Category: Terengganu

If you are visiting in Terengganu, you must go by to the Pasar Besar Kedai Payang. This is widely considered to be a must visit place especially if you are visiting the state for the first time although you would like to visit the market each time you come here.

Prominent market in Terengganu

Located close by the Sungai Terengganu, it is strategically located around the northern areas of the pier (Shabandar Jetyt) as you get down from the main bus terminal.

Abundant local products

Literally meaning ‘Payang Big Market Shop’ it is basically a place where you can buy a lot of the local produce here in market style. It is also more fondly known as Central Market where it is considered to be quite the provider of the dynamic life of Kuala Terengganu which is also known as KT in short. It is located in a 2 storey building where there are more than enough shops for you to spend almost half a day here.

Wet and dry products available here

There is the wet market as well as a dry area here. If you like the local produce and food then the wet market is where you can find fresh items like fruits, vegetables, fish and such while over in the dry area or the shopping arcade, you would be able to find the crafts like batik, textile as well as some local keropok lekor, a common local favourite here.

You will find that this is also the place where the local shop for their daily items so you will surely like the authentic traditional KT lifestyle here where there are a lot bargaining and chattery throughout the place. If you like you can also watch how the traditional medicine sellers ‘market’ their products by demonstrating its power and effect. It is easy to spot them here as they are usually very loud and outspoken literally.

Getting to Pasar Besar Kedai Payang

To get here, it is best to walk from the bus station as it is not that far away and you could enjoy the view and the traditional architecture along the way. The market is opened from the early hours of the day and usually the wet market would go on until the evenings while the other shops usually open until late evenings.

If you want a vacation getaway which is away from the city and towns with clear waters and beautiful beaches, Pulau Redang or Redang Island would be your ideal choice. This is where paradise can be experienced with fishes coming as close as 50 feet towards the coast.
Pulau Redang Location Facts

Facts about Pulau Redang

1. Currency: MYR (Malaysian Ringgit)
2. Dialling code: Pulau Redang resides within the state of Terengganu. As such, you will need to use the prefix +609 to call a fixed line number. Mobile numbers will use their respective prefixes as assigned by the telco provider.
3. Airport: To fly into Pulau Redang, the only airport available is through the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu.
4. Airport Tax: Is applicable for all flights coming here
5. Distance from airport: You will need to take a boat ride from Merang into Redang island. The Sultan Mahmud Airport is about 40kms to this town.
6. Temperature: Pulau Redang experiences temperature about 30 degrees Celsius throughout the year
7. Climate and Weather: Tropical with high humidity
8. Common languages: Bahasa Malaysia, English Language, Chinese and Tamil

Highlights of Pulau Redang

As an island, you will typically enjoy a lot of sun, sea and sand here. However, there are other attractions for you to enjoy as well which include:

1. Relax – Pulau Redang is a great place to relax and unwind. It is a premier destination for anyone looking for a relaxing getaway. In fact, this island is so known for its beauty and natural landscapes that there are a myriad of international resorts, all of which come with their own set of attractions, facilities and top notch services
2. Diving – there are quite a number of exciting diving spots here. You get to enjoy some of the most pristine coral reefs here while gaining great visibility within the waters. You could find operators in almost every resort you go to or you could check out those like Redang Pelangi Dive Centre, Coral Redang Divers and Redang Bay Divers.
3. Snorkelling – if diving is not your thing and you like to get close to the sealife, you can go snorkelling. Just about every corner of the island is great for this. The resorts will have the facilities and equipment for rent where you can be close to the seabed and watch some amazing creatures of the water. For bigger fishes, go towards the Marine Park Centre.
4. Nature – There are several tracks that you can go for nature walking. Take some time to get up, close and personal to the trees and vegetations of the forest. In most cases, you will be able to get a map that will guide you across these walks. If you are lucky, you might come across some wildlife as well. This includes squirrels, bats, monitor lizards and most famously, monkeys.

Foods around Redang Island

The best place to get good food is actually within the resort you are staying in, most of which offer great western and local dishes. However, if you are looking for something nice, check out the likes of:

1. Redang Laguna Food Court – Located along Pasir Panjang, it is actually a restaurant that serves great local dishes.
2. Sandfly Café – This spot is at Pasir Panjang too with affordable dishes

Great resorts at Redang Island

Not far from Redang Island is the Perhentian Islands where the former is more popularly known for its resorts and facilities. Basically, Redang island is a popular holiday destination off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. it is one of the nine islands that make up a marine park and can be reached via Merang or Kuala Terengganu. There is a also a small airport that ferries passengers to and from the island through Berjaya Air.

