Laksa Terengganu

There are two versions of Laksa Terengganu. One is served with a red fish based sauce and the other is Laksa Kuah Putih, white sauce with a heavy santan or coconut milk base. 

Unlike the many versions of laksa from other states, our laksa is made from a unique Terengganu rice noodle, starchy in texture and slightly thicker than the width of spaghetti. Mixed with condiments such as bean sprouts, finely sliced long beans, onions, julienned cucumbers, basil, turmeric leaves, and local herbs, the laksa is just scrumptious.

Nasi Dagang

A most sought after dish that is made from a mixture of rice and glutinous rice, steamed twice in coconut milk to get the right texture and eaten with a red tuna fish curry accompanied by pickled cucumber and carrot “acar” or relish. This dish is not for the novice cook as it requires patience and a good eye for detail. One would judge how well nasi dagang is made by a simple test of eating it on its own. If it’s good enough to be eaten on its own, then it is well made!

Terengganu Traditional Cuisine

Whoever steps foot in Terengganu raves about our traditional food and most would automatically look for the nasi dagang and keropok lekor once they arrive. For those who are new to Terengganu, most of our food is fish based with rice and glutinous rice as staple carbohydrates. Our sweets are also unique with whimsical names, which can be amusing to the novice.

Taking a walk on the beach

Our beaches are long and endless! There’s nothing more refreshing than breathing the fresh air and feeling the sea breeze on your face as you take a leisurely walk on the beach. Pick up sea shells and look out for the tiny crabs that dart across the sand only to disappear into their burrows. Depending on the season, watch out for other local beach goers who seem to be digging into the sand with their feet. If you follow what they’re doing, you might just find a few clams. Watch out for passing boats and if you’re lucky, you’d find a fisherman or two casting their nets to catch fish not far from the beach. And a sight to behold that would make your walk so memorable is to find fishermen returning from their days’ outing.

Golf

There are a few nice golf courses to choose from around Kuala Terengganu, Dungun and Kemaman.

The main ones are Kuala Terengganu Golf Resort and Tuanku Mizan Golf and Country Resort in Kuala Terengganu; Dungun Golf; Country Club and Tasik Puteri Golf and Country Club in Dungun; Kelab Desa Perantau Petronas in Kemasik and Resorts World Kijal in Kemaman.

Bird Watching

Terengganu has a total of 290 species of birds. There are 10 hornbill species in Malaysia and 9 out of those are found in Terengganu. Terengganu hosts the annual Kenyir Bird and Nature Quest for the past four years and is held over two days. Events include talks and activities that include jungle trekking, visits to Bewah Cave and of course bird watching. This event is organised by the Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Terengganu branch and Ping Anchorage MICE.

Picnics and BBQ

Get hold of your family and friends, grab some food and drinks, mengkuang mats (to sit on!) and perhaps a football to play on the beach, head on to any spot on our long scenic beaches or the waterfalls at Sekayu.

Terengganu is all about being outdoors where the beauty of mother nature is all there to be appreciated. Feel the wind, smell the fresh air or the musky odor of the rainforest, there’s nothing better to whet your appetite than being on the beach or next to a cooling cascade of water and having the best nasidagang or kerepoklekor and eating to your hearts content. When you’re on holiday in Terengganu, dieting should be declared illegal. Most importantly, please do not litter and pick everything you brought.

Where:

Batu Burok beach, Teluk Bidara beach, Pantai Kelulut, Kemasik beach, Paka beach, Pantai Air Tawar, and many more spots on the beach that you’d have to find and explore!

TTI River Boat Cruise

Take a slow cruise from the jetty at Taman Tamadun Islam and let the boat take you across and along the Terengganu river past some kampongs and dockyards. You will see a kaleidoscope of people and scenes of village life, from children bathing and jumping into the waters, to Malay village homes, just unspoiled rural scenes.

Paragliding

The first of its kind in Terengganu, you can now go paragliding in Bukit Keluang, in Besut. Taking off from Bukit Bubus, Kg Tembila, Besut. Operated by Tandem Paragliding Flights and managed by Ustaz Aznawi, contact +60128151596. You can paraglide over one of the most beautiful sceneries in the country, over hills and sandy white beaches, with a view that will take your breath away. From a few hundred metres up, you can see how far our beaches stretch, up to the horizon. After all, Terengganu has the longest stretch of beach in Malaysia. 

Kayaking 

A 15km route on the Sungai Berang takes you from Kampung Pengkalan Ajal to Kampung Buluh. Operated by a group of kayak enthusiasts, Secretariat OKB. Take an adventure and navigate the rivver surrounded by lush rainforests where certain parts are shaded by overhanging mature trees giving the impression of going through a tunnel of greens. The route can at times be challenging, but that’s part of the fun. As you will pass five kampungs on the banks of the river, you will also be able to appreciate the rustic kampung scenes and the friendly folks along the way.

