Desaru Family Adventure : Sprint Triathlon, EV Road Trip & Beach Memories

Our Desaru trip was filled with unexpected moments from our first long distance EV road trip and rainy weather to sudden fever that changed some of our plans. While our eldest had to miss the Kids Sprint Triathlon after falling sick, daddy proudly completed his first ever Sprint Triathlon, ticking off one of his bucket list goals. Despite everything not going according to plan, we slowed down, embraced the changes, spent time at the beach, and returned home with memories and new lessons for our next adventure.

What We Did

Day 1 – Our First EV Road Trip to Desaru.

Set off on our first family road trip in an electric vehicle. Learned how EV charging works and planned charging stops along the journey. Arrived safely in Johor, checked into an AirBnB with a slide in the living room, super kids friendly, the kids had a blast just staying in the AirBnB. We had dinner at the Chinese restaurant downstairs, excited for the race weekend ahead.

Day 2 – Plans Changed, Family Came First.

Our eldest woke up feeling unwell and had to withdraw from the Kids Sprint Triathlon she had been looking forward to. I was also down with a headache, so we rested together in the hotel while Daddy took the other three kids to enjoy the beach. Ordered dinner in and had an early night, hoping everyone would recover for the next day and no one else get sick.

Day 3 – Race Day & A Perfect Beach Afternoon.

Daddy completed his first Sprint Triathlon under the rough sea conditions, he swam 750m, followed by a 20km cycle and 5km run. The kids and I woke up feeling much better and rushed to the finish line but arrived just three minutes after Daddy crossed it! Celebrated together over breakfast before exploring the event village, where the kids enjoyed games and activities. Returned to the finish line for family photos before spending the afternoon by the pool and beach.

Although the weather was cool with on and off rain, the beach was calm, breezy and surprisingly perfect. We spent over six hours outdoors, pool, beach, building sandcastles, playing in the waves and simply enjoying nature together.

Day 4 – A Relaxed Journey Home.

Slept in without an alarm, enjoyed breakfast, packed up and headed home. Completed our return journey in the EV with much more confidence, learning how driving speed affects battery efficiency and we manage to drive home from Desaru without charging at all.

✅ What Worked

Our first EV road trip turned out smoother than expected especially on the way home and we learned a lot about charging and maximizing battery efficiency.

Daddy achieved one of his bucket list goals by completing the Sprint Triathlon.

The kids recovered quickly and still had an amazing time at the beach and festival despite missing one of the races.

Spending an entire afternoon at the beach became the highlight of the trip. The cool breeze, ocean and slower pace made it one of our favourite family moments.

Flexibility helped us enjoy the trip even when plans changed unexpectedly.

❌ What Didn't Work

Our eldest had to withdraw from the Kids Sprint Triathlon due to a sudden fever, which was disappointing as she had been looking forward to it.

I developed a headache during the trip, so part of second day was spent resting in the hotel room instead of exploring.

We missed Daddy's finish line by just a few minutes after rushing over from the hotel.

The weather was rainy throughout the weekend, although the on and off showers didn't stop us from enjoying the beach.

🍜 Where to Eat

🍜 Restoran Kuang Fei (Tangkak Beef Noodles)

Address: 20 Jalan Solok, Kampung Padang Lalang, 84900 Tangkak, Johor

What we ordered :

Beef noodles x 4

Mixed beef soup (without noodles) x 2

This was our lunch stop on the way to Desaru, and it turned out to be one of our favorite food of the trip. The beef was tender, the broth was rich and flavourful, or maybe everything tasted comforting after a long drive.

The portions were on the smaller side, which actually worked out well because it is just the right portion for my kids, we ended up ordering more than just 3 bowls of noodles .. Would we come back? Absolutely. It's worth making a stop if you're driving between Kuala Lumpur and Desaru.

💜 Family Tips

Expect the unexpected. Kids can fall sick even after months of looking forward to an event. Having a flexible mindset makes it much easier to adapt.

Pack a small medicine kit. Basic medications and a thermometer can make a huge difference when travelling with children. Don't let the weather stop you. We had on and off rain throughout the weekend, but still managed to enjoy the beach, festival and outdoor activities.

If you're driving an EV, plan your charging stops. This was our first long distance EV road trip, and we learned that maintaining a steady speed (around 120 km/h worked well for us) helped improve battery efficiency and reduced the need for frequent charging.

The best memories aren't always the perfectly planned ones. Some of our favourite moments came after our plans changed from spending hours at the beach to simply slowing down and enjoying time together.