Alluring, Enchanting, Mesmerising, Mystical...well… these are some of the words that best describes Terengganu.
It will be too far fetched to describe Terengganu as Heaven on Earth but after moving around visiting interesting places, including off-road adventures, Terengganu may just be the next best thing.
Its islands, namely Redang, Perhentian and Kapas are well known in the world tourism map. For those who have been there, you will agree that the sand and the sea offers more than just basking…the underwater rainforests are among the best in the world!
On the mainland, the 244 kilometres of white sandy beaches are among the best in the country and a major stretch of these pristine beaches are still untouched by development and most important of all, the stretch in Dungun near Rantau Abang are the nesting grounds of the giant leatherback turtles.
Waterfalls in Terengganu are among the best in the country with the Cemerong waterfall in interior Dungun near Kampung Pasir Raja being the tallest in the country, if not South East Asia. Hiking up to the source of this waterfall at the peak of Gunung Berembum, offers another exhilirating experiece for the adventurous, especially during sunrise when you can actually feel what it’s like living on land above the clouds.
The seven tiered cascading waterfall at Lata Tembakah in Hulu Besut is not only picturesque but the pools of cool mountain waters soothes the tired body of visitors. And a half hour drive south to Jabi, another waterfall at Lata Belatan awaits.
In Hulu Terengganu, Tasik Kenyir offers a different kind of adventure. This largest man-made lake in South East Asia, with a water body as big as Singapore dotted with 340 islands, is home for the ferocious game fish Toman, Sebarau and the highly prized Malayan masheer or Kelah. Since it was opened to the public in 1986, Tasik Kenyir has earned a reputation as “Anglers Paradise” and it still is one of the best game fishing spot in the country.
By the end of 2010, Tasik Kenyir will offer alternative adventure for ther members of the family who finds angling boring. Kenyir Island Hopping will allow tourists to visit bird parks, orchid gardens, tropical garden and butterfly parks.
But don’t miss a visit to Gua Bewah at the Terengganu National Park. This is a historical site where the skeletal remains of a young person that had been carbon-dated as far back as 16,000 years ago was unearthed by archeologists recently.
16,000 years old skeletal remains of young person found at the entrance of Gua Bewah.The Bewah Man, as it has been called, is the oldest prehistoric skeletal remains ever found in Malaysia. Even the Perak Man that was discovered in Gua Gunung Runtuh in Lenggong, Perak in 1991 was only 13,000 years old.
Enough of the appetizers. It’s time to discover Terengganu. It is going to be worthwhile visit and what you discover will remain in your heart for a long time to come.
