Snorkeling Adventure

Unfortunately, we had a terrible visit from a ton of mosquitoes during the night, despite the mosquito net. In the morning, we also encountered a cockroach in the bathroom, which helped us decide to move. We had read about Matahari in Lonely Planet, and it had received great reviews. It was a bit pricier—75 RM in total—than where we were staying, but it turned out that the cabins were much better. The day before, we had signed up for a snorkeling tour that was set to start at 10:30 AM. It cost 30 RM per person, including gear. We were a small group of about eight people, and we were taken around to Coral Garden, Turtle Point, Shark Point, and Sea Garden to snorkel. It’s pretty obvious what you can expect to see at those spots. We were lucky enough to spot a giant turtle and a shark, which isn’t something you get to see every time. Along the way, we stopped at Fishermen Village for lunch. We also had a break at Romantic Beach to sunbathe and swim. Unfortunately, the beach was a bit littered with trash, but the water was incredibly clear, blue, and calm. We collected some dead corals to make necklaces. Snorkeling for several hours is exhausting, so we were pretty tired by the evening. We had dinner at our new resort, where the restaurant was built on stilts, giving us a lovely view of the beach and the sea. Before heading to bed, we went to buy mosquito candles so we could have a quieter night than the last one. The candles have a bit of a smell, but they’re really effective.