Terengganu Cities and Towns, Malaysia

Waterfront

Visitors to the waterfront of Kuala Terengganu will be fascinated by its hustle and bustle of activities. Stroll down the waterfront and watch fishmongers haggling for the price of fish and other seafood. Or take a boat ride to one of the many beautiful nearby islands in The South China Sea for some snorkeling or a picnic on the beach, shaded by swaying palm trees.

Another appealing alternative is to take a passenger boat to Seberang Takir for what is considered Malaysia's most beautiful vantage point of the South China Sea.

Chukai & Kuala Kemaman

The capital of Kemaman district, in the southern part of the state, is Chukai. This quiet little town is famous for good coffee and fantastic, fresh seafood, specifically stuffed crab. Try Tong Yuan Restaurant and Kedai Kopi Hai Ping for their fresh coffee, toast and kaya (coconut jam) spread.

Just up the coast is Kuala Kemaman, a little fishing village which is famous for otak-otak (spicy steamed fish paste), satay (fine bits of barbecued meat on skewers) and ikan bakar (barbecued fish). The jetty at Kuala Kemaman River is crowded with returning fishing boats every evening, their fresh catch going straight to the local restaurants!

Kijal

A little further up the coast is Kijal, another small and quiet fishing village sprawled along a beautiful stretch of empty beach.

Other than traditional fishing activities, Kijal is best known as a vacation destination, with its mile-long beach lined with coconut trees wafting in the breeze from the South China Sea.

Kemasik

As you drive along the coastal road heading to Kuala Terengganu, there are long stretches of beautiful, empty beaches, stretching up the coast for nearly 200km! Among these, Kemasik is one of the best.

Kemasik takes its name from the river running prominently through it. It is a very basic and typical little fishing village like others on the east coast. The only thing that makes this town famous is the tranquil beach and scenery.

Kerteh

The main oil town in Terengganu is Kerteh, lying 2 hours' drive south of Kuala Terengganu. The whole setting and layout of Kerteh is so different from other towns in Terengganu state.

With the arrival of the petroleum refineries into this little town, rows of modern residential houses were built on the outskirts of the old town for the employees of the oil companies.

The economy of this tiny town has transformed it overnight into a city with an immensely important economic role for the state. Passing by the huge petroleum refineries at night, with the sky aglow with fire emissions, is an unforgettable experience.

Kuala Dungun

Located at the mouth of the Dungun River just a few kilometers from Dungun town on the road north to Kuala Terengganu, Kuala Dungun was first known as an iron mining town in the 1940s. However, with the exhaustion of iron mining in this area, this little town now finds its survival in the fishing industry.

Today, it is nothing more than a peaceful, half-forgotten coastal fishing town on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Standing in the town center are a few rows of old shop houses. The river itself is excellent for freshwater fishing and bamboo rafting. From this river, one can access to Ceralak Waterfalls by boat.

Truthfully, the only thing that puts this town on the map is that it is the jump-off point to one of Malaysia's finest tropical islands - Pulau Tenggol, which lies about 1 hour by speedboat from the jetty.