Welcome to Kuantan!

* I dedicated this blog to travelers that are coming to Kuantan for a visit. I would welcome any comments, suggestions or questions and please submit to me at laiyewchong1989@outlook.com. No one knows best about Kuantan except for their own citizen :)

Introduction

Kuantan is a city that is located on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia in Pahang state, which is about three hours (254 km) of bus journey from the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Pahang is well known for its natural beauty, as it possessed some of the idyllic islands (Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang, Pulau Tioman and many more) and beautiful beaches. Not to mention the endless number of natural waterfalls as well. The closest island to Kuantan is Pulau Tioman which is about two hours of driving journey (160 km) from Kuantan. Pulau Tioman is well-known in the world for being one of the scuba-diving heaven and its perfectly crystal-clear water. 

The main attraction in Kuantan is the small town of Sungai Lembing (about 40 km from the city). Sungai Lembing was once known as the site of one of the world's largest Tin Mine but was closed in late 1980's as the price of the tin dropped significantly. It is dubbed as the town where "the clock stops ticking" as everything in town seems to have come to a halt. There was hardly any development and progress taking place within the town from the day when the mine was closed right until 2011 where the local city council decided to turn this place into a tourist spot. This place is suitable for people that looking for a calm and peaceful gate away or for people that are interested in the rich historical value of the Tin Mining town. 

Teluk Chempedak beach is the most popular beach within Kuantan city. However a rapid development which take place has turned the beach into a fast food hub (some beach go-er may get annoyed by this fact). This place has become heavily commercialized recently thus you may want to visit other quiet & peaceful beach such as Pantai Balok or Cherating. Cherating beach is also known as the home of Club Meds. 

The legendary Lake Chini that is located at the outskirts of Kuantan city is famous for the folklore of the naga Tasik Gumum (dragon of Gumum lake). The villagers living nearby believed that the lake was the home of the sunken Khmer-city and it is said that a dragon (a huge snake) is still living beneath the lake till now.

The list of the places of interest in Kuantan that are discussed here:

- In the vicinity of Sungai Lembing (about 30km from Kuantan)

1) Mount Panorama

2) Rainbow Waterfall

3) Sg. Lembing Tin Mine (by Pahang Consolidated Company Limited, P.C.C.L, 1906-1986)

4) The Hanging Bridge

5) Gua Charas

6) Pandan Waterfall

- In the vicinity of Kuantan town (within 20km radius, except Lake Chini):

7) Telok Chempedak (Palm Beach)

8) Taman Gelora

9) Pantai Balok

10) Cherating Beach

11) Black Stone Beach

12) Esplanade

13) Lake Chini *(located about 100km from Kuantan)

14) Zoo Mini Teruntum 

Sungai Lembing - the Town where the Clock stops ticking

My friends posing in front of a Chinese Primary School in Sungai Lembing :)

Sg.Lembing town, the town that was once called as "little Hong Kong" in the late 60's that is situated in the suburb of Kuantan. Most of the buildings that are seen here are in fact exactly in the same condition as they were many years ago. The place hardly undergone any development, except for the appearance of some newly established chalets that could be seen around the town. Sg.Lembing was once famous for it's tin mining, which held the reputation as the deepest tin mine in the world (the total tunnel length is said to be around 300+km, and the mine is divided into several levels below the ground). It was operated under the name of Pahang Consolidated Company Limited (P.C.C.L), which was under British control by the time. During it's heyday, it was the richest town near Kuantan (richer than Kuantan itself). It has about 1000+ of total workers,and most of them were working as the tin miners. After the downfall of the price of tin in the late 80's, Many of its residents moving in to Kuantan as to find a better future and working opportunities, thus turning the place into a ghost town. Most of its residents nowadays are old folks, and the place attracts a huge crowd (mostly tourist) during public holidays and weekends.

