The Kasturi

Nestled along the pristine shores of Malaysia’s east coast lies The Kasturi Resort, an oasis of luxury and tranquility. This exclusive beachfront retreat offers a harmonious blend of modern sophistication and natural beauty, providing guests with a serene escape from the bustle of everyday life. With its elegant villas nestled amidst lush tropical gardens and overlooking the azure waters of the South China Sea, The Kasturi Resort offers a sanctuary for the soul. Whether you’re seeking relaxation on the sun-kissed beaches, adventure in the nearby rainforests, or simply a moment of peace amidst breathtaking scenery, The Kasturi Resort invites you to immerse yourself in the ultimate coastal paradise.

From the moment we entered the gates at The Kasturi we knew we were staying somewhere special. As the paths wound their way through the forest, immersing us in nature we immediately felt at peace. This feeling continued as we explored further, the ocean front location is sublime, kayak trips through the mangroves are mesmerising, and the surrounding forest is home to gibbons and hornbills, both of which we were blessed to observe on more than one occasion. However, this special and unique environment presents a dilemma once you enter your villa, they truly are some of the most thoughtfully designed and luxuriously appointed villas we’ve stayed in. Meaning that leaving them to explore is tough, very tough, and that’s the dilemma.

We never wanted to leave our Beach Front Villa complete with private pool, it was just perfect. Whether it was enjoying sunrise ocean views from the spacious deck, cooling off in the refreshing pool, luxuriating in the huge bath, or sleeping like royalty in the supremely comfortable bed, there was always a reason that made us want to stay forever. The Kasturi is owned and designed by Malaysian architect Hijjas Kasturi, and his creativity and talent is abundant in the design led villas, as it is throughout the resort. The Forest Villas are equally as impressive, as are the suites and studios in the main Kachapuri Building. This is one seriously cool resort with accommodation options to match.

The Vegan Food

Kenyang Restaurant is open for all day dining and afternoon tea is served in Ketumbar Lounge, both of which are tastefully presented, and designed to make the most of the natural light and the ocean front location. Vegetarian and vegan options are limited, but don’t worry here at The Kasturi the team are more than happy to adapt the existing menu and create off menu plant based dishes. The ‘all you can eat’ breakfast concept includes a selection of a al carte dishes and a buffet at the weekend. Chef adapted four of the a la carte dishes for us to make them vegan. Oats with soya milk, nuts and berries, rice porridge congee with condiments, shakshuka with avocado replacing the egg, and a veganised version of the east coast Malaysia favourite, nasi dagang. This breakfast staple consists of rice cooked in coconut milk, pickled vegetables and fish in curried gravy, of course the vegan version was cooked with a veggie curry gravy and was our introduction to this east coast creation.

Our vegan dinner at The Kasturi was totally ‘off menu’ and was prepared for us by chef Zamari. The quinoa salad was absolutely delicious and despite being ‘off menu’ should certainly be added to the existing menu at Kenyang Restaurant. As more and more people are choosing to eat vegan and plant based food, we are sure this healthy and nutritious dish would be popular with guests. Packed with flavour, topped with shredded eggplant and drizzled with balsamic and citrus dressings, we would love to eat this again one day, it was the culinary highlight of our stay at The Kasturi. The vegan penne arrabbiata was very good too, al dente pasta, perfectly seasoned and with a nice chilli kick, but it could never compete with the quinoa salad. Bravo chef.

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Despite being just a 3 hour drive from the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur, you feel a million miles away from the city once you check in at The Kasturi making it the perfect weekend escape. If your budget allows, choose one of the beautiful beach front villas, and during your stay make that that chef makes his vegan quinoa salad for you, it will make you want to eat it again and again, that’s for sure.

We were guests of The Kasturi Resort but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views.

The Kasturi Resort
26080 Cherating
Pahang

Telephone: +60 9582 5000
Email: reservation@the-kasturi.com
Cost From: £80 / $100 (April 2024)