Saok Waterfall

Saok Waterfall lies a 15-minute boat ride west of Gawi Jetty. It is on the island of Chergau, the largest of the islands in Tasik Kenyir. The bottom of the waterfall is mostly sandy and this provides a nice soft spot for those who’d want to just sit and enjoy the view of the falls.

Kenyir Elephant Conservation Village

Graceful Creatures Of The Forest

This is a camp for the translocation of wild elephants from the forest to ensure that it continues to breed in a safe environment and away from poachers and natural predators, and assuring it has a healthy population growth. 

Trained by expert mahouts, visitors can watch them perform acts, feed and play with them. And if you’re there during bath time, you can watch the mahouts bathing the elephants, which could be the highlight of your time at the Village.

Kenyir Lake

Malaysia’s Largest Man-Made Lake

A man-made wonder turned natural wonder, Tasik Kenyir is Malaysia’s largest. And with 340 islands, borne out of hill tops when the valleys were filled with water during the construction of the Kenyir Dam.

Tasik Kenyir is a nature lover’s haven. From exploring the many varieties of flora and fauna, to bird watching, fish breeding, elephant sanctuary to exploring ancient caves, this is an eco-tourist must visit.

Pantai Batu Burok

This is Kuala Terengganu’s where-to-go beach, where all kinds of recreational activities take place. It stretches a kilometer south of Primula Hotel and is filled with locals and tourists alike. There are restaurants and kiosks selling everything from local delicacies to toys and kites. You’d also find Cinderella-themed horse carriages and pony rides to delight children.

Pantai Air Tawar

“Air Tawar” means fresh water and it sounds strange to name a beach by the sea as “fresh water beach”. Perhaps the name comes from the inland lagoon that runs parallel to the beach. It’s interesting that there are two types of water bodies, salt water on the one hand and fresh water on the other, which is also pretty much adjacent to one another. There is a well landscaped park with dedicated walking paths and little bridges built over the lagoon. And that what makes this beach an attractive destination for some R&R. 

Pantai Air Tawar is a bit out of the way and outside the town of Besut and therefore does not attract the town folks as much except during the weekends. Basically you can have the beach all to yourself if you come on a weekday. There are some warongs for you to eat in or take out food to have a picnic under one of the gazebos or eat on the beach.

Pantai Kuala Abang

A unique and quite landscape.

The stretch of beach in Kuala Abang has quite a unique landscape. It has an inner lagoon a few kilometres long and separates the main Kuantan – Kuala Terengganu coastal road from the beach. It is quite an amazing sight to see where the lagoon is parallel to the beach and as you walk on the high side of the beach you can see two water bodies on either side of you. Quite a feat if you can cover the few kilometres where the lagoon begins and ends. However, swimming is not allowed in the lagoon.

Pantai Kuala Abang is located about 10km of the town of Dungun. This is where the leatherback turtles used to swim ashore to lay their eggs and is one of only a handful of beaches around the world on which they used as their nesting sites. Unfortunately today, the leatherback turtles are facing extinction.

Some parts are quite rocky but otherwise you can see the beach stretches uninterrupted for miles. There is also a Turtle Conservation Centre in Rantau Abang, which is open to visitors.

Pantai Teluk Ketapang

Indulge In Fish Fried In Batter

Pantai Teluk Ketapang is quite a popular destination for the ICT (Ikan Celup Tepung) or fish fried in batter. ICT is quite a sought after Terengganu fish snack eaten with a chili sauce in the afternoons and people flock here to also enjoy a nice view of the sea. Apart from fish, other seafood snacks fried in batter and the Terengganu staple, keropok lekor and keropok keping are also sold at the string of warongs that make this beach a leisure destination for food.

One of the most breathtaking sights in Terengganu is that most beaches stretch for miles on end without a hill or promontory to break the continuity. After all, Terengganu has the longest stretch of beach in Malaysia at 244km long.

Pantai Pandak Cendering

Long And Quiet Stretch Of Sand And Surf 

This beach even has a song being named after it, called Chendering. It was composed in the early 60s (or before Malaysia was formed) by a famous composer called Jimmy Boyle. It lies 6km south of Kuala Terengganu and is known for its rocky section on one end and a long continuous stretch on the other.

Pantai Batu Rakit

Quaint Fishing Villages 

Take the road from Kuala Terengganu past the airport on the right to Merang (3645) and look for the small coastal road T145. This road is quite scenic and takes you along the beach past rustic kampong houses under the shadows of scores of coconut trees. Follow your instincts and stop by at the roadside where the beach is just a short walk away. If you happen to be there at the right time, you can find some fishing boats and fishermen mending their nets on the beach next to scores of fish traps laid out to dry. The boats are brightly coloured and make stunning photos. The beach stretches for miles and with a camera in hand, shoot away at the sweeping views of the beach and the boats.

Pantai Kelulut

Dine With An Island View

A beautiful stretch of beach 21 kilometres south of Kuala Terengganu. There are plenty of restaurants here with a magnificent view of Pulau Kapas in the distance. Quite popular among locals too. Enjoy your food while overlooking the water and spot fishermen catching fish in the distance if you’re lucky. When you dine here at night during the squid jigging season, you will see a string of twinkling lights on the horizon, like a floating city. These are fishermen catching squid using lights to attract the squid. Quite a sight.

Pantai Bukit Keluang

Under The Shadow Of Undulating Hills

Located in the district of Besut, this beach is rocky and shadowed by hills with a few caves whose inhabitants are nocturnal animals, mainly bats. The landscape is unlike any other found on any Terengganu beach or for that matter anywhere else in Malaysia. As the name suggests, the beach is at the foot of Bukit Keluang (Bukit is hill in English) and you get a stretches of rock terrain and sand.

One can have a breathtaking view from the top of Bukit Keluang which you can hike via a wooden walkway that winds around the contour of the rocky cliff edge and leads you to the top. You will also see some caves on the face of the cliff where bats inhabit. Once you’re at the peak, you’ll be mesmerized by a panoramic view of the sea with Pulau Rhu and Pulau Perhentian in the distance. Although the vista is very often photographed, who knows you may capture something more spectacular with the changing sky light and weather. In the distance too you will see the winding promontories that break the monotony of normally straight stretches of beach so often found in the rest of the state.