The Destination
Figure 1 . A view from the marina. Olympus E-1 28mm ISO 100 1/50sec f5.0 Aperture Priority.
Sebana Cove Marina resort is located about an hour’s drive from Singapore, along the same stretch of road a lot of Singaporeans are familiar with, leading to the famous Desaru beach in the eastern part of Johor. Quiet, peaceful and also easily assessable by ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Singapore, it provides a good weekend retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life.
I had a chance to spend one weekend there with my family and some friends and despite some reservations I had initially that it might be dull and boring, the time we spent there turned out to be quite enjoyable.
Figure 2 . Another view from the marina. Olympus E-1 27mm ISO 100 1/500sec f5.0.
Stop over and lunch at Nearby Desaru
We reached Desaru about noon, and everyone wants to have a few rounds on the go-cart. As for me, I saw the opportunity to try something I rarely had a chance to do with my camera… panning shots.
An absolute beginner in this technique, I tried a few shots, and before long, decided I still have a long way to go. Here’s a sample.
Figure 3 . Panning shot. Olympus E-1 42mm ISO 400 1/15sec f22 Shutter Priority.
Splashing Good Time
Check-in is at 3pm and after that it’s splashing good time at the pool. I was exhausted after the swimming, or rather splashing session, so all plans for an evening stroll around the area with my camera was hastily scrapped.
Well, Sebana Cove resort is not a place abundant with activities. Not much you can do when night falls. A boat trip down the river to watch fireflies is available, but I only knew about it the next morning. It would be exciting to see how the boatman finds his way down the river in total darkness! Well, maybe they have the fireflies to guide them!!!
Boat House Tavern
The main dining area overlooking the marina and swimming pool is where we had our dinner. A sumptuous barbeque buffet dinner. A special note of thanks has to be extended to our gracious ‘host’ for the wonderful dinner.
Figure 4 . Dinner at Boat House Tavern. Olympus E-1 14mm ISO 800 1/15sec f3.5.
The grilled steak deserves special mention. It is my favourite for the night. Loved the tender meat and dripping juicy slices of fats… sounds sinful nothing else comes close.
Morning Has Broken
Morning comes and I was up and out before dawn. Something I tried to do every time I travel or stayed in a new place. This time of day provides good photographic opportunities and the morning at Sebana Cove is no exception.
Figure 5 . Swimming Pool. Olympus E-1 14mm ISO 100 1/20sec f5.6.
All in all, we had a nice time and I thought I had some good shots. Hop over to the Showcase area for the photos. As usual, comments are welcomed. All photos taken with Olympus E-1, 14-42mm f3.5-f5.6.
What’s good :
- Peaceful, quiet and natural surroundings.
- Beautiful sceneries at the marina provides good backdrop for wedding / honeymoon photography.
- Close to home and only a couple hours drive at the most.
- Good accommodation and facilities.
- Great food.
- Only a few minutes drive to Desaru beach.
What’s not :
- Slightly pricey. (However, they do have some good promotions occasionally. Do check their website for details.)
- May be too quiet/boring for some, especially at night. Honeymooning couples might not complain.