AVANI Heaven, Malaysia

Stop Six, Sepang 01/06/2015 to 02/06/2015
(Written by Him)

After 2 months living in Vietnam we thought the best way to ease our transition back to frequent travelling was with a little luxury. We booked ourselves one night of indulgence at the AVANI Gold Coast Resort in Sepang, 45 minutes drive from KL airport. We took a prepaid taxi through the beautiful Malaysian countryside, world class highways lined with lush palm tree plantations and not a moped in sight! 

As we turned the corner into the  resort, we were greeted by unobstructed views of the ocean, glistening in the sunshine. The doorman took our bags and led us into the grand entrance hall to check in. What a shock to the system after rickshaws and touts in Hanoi. 

The AVANI Resort is a self-contained destination with approx. 100 spacious over water holiday suites. Yep, over water, as in stilts, sea, sun and thatched roof. Over water villas are amongst the most expensive accommodation in the world, reaching a thousand dollars per night in the Maldives. Because of its location in SE Asia, AVANI has somewhat more affordable rates so it's worth checking out if you're in the vicinity. The resort was extremely busy during our stay so pre-booking is essential. The Resort boasts 5 restaurants, a private beach, 2 bars, a spa and a gym with a view. 

After our bags were brought to our room and we had freshened up in the double-door en-suite bathroom we headed for the infinitely pool overlooking the Malaysian Strait of Malacca to drink in the splendor. We spent a couple of hours reading in the cabana area before taking a dip and a few obligatory photos of our feet!! The weather was a few degrees cooler than Vietnam which made all the difference. The other guests comprised a mix of every race and creed including Indian, Australian, Islamic and Chinese. Everyone was relaxed and very open to meeting their diverse peers. 

The Muslim women wore full body swim suits complete with hood, the Chinese are eager for their children to practice some English with the pale Westerners (us) and the Malay are probably the most friendly and cheerful people I have ever met.

Due to the size of the resort, a shuttle service is in operation between reception, your villa and the restaurant complex. After spending some time on our private balcony, watching some workers thatch the villa roof directly across from us, we grabbed a shuttle and headed for dinner. We decided on an Asian buffet. The Malay staff were attentive and very friendly and the food was incredible. We were presented with a selection of food to feed an army, with everything from Italian caprese salad and Malaysian Crab to Mongolian beef and Chinese duck. With full bellies, and after taking in the "unique" (read lack-lustre) evening cabaret, "Colours of Malaysia" we slept soundly under electric blue lightening flashing across the night sky.

Rising to catch the sunrise, the next morning we had an early breakfast beside the pool. It was a pleasurable and reassuring experience to spend time with such an eclectic mix of people, all in the one place. In our short time in AVANI we met a Taiwanese family and a Japanese couple, not to mention the numerous other nationalities present. I found myself imagining what it would be like to bring my own child here on holidays and watch him or her play with other children from all over the world. What a fantastic way for a child to learn about different ways of life. After a final dip in the infinity pool, we reluctantly admitted it was time to leave this artificial pleasure haven and head into the big city to properly explore this new country.