Japamala Resort by Samadhi
Kampung Lanting, Tioman Island, Pulau Tioman 86800 Malaysia
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About
#2 of 20 hotels in Pulau Tioman
Location
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Travellers' Choice
JapaMala is Tioman Island’s only boutique resort, and one-of-a-kind in Malaysia. This small and exclusive resort of 13 rooms is hidden amidst 11 acres of lush tropical rainforest. A one-village-one-resort property, JapaMala has its own private and quiet beach. While some charming Malay village-style villas and chalets dot the jungle and beachfront, others nestle in the most breath-taking spots.Best described as an ‘eco-luxe’ resort, JapaMala transcends the experience of living close to nature by redefining it with a touch of luxury. Designed by natural streams, steep cliffs, towering boulders and where no trees are felled, the entire resort borrows from nature its elements to offer an exceptional sense of paradise, freedom from the real world. While serious relaxation is an elusive commodity for many, one can truly succumb to the healing effects JapaMala imparts through its holistic blend of sumptuous gourmet treats, intimacy between man and nature, unique spa experiences and truly unprecedented hospitality. Many say JapaMala is not just a place, but a state of mind.
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Property amenities
Free internet
Pool
Free breakfast
Beach
Diving
Airport transportation
Spa
Gift shop
Wifi
Pool / beach towels
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Complimentary tea
Hiking
Snorkelling
Fishing
Couples massage
Foot massage
Full body massage
Head massage
Massage
Shops
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
Umbrella
24-hour front desk
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Private beach
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Coffee / tea maker
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Room service
Safe
Seating area
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Minibar
iPod docking station
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Luxury
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, Malay
Location
Kampung Lanting, Tioman Island, Pulau Tioman 86800 Malaysia
Getting there
Car HireSee all Pulau Tioman car hire
752Reviews46Q+A100Room tips
Reviews
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Less than a day into our time at Japamala, my wife and I started ask each other, "Is this the best hotel we've ever stayed at?" And I'm still convinced the answer might be yes: A gorgeous beach, a lovely room, delicious food (especially at the Malaysian restaurant, but the Italian restaurant is good, too), and A+ treatment from the always friendly staff. Drinking cocktails on the jetty at sunset is an unforgettable experience. The only drawback is some difficulty reaching other parts of the island (the hike to a nearby village is doable but requires navigating a rickety wooden bridge). Still, there's so much to enjoy at Japamala itself that we weren't bothered.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We just got back from Malaysia. During our trip we spent 3 beautiful days in Japamala. It was amazing. I can only recommend it. I will definitely be back! I will definitely be back! All the staff were great! Japamala is a paradise.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We stayed here for a special day and wow 🤩 the team of Japamala Resort made it a Special day! We have never experienced better hospitality in our life. The service is outstanding! The private bay it’s located in is in really good condition and gives this place an even more private and exclusive vibe. Sunset on the peer with home made Gin infusions, exquisit dining in the authentic Italien restaurant and a Room that was hidden in the forrest surrounded by nature and thoughtful put together just made this an unforgettable memory. If you happen to be on Tioman, you should really make this a stop in your itinerary.
