By TAN BEE HONG

In city hotels, even those that claim to have resort-style activities, there is always the temptation for everyone to do their own thing. It wouldn't be unusual to find the mother at the spa, the father at the golf course, daughter at the mall and son at the theme park.

So it is such a pleasure to see families doing things together - from fun activities to swimming and nature walks - at the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort in Tuaran, Sabah. The resort has a 3km beach, the only such beach on the west coast of Sabah

All That's Fun

After all, the 45-minute drive from the capital of Kota Kinabalu discourages thoughts of wandering off on one's own, especially when there is so much going on at the resort. There's something for all ages and for families to do together. Long lists of daily activities for each day of the week are pasted on notice boards all over like:

Sunday: Tai Qi, Bike Ride to Tuaran, Blowpipe Competition, Life-Jacket Diving

Monday: Crazy Walkway Challenge, Cooking Demonstration, Kitchen Band Performance

Tuesday: Bike Ride to Terayong Village, Table Tennis competition, Beach Soccer

Wednesday: Tai Qi, Kayaking, Coconut Leaf Weaving, Cultural Performance

Thursday: Fun Water Exercise, Congkak, Chopsticks Lessons

Friday: Tai Qi, Fun Pool Competition, Cooking Demonstration

Saturday: Bike Ride to Terayong Village, Napkin Folding Class, Horseshoe Game, Petangue

Some activities, like Water Volleyball and Beach Volleyball are on everyday. Add to that the golf driving range, an All Terrain Vehicle Safari, Lepa-lepa boat cruise, horseback riding, river cruises and crab catching and fishing.

A Little Wild

In the hills behind the resort is the Nature Interpretation Centre where visitors can watch juvenile orang utans and macaques at feeding stations or go for walks in the nature reserve set up in collaboration with the Sabah Wildlife Department in 1996.

There are walks of varying durations designed to suit individual preferences, depending on whether you like watching birds, learning about plants and insects or spy on nocturnal animals like porcupine, bear cats and civet cats. All walks are supervised by rangers.

Food & Beverage

Though one may not get to town, food is not a problem as Rasa Ria has a good choice of restaurants serving local and international food. In fact, its Naan - Flavours of India was awarded Best Restaurant for Indian Cuisine at the Tourism Awards 2007.

The Coffee Terrace opens all day long from 6.30am to 10.30pm while Naan and fine-dine outlet Coast are open for dinner.

In the evenings Tepi Laut is transformed into Makan Street to reflect the Malaysian shop-house ambience, with the various 'shops' offering different types of cuisine.

But before dinner, stop by for a drink at Sampan Bar on the beach where every evening, a sunset ritual takes place. Two young guests of the resort are handpicked and dressed in native outfits as part of the ritual where 'warriors' do a sword dance and a fire dance.

Different Wings

Guests at Rasa Ria can choose to stay at either the Garden Wing or the spanking new Ocean Wing with 90 sea-facing, spacious premier rooms designed to offer greater privacy.

Even checking-in is personalised in the rooms although, if you want to feel like a celebrity, ask to arrive at the Garden Wing lobby where, as soon as you alight from the car, the beat of a gong prompts the gamelan musician to change the tune to one that will alert all staff members of your arrival.

But the spacious Ocean Wing rooms are really neat. Spread over a floor area of 90 square metres each and furnished in cheerful colours that reflect Sabah's natural environment, they are well-equipped with all the trappings of comfort and modern needs, including broadband Internet access.

Outdoor Bath

Each room in the Ocean Wing has an impressively huge terrace, almost two-thirds the size of the room with a private oversized bath for two.

Director of communications Regina Sulit assures me that bathers are not visible from any of the other rooms and adds that whose who prefer it, can curtain off the bath.

In any case, there is something provocatively sensuous about indulging in an outdoor bath, especially one of that size. For that special bath, therapists come along at appointed times (evening is best for watching the sunset).

There is a choice of My First Bubble Bath with grapefruit and lavender oils (RM88 per person), a Revitalising Bath with sea minerals and peppermint oil (RM128 per person inclusive of a 15-minute foot bath) and a Lovers' Bath with oils of ylang-ylang, patchouli and clary sage (RM280 per couple inclusive of chocolates and two glasses of Moet & Chandon champagne).

However, with a bath this size, it is a little hard to keep from sliding along the bottom and I wish there is a bath mat available.

Scented Slumber

At bedtime, guests can also choose an aroma-therapy treat from a scent menu. There's Lemongrass with its warm and spicy aroma for calming and de-stressing, sweet Jasmine that lifts the spirits for a sense of well-being, fruity Markisa for that delicious feeling of a warm, tropical day and intoxicating Frangipani to restore balance to the senses.

Ocean Wing guests also have access to a private free-form pool and 30m lap pool as well as breakfast at the Coast that offers a pretty extensive a la carte menu to complement its buffet spread selections of bread, cold cuts, fruit, salad and juices.

And every Wednesday evening, Ocean Wing guests are invited for cocktails at the poolside from 5.30pm.

Hole And Bunker

As it has the only golf course in Sabah with an aquatic driving range, Rasa Ria is popular with golfers. The 18-hole Par 72 Dalit Bay Golf Club has a prime wetland course bounded by the Tambalang and Mengkabong Rivers and golfers claim that 'water comes into every play'.

To top this, the resort has been awarded ISO14001 for its environmental management system that recycles and reuses its utilities. For instance, water from its sewerage plant is released into the many ponds and used to water the green and the management has carried out replanting of mangroves.

The club house also houses a spa where one can wind down and get revitalised after a game. Get pampered with treatments based on native rituals and therapies.

Fast Facts

Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia operate daily flights to Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur. The resort is 45 minutes by road from the airport.

Ocean Wing rooms are from RM1,020 per night, inclusive of buffet breakfast in Coast Restaurant, exclusive use of the Ocean Wing swimming pool and personal check-in.

Until Dec 31, Rasa Ria is offering a three-night X-Dream Package in a Deluxe Garden View Room from RM1,089 per person. The package includes daily buffet breakfast and return airport transfer as well as a one-hour massage treatment, a half-day island cruise, nature reserve excursion, 1 and a half hours ATV safari, a round of golf and 15 minutes jetski.

For reservations, contact Rasa Ria Resort at 6-088-792 888 or fax 6-088-792 777. Or logon to www.shangri-la.com.