Avillion Port Dickson

Since it's so far from town, the Avillion Port Dickson is a self-contained resort, with numerous on-site facilities spread across 23 acres of coastal landscape. Guests are mostly domestic families on vacation, along with a mix of other Asian and European guests who tend to book for longer stays. In the main building, a wood and bronze gong instrument called a caklempong is sometimes played in the wide open-air lobby, and wooden beams are exposed in the pavilion ceiling high above. The exterior's design was influenced by old world Malaysian fishing villages, where foot paths weave through grounds thick with overgrown foliage between airy buildings with tile roofs. A garden with a large fish pond provides a relaxing center, and beyond it a network of piers stretch out over the water housing various villas on stilts facing the Strait of Malacca.   

The Avillion Port Dickson sits on 23 acres of private tropical coastline, facing the Strait of Malacca. There's little within walking distance other than a handful of local restaurants, but it's right off the main road allowing easy access into Port Dickson. It's a nine-minute drive into town for shopping, entertainment, and numerous seafood restaurants along the waterfront. The Port Dickson Ostrich Farm, a popular family destination, is a 12-minute drive in the opposite direction. Expect an hour and 25-minute drive into Kuala Kumpur and its Subang Airport.

The resort's 258 rooms are divided into three main categories, all with a contemporary take on traditional decor, with wood floors, teak furnishings and Pangkin daybeds. Beach rooms and studios are on the smaller side, though there's also a large three-bedroom Beach Duplex with a kitchen available. Beach rooms have one queen-size or two twin beds, and sitting areas with tables and chairs (along with the daybeds that are in every room). The stone-tiled bathrooms have shower/tub combos. The nicer Chalet rooms are larger and have either private balconies overlooking the garden, or sit on stilts above the water, with Premium Water Chalet's being the farthest out, with more unobstructed sea views. They have polished hard wood floors, vaulted wood ceilings, and four-poster beds (either king-size or two twins) draped with gauzy white linens. The large bathrooms are covered in natural stone, with open rainfall showers and separate soaking tubs.

On the upper end, sitting on stilts above the water, the one- and two-bedroom Water Villas start at twice the size of the Premium Water Chalets and the regular soaking tubs are replaced with hot tubs. Three-bedroom Water Villas add kitchens and additional large balconies with daybeds overlooking the water. All of the resort's units sitting on stilts have open-air bathrooms with portions of the floor (protected by railings) open to the water below. Free Wi-Fi comes standard, along with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and electric tea kettles. 

Much of the resort's waterfront is taken up by the network of piers housing its water villas, but there's also a large stretch of private beach where guests can sunbathe, play volleyball, and take out kayaks along with other non-motorized craft from a water-sports kiosk. The vast garden grounds have three outdoor pools -- the large communal village pool, a kids' pool, and an adult-only pool -- all open 24/7. Walking paths can be enjoyed on their own, or used to navigate between the many outdoor facilities here. There's a pet farm and an aviary, with animals like rabbits, peacocks and tortoises for children to engage with; at set times daily they can feed them. A spice garden grows a variety of traditional herbs and spices used on-site for cooking and medicinal purposes. There's also an orchid hut. A dedicated kids' club has supervised activities, an outdoor playground with slides, and group classes to occupy kids -- handy when parents are at the spa, which is equipped with a steam room and sauna. There's also a modern fitness center that has cardio machines, treadmills, recumbent bikes, weight machines and free weights.   

For dining, the bi-level Crow's Nest serves contemporary Asian and international cuisine under high teak-wood ceilings, or on an outdoor terrace. The 24-hour Village Court is a more casual poolside restaurant with local specialties and typical resort standards like pizza and pasta. The Galley Lounge is an open-air bar with snacks and light fare while Jungle Fringe Karaoke & Bar has four private karaoke rooms. There's also a gastro-pub called The Verte that has a trendy brick patio and a full bar. It doubles as a private event space, and there are also several meeting rooms and a ballroom that can accommodate 250 people available for weddings or business events.