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
It was a magic experience ! All of it! The room was gorgeous, the food excellent but what makes it an ten/ten is the team of people working there. We really felt it as home. Tips: reach next village by foot. You can feel the jungle. Amazing Try one of the snorkeling excursions. Very well organized and totally worth it. First time to see a family of sharks!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Leave your phone at the room and enjoy the experience
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
A special Thanks to Remon, John, Zaim, Bella, Edwin, Ignacio (the Spanish cook) and all the other wonderful staff (all men!;-) that made us Feel very Welcome and very at Home. The service is impecable and the staff is so incredible friendly and service minded! I especcially want to mention the garden worker (I dont know his name); a small man who is walking around all day with a big smile in his face and Looking So happy. Thank you all very much; you Made our stay very special. The diving with Juan and the hiking with Edwin were a fantastic experience! With regard to the resort, I do think the resort needs a proper update because it is all a little outdated. There were too little sunbeds and not all in the best shape, there was No activity after diner; No place to have a drink or a chat So very night after diner we went straight to our room (Although there is enough space to create something like that). The music in the restaurants was always the same and was repeated over and over. Again, Thank you staff for These wonderful 5 days! We Will never forget our fantastic stay at remote Tioman Island!❤️🏝️…
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: There is hardst anything to do at the Island So bring some books and Enjoy the moment!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
This is a beautiful retreat in paradise. No shoes. No news, No queues. No bustling tourists. No rubbish. No plastic. A true escape from the rat race. ALL the staff are so friendly and can't do enough for you. I've never been made to feel more welcome and well looked after anywhere. It's been like an extended spa break, rest, relaxation and the occasional trip out. Stunning beaches, fish filled coral reefs to snorkel around. Fabulous food, amazing attention to tiny details. 5 stars easily.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: No children under 16, so it's quiet, relaxing and serene.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
We had an amazing trip at Japamala, made even more magical by the team who go out of their way everyday to make your stay. Everyone is polite, helpful and made you feel at ease. We stayed for 9 nights which went far too quickly and they helped my partner plan a special, private proposal which was very kind of them and an amazing surprise 💚 We would come back in a heartbeat. Our room was clean, comfy and cool with a fab deck area and mini pool to watch the jungle wildlife from. The hospitality is excellent, especially the surprise turndown service and special designs left on the bed on special occasions. The resort is in a stunning location, with plenty of places to relax, snorkel, swim and eat and drink. There’s not many rooms, so you never felt it was too busy. It’s based in a jungle by the sea, which is the reality, but we loved this and they have carefully constructed the buildings to harmonise with nature. (If you don’t like nature, you may not like it, but missing out on this place would be a shame) If you’re looking for a stunning place to relax and wind away your days, it’s perfect. There’s plenty of things to do like snorkelling and diving trips to see sharks, rays, turtles and millions of fish. Treks and walks. The food is incredible. We only ate in the Malaysian restaurant, but every dish we tried was delicious and very reasonable pricing. Around £5-8 for a main meal, and big portions. Every night they also run a sundowners happy hour which is on the beautiful dock and includes drinks and a small snack. We have been raving about Japamala to friends and family and cannot wait for return - maybe for a honeymoon ;) A big thank you to everyone on the team, especially all the Ops, Housekeeping and Food & Beverage staff. In all the places we’ve travelled to, the Japamala team have world-class service that is above 5 star. Belle, Adim, Mike, Mike’s ‘Boys’ Team, Shuvo, BK, John, Remon, Shakirum, Chef Julian, the Captain & Edwin (from memory, sorry for anyone missed). EVERYONE was amazing and deserves huge credit. Thanks again, J & E…
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
Hotel is very nice. Almost everything is recycled and reused which I like. Service staff are great. Check with them on activities that could be done on the island while staying there. There are night tracks, night fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving and etc. But do note the hotel room could be a furnace from 3-6pm as huts are under the sun always. Food for me is acceptable. I was hoping it wouldnt be that sweet or salty. Remember to bring lots of insect repellent and sun block!
