Beaches and islands of Melaka travel guide, Malaysia

Even though Melaka is a coastal province, its beaches and islands are nothing to write home about. If you're after a Malaysian beach holiday, you're better off travelling to the east coast or Langkawi.

Tanjung Kling & Pantai Puteri
If you're looking for a beach, Tanjung Kling is the nearest at about 12 kilometres from downtown Melaka. Rather than for swimming, most people come here to feast at one of the open-air seafood restaurants. Try Bert's Garden or The Seafarer for a meal of grilled fish and crab while watching the sun set over the Straits of Melaka. The Seafarer also offers water sports and can arrange dinner cruises.

The cleanest stretch of sand is known as Pantai Puteri (Princess Beach) and is a popular place for locals to relax on weekends. Malaysians generally swim dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, and wearing a bikini here would not be appreciated.

There are a couple places to stay at Tanjung Kling, but we wouldn't recommend them. There's Shah's Beach Resort -- simple chalets and no beach -- or the overpriced Pantai Puteri Hotel.

More information
Shah's Beach Resort
9km Tanjung Kling
T: (06) 315 3121
http://melaka.shahsresorts.com
Double chalet with private b'room: 180-250 ringgit

Pantai Puteri Hotel
Lot 2166 & 2167 Pantai Puteri, Tanjung Kling
T: (06) 353 5555
http://www.pantaiputerihotel.com
Double room with private b'room: 200-350 ringgit

Bert's Garden
2078-C, Jalan Kampung Pinang, Tanjung Kling
T: (06) 315 2213
http://www.bertsgarden.com/

The Seafarer
1516 Batang Tiga, Tanjung Kling
T: (06) 315 2693
http://www.seafarer.com.my

Pulau Melaka
This human-made island just off the coast from Melaka city is home to some posh apartments and the majestic Malacca Straits Mosque. Visitors are welcome to go inside to appreciate the architecture (or the sea view) -- robes and headscarves are available for female visitors.

Pulau Besar
Meaning "The Great Island", Pulau Besar is both beautiful and mysterious. The island is the subject of legends involving dead Indian princesses and Muslim holy men and, depending on their religion, locals consider the island to be either sacred or haunted. Perhaps that's why the recreational facilities built on the island -- a resort, golf course, swimming pools -- have been strangely abandoned.

The effect is eerie and kind of surreal, but means you'll definitely have the white-sand beach all to yourself. You're more likely to see a giant monitor lizard than another tourist. While many guesthouses advertise Pulau Besar to tourists as a place for sunbathing and swimming, most of the people on the ferry to the island are on a pilgrimage to its tombs and shrines. That said, visitors are asked to dress modestly (even when swimming) and not bring alcohol to the island.

To offer some insight into the island's history, the Pulau Besar Museum has opened near the jetty (admission five ringgit adults / three ringgit children). The posted opening hours are 09:00-17:00 daily, but this is rarely the case.

It is possible to spend the night on Pulau Besar either in a tent or in a wooden chalet at the D'Puteri Kurnia Resort (formerly the Chandek Kura Resort).

Most long-staying visitors bring their own supplies, but there are wells for drinking water (you're advised to boil it first) and Halal foodstalls to keep you fuelled.

D'Puteri Kurnia Resort
T: (06) 295 5899 / (06) 293 8753
nora_dputeriresort@yahoo.com
Now under new management (formerly the Chandek Kura Resort), the only place to stay on Pulau Besar looks decent from the outside with a renovated swimming pool and 66 wooden chalets spread across a hill. They do have air-con and attached bathrooms, but considering most guests are religious pilgrims don't expect a whole lot of luxury. The staff are young and friendly with lots of suggestions where to explore -- they'll even rent you a motorbike. The on-site restaurant only opens if there's a demand, otherwise you can eat at the nearby foodstalls. Vans waiting at the jetty will drive you directly here for two ringgit.

Double air-con chalet with private b'room: 140-200 ringgit (higher on weekends)

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Phu Quoc Island travel guide, Vietnam

Sitting back in a hammock, looking out over the quiet surf, you may wonder why more people don't know about Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island. It gets almost none of the press of those islands over in Thailand -- and yet with its rugged jungle, squeaking white sands and sparkling cobalt waters, it more than matches them. Sadly, with a brand spanking new international airport and progressive visa-exemption scheme, this is slated to change in the coming years.

Drive around the island and you can feel the winds of change. Roads are being widened, green construction fencing snakes around future building sites and some of the beaches seem to be getting a bit more crowded. The development isn't all bad. The paving of roads means the northern and southern ends of the island are much more accessible and it is possible to drive from one end of the island to the other in an hour or so. Also, electricity cuts are less frequent and WiFi is pretty much standard everywhere.

