PNB Ilham Resort

We went to PNB Ilham Resort at PD over the weekend. A good drive of 300km round trip from our house at Prima Beruntung. In the ageless tradition of a by-gone era, PNB Ilham Resort as the very name suggests is - Evocation of Inspiration. The moment you step in you will be fascinated. The architecture is of the Melaka Sultanate and the surrounding is beautifully landscaped. Such a nice place and become quite a regular vacation spot for us. One of the reason is because I enjoyed a special staff rate of RM100 per nite for the 3 bedroom apartment as compared to the published rate of RM460 per nite. That of course as one benefit being a staff in one of the PNB's company. The apartment is spacious with 5 star accomodation facilities. Complete with dry kitchen for us to prepare our meals. TV, VCD Player & Mini Hi-Fi for family entertainment.

Swimming pool is the favourite with the kids. As for me, I take a more lazy approach in between HBO movies and EPL on ESPN, with some good naps on the cozy bed. My wife also has her sweet time and manage to finish reading a book "Sejenak Bersama Hidangan Al-Qur'an" by Dr 'Aidh Abdullah Al-Qarni. We make our stay filled to the fullest with morning workout program at the Gym before splashing into the pool. Its off to the beach in the evening. First, the ever popular Telok Kemang, then exotic Blue Lagoon and the best and most beautiful, very quiet and most "kept secret" line of beach is of course the Cermin Beach just opposite the Blue Lagoon at Fort Ricardo. What a place to be especially in the early evening.

On the first night after our homemade dinner we went to enjoy Ilham very own in-house cinema screening action pack The Forbidden Kingdom starring Jet Li & Jacky Chan. Then I stumble into my friend Yusof (and the gang) who asked for some game of table tennis. Then I cool down with my son Amir at the pool site with pack of peanuts while enjoying some good but loud music from the karaoke at the open food court down the hall. On our final day my wife have another good workout at the gym while the kids and me playing in the pool. Then we climb up the Ilham trademark "10 storey" viewing tower to enjoy the full view of the coast and the thick forest reserve at the side. What a majestic view from the top with fresh air breezing through.

We snap a handful of shots with the 5 individual handsets throughout the 3 days stay and pretty much sure to have enough good photos to compile into a nice album, after completed downloading or blue-toothing it into the home PC when we go back. Not to forget to share some scenic and memorable captures in this very posting. To complete our 3 days 2 nite stay here at Ilham is definitely the 1 km walk through the Tanjung Tuan Reserve Forest to the peak of Tanjung Tuan santuary, yes the still operational Fort Ricardo Light House, build since year 1872 by the British. From up there you can see the thin line of Sumatera from the distance. The green water surrounding, fresh air and the open sky. God creation, what a feeling. Perfect vacation for me and my family. Eventhough this is our fifth time stay at Ilham, we enjoy it everytime. We shall come back again next year. Economical yet first class vacation for us !!