Blog Competition Gift Ceremony

Wow, today was the moment all the participants of this blog competition had waited for. The Official Blog competition gift ceremony held in Primula Beach Resort at 4.30 p.m.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little dissapointed having not won anything, but I guess I must be thankful that at least it made it to the qualifying round. Making the blog helped me realise that I can achieve a target if I put my effort in to it and focus. It took a lot of effort to make sure that each of my blog post contain some form of information that would be useful to any tourist planning to go to Terengganu. And it was fun checking out the other blogs participating and learning new things about blogging. And the added bonus is that we made lots of friends on the way.

So I would like to thank the Terengganu Government for organising this interesting contest that made this all possible. And lastly, Congratulations to all the winners of all categories for a job well done.

Bepang & Roti Paun

I have  fond memories of my college days, 20 years ago. My best friend is from Terengganu. Whenever she goes back to her kampung for the holidays and comes back when the new semester starts, she would always bring back goodies from Terengganu. There would always be the delicious keropok lekor and along with it  bepang and roti paun aswell. I'm sure most of you know keropok lekor well by now, but what is bepang and roti paun ?

Bepang - delightful, cripsy and yummy

Bepang is a local Terengganu rice cracker made out of glutinous rice, that is fried and dipped in coconut sugar (gula Melaka). I'm not too sure how they make these crackers but they are simply yummy. Crispy, yet soft and chewy. Sweet yet not overwhelming. Simply delightful. Great to have while you're reading books. This is one of my favourite Terengganu snacks, that whenever my friend Fanoriana Ismail goes back to Terengganu, I will always ask her to buy me some. Try it and you'll see what I mean.

Roti Paun - Soft buns to die for

Roti paun might look like your ordinary buns but it is super soft and delicious. Even after more than 8 long hours of bus ride my friend takes from Kuala Terengganu to Petaling Jaya, the buns will still remain soft when they arrive. The texture is simply superb and the taste....ummm you'll have to try it yourself. Now imagine you're having them fresh from a local bakery in Terengganu. Soft, fresh and hot and the aroma ahhh... simply irresistable.

Lata Belantan

I miss this blog, after 4 months of updating it  daily, it becomes like a hard habit to break, I guess. So here I am again writing something about Terengganu. This time, let's go some where cool since the weather is just  too hot, these days.

Located  130km away from Kuala Terengganu, Hutan Lipur Lata Belantan is another recreational park in Terengganu you can come to cool off, as the main attraction here is the cascading waterfalls. The park is well equipped with facilities and food stall making it most convenient to bring families on a picnic.

Hutan Lipur Lata Belantan is also the gateway to Gunung Tebu (1,031m). For those who enjoy mountain climbing then the view from Gunung Tebu is breath taking. Nature lovers have noted that there are large pitcher plants (pokok periuk kera) and bonsai trees here.  The cool and refreshing air here in addition to the interesting variety of flora and fauna here makes it popular with nature lovers. However, it is advisable to get the services of an experienced guide if you wish to climb Gunung Tebu, as one can easily get lost in the woods.

Terengganu - the perfect holiday gateway

I am down with flu and a very bad headache now, but something urge me to pen down a few words about how beautiful  Terengganu is. Alhamdullillah (Praise be to God) that after having spent over 4 months on updating this tourism blog about Terengganu, I've come to realise how truly special and magical Terengganu is.

It's not just the beautiful beaches, the picturesque islands, the rustic fishing villages that makes Terengganu special. Terengganu has so much more to offer for everyone. Tasik Kenyir, Sekayu waterfalls and Tanjong Mentong provides nature lovers with a kaleidoscope of flora and fauna, wildlife and mother nature.

For those who love arts and craft there are Terengganu's traditional handicraft such as batik, woodcarving, songket, and brassware  that they can appreciate and learn more about. 

The mystic dance of Ulek Mayang, Gasing and Wau kites reflects an interesting culture and heritage of Terengganu that it has managed to preserve despite the modernisation of urban cities in Terengganu since petroleum was found off the shores of Kertih.

And what's important is that the Terengganu people are simple people who are friendly , straight forward and always welcoming to tourist. This plays an integral part in sustaining Terengganu as a perfect holiday getaway. As without its people how can Terengganu manage to sustain and preserve its natural environment to remain intact and uspoilt, aswell as preserve its interesting culture and heritage.

Terengganu truly is a vacationeers paradise. It has a unique blend of the good of mother nature and a beautiful culture and heritage that is lacking in other places. Terengganu has panoramic beaches, exotic and idyllic islands, lush  tropical forest, rustic fishing villages, dazzling waterfalls, interesting culture and heritage and deliciously  delightful cuisines to try out. The accommodation here too varies in terms of prices, providing something for everyone from 5 star resorts to budget chalets and homestays.

So what are you waiting for, come to Terengganu and experience it all

Terengganu Kampung Lifestyle

Refreshing Village life

One of the beauty of living in a village is that the time seems to slow down here. It's strange but true. I've been living in the city for most of my life and somehow, have always hated the idea of how time flies. Perhaps due to all the traffic jams and how busy people are, everyone seems to be in a rush. Creating  a feeling of  how time seems to move faster in cities. It can get so stressfull at times.

It's a bit different, when I go back to the village (kampung). Here the time seem to move slower, much much slower, that you get the time to smell the roses. To enjoy doing things that you never have time to do in the city. To breathe the fresh air, rejuvenate and reinvigorate your senses with the beauty of nature all around. To relax and  relief yourself from all the stressful things in the city.

