It's my second time visiting Pulau Sibu, an island in Johor which is known as a golden beach paradise. I drove and parked at Tanjung Leman Jetty before taking an 11:30am boat to Pulau Sibu. The boat journey took only 20 minutes.
I booked a 3D2N stay at Sari Pacifica Resort & Spa. The resort is located at the back of the island, facing the magnificent Pulau Tinggi.
We alighted at the wooden jetty on the near side of the island and walked about 5 minutes to reach Sari Pacifica Resort. We were greeted by the resort's friendly staffs and offered welcome drinks.
Private Golden Brown Beach
The private beach at Sari Pacifica Resort was peaceful and clean with golden brown sand. The beach gradient is very gentle towards the sea and is really suitable for kids. The best part is that we are facing East towards Pulau Tinggi, a sight that I just cannot get enough!
Cozy Villa Rooms
The rooms at Sari Pacifica Resort consists of Seafront Villas, Garden Villas and Hilltop Villas. Resort rooms are really comfy with aircon, water heater and ASTRO satelite TV.
The furniture and walls might come off as a little bit dated given that the resort has been there for many years. But fortunately the cleanliness and tidiness are all up to par. One thing though, my room's tap water had a bit of rusty taste to it. Reminded me of the tap water of Pulau Rawa (at Rawa it was salty). Anyway, not a big deal for me as it's not drinkable any way. If your room has similar issues, you can just use the complimentary bottled water when you brush your teeth =)
Swimming Pool and Lush Green Compund
One thing I like about Sari Pacifica is the lush green compound fronting the beach. It's very suitable for outdoor activities such as tele-matches and wedding. There is also an outdoor swimming pool and Malay Traditional Spa here.
Snorkeling Trip to Pulau Mentinggi
At 3pm, we gathered at the Sari Pacifica Dive Base and got ready for our 2-hour snorkeling trip to Pulau Mentinggi, an islet located just in front of Pulau Tinggi. If you are wondering, they do offer PADI Diving Course here too and you can obtain you Open Water Diver's Certificate over a 5-day course.
Mentinggi is rich with sea life with all kinds of fishes (the best spot to find Dory trust me!). The coral reefs here are also beautiful. It was a treat to soak in these wonderful underwater sea life with such crystal clear water. We were also told that Pulau Sibu is known for its seagrass habitat which is conducive for Dugong. If you hire a fishing boat, they will bring you to the Dugong conservation area and if you're lucky, you will be able to spot them just before sunrise.
I also had a surprise encounter with Syazana, one of the guests at Sari Pacifica who went for the snorkeling trip. As I was adjusting my goggles, I heard someone called me,
"Hi~you ada tulis blog kan?" (means "Hi~do you write a blog?")
It was the first time that a stranger recognized me from my blog! I was so surprised and I told her to revisit my blog two weeks from that day to check out our mini group photo here.
Sumptuous Meals
After our snorkeling trip, we headed back to Pulau Sibu and freshen up. I have heard about good reviews of the food at Sari Pacifica and indeed, it was sumptuous! There were a wide range of main courses and desserts. Thinking of it just made my tummy growl =D
Kampung Walk to Twin Beach and Pulau Sibu Main Village
Day 2 was mostly free and easy. There is a path that leads to the main village of Pulau Sibu through Twin Beach. It is easily accessible and you can do it without a guide. From the resort main entrance (facing the wooden jetty), take the path on your left and just walk all the way till you reach the main village. The landmark for the main village is the concrete jetty which can be spotted along your way.
I highly recommend that you check out Twin Beach. As its name suggests, there are two crescent beaches here, one on your right and one on your left. The beach that you should check out is the one on your left, over the grassy hill. The beach here is almost twice as long as the one we had at Sari Pacifica and it's really beautiful.
After Twin Beach, continue on forward and you will reach the main village of Pulau Sibu in around 10-15 minutes. There is a school, police kiosk, some stalls and a clinic here. The entire kampung walk takes around 25 minutes (one-way).
After the walk, I took a cooling dip at Sari Pacifica Resort's swimming pool. Dinner for day 2 was a set meal. The portion was really huge and I felt guilty that I couldn't finish it.
Overall, I had a wonderful stay at Pulau Sibu over the weekend. It is a very relaxing place to unwind and not crowded. The beach is very clean and suitable for kids with a gentle gradient towards the sea. Very satisfied with the good service of Sari Pacifica Resort and not to mention its cozy rooms and helpful staffs. Will definitely be back again!
Fancying a trip to Pulau Sibu yourself?
Check out the latest Pulau Sibu Package offered by Sari Pacifica Resort by clicking the link below!
How much the ferry fare from Tg Leman to Sari Pacifica?
Round Trip 90 RM adult and kids 70 RM
Hi, I come right in time to see that you just posted this. It was nice meeting you on that snorkeling trip! Good job on this blog, your reviews are very well written.
– Syazana (not Syazwani but close enough haha)
Hi Syazana! Sorry about the mistake. Corrected =D Hope to see you all on other islands. SHould be going to Pulau Tioman and maybe Pulau Tinggi soon!