The island is at a crossroads. While the days of snaring a $20 beachside bungalow are over, reasonable accommodation can still be found. While some large resorts like Vinpearl take up large swaths of beachfront property, the island's beachline is relatively untouched on the northeast and northwest. We have a bad feeling that it won't stay this way for long, so we suggest you head here now before it morphs into the next Phuket.

The island has something for everyone -- really! Ringed by more than a dozen bays and beaches, some yellow sand, others brilliant strips of white, with an archipelago of islets off its south coast, a jungle-covered interior and a handful of fishing villages, there is enough to do for a longer stay than you may be planning. Accommodation on Phu Quoc encompasses a full range of options from affordable backpacker guesthouses through to fancy beach resorts and hotels.

The best time to visit Phu Quoc is from November to March when the temperature hovers around 30 degrees Celsius with not a hint of rain in sight – indeed, this is peak season. April to June is the dry season, when temperatures rise but it still stays relatively dry. If you go during July to October, expect rain as this is when the monsoon drenches the island.

Ideally, plan to spend anywhere from a few days to a week on Phu Quoc. Some travellers do nothing more than the daily bungalow-beach-restaurant-beach-bungalow circuit for days on end -- for couples in particular, Phu Quoc is a favourite. While there are some sights to check out around the island, with good weather, it's hard to justify leaving the sand.

If feeling adventurous, head out on a snorkelling trip, explore one of the many islands off the southern coast, or rent a motorbike and just go exploring. While prices drop during the monsoon, the island either turns into wet sand or red mud. Fair weather can still be had – but don't expect it.

Many make Phu Quoc their final stop in Vietnam, only to find that a couple of nights just aren't enough. As a result, flights are changed and itineraries are revised -- so take it from us, allow a few extra days on Phu Quoc.

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Coral and Raya Islands, Thailand

Off Phuket's southern coast lie a number of small islands whose pristine shores lure scuba divers and beach bums away from the mainland. Most of these isolated islands are undeveloped, but the notable exceptions are Coral Island and Ko Raya (also known as Ko Racha) which have accommodation options and restaurants.

Both islands have safe swimming, reefs teeming with aquatic life, and a sense of getting away from it all that's harder and harder to come by in Phuket proper. Coral Island is privately owned by the Coral Island Resort — the only place to stay on the island. Ko Raya is larger and, while still largely undeveloped, is home to three established resorts and a nameless bungalow operations open only during the high season.

Coral Island
Only a 15-minute speed boat trip from Chalong pier, Coral Island is the more commercial of the two islands. During the day, it plays host to a steady stream of daytripppers who come to enjoy the island's long white sandy beach and excellent year-round swimming.

Unfortunately, a huge influx of tourists have also brought a steady amount of garbage to the beaches which no one seems bothered to pick up. However, the snorkelling is decent and you don't have to go out very far before you start to see colourful reef fish, making this an excellent beach for kids to learn how to snorkel. Aim to snorkel near the front of the resort (in front is for guests only) — the beach is cleaner and the coral less damaged from the lack of anchored boats.

Other beach activities like diving, banana boat rides, and parasailing are available (at a price, of course). A host of souvenir shops, restaurants, and services operate along the beach. If you're aching for an oil massage, in need of a cold drink, or forgot your swimmers, all can be purchased on the island. Lots of boat operators scream into megaphones along the beaches — so much that you may want to try Ko Raya instead.

Ko Raya
Ko Raya is a prime destination for yachties, who stay at the resorts, and divers, who typically book up all the island's cheaper rooms. Between the yachts, diving boats, and speedboats with snorkelling daytrippers, Raya's beautiful bays can get quite congested during the high season.

The beaches and bays are connected by dirt roads in a state of perpetual bumpiness due to run-off during the rainy season. It is possible to rent a 100cc motorbike, but you're better off walking. A common sight is a cart loaded with divers and their gear being towed to the beach by a tractor or ATV.

Activities on the island include snorkelling, mountain biking, and nature hikes. The resorts offer organised activities like fishing trips and horseback riding, but these will put a big dent in your wallet. For those willing to explore, rent a snorkel and mask and visit Lah Bay for some great snorkelling — giant star fish, puffer fish and rainbow trout a plenty swim here.

A small predominantly Muslim population of farmers and fishermen live on Raya, and there's even a small mosque. None of the island's restaurants serve pork and, in case you were planning to, visitors are asked not to bring any with them.

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