RM Journey: Villa over Water Port Dickson

The world sometimes works in mysterious, funny fashions. Perhaps an incredible coincidence or a sudden jackpot-like luck. Or simply, the powerful law of attraction, if you believe so. I thought about a villa over water, even to the extent of researching for dates and rates for a stay. But i didn't proceed to select any and swept this thought under the carpet. Then came a travel photo contest that i didn't know what the prize would be. I participated in the contest anyway because i loved that photo, i wanted to share it, and it matched the theme.

I submitted and won. Guess what- the prize was a night stay in a villa. OVER WATER!

Ecstatic, almost unbelievable, when i read it. I read it over and over again. So it began, the rediscovering of Port Dickson with this Journey, where the villa is located.

Gazing to the horizon with the villas in sight.

Port Dickson is not an unfamiliar name when it comes to beachside destination. However, i remembered that i didn't favour the beaches there except for the Cape Rachado beach in Tanjung Tuan, which requires hiking. Since i was there with my family and i didn't want to tire out on outdoor activities, we skipped the visit to the beach. Instead, i realized there were other attractions to occupy our time and with that, learn more about our local travels.

We departed from KL in the morning and stopped by Lukut for breakfast. I recommended Restaurant Ah Cui Bak Kut Teh and my family enjoyed it. It was my second time there; first was several years ago. The shop looked the same as i recalled, still satisfying.

Fragrant, herb-rich, slightly sticky soup with tender pork, and thick, savoury sauce for dry alternative. Dip those Yau Char Kuai cuts in soup or eat them as they are.

The restaurant was situated near the Pasar Lukut. As it was during CNY mood, we bought a delicious jar of pineapple cookies. There was a kopitiam with huge crowd and almost every table had a cuppa. Irresistible especially in the hot weather, we packed one iced coffee-tea combo. It was 'kao' yet thirst-quenching.

Our next stop was not too far away, next to the military base off the main road at 5th mile. There weren't many visitors at the Army Museum (Muzium Tentera Darat) when we arrived but it grew crowded before we left. I was impressed by the museum. The facilities were modern with many exhibits to explore. The (replica) models were fun for kids (adults included) and had sufficient information boards that may require spending more time to know about the Malaysian history. A memorial fountain was built near the entrance in dedication to soldiers who served through the Malaysian war period. 

Unmissable was this plane. Listen closely too, in real life.

Various canons...

... on display.

Me with the passenger coach TC 3059, a third class coach powered by batteries under it. "In 1948 when the Emergency was declared, a group of Gurkha soldiers were positioned by the military in the coach to provide counter attack and hunt the insurgents in the event of attacks by the communist terrorists."

In an army truck in the courtyard. There were two main buildings that housed some of the exhibits. 

A statue representation of the Pangkor Treaty. There were many figures of historical importance depicted in the museum. It felt like walking through the texts and images from my Sejarah (History) textbooks. My mom was not too fond of the many human-sized figures though.

I got to see the inside of an armoured tank.

Not only in movies now.

Pointing straight to you with my arms wide open.

A torture device.

One of the more fascinating sections of this museum was this tunnel. It was dim and narrow. This tipped my mom off, so we went through it quite quickly.

Medical room for injured personnel. Frankly, if i was alone in the tunnel, i would be spooked eerie by this too.

Underground meeting room.

Upon exiting the tunnel, i overheard a kid told her mom that she liked and enjoyed this museum. She added that it was free entry too so they could come again. Unquestionably, this museum is one of my favourite museums in the country (although my mom may disagree). Do visit when you are in Port Dickson.

For lunch, we drove to the humble-looking Gim Men Teppanyaki restaurant. Not to be mistaken as a Japanese eatery, i read many positive feedback of this place so naturally, my expectation was heightened. I wasn't blown away.

Fish cooked 3-way (literally, if you notice the 3 different sauces on the fish) with stuffed fishball. The fish was cooked well but the sauces didn't really excite. I enjoyed the stuffed fishball more.

This was an obvious favourite for me. Unlike stuffed crab in other places where it is floured and fried, here, the chunks of crab meat were seen and topped with dressing.

Overall an OK lala dish.

Simple hut, simple kitchen. The menu was limited. Hence, similar, if not the same, dishes appear on every table.

We were still early for check-in so we detoured to Regina Mall, claimed to be one of the better malls in the area. There was not much except for a supermarket so we stocked up on some drinks and snacks.

