The other side of Rawa
We started day two in Rawa with a jungle trek up to the top of the island. The trail was nicely laid out for us with concrete steps that led the way (and provided an exhausting gluteal workout as well!).
The view from the top of Rawa was spectacular as you can see in the photo to the left. The island is really narrow, so we could see the different landscapes of the opposite sides from one vantage point. The side we stayed on has the island's only beach, and the water is fairly calm. The side opposite the beach is very rocky and the current is extremely strong (as we later found out in the day... more to come on this later in the story).
After taking in the view from the top, we made our way back down the hill and took a different path that goes around the base of the island. We discovered that Rawa Safaris is quite expansive, with villas along the hillside.
While exploring this part of the island, we ran into the manager of the resort (his name is Tom). I asked him about the prices of the villas (because they looked really modern and nice), and surprisingly, he asked, "Do you want to try one out?" At first, I thought Tom was joking because he has a dry, almost sarcastic attitude. However, he wasn't. We later discovered this was a blessing.
The view from the top of Rawa was spectacular as you can see in the photo to the left. The island is really narrow, so we could see the different landscapes of the opposite sides from one vantage point. The side we stayed on has the island's only beach, and the water is fairly calm. The side opposite the beach is very rocky and the current is extremely strong (as we later found out in the day... more to come on this later in the story).
After taking in the view from the top, we made our way back down the hill and took a different path that goes around the base of the island. We discovered that Rawa Safaris is quite expansive, with villas along the hillside.
While exploring this part of the island, we ran into the manager of the resort (his name is Tom). I asked him about the prices of the villas (because they looked really modern and nice), and surprisingly, he asked, "Do you want to try one out?" At first, I thought Tom was joking because he has a dry, almost sarcastic attitude. However, he wasn't. We later discovered this was a blessing.
View of our beach from above
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The trail around the island
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Before moving into our new digs, Joe and I decided to have an adventure and went kayaking in the ocean. At first, the experience was great. We took off from our side of the island into the calm water, enjoying the scenery. We joked about who could paddle faster (of course, this was Joe's forte) and set a goal of going around the entire island. This was a bad idea.
When we made it to the opposite side of the island, we discovered the water was extremely choppy and it was difficult to control the kayak. It was eerie being away from the civilized side of the island and it felt almost as if we were lost at sea. And to top things off, poor Joe got seasick from being thrown around, leaving (poor) me with the responsibility of getting us back to the other side. My muscles ached and the skin on my hands was rubbed raw from the paddles, but I pushed through. And, Joe avoided hurling into the ocean (we were afraid it might attract sharks!). It was both a triumph and a relief when we finally reached home base!
When we made it to the opposite side of the island, we discovered the water was extremely choppy and it was difficult to control the kayak. It was eerie being away from the civilized side of the island and it felt almost as if we were lost at sea. And to top things off, poor Joe got seasick from being thrown around, leaving (poor) me with the responsibility of getting us back to the other side. My muscles ached and the skin on my hands was rubbed raw from the paddles, but I pushed through. And, Joe avoided hurling into the ocean (we were afraid it might attract sharks!). It was both a triumph and a relief when we finally reached home base!
Our villa on the hill
After this adventure, all I wanted was a nice air conditioned room to relax in... and luckily, the villa we moved into provided this! The villas are a newer addition to the resort, and are very nice. Our new room was a stark difference from our bungalow on the beach! We celebrated as we cranked the air down to 18 degrees celcius. If you plan to visit Rawa, I recommend booking a villa. Thank goodness I asked about it!
To end the active day, we relaxed on the pier and enjoyed the ocean and the stars. It was a serene and romantic way to end our trip!
To end the active day, we relaxed on the pier and enjoyed the ocean and the stars. It was a serene and romantic way to end our trip!
Our new room
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View from our room
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Waiting on the pier for our boat to take us back to the mainland... bye Rawa!
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