Ara Dinawan Island Resort

The location was peaceful and quiet, but the lighting at night could use improvement.

Roy·Há 4 meses

“虫刺されさえなければ最高”

The place felt private with few guests, which I liked; it was quiet, the night bonfire was romantic, and the coral reef just off the shore was teeming with fish—truly impressive. On the last day they even gave us a cake, a wonderful touch of hospitality. Unfortunately, I got bitten all over—thirty bites in total—even though I’d applied repellent; some got into my hair, swelled up, and itched badly. I’d been careful after a previous stay where I was bitten, but it still happened.

Hiroyuki·Há 5 meses

“Im”

This place is special in some ways: it’s a large compound with old, beautiful trees and gardens, and there are about a dozen glamping huts that once were nice but now look run‑down, yet they still charge full price. We were the only guests for our 3‑night stay, which was odd but also meant we had the beach to ourselves. The staff were polite, respectful, and responded quickly to various issues. The biggest problem was the construction work that started at 6 am and kept going at 1 pm, which was impossible to nap through, especially with a child. They also put wooden barricades on most of the shore, which looked awful and took away the beach that used to stretch all along the compound. The remaining beach had many sand flies, and only a short stretch was cleaned of plastic trash, forcing us to eat there; the food was not included in the stay and was overpriced. Since we were the only guests, they prepared a meal for us instead of a buffet, which was nice but they never asked what we wanted, so there was too much food and too much meat most of the time. The tents are run‑down but could be restored with a bit of fixing, and I enjoyed the tent atmosphere until the construction noise woke me.

Klara·Há 6 meses

“Entspannte Insel zum Seele baumeln lassen.”

Initially, the staff assured us that the rat problem mentioned in earlier reviews had been completely fixed, and during our 4 days we didn’t see or hear a single rat, so those who were worried can relax. Communication and organization of the boat transfer were excellent; our flight was delayed, so we missed the scheduled boat, but the unscheduled transfer cost 330 Ringgit and was still fine. The on‑site staff were very friendly, and the activities were great: a daily 1‑hour snorkeling trip, free kayaks, and beach tennis (the team should buy more balls). The island is quiet and lovely for relaxation, making it a great way to end our Malaysia trip. The island could be tidier and better maintained; walking along the beach reveals a lot of washed‑up trash, which could be cleaned up with a net or similar effort. The drink selection left something to be desired (milk instead of milk powder for coffee, coconut, milkshakes, and lassis would have been nice at the bar).

Lars·Há 6 meses

“Prix beaucoup trop élevé pour le spot”

While I was initially excited about my stay, I was disappointed by the numerous issues I encountered. The food at the hotel was actually quite good, but the presence of trash on the beach, the abandoned resort nearby, and the murky water with sand made snorkelling impossible. Unfortunately, these issues detracted from my overall experience.

Chapuis·Há um ano