02/11/2025

ON SUNDAY November 2, 2025 theSunday Special III

Temple Tree Heritage Resort

Sementra Nature Resort

mentra Nature Resort, nestled between OLPHVWRQH FOL̆ V DQG MXQJOH SRQGV R̆ HUV FKDOHWV ZLWK QR ZL ¿ DQG D VRXQGVFDSH dominated by frogs and cicadas. At Earth &DPS HFR ORGJHV EXLOW IURP QDWXUDO materials provide solar lighting and com munal kitchens, encouraging meaningful conversations away from screens. Semporna, Sabah: Floating calm in the archipelago Far from the mainland, the waters of Semporna provide unique homes on stilts or pontoons. Aqua Lodge, built HQWLUHO\ DERYH VHD OHYHO R̆ HUV EDVLF ÀRDW ing chalets powered by solar energy. Mobile reception is weak and island power shuts down at night – leaving guests to enjoy uninterrupted sunsets and moonlit WLGHV )RU D WUXO\ RII JULG H[SHULHQFH Kalapuan Island homestays allow visitors to live among the Bajau Laut community, disconnected from the digital world and immersed in ocean rhythms.

In Sabah, some of the most remote homes are found along the Semporna archipelago, where stays on water chalets RU VWLOWV R̆ HU QR ZL ¿ DQG OLPLWHG FRQ nectivity. Life here moves with the tides. At night, guests are lulled to sleep by WKH VRXQGV RI ZDYHV EHQHDWK WKHLU ÀRRU boards, rather than blue light streaming from screens. Where to unplug: Remote homes WKDW KHOS \RX VZLWFK R̆ While the desire to escape is universal, the settings that enable true disconnection are often tucked away in Malaysia’s quieter FRUQHUV )URP UDLQIRUHVW FKDOHWV WR ÀRDW ing lake homes, here are several isolated stays designed to support digital detoxing – not by luxury, but by the intentional absence of modern distractions. Janda Baik, Pahang: Forest air and stream-fed silence Set just under an hour from Kuala Lum pur, Janda Baik has long been a favourite for those seeking cooler temperatures and greenery. Embun Luxury Villas is a prime example – designed with open decks, no televisions and minimal digital interference. Its proximity to brooks and forest trails means mornings are spent in silence, not scrolls. At Tiarasa Escapes, treehouses and safari tents are nestled XQGHU FHQWXU\ ROG WUHHV DQG YLVLWRUV DUH encouraged to leave their devices behind and explore on foot. Langkawi, Kedah: Unhurried island living Beyond the main tourist areas, Langkawi’s northern coast holds secret stays that help slow things down. At Temple Tree Heritage Resort, heritage houses from around Malaysia have been reassembled into a stay that intentionally excludes WHOHYLVLRQV DQG SURPRWHV VFUHHQ IUHH evenings. Meanwhile, Ambong Pool Villas R̆ HUV UDLQIRUHVW ZUDSSHG UHWUHDWV ZKHUH mobile signal drops and daily rhythms return – hammocks replace emails and books take the place of browsers. Gopeng, Perak: Jungle therapy with limestone views T KRXJK 3HUDN KDV VHYHUDO ZHOO NQRZQ lake escapes, Gopeng’s position within a lush, tropical jungle makes it a strong contender for digital disconnection. Se

Kalapuan Island homestays

homestays are accessible only via jeep or long hikes. With no phone towers nearby, guests experience a full digital blackout. Lighting comes from oil lamps, cooking LV GRQH RYHU ZRRG ¿UHV DQG HYHQLQJV DUH spent in conversation or song. In these quiet highlands, time loses its urgency. Why Malaysians are seeking digital retreats Mental health experts have long advocated for periodic disconnection as a tool for SV\FKRORJLFDO ZHOO EHLQJ $FFRUGLQJ WR D 2023 study by the Health Ministry, 29% of Malaysians aged 16 and above experience mental health issues, citing stress and digital overload as contributing factors. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission also reported a VSLNH LQ VFUHHQ WLPH SRVW SDQGHPLF ZLWK 88.7% of users accessing the internet via smartphones. Digital detoxes can be powerful when combined with nature immersion. It’s not just about avoiding social media – it’s about engaging the senses again: Listen ing to natural sounds, feeling temperature shifts or watching clouds move. These cues help rewire attention spans and emotional regulation. F RU WKRVH ZRUNLQJ LQ KLJK SUHVVXUH XUEDQ VHWWLQJV WKHVH UHWUHDWV R̆ HU QRW MXVW a break but a recalibration. It’s telling that

some rental homes now request guests to sign “digital release” pledge agreements to JR VFUHHQ IUHH GXULQJ WKHLU VWD\ *XHVWV who comply report improved mood, deeper conversations and higher levels of presence. Finding your peace again The idea of a digital detox can seem daunting, especially when modern life is so deeply enmeshed with devices. But the growing number of isolated homes across Malaysia presents a practical entry point. These spaces, often built with care, humility and harmony with their VXUURXQGLQJV R̆ HU VRPHWKLQJ FLWLHV FDQ¶W space to pause. No two detoxes are the same. For some, it’s about healing burnout. For others, it’s DERXW ¿QGLQJ WLPH WR ZULWH UHFRQQHFW ZLWK family or simply stare into the void of a jungle canopy. Regardless of the reason, the act of retreating is an act of reclaiming DWWHQWLRQ ± RQH WKDW PD\ MXVW R̆ HU FODULW\ in a cluttered world. As we rethink wellness beyond just green juices or gym memberships and consider digital boundaries and time alone, these hidden homes may hold the blueprint for a new kind of balance. The good news? They’re already here, scat tered across Malaysia’s lakes, mountains and islands – quietly waiting.

When your phone stops dictating your day, you rediscover the joy of being present.”

Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan: Kampung quiet and heritage living O IWHQ RYHUORRNHG .XDOD 3LODK R̆ HUV VRPH of the most grounded kampung VW\OH retreats in Peninsular Malaysia. Restored wooden homes built on stilts sit on private land surrounded by fruit trees and hills. Some are over a century old, with no TVs RU ZL ¿ DQG PLQLPDO HOHFWULFLW\ XVH 7KH nights are dark, the air thick with the scent of lemon grass and the quiet is absolute. These homes let you relive a slower, analogue version of rural Malaysian life. Padawan Highlands, Sarawak: High-altitude solitude Sarawak’s Padawan Highlands, less explored than Borneo’s national parks, RIIHU FRRO FOLPDWH KRPHV KLGGHQ GHHS within Bidayuh villages. Many of these