11 Things that are a Must to Bring to Redang Island!

What to expect in Pulau Redang or what need to bring to Redang Island, right? That’s what I searched in Google before I went to Redang Island but I found none.

Everybody also hope to make the best of every moments that we spend in our holiday right? So, I will compile a list that I feel is a neccesity to bring before you go to Pulau Redang.

Here is the list:

1. Sunglasses.
It’s obvious right? The sun glare is very painful to our eyes. Without sunglasses, you cannot really enjoy the beauty of the beaches. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses with UV protection and you are ready to go!

2. Contact Lens.
With your glasses, it would very difficult for you to really enjoy the beach and snorkeling to the fullest. Imagine that you have to change between your glasses and your sunglasses when you enjoying your trip or worry about your glasses when you are playing with the sands or swimming in the sea especially when you are snorkeling. Imagine with your limited visibility, how are you going to be able to fully enjoy the beauty of the underwater world? So, invest in one day contact lenses.

3. Beach Wear.
What else? Haha… Will you be wearing long sleeves and slacks with black, shiny shoes to Redang Island? Come on, relax, man! What was the point of going to holiday trips? So, buy the T-shirts and beach wears. Relax and enjoy! And ya, the T-shirts at the Merang Jetty are quite cheap. The prices of the T-shirts are around RM8 (normal T-shirt, partial cotton material) – RM13 (with foil print). Remember to negotiate the prices with them.

4. Flip-flops.
Don’t wear shoes. With all the sands, you will feel very very uncomfortable. Should the sands go into your sandals or flip-flops, you can easily clear the sands by turning them upside down. You can buy those filp-flops at the stalls at Merang Jetty, the prices are quite cheap (I have personally checked. I regretted I didn’t buy some of them when I was there.)

5. Jacket.
Yes. Why bring a jacket to a hot and humid Redang Island? Am I crazy to suggest it as a necessity? Haha… Don’t be so judgmental. If you are travelling by airplane, then you don’t have to bring this but if you are travelling by bus, jacket is a must. Imagine travelling at night in a bus for at least 6 hours, you will freeze like hell. So prepare a good jacket that can keep you warm and cozy the whole bus trip.

6. Motion sickness pill.
For those of you who are sea sick or have motion sickness, this pill is a must. Everybody also hope to enjoy their trip to the fullest, right? I saw many people always dread their boat trips and they suffer through them. Vomiting or feeling uneasy or butterflies in the stomach. These feelings really make our vacation spirit down. Pop in the pill and sleep through the boat trips and wake up fresh (Maybe a bit dizzy. Side effects of motion sickness pill but better than those bad feelings, right?).  Buy many of the motion sickness pills and give some to your family members or your friends in case they need it.

7. Neck Cushion.
I am not sure about you but for me, it’s a must. I forgot to bring it during my trip to Redang Island and it had caused me to have very uncomfortable sleep during my bus trips and boat trips. Maybe I am tall and the height of the seats is really unkind towards my neck. Get an inflatable neck cushion to save space.

8. Snacks.
Ya and buy many of them. You will need the snacks when the sun sets. When it’s night, practically, you don’t have many activities to do at the beach except star-gazing with your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend or writing love expressions on the sands and taking pictures of them. So, while playing card games/board games or just chatting, the snacks will come handy. You can actually buy at the gift shops or mini-markets there but the selections are few and quite expensive. You can say that I am cheapskate but I just don’t like to pay extra price of the same thing if I can get it cheaper. I am referring to my local visitors, if you are from overseas, you should try some local snacks like Twisties or Potato Chips.

9. Water bottle.
Yup. If you have extra cash to burn, you can buy from the hotel or mini-markets. If not, bring one food-grade 1.5 liters water bottle and you can get refill of normal water from your hotel’s restaurant for free. Remember to ask for it and the hotel staffs will usually give and don’t try to get it from the buffet, because it’s not a very good habit. Sorry if you are offended about this suggestion cause this is meant for budget conscious people like us. As I said, if you don’t like this type of method, you can always buy the water.

10. Your camera marine pack or digital camera waterproof case (plastic-made)
This is the most regrettable item that I didn’t bring to Redang Island. Trust me, the money that you spend buying the waterproof case whether the marine pack or the plastic one is very well spent. Every penny that you spend on the waterproof will be worthwhile when you see all the pictures that you have taken. Actually, I am researching one particular brand for waterproof case called Dicapac. If you have tried it before, please comment and give your review.

11. Goggles for Snorkeling.
For those of you who likes sports, I suggest that you buy your own goggles because believe me, you will be addicted to snorkeling or scuba diving. Another is that it’s more hygienic because the rented goggles are being used by so many people. Invest in a better one and get one that comes with air filter for cleaner air.

12. Snorkeling shoes.
This is a must. I saw many of the snorkelers use this to protect them from corals or any sharp objects on the beach or on the sea floor. Usually, when you walk into the beach, there will be a lot of dead corals, small stones and sometimes broken glasses. So, a good pair of snorkeling shoes will give peace of mind when you walk into the sea. I saw one particular pair of snorkeling shoes that I like. It’s transparent with a shade of blue and during the snorkeling, the shoes shines like crystal. It’s very mesmerizing.

13. Sun block lotions.
For those of who are afraid of dark skin or the harmful UV rays, invest in a good sun block lotion. It will indeed help to protect you and also keep you rather fair after your holiday trip. My girlfriend and I used Lancome sun block lotion and it had kept us rather fair. Even, my friends doubted whether we had went to Redang Island.

Last by not least, remember to bring your smile and happiness to the trip and enjoy it to the fullest. Have a great trip ahead. See ya!

That’s what I can think of for now. If you have anything to add in, feel free to add in the comment box.