Pamper Yourself At Pulai Desaru Beach Resort and Spa

Back scrubs to wash away stress

DESARU: IF you are in the mood to pamper yourself, drop into the Pulai Desaru Beach Resort and Spa for a back scrub.

Among the popular scrubs the spa offers are citrus salt, Balinese Boreh and Javanese Lulur.

Spa supervisor Noorshamila Mohd Nor, 29, said the Balinese Boreh soothes tired muscles and joints; and improves blood ciruculation, as well as aid the digestive system.

"The citrus salt scrub consists of an aromatic oil blend, citrus and sea salt, while the Balinese Boreh uses a mix of spices such as ginger, clove, cinnamon and ground rice," she said, adding that the spa has six therapists.

As for the Javanese Lulur, Noorshamila said the treatment uses a body paste made out of sandalwood, turmeric, and rice powder to exfoliate and 'polish' the skin.

Besides back scrubs, the spa also offers facials, foot spa, its signature Pulai massage and a therapeutic back massage.

The spa, located near Bandar Penawar, opens from 9am to 8pm from Sundays to Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the spa operates from 9am to 10pm.

For details, call 07-822 2222.

Honeymoon Suite

I checked into the Honeymoon Suite (Deluxe Room) of the Pulai Desaru Beach Resort and Spa yesterday.

The Deluxe is one of the 6 types of rooms available in the 3-star award-winning resort, which offers a panaromic view of the South China Sea.  Located in Bandar Penawar, Desaru,  the room rates start from RM300 (Standard) to RM690 (Junior Suite).  The Deluxe costs RM550 per night.

The management is aggressively marketing the Pulai Desaru Beach Resort and Pulai Springs Resort, both under the Pulai group, via the social networking site Facebook.  For those who "LIKE" the FB pages of these two holiday retreats will get to see crazy deals updated on FB from time to time.  Go "LIKE" the pages now to keep track of the promotions.

Once I checked into the room, I went to the balcony and saw a group of people having fun in the sun.  They were part of a church group from Singapore.

Guests can enjoy, among other things, the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rides, a game of paintball, the mini gym and mini zoo.

For me, I think I'll head to the spa.

The therapist served me a cup of refreshing hot honey ginger tea before starting the foot massage.  The 45-minute foot reflexology comprised of scrub, mask and massage.  Having your feet pampered amid the sound of crashing waves nearby was simply heavenly.  What followed was a therapeutic back massage and a facial during the 2-hour long session.

After the massage, I got back to my room, and curled up on the round bed to read a book.

If the weather's fine, one can embark on the tours and excursions available, such as, the kampung and sightseeing tour where one will have a chance to enjoy home-cooked meals while sitting on the floor and dining with hands.  Most foreigners will find it strange to be deprived of cutlery, but the local folk are used to eating a meal with hand.

There's also the river cruise, fireflies tour and a tour of the Desaru Fruit Farm.

The Teppan!, found in the resort, is the only place serving Japanese food in the area.  The other food and beverage outlets in the resort are the Palm Brasserie and the Beach Bar.  There aren't any shopping malls in the vicinity,  only a supermarket and pasar malam (night market) in Bandar Penawar.
  
One can find a serving of authentic Korean food nearby the resort, and the business is run by a Korean couple.

Well, that's Charlotte Monterio (left) and Nurul Farahin Samsari (right).  Can't leave this enchanting resort without thanking these two friendly staff of the Pulai group for making my stay here a memorable one.