Relaxation retreat at Cherating Beach and Turtle Sanctuary

One of the major beach resorts in Peninsular Malaysia is at Cherating, the coastal town of Pahang. Here, you can find a myriad of different options to enjoy a vacation where you get to indulge in the sun, sea and sun as well as the modern city landscape.

Facts about Cherating

1. Currency: MYR (Malaysian Ringgit)
2. Dialling code: As Cherating is part of Pahang, it observes the same fixed line dialling codes which is +609 for calling fixed lines.
3. Airport: The nearest airport to Cherating would be through the state capital’s Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport in Kuantan
4. Airport Tax: applies for both domestic and international flights
5. Distance from airport to city centre: From the airport, Cherating is about 50kms away.
6. Temperature: The annual temperature in Cherating is between 26 and 35 degrees Celsius
7. Climate and Weather: Tropical with high humidity
8. Common languages: Bahasa Malaysia, English Language, Chinese and Tamil

Transportation Facts

Getting to Cherating is easiest from Kuantan airport. This is possible using airport taxis which will cost about RM90 per ride. Grab and Uber services are available as well. Around Cherating, there is no need to hail any taxis as it is a small place which can be seen on foot.

Highlights of Cherating

Cherating is mostly known for its sandy beaches and resorts. There are a many things that you can do here on vacation which include:

1. Beaches – What makes Cherating different from other beaches is that you can walk along the seaside in total peace and quiet. The beaches here have thick sand which is great to relax and unwind. Besides that, the beaches are not very crowded
2. Water sports – You can go for a swim or a dip into the sea waters. Otherwise, there will never be short of activities in the waters. This includes surfing, yachting or go speed boating, among others. Take note that surfing is most popular around the months of November and December but is among the few places that you can indulge in this sport.
3. River cruise – you can go for a river cruise that will drive you around some of the most beautiful spots of Cherating River. This can be done through most of the accommodation places in Cherating where you could even be seeing some snakes and monkeys.
4. Fire-fly night river trip – You have to be very still and quiet during this cruise to experience one of the most beautiful night sights ever.
5. Turtle Sanctuary – You can easily get her on foot. The sanctuary is set up to create more awareness of the endangered turtle species. Donations are welcomed as entrance is free. If you are up for some voluntary work, that can be arranged but you need to do so a fortnight earlier.

Foods around Cherating

There are a few places that offer good food around Cherating. In most hotels and resorts, you will find various types of eateries but you might want to consider going to places like:

1. Nabil’s Place
2. Cherating Cottage
3. Burger Place
4. Matahari Restaurant

Pristine waters and sunny beaches of Cherating

The fabulous azure blue water, dazzling beach, shady casuarinas and sound of waves sloshing in Cherating Beach makes it a popular site for locals and foreigners. Decades ago, Cherating was popular among backpackers but rapid development in the last few years encouraged more visitors to spend their weekend here.

Club Med the ever popular resort

And on the private beach, Club Mediterranean opened the very first Asian venture right here to cater to locals and foreign vacationers. Backpackers and vacationers need not worry about accommodation because there are plenty of budget and luxury hotels around the area. On any given day, as you stroll along the stretch of white beach, you’ll notice beach goers sunbathing all-day long on the captivating beach. The perfect souvenirs to take home from a holiday in Cherating would be batik painting and pandanus handicrafts. Other than Club Mediterranean, visitors are encouraged to stop by at Kampung Budaya Cherating to enjoy cultural traditional shows performed by a group of professional and experienced dancers.

Must visit to the Turtle Sanctuary

For those who prefer fun activities, perhaps you can join the locals to fly kites and play top spinning. If you are planning to take a river cruise, keep your eyes open to spot for animals hidden among the dense forests. Another equally famous attraction in Cherating is the Turtle Sanctuary. This protected area is involved in turtle hatching programme. In other words, this is where the turtles will crawl to lay their eggs. This is not only a turtle hatching site but also a research centre that offers relevant information, education and research on turtles.

First opened its door in 1998, the site was established with several objectives – to protect turtles from extinction, educate and increase public awareness regarding turtles in Pahang and to turn it into a popular tourist attraction. The site has scheduled a series of interesting activities such as hatching program, turtle conservation program, research program and activity to release young turtles back to their habitat, sea. Basically, there are three species of turtles crawling ashore on Cherating beaches to lay their eggs which are:

1. Green Turtle
2. Leatherback Turtle
3. and Hawksbill Turtle.