Malaysia offers a vibrant culture, easy access to other regional economic hubs and attractive investment returns in a young and dynamic country that will likely see sustained economic growth in the decade ahead.

According to a 2020 study from Juwai, an international property market platform, the country now ranks among the top five preferred countries for Asian real estate investors, with Johor placing in the top five buyer destinations within Malaysia. Juwai IQI’s Malaysia Residential Property Index 2020 also notes continued confidence in the country's real estate market despite COVID-19, with Johor having the highest projected average property price increases compared to other states.

On Johor’s Desaru Coast, recent economic and infrastructure developments have indeed transformed the destination into a desirable market for real estate investors looking for beachfront properties.

“The current global pandemic has reshaped the real estate market in destinations like Desaru Coast that benefit from a prime beachfront location, luxury offerings and connection to major cities,” said Mr. Micah Tamthai, Vice President of Real Estate, Minor International. “It has underscored the importance of nature and space, wellness and well-being, and working or running a business from virtually anywhere. All of these trends have positively affected demand for products that address them – including our Anantara-branded luxury residences.”

“For those who are looking to earn rental returns from their real estate investment, we are seeing a similar shift in demand in the tourism industry,” added Mr. Tamthai. “With the pandemic reviving interest in domestic tourism and with off-the-beaten-path destinations like Desaru Coast now accessible to a more diverse group of travellers, we think the timing could not be better for those looking to benefit from first-mover advantage as a pioneering investor in this nascent market.”

Hotel room rates have been steadily rising in Desaru Coast and are expected to continue to perform well post-pandemic. In their March 2021 market report on Desaru, Horwath HTL – a hotel, tourism and leisure consulting firm – notes that recent openings of the first luxury hotels in the area have created pent-up demand for higher-end accommodation, and these hotels have enjoyed healthy occupancy because of their unique positioning, differentiated product offerings and lower room numbers.

To encourage domestic and international tourism, the Malaysian government has conceived a multi-billion-dollar Desaru Coast Master Development Plan, aimed at creating a premium integrated destination for those seeking an authentic beachside experience. Desaru Coast now features a variety of hotels and resorts, two championship golf courses, an adventure waterpark, a waterfront retail village and a convention centre, with a wellness centre, duty-free shopping and more retail spaces being planned in the near future. Additional infrastructure will include a jetty terminal connecting Desaru Coast to the future Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal and a bridge potentially linking nearby Pengerang to Changi, to further boost travel from and to Singapore and beyond.

Minor International, one of the largest hospitality, restaurant and lifestyle companies in Asia Pacific, is the co-developer of Anantara Desaru Coast Residences, the destination’s first resort branded residences, together with Themed Attractions Resorts & Hotels (TAR&H), a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad. Anantara Desaru Coast Residences features 20 three- and four-bedroom luxury villas – each with between 3,100 to 6,426 square feet of fully furnished living space, a private infinity pool and direct access to the beach. The residences are situated along 17 kilometers of pristine beach facing the South China Sea and managed, maintained and serviced year-round by the five-star Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas. Owners and residents benefit from full access to the resort’s world-class facilities, including a private beach, a lagoon pool, an ocean-fronting infinity pool, Anantara Spa, a fitness centre, kids’ and teens’ clubs and a variety of restaurants.

Anantara Desaru Coast Residences’ three- and four-bedroom private pool villas are available for purchase at a starting price of MYR 7.5 million. For information about Anantara Desaru Coast Residences, please visit www.anantaradesaru-residences.com. A private viewing can be arranged by contacting +60 19 241 2296 or [email protected].