Luxury in the jungle

IAN Jackson and Jen Kelly discover monkeys are not the only entertainment at Club Med's luxurious Cherating Beach Resort.

Cherating Beach Resort

IT was a tactical assault from above by a well-drilled army. The crack troops swooped from the ceilings on to a series of breakfast tables.

Guests scattered as the raiders grabbed their bounty and disappeared back to the rooftops as quickly as they had arrived. While the long-tailed macaques sat on the roof enjoying the spoils of their heist, our 18-month-old "monkey'' giggled at the flurry of activity and shovelled more steamed rice into her mouth. While these cheeky critters sometimes pop by unannounced for breakfast, they're also renowned for opening unlocked doors and windows and rifling through bags looking for food. Monkeys are not the only entertainment at Club Med's luxurious Cherating Beach resort on Malaysia's east coast. The resort has 324 rooms set on 80ha of sprawling, manicured lawns and gardens, set between pristine beachfront and unspoilt jungle. Monkeys amble across the rooftops and swing from the trees. A holiday there can be as adventurous or relaxing as visitors choose. Club Med was one of the pioneers of the all-inclusive holiday, so guests can eat, drink and try a huge variety of activities without paying extra. Stroll along the beach, swim in the South China Sea or paddle around the resort's huge pool facilities, which include a spa and wading area for children. The resort has daily water exercise sessions and a well-equipped fitness centre, or guests can try their hands at sailing, kayaking, wall-climbing, roller-blading or bungy-bouncing. Also available are tennis, table tennis, driving range and putting green, soccer balls, bocce, archery, trapeze lessons and yoga under palm trees as the waves roll in. Our favourite activity, however, was lying by the pool with cold drinks and trashy novels. Fun for the kids But as any parent knows, true holiday relaxation comes when you can off-load the children for the day and know they will be pampered and entertained. To that end, resort staff members are known as GOs – Gracious Organisers. They're a happy, enthusiastic bunch who will join you during meal times or for a pre-dinner drink to answer questions or just chat. They're fantastic with children. In the space of a week, our daughter went from hiding behind our legs when she saw them to taking their hands and wandering around the resort while we sipped our drinks. Our room included a cot, baby bath, change mat, bottle warmers, baby shampoo and food, while the main restaurant had high chairs, booster seats, jars of baby food and plastic plates, bowls and cutlery. But it was outside the room and restaurant that Club Med excelled. It has Petit Club Med for two to three-year-olds, Mini Club Med (four-10) and Passworld (11-17). Days are filled with GO-led activities such as swimming, tennis, trapeze and juggling at the circus school. Our daughter was too young to join Petit Club Med, but there was plenty to keep her occupied. She loved playing with other children, joining after-dinner activities with the GOs and singing and acrobatic shows performed by the multi-talented staff. At Club Med there is an emphasis on making sure there is something for everybody – big or small – to do, day and night. Meal times are no different. Make sure you pack your appetite, as you won't be bored when it comes to food. Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are an extravagant, sumptuous and endless buffet. The volume and variety of dishes on offer was staggering, ranging from Italian, Chinese, Malaysian and Korean to Japanese and Indian. Equally tempting was the idea of leaving our room to enjoy the fresh fruit, desserts and pastries. Each week, chefs prepare about 320 different dishes (and up to 2300 meals a day), many cooked on the spot. There are a number of day and half-day tours that are not included in the package. Not just a resort They include quad-bike riding along the beach and through the jungle, visits to an orchid farm, trips to the colourful morning market at nearby Kemaman, and shampoo-massages in a Chinese hair salon before strolling around the Pasar Malam night market. Club Med has renovated several resorts as part of a campaign to appeal to the luxury end of the market, but for us its attraction remains its suitability for affordable family holidays. If you've ever tried to budget for a holiday with children, only to see the bills balloon with extras, you'll love knowing what you'll get – and for how much – with Club Med. - The Sunday Times