Beaches

[Steve1960]

My daughter is over from the UK arriving Sunday. When she came last year and asked to go to a beach I took her to Sentosa...................well I didn't know any better back then!

If she wants to head for the beach this time and try and find some water sport like jet ski's and such like is there a nice beach she could go to?

[the lynx]

My daughter is over from the UK arriving Sunday. When she came last year and asked to go to a beach I took her to Sentosa...................well I didn't know any better back then!

If she wants to head for the beach this time and try and find some water sport like jet ski's and such like is there a nice beach she could go to?

Nearest I can think of (Malaysia):
Desaru in Johor
Tioman Island in Johor
Port Dickson in Negri Sembilan (not recommended)
Pangkor Island in Perak
Perhentian and Redang Island in Terengganu
Batu Ferringhi in Penang Island
Langkawi Island

Since you mentioned water sports, those are the ones I can think of. Singapore beaches do not provide such.

[Akimbo]

As for beaches with water sports, I believe lynx is correct. There aren't any good ones in Singapore.

But for quiet beaches, might I suggest Seringat beach at the south of Singapore? It's part of Lazarus island. I tried it last time. White sands, and if you come at the earliest, basically you get the entire beach for yourself.

You reach it from Marina South Pier.

[Steve1960]

Thanks for the feedback, I kind of thought Malaysia might be the answer.

[Max Headroom]

Nearest real beach that offers sea sports is Desaru, just across the border into Johor. Nothing special but great for a weekend of beach bumness.

A bit further North is Tanjung Resang, which has kayaks, banana boat, jetski etc. It's more remote and serene than Desaru, which some people may prefer.

If your daughter is the type to go for crystal-clear water and a more idyllic setting, then, yes, Pulau Tioman - by air or by sea - would do the trick. Lots of resorts and budgets to choose from, although nowadays you need to book your plane or ferry tickets in advance, because Tioman has been gaining quite a bit of popularity recently.

That said, perhaps she doesn't want to stray outside Singapore, in which case that little stretch of beach between the Bedok Jetty and the Lagoon would fit the bill nicely as far as lounging by the sea is concerned, longdrink in hand. There's decent food to be had and you can get stuck into sailing, windsurfing, SUP etc. Best of all, it's a 20 minute taxi ride away from Central.

[JR8]

How old is she, i.e. could she travel on her own?

I have a friend (English girl) that runs a dive centre on a pristine and yet peaceful beach on Tioman, which has associated/attached rooms (basic but comfortable) that would make an ideal short trip for a young person on their own. It's a very quiet island, so little scope to wonder, or wonder into trouble.


p.s. That said you won't get jet-skis on Tioman, or any other national-park area/island.

[Steve1960]

22 years old highly intelligent but no common sense

Coming with her boyfriend though so not travelling alone.

Its not a long visit, only 9 days because she needs to get back home and secure a job with her shiny new degree (well hopefully, last exam is Friday).

Ideally we all want to stay together so a weekend or over night is not so attractive. We have the 2 year old to consider plus we were in Mayaysia ourselves only a couple of weeks ago and I just got back from a draining business trip.

Add to that the boyfriend is woefully underfunded for the visit despite me paying for his flight

Feels like they can make the best of it here on the island

[the lynx]

Add to that the boyfriend is woefully underfunded for the visit despite me paying for his flight

Feels like they can make the best of it here on the island

Don't forget Singapore is very expensive to 'have fun in'. But you're in a bind actually. Having fun in Malaysia would cost half of what it could be in Singapore but one has to pay more for the transport.

If she loves outdoors, just throw her and her boyfriend at Pulau Ubin off Changi coast. Bicycle rentals are cheap, rooms are not really cheap, affordable transport to/from the Changi ferry terminal (MRT > bus 2 or taxi followed by boat). Sentosa would be cost 4 times that.

[nakatago]

Have 'em trekking through MacRitchie Reservoir or Pulau Ubin? They only have to spend on fare, food and drink! They can pester the monkeys while they slog through the heat and humidity.

[JR8]

22 years old highly intelligent but no common sense
Coming with her boyfriend though so not travelling alone.
Its not a long visit, only 9 days because she needs to get back home and secure a job with her shiny new degree (well hopefully, last exam is Friday).
Ideally we all want to stay together so a weekend or over night is not so attractive. We have the 2 year old to consider plus we were in Mayaysia ourselves only a couple of weeks ago and I just got back from a draining business trip.
Add to that the boyfriend is woefully underfunded for the visit despite me paying for his flight
Feels like they can make the best of it here on the island

Ah so plenty able then!

Tioman pros: half an hour flight from Changi (c.S$200 last time I did it)
Pristine water and beaches (It's where the film South Pacific was filmed)
Apart from the Berjaya, hotels tend to small, often very small (10 odd rooms/chalets)
Decent local restaurants within a few hundred metres walk.
Friendly locals
Low key activities, boat trips, snorkelling, diving, and so on.
The reason it's near but still low-key is it has a tiny airport, and via overland/sea it is quite a long journey, and very likely too long for weekenders.
Possible to get adjacent or attached cabins in the smaller places.
(the place I stay, the accommodation is managed/run by 3-4 generations of a Malay family (from grand-parents down to babes in arms).
- Mosquitos are not too bad.

Cons:
Very short runway with a vertiginous landing/take-off (I've previously posted a Youtube link of a vid of the same); fun <> terrifying depending on your perspective.
If you take the ferry it can be rough.
Ferries often sail early, requiring people to overnight in Mersing which is a bit of a dump.
Ferry ticketing is all rather hear and there and uncertain (determined by the tides, which they only seem to calculate ONE day ahead!?).


etc

[Steve1960]

Thanks to all for the info much appreciated.

[zzm9980]

That said, perhaps she doesn't want to stray outside Singapore, in which case that little stretch of beach between the Bedok Jetty and the Lagoon would fit the bill nicely as far as lounging by the sea is concerned, longdrink in hand. There's decent food to be had and you can get stuck into sailing, windsurfing, SUP etc. Best of all, it's a 20 minute taxi ride away from Central.

Just east of Bedok Jetty actually (Lagoon is west of there), near a restaurant called the "Sunset Cafe" or something trite like that. That stretch is quiet and decently clean. Closer to Lagoon food court is a lot busier and dirtier sand.

[x9200]

Hard to believe there is nothing in Bintan, I mean water sports. I recall seeing some water skiing and such. The beaches are definitely worse compared to Malaysia but still reasonable and 45 min away by a ferry is not a bad option.

[Max Headroom]

Bintan used to have a Manamana sea sports club, but they moved to Singapore. (See above).

Actually, Bintan is quite decent as a get-away, but the downside, apart from it being fairly costly, is that most non-Asians need a visa.

I'd put them on a bus and ferry to Tioman. Booking online makes the trip a lot more doable than the hit-or-miss days of yesteryear. And when they're at one of the numerous budget places on the island, as Lynx rightly states, they'll likely end up blowing a lot less $$$ than in Singapore.

Once they got their end away, they can hook up with you and go on family outings here. Everybody happy

[JR8]

Once they got their end away, they can hook up with you and go on family outings here. Everybody happy

What do you mean, prostitution on Tioman? If so I rather doubt it, I've spent months there and not heard/seen a single hint or whisper of that. Plus it has had khalwat ('Close Proximity') raids, so it's way away from an 'Anything goes' destination.

That's why I like it. It's local, low-key, no go-go bard etc., no sleaze, friendly, and unspoilt. Most different from some of islands 'up north over the border', if you catch my drift.