My family went on a quick getaway to Lotus Desaru Beach Resort during the Chinese New Year holiday this year.  With the new highway, it took us about one hour from the Tuas checkpoint to get to Desaru which was on the eastern part of Johor, Malaysia.


The resort was huge with eighteen 4-storey blocks.  The 2-bedroom family room where we stayed came with a kitchenette, 2 toilets, a living and dining area.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor, Malaysia

 

I got a unit at Block R which was walking distance to the beach.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

There were lots of activities at the beach, including jet ski, family donut and banana boat.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

Playing with the waves was my son’s favourite part of the trip.  The waves were strong and went as high as 2m!

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

The Water Park was the resort’s main attraction with a Giant coconut fall, a kids water playground, a big pool with a man-made waterfall, and water slides for adult and children.

Lotus Desaru Beach Park Waterpark

 

Apart from the Water Park, the kids also tried one of the two pools at the resort.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

While waiting for the sunrise, my son and his cousin made some light art using the iPhone’s flashlight application.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

Staying at Lotus Desaru Beach Resort during the Chinese New Year holiday period had its pros and cons.  The buggy that transported people throughout the hotel was always very crowded. During breakfast, we could barely find a table. The Ayurveda Spa was also fully booked throughout my stay there.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

The good thing about going during the Chinese New Year holiday was that there were lots of activities in store for the kids.  My kids enjoyed playing pop-pop (top-left photo below). It was not only their first time, but mine as well!  At the beach, guests played with firecrackers, mini fireworks and floating lanterns.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

We wanted to go to the Desaru Fruit Farm, the Ostrich Farm and join the Firefly tour.  Unfortunately the farms were closed, and the firefly tour was cancelled due to rain.  Other than these three attractions, there were not many places to shop and eat outside the resort.  The only place worth going for food was at Sungei Rengit, a 30-minute drive from the resort. Sungei Rengit is known for its lobsters.

Sungei Rengit

 

 

Most of the time, we ate at the resort.  The tom yam soup and the oriental fried rice at the Rhu Bar by the Sea were quite good. The food at the other restaurant, Teratai, was decent, but not as good as the one at the Rhu Bar.

Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, Johor

 

All-in-all my family had a fun time together at Lotus Desaru Beach Resort.

Thinking of a vacation at Lotus Desaru Beach Resort? Click here for more details about the hotel and to check availability, or directly search from the search box below.

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Tip

  • If you want to stay near the water park, choose blocks A to G.  Blocks G, H and S are the closest to the beach and dining areas.
  • It is probably better to avoid the months of November to March due to the rainy season.


View Desaru, Malaysia in a larger map

 

Other attractions within the same state of Johor:

Pulai Springs Resort Malaysia

Legoland Malaysia

Legoland Water Park Malaysia

 

 

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