Finding the resort was easy with its large, white building. Excitedly, i got the key to a Premium Pool Villa at Grand Lexis Port Dickson, then hopped on a buggy that brought us to the villa. We didn't leave the resort until check-out. It was a relaxing getaway indeed.

The best feature of the villa was the private pool. It was small that we couldn't swim in but large enough to wade around and be creative in photography. I spent most of the time soaked in water.

The room was spacious. It came with 2 comfortable king sized beds that could fit four people and a couch. There were many pillows too, which i liked (to make a pillow castle). The room also exuded a cozy rustic charm from its wooden furniture. The TV was rather small for the distance though. The villa had a floor window which allowed us to see below. I was informed that the water would not be as blue as that in Maldives or Bora-Bora, but i was still excited to see sand and waves crashing in.

Separated bath and toilet. The villa also had a basic pantry.

Throughout our stay, there were planes flying above us because of the airports in vicinity. Initially i was surprised that the resort had a fair amount of guests for a normal Sunday-Monday. There were many tour groups, i suppose, passing through or in transit.

Bridge walkway.

There was a public pool near the recreation centre with mini water playground. This resort also had free tiny gym and sauna. Sadly, other activities were paid to play such as archery, snooker and cycling.

Top view from the main white building.

I woke up early the next morning for a quick run around the resort. Fresh salty breeze combed my hair. Unfortunately, it was cloudy during our stay. The breakfast buffet was mostly Malaysian food with a few Western dishes. The buffet spread was good and i went for rounds on some.

We returned to our private pool after breakfast for the last dip. It was cold but i got used to it. Then, we showered and packed to leave. This resort is ideal for small families or friends who are looking for a retreat together, and do not have the expectation of a perfect, blue sea view. It had sufficient basic necessities, service was friendly, and i enjoyed my stay. I'm sure my family did too. Of course, it would also be great for romantic couples who love to spend long hours in private pool! *winks*

After check-out, we headed to Persiaran Waterfront. I reckoned this place would be a happening spot come sunset because of the many night eateries. It did offer a pleasant, albeit hindered, view of the strait. We entered an almost-full Double Queue Restaurant. A decent Thai cuisine place.

Tasty green curry that wet rice and whet appetite.

Pleasant pandan wrapped chicken. Still moist.

Standard Thai fish cake.

This sourish, sweet Tom soup was delicious. Not too spicy and made me salivate.

We continued on to Pusat Ikan Hiasan Port Dickson. I am partial nowadays when it comes to visiting aquariums, or zoos for the matter, but since this is in works with the fishery department (Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia), i ought to learn something here as i am a marine enthusiast. I actually knew the names of some species even before i read the labels (pardon my narcissistic self-credit). However, the centre could improve on its labeling and information boards.

A large aquarium with black tip sharks, bowmouth guitarfish and others.

In case you have not seen a bowmouth guitarfish. An officer said that a fisherman found it and sent it here. This fish is also known as shark ray. I noticed a resemblance of both. It is usually found near sea floor. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed this as 'Vulnerable'.

This didn't have a label on and i didn't know the name so i took a photo of it.

Answer: ribbon eel or leaf-nosed moray eel.

Hello, starfish (or is the plural for starfish, starfishes?).

Among the reefs being bred here. The breeding activity here was in line with the reef rehabilitation program along the coast of Tanjung Tuan.

The shelved display looked like that in a jewelry shop. They are jewels, aren't they? Jewels on the sea bed.

Outside was a mini turtle sanctuary.

Before we returned to KL, we stopped at the Wan Loong Temple. There was ongoing construction work so we didn't spend much time there.

The great wall and the Monkey God.

Temple arch gate.

This prize was more than a night stay. It made my thought a reality. It gave us the opportunity to explore sites in Port Dickson we never knew existed. Once a thriving tourist destination, Port Dickson is in need of a boost as it already has the potential to be one again. I may not have explored all of Port Dickson but the newly acquainted sites have definitely left a positive mark in me.

RM Journey is an extension to the Journey series of this blog that focuses on Malaysia. RM stands for Rewriting Malaysia- nothing political, purely travel and food content. Coincidentally, it is the currency used in this beloved country. Some are new adventures, some are rewritten to relive nostalgic moments. Drop me a message to visit your hometown. I enjoy hidden gems!