang to NITAR to Mersing (avoiding the winding road before reaching Jamaluang).

At Mersing

At the ferry terminal itself, there are restaurants and convenience stores for any last minute needs and pangs of hunger. In town, about 15-20 minutes’ walk from the jetty, there are banks, ATMs, internet cafes, supermarkets, shops and hotels (in case you need to spend the night in Mersing). There is a secure car park that charges around RM8 per day.

Activities and interesting place to go:

The Beach

Rawa boasts with one of the most idyllic beaches in the entire Seribuat archipelago. The sand is powdery white and clean and there is enough space for a game of beach volleyball or soccer or to stretch out and soak up the sun – all at the same time.  Along the edge of the beach, hammocks are tied between palm trees – the perfect place to relax with your favourite book or magazine.

Sea Sports

While this is not the place for serious water sport enthusiasts, Rawa is still surrounded by clear, coral-rich water and snorkelling, diving or a bit of sea kayaking are great ways to explore this.A few metres from the beach, a bed of coral is home to a variety of marine life and if you grab a mask, snorkel and fins, you can take a closer look. Apart from the colourful fish, you may be lucky enough to spot a stingray or even a turtle.The dive centre is ready to take you deeper if you want to explore more at the nearby dive sites and the surrounding islands.The same sea sports centre also rents out kayaks for those that want to explore the waters without getting (very) wet.

Breathtaking views

Behind the powdery white beach and the resorts, a steep hill rises up and drops down into the sea on the other side of the island in sheets of rock and straight cliffs. Steps lead up the hillside from the back of the resort and into a pathway that takes you to the edge of the island and to a spectacular view of the surrounding islands and the open sea. You’ll reach the top in less than 15 minutes and the view is definitely worth the climb, especially at sunset.

Chalet/Resort Information:

1. Rawa Safaris Island Resort

2. Le Club Rawa