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Joe Jumadin, Innkeeper at Japamala Resort by Samadhi
Responded 14 May 2023
Hi Bernardinas, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave your review. We are truly glad that you have enjoyed staying with us recently. Thank you for supporting our resort concept. Japamala is eco resort that maintain the sustainability. The entire Japamala team work hard to prevent plastic in Japamala. We even do the 'Green Day' every Saturday and it is a volunteer program. All Japamala team are try our best level to assist our guest while staying with us. We are definitely taking your advise about the food. We will do our best to improve our food quality to meet our guest expectation. Thank you so much again for choosing us. Take care and see you next time.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
We had a wonderful 4 night stay at Japamala Resort aka paradise! It is the perfect place to get away and just relax. The staff were extremely professional and welcoming but also allowed space to ourselves. We stayed in the Seaview Sarang which I highly recommend. The room itself is huge with separate bedroom and dining spaces and a private outdoor plunge pool (with waterfall) and places to relax in the sun. The food was also a highlight especially our daily breakfast of roti canai! Evening cocktails on the pier were a perfect way to wind down after a day of doing nothing. One evening we even got a pod of dolphins swimming past! The resort takes a bit of effort to get to (part of the isolated charm) but the Samadhi team were extremely helpful in organising. We ended up staying at Villa Samadhi in Singapore for a night and getting an early morning transfer to the ferry in Mersing, Malaysia. Next time we might brave the flight into Tioman from KL. I highly recommend staying here for perfect relaxation in paradise.…
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Highly recommend the Seaview Sarang for plenty of space and privacy amongst the trees
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Joe Jumadin, Innkeeper at Japamala Resort by Samadhi
Responded 14 May 2023
Hi Keriben, Thank you very much for taking the time to leave your review. We are truly glad that you have enjoyed staying with us recently. Thank you for supporting us. You are right it's need a little effort in order to get to Tioman. first choice will be using the flight from Subang Airport to Tioman. This is the fastest way to get here. others option will be the public ferry from Mersing or From Tanjung Gemuk. most of people they like to use ferry. Thank you so much for taking a time and support us with the 5 stars review. We are happy to welcome you back real soon.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gary Tan Wee Kiat Pup, (Chen Wei Jie) wrote a review Apr 2023
Singapore, Singapore26 contributions14 helpful votes
We’ve been coming to japamala for almost 13 years. During covid year, our booking got postponed because of travel restrictions. We’ve rearranged with the resort via email, to go back on Good Friday weekend. During that 13 years of going back, we always just show up with our kids. Only had to inform them which room we wanted. As of 2022 nov they’ve changed the rules to not allow kids. Nobody updated or texted on email. When we got there on Good Friday weekend, they informed us we weren’t allowed to stay at their resort. We were assisted to be relocated to another resort, which happened to be really good too. But here’s the part When we got off, we saw another family with kid getting on. We texted the resort, and the reply we got is that they’ve booked the penghulu house. Their child is allowed to stay on. Most of the original staff have left this resort. All new staff with the exception of a few. I can only say, I’m terribly disappointed. To the best 13 years with japamala, Aruni and her team, was the best time we had there. We won’t be welcomed back at japamala in the future anyway, maybe if we book the penghulu we’ll be allowed? Lol.…
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Samadhi Retreats, Other at Japamala Resort by Samadhi
Responded 10 May 2023
Dear GaryTWKPcwj, Thank you for taking the time to share with us your feedback, we understand the importance of good customer service and how it can impact a business. It is unfortunate to hear about the experience you had at Japamala Resort during your recent visit on Good Friday weekend. It is understandable that you were disappointed with the no-children policy, however as part of the standard and regulation set it's been a standard for the team to have this policy informed upon every reservation made, and prior to check-in of every stay. In terms of the accommodation booked, the occupancy for the room type booked is only for 2 adults, and unfortunately will not be able to accommodate your party of 4 persons due to the size and space of the room. In the resort, the only room that could accommodate 4 adults is the Penghulu House and that room was is already booked prior and post your stay. As a result, you were relocated to another resort due to this mishap that occurred, in conclusion, it is always disappointing when a business fails to meet the expectations of its loyal customers. and we take every feedback seriously and are always looking for ways to improve our offerings and service better. Once again thank you for your constructive feedback, and we do look forward to have you back should your travels bring you back to Tioman. Warm regards, Japamala Resort
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
US$190 - US$307 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
japamala hotel pulau tioman, japamala resort, japamala pulau tioman
LOCATION
MalaysiaPahangRompin DistrictPulau Tioman
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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Claim Your ListingJAPAMALA RESORT BY SAMADHI (R̶M̶ ̶1̶,̶4̶1̶0̶) RM 941: UPDATED 2023 Hotel Reviews, Price Comparison and 1,490 Photos (Pulau Tioman) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Japamala Resort by Samadhi
What are some of the property amenities at Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
Conveniently located restaurants include Mandi-Mandi Restaurant, Tamarind Terrace, and Riverside cafe n food stall .
Are there opportunities to exercise at Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Japamala Resort by Samadhi have airport transportation?
Yes, Japamala Resort by Samadhi offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Japamala Resort by Samadhi?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Malay.
Does Japamala Resort by Samadhi have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.