Conservation site for turtles

Redang is a conservation site for sea turtles while also being a great diving resort that still keeps historic shipwrecks HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, which sunk during the Second World War. This makes Pulau Redang one of the most popular dive sites that welcome divers from both the local and foreign fronts.

Collection of islands in Redang

Generally, Pulau Redang is made up of a collection or group of islands. Its archipelago is made up of other smaller islands that include:

1. Pulau Redang
2. Pulau Lima
3. Pulau Paku Besar
4. Pulau Paku Kecil
5. Pulau Kerengga Kecil
6. Pulau Kerengga Besar
7. Pulau Ekor Tebu
8. Pulau Ling
9. and Pulau Pinang.

Meanwhile, Redang Island houses Bukit Besar and various resorts for tourists which come with some of the best facilities and amenities for their guests.

Perhentian Islands is located at the north east of Malaysia, off the coast of Terengganu. It is divided into 2 main islands, namely Perhentian Besar and Perhentian Kecil. It has other smaller islands which are still inhabited, including Seringgi, Rawa and Susu Dara which are all under the protection of marine park.

Pulau Perhentian – Getting here

Pulau Perhentian experiences the eastern monsoon and is best visited from November to February each year and is accessible by ferry through Kuala Besut connected via Kota Bahru. One could also take ferries from Tok Bali.

Perhentian Island can give you a lot of satisfaction if you are a nature-lover. For a complete and rewarding island getaway, Pulau Perhentian is perhaps your best option because you will not find any modern structures or museums here. But in return, you will enjoy the best of nature with a lot of sun, abundant sea and unlimited sand.

Diverse Sealife Destination

When you visit an island, you would naturally be looking for a lot of activities involving the seas and beaches. Here are some that you can expect at Pulau Perhentian.

Sea Activities

The one thing you will enjoy most in Pulau Perhentian is to dive into the seas. There will be a whole list of things to do from leisure snorkelling to the more extreme scuba diving. You can swim in the waters from the beach itself and indulge in some of the most beautiful sceneries nature can offer. Otherwise, look for the operators by the seaside and you can go kayaking, banana boat rides and jet-skiing.

Scuba diving at Pinnacle

This will be the main attraction for divers who come from across the world. You will be swimming among fishes and turtles as well as different shark species. On a good day, visibility can go up to 20 meters while the corals are just splendid on plain sight. The Pinnacle which goes by the name ‘Temple of the Sea’ is great and as the name implies has a pinnacle that comes out to the sea level. Another popular dive site here is the Sugar Wreck.

Snorkeling

The resorts here will be able to help you in gear and equipment if you are planning to go snorkelling. Being so close to the sea-creatures in the shallow waters of such pristine waters is just unforgettable. Take note that the fishes and other creatures are totally harmless unless provoked.

If you are dining at certain restaurants, chances are they will have gear for rent as well. Most of the operators will be able to advise you on the best spots to snorkel. This would include Shark Point, Teluk Pauh and Tanjung Basi, among others. Shark Point is actually a popular place to spot some baby sharks which are mostly harmless. Meanwhile, you can head out to D’Lagoon and Long Beach if you are around Pulau Kecil.

Turtles

If you like to see turtles, Turtle Bay is a great place to go while you can observe them nesting at night during the right season. However, take note that turtle conservation is very prominent here and you need to be careful in the midst of the endangered species.

In fact, Perhentian Island is a major centre for these efforts. It was once the main destination for Green and Hawksbill turtles that come here for nesting. Due to environmental pollution and other unscrupulous activities, it now only has about 300 nesting per year which is way below its normal rate. You can join these efforts or learn about what the agencies are doing in preserving the turtles here. There are educational tours and programs or you can volunteer to help out in their respective efforts as well.

Jungles and nature

Besides the waters and seaside, you can actually head into the jungles for a trek or two. If you are up for spotting birds and other animals, there are several jungle trails available. You might come across some wild monkeys, monitor lizards as well as certain very beautiful plants.

Around Watercolours Paradise and Arwana, there is a popular trail which takes about half an hour while you can take an easy walk along Coral Bay towards Mira Beach. Most of the trails around Perhentian are quite easy and does not require much training. However, you should be mindful not to litter everywhere and bring appropriate clothing as it can get quite warm inside the jungle.

The eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia is made up of the states of Kelantan and Terengganu. Kuala Terengganu is the state capital of the latter in which it is located not far from the seaside overlooking the South China Sea. The town center is located around the river mouth that leads out to the sea.

