I see you’re back for more and want to know what I did on Day 2 of my trip to Johor’s Desaru Coast. Well, the wait is over, because I’m about to share the entirety of my second day at Desaru Coast, from the great opening of L’Étape Malaysia to the delectable meal I had for supper at D’Laksamana Seafood.
The day of the launch of L’Étape Malaysia started excruciatingly early. I woke up at 4 in the morning to get ready for the day, and the only thing that powered me through to get up was breakfast – breakfast at a hotel makes everything better – and Lotus Desaru Beach Resort & Spa proves my point. The resort had an extensive menu for their breakfast buffet at their Sea View dining hall. They had everything and anything, from roti canai and curry chicken – which was just exquisite – to pastries like croissants and even nasi lemak.
The best part is the breathtaking vista you’ll see while eating breakfast. Of course, I didn’t get to watch it since I had breakfast at 5 a.m., but you’d get the essence of it.
After devouring their breakfast like there’s no tomorrow, we proceeded to the starting line for the big opening of L’Étape Malaysia. The beautiful view of the launch was quite spectacular. Yellow, blue, and orange hues flooded the sky, as the sun slowly rose and hundreds of cyclists moved towards the starting line, gearing up for the best ride of their lives down the coast.
This year’s L’Étape Malaysia drew over 4,700 men and women cyclists, making it the second largest L’Étape event behind France’s, with people from all walks of life – gorgeous people, mind you – gathering to share a common passion for cycling. You could almost feel the adrenaline pumping through their veins as you heard the blasting siren indicating the start of their race, and saw each participant’s eagerness to cross the finish line.
After the race, the Festival Village was bustling with riders, friends, and family members who had arrived to meander about and enjoy the festivities. The event was totally stretched out with loads of entertainment, such as live French music at the Amphitheatre, and a food festival filled with various delicacies ranging from tasty otak-otak to thirst-quenching mango juice.
I also got the opportunity to mingle with several hot cyclists (emphasis on the hot) while they rested after their amazing race. Some were overjoyed to have taken part in the big launch of L’Étape Malaysia, while others were regretful they joined the 140km race, and faring poorly – but at least they gave it their all. We also got to speak with Muhammad Elmi Jumari, the men’s champion in the 140km individual category!
After that, we were whisked away to the Westin Hotel for lunch at the Seasonal Tastes restaurant. While their supper selections were delicious, their lunch alternatives were not to be disregarded. Malaysian, Western, Chinese, and Indian food were all available throughout the restaurant, allowing customers to take a plate and eat to their hearts’ delight. Although the lunch was great, it couldn’t compete with their dinner buffet, which was hands-down superior.
After a much-needed respite after lunch – which God knew we needed – it was dinnertime, and that necessitated a visit to another dining venue. This time, we were brought to a different restaurant, D’Laksamana Seafood, which beautifully capped off the entire weekend.
If you enjoy seafood as much as I do, this is the place for you. We were drowned in seafood as they delivered us the night’s most appealing and tantalising meals. I’m talking about ikan tiga rasa, tomyam, sotong celup tepung, ketam, and udang buttermilk – forget food coma, you’ll pass out after finishing your plate! Every dish they provided was incredibly exquisite, and it was by far the greatest supper we had on the trip.
That brings us to the end of our trip to Johor’s Desaru Coast! We had a great time throughout the trip, most of all over seeing the debut of Malaysia’s inaugural cycling event, L’Étape Malaysia. Plus, all of the delicious cuisine we ate, from Seasonal Taste to D’Laksamana, will undoubtedly entice us to return to Johor.
Till our next LipTrip!
More on travelling? Read these:
Be Fly When You Fly: 5 Airport Fashion Inspos That Let You Travel In Style (And Comfort)
https://lipstiq.com/travels/185914/ready-to-roll-our-pick-of-top-post-pandemic-travel-destinations-in-2022/
