Matt Payne
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MALAYSIA, April 9, 2011 — Off of Malaysia’s Sepang coast, a half hour drive from the Kuala Lumpur airport is a getaway like no other. The Golden Palm Tree Resort is a brand new eco-friendly, over-water resort that boasts six gourmet restaurants and bars, five styles of rooms and villas, a breath-taking infinity pool, spa and a fitness center.
The crisp Polynesian influenced rooms are situated over the water with balconies offering stunning sunset views over the Straights of Melaka. Each Premier Travelers Palm Villa features a canopied four post-bed, sitting area, and thatched roof made from alang-alang imported from Bali giving the room a unique grassy tropical smell.
The Golden Palm Tree eco friendly, over water resort (Photo: Matt Payne)
More elaborate villas are available and can sleep up to six people in comfort and style.
The luxury bathrooms feature deep spa style bathtubs and multi-headed showers with glass floors and wall so one can look out onto the sea while relaxing under the gentle warm flow of water after a day at the beach.
The Golden Palm Tree is a perfect location for relaxation but offers a variety of activities ranging from simple beach volleyball, yoga, paddle boarding and windsurfing to low tide tours around the facility with one of their kind hosts. The Golden Palm Tree prides themselves on activities that promote environmental awareness and require no fuel.
Throughout the day, the Palm Tree offers live music in the lobby. Guests can browse the gift shop or seek total refuge from the world with one of several spa packages.
In addition to the activities at the resort, The Golden Palm Tree offers a variety of local excursions including trips to surrounding dragon fruit farms, bicycle tours and day trips to a local elephant sanctuary.
Guests can join Daniel, a friendly guide, on a boat riverboat excursion up the Riverine Mangrove Reserve where one can watch monitor lizards bask on the shoreline. Macaque monkeys swing playfully from tree to tree and sapphire blue White Collar Kingfisher rest on branches just above the gentle water.
The river host takes participants out into the Straight of Melaka for panoramic views of the coastline. Local fisherman wave and make small talk as they cast their nets into the brownish blue water.
Then guests return up-river where you stop at a local fish farm. Here, a guide explains the complexity of raising such fish as tilapia and red snapper.
Daniel pushes further into the mangrove where you get waist-deep in thick black mud, collecting a variety of clams called Kapuh shells found deep on the mud just off of the shoreline. While many locals consider such clams a delicacy and make a living finding them, guests are encouraged not to eat them, as they are strong in flavor and hard on non-Malay stomachs.
Just before the excursion ends, amongst scattering blue soldier crabs, participants sink into the mud one last time, planting and naming their very own mangrove seed. Then, legs muddy and soul cleansed by the salty river air, guests return to the resort.
Upon returning, one can take in an epic sunset from the Buloh Bar overlooking an infinity pool, which stretches out to the sea. The Buhol Bar offers a variety of cocktails, coconuts fare, and appetizers for guests to enjoy as they relax at the end of the day.
The Golden Palm Tree offers adventures in dining. The resort features six restaurants. A buffet featuring a multitude of traditional Malaysian fried rices, meats and seafood’s is one option. More adventurous diners can explore the world of Dimsum at Hai Sang Lou. This restaurant, on the second floor above the pool features fixed menus with six course meals ranging from fried rice with chile to bao and soft shell crab with jellyfish.
Stimbot is a Chinese influenced version of Malay Fondue. Guests can enjoy a variety of seafood served on the center of the table or they can order one of several barbequed fish that are featured.
After dinner, guests can make their way to the evening’s live performance put on by the resorts employees. However, if relaxation is in order, guests can enjoy a long walk down the nearly one kilometer villa lined pier to their villa.
Once home one can open the window, enjoy the breeze off of the sea and relax to the sound of thunder in the distance as waves lap gently underneath your private over-the-water villa.
Golden Palm Tree Resort and Spa is located at No 67, Jalan Pantai Bagan Lalang, Kg Bagan Lalang, 43950 Sungai Pelek, Selangor. For more info, call 03-31823600 or log on to www.goldenpalmtree.com.
Read more of Matt’s journey’s through Malaysia in Payneful Living in the Communities at the Washington Times.
Looking for clams on the shoal (Photo: Matt Payne)
Matt digging for clams called Kapuh 
The pier from which we departed on our excursion (Photo: Matt Payne)
The seaside infinity pool at The Golden Palms (Photo: Matt Payne)
Tented beds add an exotic feel to the rooms (Photo: Matt Payne)
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