While adapting to the 'new norm', I have realized how much we have taken Malaysia for granted all this while. Traveling to some only means going abroad, but the Covid-19 pandemic has made travelers like me to appreciate local tourism much in depth and I am thankful for this fulfilling experience. Coming from a tropical country with diverse people and culture, I can proudly say that Malaysia has so much to offer complying to the trendy slogan 'Malaysia Truly Asia'.
During the last long Raya Haji (Eid-Al Adha) weekend, I decided to explore a place that was running on my mind for quite sometime. The main reason I wanted to visit this place is because of its location in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia bordering the South China Sea, which many Malaysians from other regions of the country seldom visit due to the long journey. Unlike other parts in Malaysia, this state is homogenous in terms of it's people, with Malay ethnicity being the majority. Yes, it is none other than Terengganu.
Although it was a long weekend, I didn't want to cramp my holidays with so many places and hence I managed to visit the coastal city, Kuala Terengganu and some nearby places. We all know that Terengganu is famous for it's offshore idyllic islands and I didn't want to miss that opportunity as well. So, I drafted an itinerary (just on my mind) and decided to drive on my own all the way from Kuala Lumpur (K.L.) to Kuala Terengganu (K.T.) like a road trip and to do a quick island getaway as well. I have shared my journey on my Instagram story precisely and I only get the chance to write my detailed experience via my blog space and hence this post.
1. Driving from K.L. to Marang.
I started my journey from Kuala Lumpur at 4 a.m. by car to avoid the weekend jams. I was anticipating a massive jam during wee hours of the day as many would be heading back to their hometown (balik kampung) for the Haji celebrations.
Route: Karak Highway connecting to East Coast Expressway- Journey about 5 hours.
I decided to stop at Marang Jetty (a 20 minutes drive away from Kuala Terengganu) as I decided on a island trip to Pulau Kapas, a least visited island by Malaysians not from Terengganu.
2. Pulau Kapas.
There are boats availabe almost every 1-2 hours from 9 a.m. from Marang Jetty to Pulau Kapas, which was pre-arranged by the hotel I booked in Pulau Kapas. You can directly arrange with the boat company as well, MGH Boat Service, contact number: 016-9226565.
It only takes about 20 minutes to reach Pulau Kapas and as soon as I arrived I quickly checked-in to the chalet I booked. There are few chalets to stay, which you can find at Agoda as well. I stayed in Kapas Coral Beach Resort. Remember, this is a small off shore island, so do not expect for luxurious resorts here. I didn't expect much from my hotel stay, it was just a like an Air B&B kind of room with basic amenities.
Then I decided to explore the island. I started off with Bukit Singa (Lions' Hill) hiking, which is located at the north end of the island. I started walking along the sea shore towards the north. There are trail of stairs provided at the common beaches to surpass the rocks. Along the way, you will notice beautiful turquoise-blue waters surrounding the island. When you walk further passing by the white sandy beaches, you will come to a point where you have to climb on the rocks. Luckily, I had a good pair of Nike shoes with me. I was almost lost initially as I was on my own and the people at the hotel did not mention about walking across the rocks and sea shore. Later on my way, I met some Indonesians, and one of them who is a regular visitor to this island guided me up to the foothill. We made friends instantly; well, one of the many benefits of traveling. He wanted to explore the small lagoons around the hill with his friends and I continued hiking. From the foothill, it only takes about 10 minutes to reach the top. I was fascinated by the spectacular view from the cliff and this is definitely a love at first sight. The scene here reminded me of Kelingking beach, Bali. It was so windy up there but that did not stop me from taking photos using my tripod. Well, it was a solo trip.
On the way back, I reunited with my impromptu friends that I met just now and we decided to stop halfway at the white sandy beaches; the enviroment was serene by late evening . The clear waters will surely tempt you to snorkel, and for the first time I did it without life jackets, and that's how tranquil the water is. I was able to catch the beautiful sunset across the South China Sea too.
My night stay was solely to give some time for me to rest after the long drive and hiking. It was quite peaceful after the day trip guests left the island. I had nasi goreng kampung (village fried rice) for dinner while listening to the music band and then I decided to hit the bed around 10 p.m.
The next morning, I had my props and food for a pleasant picnic. I wanted to view the sunrise but unfortunately the weather was fairly cloudy. I found a perfect picnic spot with a combination of sea, sand and shades of rainforest in the background. Always walk along the seashore away from your hotel to find places least explored and with no much people around.
