It was about 2 hours drive from Singapore to Tanjong Leman. After that it's only a short boat trip to Pulau Sibu. The sea was rough on the day we arrived so we have to alight at Coconut Village on Pulau Sibu, follow by a 15 minutes jungle track to the other side of island, Sea Gypsy Village. The staff took care of our luggage so we have time to enjoy the short jungle track. The beach and sea are clean and nice. It was a wanderful short break for us.

We had a fabulous weekend here with friends. The location is absolutely spectacular - wide, soft, sandy beach, turquoise water, just beautiful. We had a family villa a few meters from the beach. Accommodation was basic but comfortable. No hot water or air con but beds were clean and soft - it all felt a bit like camping but with beds and a bathroom. The resort itself is a little strange...there were very few guests when we were there so perhaps things were winding down for the end of the season but the staff were all a bit random. Everybody was very pleasant but not particularly engaged. My husband was behind the bar mixing his own drinks as the usual bar man was sick and nobody else knew how to mix the cocktails. Generally though, it all added to the fantastically laid back vibe of the place. Food was very good ( although note that afternoon tea is not included in the price - this wasn't made clear to us until after we'd eaten it!) I think based on the resort alone I'd give Sea Gypsy a 3 star rating but we just had such a good time, the beach is so great and the set up so good for families that I have to give it 4.

We have stopped here twice recently (july and september 2011). Had a great stay both times, The pick ups from Tanjung Leman worked well and arriving on the dive boat, wading up the beach made it very exciting for our 2 boys (aged 6 and 9) - a real desert island. The accomodatio is in simple wooden huts set just back from the beach and surrounded by palm trees and casurinas. The huts a re basic, a family chalet consisting of 2 bedrooms opening off a verandah, with a shared shower room behind. The chalets have only cold awter, but when it is hot, this is not much of an issue. ONe bedroom has a kingsize bed complete with mosquito net, the other has twin bunk beds, so could accomodate a family of 6. We found the bedding spotlessly clean, and although there are only fans ( no air con) we did not find it to hot.
The beach is wonderful - soft sand, safe swimming. The meals are served in one sitting as a buffet with 2 or 3 choices and are adequate. The kids club is small and friendly and our boys enjoyed Tshirt painting and other activities. The whole resort feels very safe and the children enjoyed being able to wander around by themselves. The snorkelling trip to a nearby islet was fantastic - enjoyed by all 4 of us, we have also been jetty jumping and on a trip to nearby Pulau Tinggi to walk to a waterfall through the jungle with a well earned dip inthe pool at the end. we will definately go back. This is not a place for those who want night life or haut cuisine or luxury, but for laid back chilling out by the beach with no TV/wi-fi/mobile phones it is a wonderful desert island escape.

If you like an authentic resort experience and genuine hospitality, SGV is for you. If you like aircon, manicures, jet skis and the designer crowd, SGV is not for you. Simple.

From an antipodean perspective it's ideal - it's a no nonsense, no frills, no worries property. There's nothing unnecessary (e.g. pool, hot showers, aircon, pedicures) but everything necessary (e.g. great beach, super amenities (petanque, volley ball, all water sports), lovely staff, kid's club, side trips, decent bathrooms, healthy tasty food, great beach, well stocked bar, and well designed tasteful digs).

Most of all we liked the staff. Richard (pirate and ops manager), Will and Sam were a treat. Richard shared his 1000 watt smile, and 150% genuineness, he’s a kid magnet, and totally professional. Likewise Will and Sam. It's a family affair - Richard's mother Lynn does supply chain and bookings. Altogether this is a well run operation, and we soon felt like part of the SGV family.

Befitting its idyllic location, access is not easy. A wee jetty a few miles from Mersing (in turn a lot of miles from either Johor Bahru or KL), gives onto a great motorboat ride, then you hop off in the surf. No worries – but NOT recommended for the elderly and infirm. It’s a 4-5 hour drive from Melaka, or Lynne can sort out transfers. Given that, you’ll want to stay at least 3-4 days.

For families we recommend the family chalets. H0 is best - right next to the beach. Genius design - decent bathroom accessed from both a 4 kid bunkroom (airy and spacious) and couple's retreat bedroom. While the 1st two nights were steamy, we didn’t pine for aircon. The ceiling fan does the job and the ocean breeze comes through your shutters ... We found the bure style one room villa we initially booked a bit crunchy for ourselves and the pre-teen, so if you’re going with kids splash out a little more and keep your sanity.

The other guests were mainly Euro folks from interesting places, a chilled bunch who appreciated good conversation and the well stocked bar. The mix changes in the weekend when a younger and more lively Singaporean crowd arrive – the choice is yours! Other visitors were the sultan's deer - we liked them and I noticed Will feeding them, but they ate Richard's flowers :-)

Overall SGV is off the scale for hospitality, authentic local-ness, service, cleanliness, design, eco-friendliness, and location. Downsides are out of Richard's control - plastics pollution on the beaches not cleaned by the resorts, and little bitey creatures in the shallows - take antihistamine cream if you're reactive. Other resorts - the aircon resort on the eastern side of the island just up from SGV looked awful . Loud techno in the bar, dodgy maintenance, overall nasty. Other options - Rimba on the western side looked great. Very chilled, small boutique and couples oriented, with great snorkelling just off the beach (SGV has sand only).

Seems to me either you're a SGV kind of person or you're not ... which means you'll either love it or hate it. The acid test: if you absolutely must have aircon SGV is not for you.