"Desaru? So far!"
The last time I visited this gem was a few years ago,... For a church camp. The previous time earlier than that? That was before I entered Primary School.
Since then, Desaru has been a place situated in my distant memory. Tucked away at the back of my head where my family used to be so closely knitted together. How we used to stroll along the beach as a family. Building sandcastles and pushing each other into the sea.
The vaguest of my best memory from childhood came from that place. Yet, it has been so unreachable; so distant. I have always dreamt of revisiting the place, just to catch up with remnants of memories still left within. However, that dream was simply so far off, I never thought it was humanly possible to even achieve...
About the place: Desaru
Situated roughly around 88KM from Johor Bahru, the holiday destination is just about an hour's drive from Woodlands. It crystal clear waters and fine beaches make it one of the favourite holiday hotspot for Singaporeans and Johor Bahru residents.
Yes, my cover photo and my profile photo for this blog were both taken in Desaru. :)
My Honda Grom at Desaru Public Beach, Desaru, Johor, Malaysia
Look at just how blue the skies and the waters are! And I cannot tell you how comfortable and how nice it was to walk it beaches..!
They are known for some of the best food in town. Many people visit the place for seafood, their fruit farm, and most notably, their relaxing resorts.
The Journey to Revisit the Past
As for me, it was really a journey back memory lane. No, the last time when I was younger, I did not rode a bike here. In fact, I followed tour buses there for church camps. The purpose of this visit was to remember the time spent there as a family. Friends whom I used to be close with. Things that we did together by the seaside.
It's a sobering thought that memories and friendships fade away over time. Whatever that's left are just some facebook photo albums that are kept private because you simply don't want new friends to see them anymore.
Preparations
This was one of the first ride that I did some research and preparation on what route I should take. Because of its awkward location in the South-East of Johor and my unfamiliarity with the Woodlands Checkpoint, I decided to take the Tuas Causeway. From it, I slowly navigated my way upwards.
My Route towards Desaru
The Ride
The ride up was... Can I say, boring? It was a really huge detour because of my stubborn decision of not taking up Woodlands Checkpoint. But then again, every journey was an experience. The road is straight. Comparable to that of the North South Expressway. However, the mere thought of the big detour set me back quite a bit. I slowly realised that I'm trying to pick up as much speed as I could instead of enjoying the ride just so I could get to my destination earlier.
Straight roads all the way to Desaru
Photo taken somewhere along Lebuhraya Senai-Desaru.
Desaru Public Beach (Pantai Desaru)
There is a public beach situated in the midst of all the resorts - an alternative for visitors who would want to enjoy the beach alongside the tourists but not wanting to book a hotel.
Below are some of the information about the public beach:
Entrance Fee to the Desaru Public Beach
Location of the Desaru Public Beach
You'll be given this ticket after you've paid the entrance fee.
The Food
Okay, I'm not in a very good position to share about food because I didn't have the budget to eat a lot, neither do I have the "kakis" to order a lot and try the many eateries there. So I will just share whatever that I've had.
Restoran Ehsan Jaya, Jalan Cengal 1, Desaru, Johor, Malaysia.
This is by far, one of the best mee goreng I've ever had.
Coupled with the Teh Tarik, it costs only RM5.50.
The Ride Back to Singapore.
The ride back was extremely quick. I took the plunge and headed for Woodlands Checkpoint so as to overcome my dislike of that particular Checkpoint. Partly because I was in a hurry.
My Route Back to Singapore.
The ride back took me just under an hour and thirty minutes. That included the time taken to clear the customs.
Interests Sparked, Friendships Fostered.
My ride up to Desaru sparked interests amongst the people within my circle. All of a sudden, I've been bombarded with questions from everyone. Questions like:
How did you accomplish it?
Is the beach still as pretty?
Can you bring me up together?
Oh my goodness this place is so pretty!
Even my dad was interested to revisit the place after knowing how quickly I made it there and back.
It was also because of this ride that I got to make a new friend, Tom. Someone whom I later brought on his first ever ride up to Desaru. This gave me a new experience on how to lead someone, teaching me how it felt to take care of one another's safety and well-being while on the open road.
So Near Yet So Far
Praise be to God that the ride was uneventful. This ride also pointed out to me just how near the holiday resorts are to us and how accessible it truly is! If not for the blessing of two wheels, I doubt I'd be able to revisit the place that brought back so much great memories of the past!
Riders who are concern about riding up to Desaru or to Malaysia in general, do read up on my previous posts on how to keep yourself safe! The trip is bearable and can be easily done as long as you do your necessary preparations! So what are you waiting for, go for it already! :)
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