After the indulgent picnic, I left Pulau Kapas to Marang Jetty around 1 p.m.
3. Rusila Marang
Before reaching Kuala Terengganu, I stopped by in a small village, called Rusila Marang. It only takes about 10 minutes drive from Marang Jetty to this kampung. I just wanted to stop here as this village is located nearby the Rusila beach surrounded by extremely tall coconut trees. There is this one particular crooked tall coconut tree that went viral in local social media platforms after Apple decided to share one of the blogger's picture on their Instagram feed. There is no specific GPS location to this spot but I was lucky enough to identify the tall trees from the main road while driving. I spent here about 30 minutes taking crazy pictures of the specified tree with the surrounding scene and then continued the road trip to Kuala Terengganu.
4. Kuala Terengganu (K.T.)
I reached K.T. around 5 p.m., and decided to check in to Arena Boutique Hotel at Jalan Sultan Ismail. I was quite astounded by this simple yet elegant looking hotel which cost me MYR85 per night only. The room's interior is themed black and white and everything looked new. And the best part is the hotel is located very near to local attractions and restaurants in the city center.
After a nap and shower, I drove to the new Terengganu Drawbridge. I was quite lucky to be there on time for sunset enabling me to record a time lapse from the waterfront; a transition from an unlighted tall and steady drawbridge to a vivid looking colorful bridge at night. This new drawbridge crosses the Terengganu river and the architecture will remind you of the London Tower Bridge.
And then I strolled along 'Dataran Shahbandar', the waterfront with lots of local restaurants and flea market. Recommend you all to try the famous Malaysian food, nasi goreng pattaya (fried rice and stir fried chicken with local flavours) here.
5. Terengganu River Cruise
Day 3 was quite interesting as I took the river cruise, which is the easiest way to appreciate the sightseeings along the Terengganu River. There is water taxi service available at Pesisir Payang, and you need to be there on time for the river cruise which starts at 10 in the morning. You will pass by the iconic drawbridge as you listen to the guide's narration. Another major attraction here is the Crystal Mosque or better known as 'Masjid Kristal'. This mosque is made of glass and crystal material and to me it is a reminiscence of the mausoleum from Aladdin.
After the river cruise, I decided to quickly stop at the Chinatown which is just nearby the waterfront. Had my lunch at a nearby restaurant called "Uncle Chuah Signature'. While walking along the street, I discovered a long narrow alley connecting to the Chinatown. And I was amused that this lane is a dedication to Terengganu's iconic mascot, sea turtles and is named The Turtle Alley. The entire lane is decorated with mosaic art resembling sea turtles and informative boards to educate the public on turtle conservation. Hats off to the local university students for this effortless work.
6. Kampung Jambu Bongkok.
After leaving Kuala Terengganu, I drove back towards the south so that I can take the highway back to Kuala Lumpur via Kuantan. I have seen pictures of this typical Malay village called Jambu Bongkok before and I wanted to stop by as it is on my way. It took about 50 minutes drive from the capital city. I was feeling a little reluctant at first as my adrenaline levels were declining but once I reached there around 5 o'clock in the evening, I had no regrets. Basically, I was child-like, getting on the wooden swing, climbing onto the old wrecked ship, taking photos around the coconut trees and admiring the kids playing kites by the beach with strong waves hitting the coastline. Honestly, this was truly the 'kampung' feel that I wanted to experience in the east coast.
Around 6.30 p.m., I left to Kuantan and it was such a last minute decision to stop by in Kuantan, Pahang, a state that covers the middle and east coast region on Malaysia. I stayed a night there before heading back to Kuala Lumpur the next day. Thanks to the tiring yet fulfilling Terengganu trip.
To sum it up all, this short trip to Terengganu was such a Malaysian experience in terms of the tropical ambience, a visit to the idyllic Pulau Kapas, fabulous local food and meeting the Malay people from the rural area. Throughout my journey in the east coast, people were warm and welcoming. There are so much more to explore in Terengganu especially the beautiful off shore islands with pristine waters like Perhentian and Redang Islands and I promise to myself to come back to Terengganu very soon since time was limited this time.
This pandemic has really opened my eyes to realize that I don't have to travel far to appreciate beautiful destinations and also not to give up on my travel spree despite the international travel restrictions. This blog writing is to share my experience to my readers instead of only posting Instagram pictures and travel itineraries so that one can be convinced not to give up on traveling amid the current climate and to formulate customized travel plans. Thank you very much for your time.
"Before You Run Out of Time"
Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels
