Traditional Boat Making in Pulau Duyong

At Pulau Duyong  by the mouth of Terengganu river, Hj Abdullah bin Muda carries on the tradition of making traditional boats. He started making boats in 1955 and learning the fine craftsmanship from the village elders. Traditional boats are made from wooden timber which are carefully crafted and carved to became excellent masterpieces.


Boat making requires highly skilled  craftmanship and technique to ensure that the vessal could stay afloat, would not leak and could function properly. High quality timber pieces are carefully selected, measured and crafted to make up the frames of the boat and carefully assembled together in the construction of a boat. Up till now, Haji Abdullah and his team has managed to build more than 65 boats. Some are fishing boats while others are sailing boats.

At present Hj Abdullah is working together with students from the Giat Mara Centre to construct a sailing boat in an effort to share his boatmaking knowledge with the younger generation.Watch this short video clip about Hj Abdullah bin Muda commitmment  in the traditional boat making industry in Pulau Duyong, Terengganu.

Keropok Lekor Terengganu

Keropok lekor - so heavenly

If you haven't tried the keropok losong or keropok lekor of  Terengganu, then you really have not visited Terengganu yet. A trip to Terengganu is not complete without trying out this popular dish. So what on earth is Keropok Lekor.

Keropok lekor is a type of fish cracker made out of fish, sago flour, salt and water. Fish is deboned, minced up and mixed with the flour and other ingredients. It is  rolled about to form a long sausage. Then it is boiled for a few moments. Take it out and it is ready to be served. Best eaten while it still hot. Ummm.. yummy its hard to stop once you start eating. Have a look at this short video showing how the keropok lekor is made.

There are lots of  keropok lekor stalls scattered about all along the coastal roads in Terengganu. The famous places which makes delicious keropok lekor are in Kemaman, Losong and Seberang Takir. And what is so special about Keropok lekor Terengganu ?

Well just about everything, from the way it is made using lots of fresh fish to its delicious chilli dipping sauce which is not too sweet or sour, but just right. You can find keropok lekor in other states in Malaysia too, but it is not the same because the volume of fish used is very little as compared with the Terengganu keropok lekor, which uses lots of fresh fish.

So don't forget to try out the Terengganu Keropok lekor. You can try the fried version or the boiled version for those dieting, both are just delicious. It is cheap and handy too.  You can buy a handful and bring it along with you on a picnic by the sea. Until the next issue of  Terengganu travel guide, have a delicious keropok lekor meal, its delicious, its natural and cheap.

Masjid Terapung - Floating Mosque of Kuala Terengganu

On every single trips to Terengganu, I've have always been mesmerized and fascinated by the  beauty of its unspoilt natural   sorrounding. The rustic kampung village, the picturesque coastline of swaying cocunut trees, white sandy beaches and blue sea.

If  you happen to be in Kuala Terengganu, then be prepared to be amazed aswell, especially if you're passing by it in the evening. Catch the sunset setting overlooking the floating mosque of Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque or better known as Masjid Terapung and you'll see what I mean.

This beautiful mosque is built on the estuary of Terengganu river is a sight to behold not only because of its beautiful architecture but also because it is floating on water. When the sunsets and the golden hues of the sun paints a lovely background to the majestic mosque.  Here's a picture of the beautiful mosque on a usual day and in the sunset above it.

Remarkable isn't it. And what is even remarkable is when you step inside the masjid. You feel so calm, peaceful and at ease. Its truly something that you should not miss in your visit to Terengganu. Don't forget to catch the next issue of  Terengganu Travel Guide for more fascinating travel tips on Terengaanu

Mencandat Sotong

If you happen to be on an island or anywhere near the beach then there's tons of exciting things to do. You can go swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving, jet skiing or paragliding. However one activity that you should't miss out on is mencandat sotong.

Okay so you've tried fishing. And you liked the exhilaration and thrill of catching your own fish . Yes, live fishes, the real thing not cold fish like in the supermarkets. Feeling the wind in your hair , being out in the open sea , and the smell of fresh sea salt in the air. There's nothing like it.

Experience it first hand. If you've tried fishing before than you've got to try mencandat sotong too. Catching squid is just as thrilling. Catch this video on mencandat sotong. Notice how fresh the catch is. Now picture this you're cooking it on boat and eating it fresh. Incredible isn't it and you can do all this in Terengganu.

The Islands of Terengganu.

The islands of Terengganu has always been famous for its crystal clear blue waters and rich with marine creatures and corals. Its a haven for scuba divers in Malaysia.

Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang, Pulau Kapas, Pulau Tenggol and Pulau Lang Tengah are some the islands that are famous among the tourist here. There are lots of exciting things you can do here such as swimming, wind surfing, jet skiing, scuba diving, snorkelling, canoeing, jungle trekking, deep sea fishing, squid fishing or better known as mencandat sotong among the locals here.

Love looking at marine aquarium with all its magnificent colors and splendour of the fishes and corals ? Well if you are snorkelling or scuba diving here, you have the experience of coming face to face with them all, to swim with the fishes, the dolphins, turtles and yes even sharks. Watch this short video on the beautiful island of Pulau Tenggol


Or simply enjoy strolling on the soft white sandy beaches, relaxing and enjoying yourself under the coconut tree looking at the breathtaking view of the sun, sea and blue skies and the lapping of waves crashing on the shore.

Tune in to more exciting Terengganu travel information on the next issue of Terengganu Travel Guide, until then have a nice day.

Rantau Abang Beach

I've always loved my holiday trips to Terengganu. We usually travel there by car following the coastal road. The panoramic scenary along the way is just beautiful. The swaying coconut trees all along miles and miles of sandy beaches. There would be small kampung houses scattered here and there in the fishing villages. A few shops by the roadside selling keropok, satar and coconut water. If you pass by Kertih then you'd see oil refineries from big oil companies such as Petronas, Shell and BP.

One of my favorite beaches in Terengganu is the Rantau Abang beach. Its my favorite Terengganu beach because on our first visit to Terengganu we stayed in Rantau Abang. Rantau Abang situated 80 km south of Kuala Terengganu is famous beach not only because of its beautiful beach with clear blue waters but also because of its giant leatherback turtles.

In the months of May to August every year, the giant leather back turtles or more commonly known as penyu in Malay would come to lay thier eggs at night. These gentle creatures has attracted many tourist who are curious to witness the event. Some tourist are even brave enough to gulp down turtle eggs which are sold by the local village people.

Often times, these turtles seem to be crying when they lay thier eggs. Some say they are sad as after laying the eggs as they have to leave their hathchlings on the beach before returning to the sea. Others say, the turtles cry because thier eyes hurt from the cool night breeze from the open sea. The truth is, only the turtles and God knows the answer. What ever it is, watch this short video which shows turtle on  Rantau Abang Beach.


Tune in to the next issue of Terengganu travel guide for more interesting travel information on beautiful Terengganu.

How to Get to Terengganu & Where to Stay

To get to Kuala Terengganu (Capital of Terengganu) you can either take a car or a bus or travel by plane. There are lots of express bus service to Terengganu such as the Transnasional, Maraliner and Sani Ekspres from any major cities and towns in Peninsular Malaysia. A bus ride usually takes about 6-7 hours from Kuala Lumpur.

If you are in a hurry simply buy flight tickets from MAS or Airasia online which offers daily trips from Kuala Lumpur International airport to Kuala Terengganu. The journey usually takes 45 minutes to an hour. Firefly airlines also offers flight from Penang to Kuala Terengganu. Berjaya Air offers daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Redang Island.


Accomodations are also plenty here ranging from 5 star luxury hotels like the Aryani Resort and Tanjung Jara to the middle class, budget hotels and homestays in town, islands and coastal areas.

Here are videos of Tanjong Jara and the Aryani resort. Two famous resorts in Terengganu where you can rest and relax in the comfort of natures natural beauty. Highly recommended. If you prefer to experience the local village life, choose to stay in homestays or chalets instead.

Tanjong Jara



Aryani Resort