38 travel @ Forest | September-October , 2020
A greener getaway
The Taaras offers not only the finest service , but also a much greener getaway
BY CAMILIA REZALI
The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort evolved from Berjaya Redang Resort in 2011 . Berjaya Redang Resort was renamed as The Taaras which comes from the word ‘ TAARA ’ that originates from the 4000-year-old Sanskrit language – meaning ‘ Goddess of the Sea ’, ‘ The Star ’ and ‘ The Apple of my Eye ’.
As of this year itself , The Taaras has taken the cake , marking its name as the 2020 recommended destination on Holiday Check and earning the Agoda 2020 Customer Review Awards . The most recent award presented to the resort was the 2020 Travellers ’ Choice Award – an award given for its service excellence .
“ This was the award we got for excellence in our services through the guest reviews . It is a special award where only a few hotels in Malaysia got it ,” shared the Area General Manager of The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort , Pravir Mishra .
Its guests vary from tourists around the world – consisting of 20 per cent local tourists and the others are mostly from Italy , China , Japan and France .
According to Pravir , apart from its service excellence , the resort also carries out several ‘ green ’ efforts .
The only resort in Asia with a Marine Biology Lab - a scientific Research Laboratory for turtle hatchlings . The only resort with the biggest artificial reef site on the island . And , and on top of that , it is also the only resort in Redang Island using paper straws for cold beverages .
Redang Island Conservation Day
One of the major highlights of The Taaras ’ green initiatives is the execution of Redang Island Conservation Day ( RICD ). The yearly programme started in 2018 .
“ RICD clean-up programme is where we have the divers perform three underwater clean-ups , two at The Taaras House Reef and one in the wreck . We even have our very own Founder , Tan Sri Vincent Tan , to join the clean-up programme . This is an effort to keep our waters clean ,” said Pravir .
The divers put in all efforts to clear the
Area General Manager of The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort , Pravir Mishra .
marine debris underwater , as well as looking out for any ghost nets and Crown of Thorns ( COT ) which are a constant threat to our marine life .
The non-divers , on the other hand , did their part by cleaning up the beach as much as they could , ensuring that washed-up trash from the ocean was cleared from the beach to prevent it from going back to the sea which could affect the growth of the corals and endanger the marine life in the area .
“ There were three clean-ups in Teluk Kerma . The great part is we welcome the non-divers or volunteers to take part in the programme ,” Pravir said .
“ But regularly , our staff will go and clean different parts of the island by collecting rubbish or plastics once or twice a week .”
The first RICD programme conducted in 2018 was a success . Therefore , the resort once again organised the Redang Island Conservation Day ( RICD 2019 ) from May 3-5 , 2019 .
Protected Marine Park
Located on the richly diverse South China Sea , the archipelago consists of nine islands . Besides Redang , they are Lima Island , Paku Besar Island , Paku Kecil Island , Kerengga Besar Island , Kerengga Kecil Island , Ekor Tebu Island , Batu Ling Island and Penang Island .
On the main Redang Island , The Taaras is uniquely placed with a wellpreserved Marine Park safeguarded by its Marine and Fisheries department .
Pravir said : “ There are more than 30 dive locations near the resort with a superb underwater view filled with both beautiful hard and soft corals .”
Adding on to the complementary bent of the Marine Park , The Taaras has reef sharks which are harmless to humans , various marine species including moray eels , angelfish , barracuda , napoleon , triggerfish , rainbow runner , giant stingray , cuttlefish , octopus , nudibranch and more .
“ Not many places in the world have an island view like The Taaras . On the left side of the bay , we have the reef shark , and on the right , we have the turtles . So , where in the world can you get such an experience ?”
Indeed , you can get a hold of such experience only through a stay at The Taaras as it is the only resort with a beach protected by two cliffs and only accessible to its guests .
“ I ’ ve worked in many countries and many of the islands in Malaysia . But I consider this is one of the best islands in the world . It ’ s definitely the best in Malaysia ,” the Area General Manager boldly stated . — @ Forest