Malaysia with 1 year old

Hey there!
My husband and I would like to take our 1 year old baby girl with us to Malaysia. We really want to stay on a nice beach with some snorkeling available and other activities, like hiking, would be nice too. Accommodation should be comfortable with the little one, so A/C and hot water a definite must. The thing is, we've never been to Malaysia...and I'm starting to wonder if we should go there at all. We've been to Thailand (pre-baby!) and loved it. We were amazed at Koh Samet - if anybody knows it. It's smaller, with no proper roads and a perfect beach with rooms right on the beach. We'd like something similar in Malaysia. I'm trying to get info on the Perenthian Islands...but I can't find pictures. Also, I'm not sure how easy it is to get there. We don't want to spend TOO much time traveling, and flying would be best, I think.
If you have any advice on traveling in Malaysia with a toddler, I would greatly appreciate it! Any ideas where we might stay? Maybe it shouldn't be too isolated from doctors and hospitals...just in case our daughter needs medical attention... ugh, I don't even know if it's a good idea to take her!

Any advice?
TIA

Hi there,
I'm surprise that you can get any info on Perhentian Island, I guess you spell it wrongly. Here are some links on TT:
Perhentian with kids
Perhentian island for family
welcome to malaysia!

erm

thinking of island life in malaysia? with baby?
erm i dont know about the baby but i can sure u some great island here...
one of them is pulau redang....here the link for you about pulau redan and perhentian...click here

Thanks for the links! Spelling Perhentian wrong....^^ oops.... anyway, thanks for the info. Is it easy to get to the islands? I'll do some more searching. Thanks again!

Perhentian Link

You might find this info useful. I have posted the necessary details to perhentian for someon else earlier.

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There are no strangers, Only friends that we have not met

If you want better facilities - Langkawi is better choice for you with toddler to get in. This island has better hotel facilities wide variety for you to choose from budget to high end. Mt. for you to trek, cable car for you to enjoy the island views and also nice beaches for you to sunbathing with.

Payar is the nearest marine park for you to have nice snorkelling and diving trip which worth for a day trip. Furthermore Langkawi island is duty free island so you get to shop cheaply :-P

As for Perhentian/Redang are alot basic than Langkawi in term of medical facilities to offer and much hassle to travel to with a yr old where you need to travel with speedboat about 30 min to these islands. The speedboats are sometime quite dangerous, they are more like flying on the sea instead of cruising to me so you need to grab your bb firmly when you travel in one.

You can google Langkawi lots of infor from there. Welcome to Malaysia, you will have a great time here no worry of bringing your 1 yr old here, Malaysia is very children friendly.

#2 is incoherent because he is not interested in helping regardless of OP or thread because he justs want to plug his own website and he goes by the name of haryzat in other posts. (More hits = more ringgits)

#6 you are correct. Hary has added lots of posts in the past 24 hours, and seems to be involved with Tourism Malaysia, or as you say plugging his own sites.

Agree with #5, you can also fly there from KL, making it slightly "safer" for your child.

#6 & #7, ha, ha, ha, just saw his sales page! LOL!

He actually posted a report called "Pulau Perhentian, for YOU nice mummy!". Dalgi, you should be honoured.

I agree Langkawi might be a good destination.
Re the little one - I think medical care available in Malaysia is quite good. If you are unlucky enough for her to get ill enough to concern you, I'd head to a big city (preferably KL) where there are some excellent well trained doctors.....

I would also agree that Langkawi would the ideal choice considering your 1 year old baby needs. It's the prefect family destination. I have seen someone carrying an even younger baby on a speedboat to Gem Island and seriously I nearly had an heartattack watching the dad struggle to keep the baby and himself from falling off as the speedboat battled the waves.

But Langkawi doesn't have the best beaches and clear water.

Alternatively, you can fly to Redang (1st Choice) or Toiman and stay at the 5 star Berjaya Resorts. Probably they might have some medical officer at the resort (not sure). Redang is an excellent island with no roads and cyrstal clear waters. The snorkelling is superb.

As for baby needs, I'm sure you will find everything you need here except probably if you need a particular brand of milk powder.

no# 12, for your infor traveling to Redang you need aslo to take speedboat as I mentioned in my post above. Your descriptions of boat trip to GEM is the same as what to expect for traveling to Redang and Perhentian. You can only fly direct to Tioman via Berjaya Air. :-P

Agreed Langkawi does not have clear water as compare to East coast Islands of Perhentian, Redang/Tioman, but Payar marine park can at least compensate for close level of clear water as expected over in Redang. :-)

Berjaya Air also flies to Redang!

http://www.berjaya-air.com/flightschedule.htm<BR><BR>Hmm, Payar Marine is also a long boat ride from Langkawi Island and it's probably only 30% of the what you can get in Redang.

Oops! I 'm sorry I think I need to update myself instead. After googled, there is direct flight from Berjaya to Redang island. I wonder when they start this route.

We are going to Redang this June and not knowing this flight. Anyway, I doubt it will be any cheaper by traveling with Airasia with free ticket hahaha.....

After checking the rate, RM500/return ticket to Redang,I can only say WOW! 8-0
That 1 ppl fare alone easily covered family 4 of us for return flight by Airasia.

The child will adapt as you adapt with it.