Boating

The Duyong Marina Resort has a marina to for you to dock your boats or yachts. Built for the Monsoon Cup, which Terengganu had hosted before, you will find the facilities for your yachts and boats on par with international standards.

Cruise on the Terengganu River upstream or speed off to the nearest offshore island, PulauKapas, about 45 minutes away. You can also explore the coastline, taking a detour to the Setiu Wetlands north of Kuala Terengganu or to Kuala Ibai where the famous floating mosque can be seen in the distance. And further south, you will find the mouth of the Marang River, which is one of the most beautiful scenic spots in Terengganu.

Fishing

If you’re an avid angler, Tasik Kenyir would be a great place to go fishing, amidst the serenity and wild jungles of the interior of Terengganu. There is an angling festival that attracts scores of anglers every year. Rent a houseboat or a boat and make your way to the middle of this vast lake, the largest in Malaysia.

Apart from Tasik Kenyir, you’d find plenty of places to fish, from the banks of the many rivers and tributaries, to hitching a ride with the local fishermen to traverse the South China Sea for some real action on the seas. And if you’re on a trip to the islands, get a boat and anchor at one of the offshore fishing spots.

Squid Jigging

Participate in the Terengganu Squid Jigging festival, held in June every year. Quite a spectacular sight to see scores of boats head out to sea with lights on to attract the squids to surface. It’s like a floating city at sea.

Photography

If ever there is place to catch the best of Malaysian exotica, this is it. Enjoy Terengganu’s many photogenic natural and man-made attractions, from the old heritage sites of Kuala Terengganu to the simple and rustic Malay fishing villages by the sea, to the undersea world of corals and reefs to the wilds of TasikKenyir, Terengganu is a photographer’s paradise. Take a close look at the people and their way of life or focus on the intricacies of our wood carving skills on the panels of old houses, Terengganu is not short of visual subjects. Even if you don’t have an expensive SLR camera, your camera phone can already shoot awesome pictures. So be prepared wherever you go to capture the best of sights and candid moments that make your trip to Terengganu memorable.

Water Sports

Bring your jetskis, surf boards, windsurf gear and anything that helps you float and move on water to give that exhilarating adrenalin rush or that gives you slow and simple pleasures, Terengganu has plenty of water bodies for you to partake in any water sport. Go speed boating from Kuala Terengganu to the offshore islands, windsurf on the lagoon in Setiu Wetlands, jetski upstream on the Terengganu River, or take a slow kayak ride on Tasik Kenyir, come to Terengganu for a great sporting holiday.

Snorkelling

Redang Marine Park and off the beaches of all the resorts and hotels on Perhentian, Redang, Lang Tengah, and Tenggol Islands.

Diving

Best diving spots are Redang, Perhentian and Tenggol Islands. Tenggol has deep sea diving sites. Tenggol is famous for catching the passing of the white shark, which plays in the waters off the island in certain months of the year.

Redang is protected by the Marine Conservation Park.

What to Do

If you love the outdoors, culture, adventure or just peace and quiet, Terengganu is the place to be. Our wonderful natural attractions from islands and beaches to rustic kampungs and Lake Kenyir open up many possibilities of activities that one can pursue for a memorable holiday.

Depending on your interest, the following are the typical activities that you can pursue when you visit Terengganu.

Self Drive Tour

Take our scenic coastal roads from Cukai in the South to Besut in the north and you will find many interesting scenes of our coastline, from rustic kampungs to wetlands, inland lagoons and breathtaking beaches. Stop anywhere you desire and ensure you bring food and water and enjoy a picnic in any one of the many beautiful spots along the coast.

Where:

Take State Route T3 for the coast line tour. Stops: Kemasik Beach, Marang, TelukBidara, PantaiKelulut, TanjungJara, PantaiBatuRakit, Turtle Sanctuaries in RantauAbang, Pantai Ma’ Daerah.

To get to Tasik Kenyir, take the road heading towards Kuala Berang and signs will lead you to Tasik Kenyir. Fromt the East Coast Highway or LPT2, head towards Ajil and follow signs to Kuala Berang and Tasik Kenyir.

Wayang Kulit

A fascinating theatre of shadows and light where intricately carved puppets made of cow skin are used to act out stories of good and evil based on ancient myths and legends. The wayang kulit is performed in a specially constructed structure with a white cloth screen facing the audience. A dalang or story teller sits behind the screen with an assortment of puppets of various characters. An ensemble of musicians accompanies the dalang and in the olden days, performances can last a few nights. The language used can be quite incomprehensible to the layman and those who are unfamiliar with the local Malay dialect, but the dancing of the shadows on the screen and the beautiful music are intriguing and at times amusing. The wayang kulit is a heritage protected under the UNESCO Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.