And in Terengganu, you get the chance to feel all this, even for a few days. There are homestay packages that cater for such needs. Infact there are some  travel agents that conduct Terengganu Countryside tours. They'll take you to the local Terengganau  malay villages to witness the daily activities of kampung folks.

Watch how they weave the mengkuang and pandanus leaf, make dodol (sweet coconut  chewy candy) and gula nisan (coconut sugar). Learn how they weave the songket and make keris (traditional malay dagger). Visit the fishing village, charcoal making and wood carving factory. Enjoy the antiques of the monkey plucking coconut and while you're there, try out the  fresh coconut juice and keropok lekor. Ahhh......so refreshing. If you're in doubt how special this experience is just watch this video below.

Interested ? Click the highlighted link  below for details of the tour
 Terengganu Countryside Tour

Or if you prefer to stay in Homestays which offer kampung style life, click the link below for the list of homestays in Terengganu.
List of Terengganu Homestays

Stay tuned to the next issue of Terengganu Travel Guide for more useful tips and interesting places to visit in Terengganu.

Kijal Beach (Pantai Kijal ) and Awana Kijal

Pantai Kijal is yet another beach in Terengganu  that is famous with tourists. The beach here is rather secluded yet picturesque with coconut trees and casuarina trees that fringe the beach. At times the the winds from the South China Sea and the currents here are strong that some have even surfed here. You can also spot rustic fishing villages scattered along the beach here. There is also a long jetty here for those who enjoy fishing.

The coastal roads here are lined up with food stalls selling lemang, otak-otak and satar. A good idea is to grab some and have a picnic here by the sea while you enjoy the magnificent view of the sea. If you plan to stay the night, there are lots of homestays and inns here offering accomodation. However the most famous one here is Awana Kijal Golf, Beach & Spa Resort. Below is a description of this popular resort adapted from  agoda.com.

Panoramic view of Awana Kijal

Golf course by the sea

Famed for its 18-hole golf course, beautiful architecture and world-class Javanese spa, this five-star resort is located on the east coast of Terengganu, with a 7.6KM private beach and surrounded by 800 acres of natural greenery. Other activities offered at Awana Kijal Beach & Golf Hotel include tennis, windsurfing, canoeing and fishing. The well-equipped children’s playground has a giant chess set as well as Waterfall Pool, the biggest landscaped pool in the East Coast., making it a perfect place to stay if there are kids. Among the many fine dining options available is the renowned Windows Steak House. Spacious and comfortable rooms all have panoramic views of the South China Sea. 

Check-Out

12:00 PM

Earliest Check-In

12:00 PM

Number of Rooms

341

Parking Service

yes

For reservations and enquiries, click the highlighted link below :
Awana Kijal Resort

Tanjong Jara - Luxury resort with a great view

Located in the district of Marang, Tanjong Jara is a famous 5 star resort by the beach. Beautifully landscaped tropical gardens, friendly and welcoming Malay culture together with elegant architecture of 17th century wooden palaces becomes the centerpiece of Tanjong Jara apart from the magnificent view of the beach and the open sea.

This is a beautiful resort that exuberates luxury if you have the money to spare. There are 4 types of rooms offered here, each beautifully decorated with a splendid view of the South China Sea. Here are the description of each type of room as described in the Tanjong Jara website.

The Anjung Suite

The Anjung Suite rest above the river that flows into South China Sea and has a stunning view of the sea. Anjung Suite is furnished with comfortable sofas in a spacious living and dining hall with its own bar and powder room. The bedroom provides a king-sized bed, a large writing desk, a sunken bath, two vanity units and a separate water closet. This is the premier suite within the Resort and is a one-of-a-kind location for a most memorable experience.

The Anjung Room

Situated along the beachfront are 10 single-storey beach rooms, each 88 square metres in size. Each room is furnished with a king-size bed, as well as a sofa bed. A symmetrical sunken outdoor bath sits in its own private garden, and an indoor bathroom features two vanity units with a large indoor shower. The doors and windows open out to a canopied verandah looking over the beautifully landscaped tropical gardens and sea. An ideal location for a romantic honeymoon.

The Serambi room

Situated on the ground floor of a double storey unit, there are 44 rooms in all. Each room is 55 square metres in size, and features a king-size bed and a spacious indoor bathroom with two vanity units, separate bath and shower facilities. A partially covered verandah overlooks the tropical gardens and is perfect for a private barbeque dinner.

The Bumbung Room

These 44 rooms are situated above the Serambi Rooms and are similar in size and furnishings, excluding private terraces, however the windows open out to a magnificent view of the ocean and gardens.

                    Fine dining with a magnificent view

Tanjong Jara also offers  fine dining in all of its restaurants. Each of them are wonderfully located to give you a splendid view and put you in a relax mood.  Visitors have a choice of delicious Malay, Asian and Western cuisines to choose from. And if you're tired just hop over to the award winning spa to relax, reinvigourate and revive yourself with stress releasing massage.

Various packages can be requested here at your convenience such as  the  snorkelling or diving in Tenggol Island, cooking class with the resort's chef, Chemerung waterfall excursion, the Marang, river cruise, traditional handicraft tour and the guided bicycle tour.

So come pamper yourself in luxury in the presence of nature's beauty here at Tanjong Jara. For reservations and enquiries, click on the highlighted link . Tanjong Jara Resort.  Meanwhile enjoy this short video clip of Tanjong Jara and see what they have to offer.

For more information about the main attraction in Terengganu, don't forget to catch the next issue of Terengganu travels. Until next time have a great day.