About the State of Terengganu

Terengganu is an eastern coast in Peninsular Malaysia. It goes with its Arabic honorific Darul Iman and its capital is Kuala Terengganu. Some of the attractions from this tate are Perhentian Islands and Redang Island.

Bordered with Kelantan and Pahang, its east coast overlooks the South China Sea. The beach here are very famous and popular among tourists who normally frequent here to enjoy the seaside and its resorts.

People and community

Terengganu is populated with more than 1 million people divided among 7 administrative districts. It used to be one of the poorest states in the country up until oil and gas was discovered. Ever since then, national oil and gas company Petronas has set up base here and many others as well. Apart from that, other industries here include tourism and fishing.

Major cities

Major cities here apart from Kuala Terengganu its capital are:

1. Marang
2. Kemaman
3. Kuala Besut
4. Merang
5. Kerteh
6. Besut
7. Dungun
8. and Seberang Takir.

It was also previously famous for its boat building industry where wooden boats are carved known as the Bangau.

Attractions here circles around tourism in around places like Perhentian Island, Kapas Island, Redang Island, Tasik Kenyir, Rantau Abang and Lang Tengah. Many events have since been running in the state of late including the internationally popular Monsoon Cup which grew into an annual affair since 2005.

Significant events

A Horse Endurance Race are also held known as the Sultan’s Cup Terengganu Endurance Challenge. The Kapas-Marang International Swimathon too is a common attraction while the Kenyir Motorcross Championship is also held annually. Other events include the Kenyir International Mountain Bike Challenge, Terengganu Starhill Tasik Kenyir 4×4 Challenge, the Terengganu Golf Masters, the Terengganu International 4WD Rainforest Challenge 2007, the Candat Sotong’ Fiesta, which is a fishing competition, the Terengganu Traditional Games Competition, the Kenyir Lake International Triathlon and the Tasik Puteri Water Festival.

Accommodation

There are many Homestay options located around Kuala Terengganu mainly because it attracts a lot of visitors and tourists. Wisma Pantai Apartment is among the more popular apartments for rent while the Sumai Suite Hotel offers affordable rates as well.

Education

There are a few major universities located around Kuala Terengganu with University Malaysia Terengganu operating around the northern parts of the state. Meanwhile, there is a private institution here, the UCSI University, Terengganu Campus which is located around the Marang area, not far from town center. As such, there are a wide range of places to stay and rooms to rent around these areas like the Dheera Homestay located around Jalan Bukit Khor and towards Kampung Ciak and Kampung Bukit Parit, among others.

Transportation

Kuala Terengganu has a unique geographical setup in which there is a river that goes between the city center. Getting around within Kuala Terengganu would be most ideal using taxi services as there are very minimal bus options available. Meanwhile, the inter-city bus services ferry passengers between the major towns of the state, towards other states and as far as Singapore.

Commercial and Entertainment

The main commercial areas of Kuala Terengganu are located around the tourist attractions like the Terengganu State Museum which is located in Bukit Losong located along Jalan Losong Feri. Meanwhile, not far from the river mouth is the Chinatown of Kuala Terengganu, a popular place for shoppers and bargain hunters. There is a Masjid Terapung or ‘floating mosque’ not far from the city center. Other roads which are popular for their commercial and business options include Jalan Sultan Mohamad, Jalan Sultan Omar and Jalan Kamaruddin.
The night life in Terengganu can be very bland due to its more conservative image of the state. As such, entertainment here basically covers shopping, island hopping and limited to the markets at nights and mornings around the towns and villages.

Government Offices

Kuala Terengganu is the main administrative town for the state of Terengganu. Along Jalan Tengku Mizan and Jalan Sultan Mohamad are many of the government offices which operate within the state. The Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan is located in Jalan Bukit Kechil, together with Jabatan Pengairan and Saliran. The Road Transport Department is housed at Jalan Kemajuan while the Terengganu Education Department or Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Terengganu is located around Jalan Sekolah Cina. The Kompleks Belia dan Sukan Negeri Terengganu operates along Jalan Pasir Panjang while the Menteri Besar’s Official Residence is located further up east along Jalan Sultan Mahmud.

Safety

Kuala Terengganu is not like other state capitals which are usually busy and filled with activities. Traffic congestion is not very common here during the day while at night time, it can be quite peaceful. However, a popular local habit among the youngsters here are those who goes on their Mat Rempit and ‘Lepak’ culture. The former involves youngster doing stunts on their modified motorcycles which is an illegal practice. They usually come out at nights and on eves of public holidays and can be heard along the main roads like Jalan Tengku Mizan and the surroundings. Apart from that, the other areas in the town center are known to be quite safe.