Japamala Resort

The resort is in a very quiet location on a beautiful sandy beach between the sea and the jungle. The food in all the restaurants is really delicious. In addition, the breakfast buffet/menu and the drinks are very rich and prepared with a lot of love. The Sea Cliff Chalets have a breathtaking view of the sea and the sunset. All the staff are incredibly friendly, courteous and always with a smile. The only downside: there are far too few sun loungers on the beach and some of the cushions are so dirty and moldy that you hardly dare to lie on them. This is not worthy of the hotel or the price here.

If you are wanting a luxury beach holiday, Japamala is everything and more! Me and my husband stayed this August for 4 nights and 5 days, the stay was exceptional, the service was brilliant all the way through. Both Kenny and Belle did a fantastic job in explaining our package, showing us around and were informative. The room we stayed in the Hillside Sarang, a treetop room, around so much nature the perfect blend of rainforest meets paradise beach stay. All the additions to the room were fabulous from the teas to sweet treats and lovely messages written for us nightly. The service from all staff was exceptional, in all the restaurants, bar staff, cleaners - I highly recommend a massage from the lovely Tisha the best I’ve had- I’ve had quite a few! Unfortunately I cannot remember all the staff names who were so caring and friendly, but I do remember Ricky, all the staff we met in our stay were so welcoming. There’s plenty of water activities to do, there’s always somewhere to relax and sunbathe if there are no sun loungers there’s plenty of bean bags which was more than okay for me. The food was exceptional in all three restaurants and we had daily tea time with lovely Malaysian treats on the beach. We managed to book a romantic dinner on the beach with a 5 course Italian menu which was wonderful. I want to thank the staff again for making our stay memorable. I would love to come back again to make more memories!

We chose Japamala Tioman for our wedding anniversary and this boutique resort did not disappoint. Service was impeccable from the time we were picked up at the ferry terminal at Kampung Genting until the time we left. Kudos to the manger Kenny and his team for their hospitality in making our anniversary memorable. Food was in general above average (dessert was fantastic) and some dishes were a bit salty as we don’t consume too salty food in our diet. We gave feedback and to our surprise the staff took it seriously as our subsequent dishes served weren’t as salty. The rooms are clean and the sea view fantastic, allowing us to take in the magnificent sunset views every evening. Not much to do, as this resort is more for guest to disconnect. Hiking to Batu Permata and to Kampung Genting was doable. Canoeing and snorkelling by the resort was great.Overall we enjoyed our stay there. Thanks Japamala!

We just spent 3 nights at this beautiful place and really enjoyed every second. The nature, beach and food were stunning and the hotel was perfectly carved into the island. We wanted to thank the team, from the room service to the staff at the restaurant as well as the reception (and all others) we felt really home and celebrated our special occasion to the fullest.. We will be back MD

We had a wonderful, relaxing four nights here. Kenny and his team made us feel very welcome. Our Cliff Side chalet was amazing. Incredible views. The food was superb, despite (which is the fun of the place) everything having to come in by boat - there are no roads to the place. The snorkelling was excellent. We took two boat rides out to more distant places - well worth it - but there is good snorkelling at the resort, too. Don't miss the sun downer cocktails! Highly recommended.

A truly special place. Travelled as a family and we stayed the Penghulu House. A breathtaking master bedroom upstairs and a twin bedroom downstairs with a private pool. From the moment we stepped off the Mersing Ferry (make sure you book that early) Japamala greeted us and whisked us away for a very relaxing 7 days. We booked direct so we benefited from an amazing package which made it even more unforgettable. They looked after us so well, what a treat. The accommodation is first class and food very good. The sundowner drinks and breakfast were a highlight of our day - I’ve never been so excited to work my way through a juice menu with such amazing flavours. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to the staff who looked after us so well, everyone is so cheery and always greeted us with a smile and appreciated the lovely chats - the staff are a credit to the island. They did unfortunately have some monsoon damage but this is no way going to affect your stay, everything is amazing. Didn’t want to leave. Thank you Japamala

We truly enjoyed out stay here. Island is absolutely beautiful and the resort is lovely. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The food was delicious. Definitely want to come back

TERRIBLE!!! I had high expectations for this Resort, but my stay was terrible. This place is extremely overpriced for what it offers, and I do not recommend it to anyone. 1. Dirty Rooms and Poor Hygiene The cleanliness here is really bad. The towels and bed linens had black spots and yellow stains, and this was not just a one-time issue—it was on everything. The floors were dirty and sticky, making the whole resort feel unclean. The snorkeling gear was disgusting, smelling like other people’s saliva because it clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly. 2. Rude and Discriminatory Service The staff treats guests differently based on their race. They were very friendly and welcoming to white guests, always greeting them with a smile. But when treating Asian guests like us(and other Asian guests), their attitude completely changed. They were impatient and unfriendly to us, and this happened multiple times throughout our stay. The difference in treatment was so obvious that it felt like they simply didn’t want us there. 3. No Signal, Useless Wi-Fi, Nothing to Do The resort is on a remote island, so you’d expect them to provide decent Wi-Fi—yet the connection was spotty, slow, and unreliable. The resort itself is incredibly small, and besides kayaking and snorkeling (which, again, involves using disgusting equipment), there’s literally nothing to do. No gym, no activities, and even the swimming pool looked abandoned—murky water with floating dead insects, no lifeguard, and an overall unhygienic appearance. 4. Absurd Extra Charges & Terrible Facilities Everything costs extra here, even the beach loungers—which, by the way, were old, dirty, and falling apart. How does a so-called luxury resort charge guests to use basic facilities? The resort also lacks proper in-room services—no phone, no room service, and no in-room dining. If you need assistance, you either wait an hour for a WhatsApp reply or take a 10-minute walk to reception. 5. Unsafe & Poorly Maintained The resort’s treetop-style rooms may seem charming in photos, but in reality, they’re a hazard. The wooden stairs leading to the rooms are dangerously old and unstable—some steps are broken, and the entire structure feels like it could collapse. I actually fell and scraped my hand, yet the staff showed zero concern when I reported it. 6. Awful Food & Limited Choices Breakfast was extremely limited, and lunch/dinner (which you have to pay extra for) was both expensive and barely edible, with tiny portions that left us still hungry. Absolute Worst “Luxury” Resort For the price they charge, this place is a joke. I’ve stayed in much cheaper hotels with far better service, cleaner rooms, and more amenities. Japamala Resort is an overpriced, unsanitary, and poorly managed place that lacks even the most basic hospitality standards. Do yourself a favor—stay somewhere else.