On the way downhill from the Museum of Sungai Lembing

A small town that was once thrived in the early 80's is now a sleepy town

Khek Association building that was established in 1964, located beside the building of Hainan Association

People that refused to leave the town set up their own small business here; leading a simple and peaceful life

Overlooking the Chinese Primary School from the hill of Mt. Panorama, courtesy of http://weikeanzone.blogspot.com/2010/10/escapade-to-sungai-lembing-small-tin.html

The Tin Mine Museum of Sungai Lembing, courtesy of  http://lookat.my/blog/2009/03/12/friendly-people-good-food-fantastic-sunrise-a-small-and-colourful-town-call-sungai-lembing/

Transportation to Sungai Lembing

Visitors can hop into Rapid Kuantan (bus no. 500) to get to Sg. Lembing from Hentian Bandar Kuantan. The routine bus journey started as early as 6.20 a.m in the morning (from Kuantan) and end at 7.20 p.m (from Sg. Lembing). However it is advisable for the travelers to have their own transportation as some of the places of interest (Sg.Pandan Waterfall, Tin Mine Museum, Sg.Lembing Hanging Bridge, Gua Charas) are quite far away from the town.

What to do in Sungai Lembing?

1) Watching Sun Rise from the Peak of Mount Panorama

The main attraction of Sg.Lembing, where the visitors can have the breath-taking view of the sun rise on the summit of the mountain. Locals & people as far as from KL enjoy the morning breeze on the way to the mountain's top. It is said that exactly below the mountain lays the tin mine that was once one of the world's largest. The journey to the summit of the mountain takes about 45 minutes of hiking. Upon on the way to the top of the mountain, the visitors will be amazed by the sea-cloud like mist that is formed on the surrounding area. Visitors are able to spend a night on the summit of the mountain by setting up their tents, but there is no restroom/toilet is available. It is recommended for the visitors to begin their hiking as early as 5am, and visitors are advised to bring along torch light with them. It is advisable to avoid hiking the hill during weekends as there are plenty of people (a broader pathway has been built and completed in the year 2011 which make the hiking easier), and be sure to take a photo once you at the top of the mountain! :)

* Travellers that come from outside of Kuantan is recommended to stay overnight in the chalet/inn located in Sungai Lembing one day before climbing the mount of Panorama, as there's no bus service travels from Kuantan to Sungai Lembing early in the morning.

A strong mist usually surrounded the hill early in the morning; visitors will feel like they are up above the clouds

Sungai Lembing Town could be seen clearly on the halfway to the summit of Mt. Panorama

The captivating view from the hill of Mt.Panorama :)

Sun rise in Sungai Lembing from the peak of Mt. Panorama, which won my heart over :)

At the peak of Mt. Panorama from the lens of Joe Chiang Photography, courtesy of http://joechiangphotoblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/sungai-lembing-trip-201/

At the peak of  Mt. Panorama from the lens of  Joe Chiang Photography, courtesy of http://joechiangphotoblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/sungai-lembing-trip-201/

a paradise for nature's lovers, courtesy of http://joechiangphotoblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/sungai-lembing-trip-201/

another scenic view from summit of mt.Panorama, courtesy of http://lookat.my/blog/2009/03/12/friendly-people-good-food-fantastic-sunrise-a-small-and-colourful-town-call-sungai-lembing/

A video showing the sight at the peak of Mt. Panorama early in the morning:

2) Blend with nature in Rainbow Waterfall

Have you ever encountered with rainbow where their distance is so near that you could touch the rainbow by both of your hand? It is made possible here. The Rainbow Waterfall is located quite far away from the Sg.Lembing town, where the journey would require the visitors to take an hour of 4wd ride from the center of the Sg.Lembing town to the jungle area, and from there they need to walk for about 30 minutes through the jungle before reaching up the waterfall. The fun part comes when the visitors need to cross a river to the other side of the jungle (the river is about thigh high, and can be as deep as waist sometime), beware though, some of the stones in the jungle are slippery enough to make a person falls. But the risk is worth it upon the visitors arrival on the destination. The waterfall's scenery is an unforgettable one, the waterfall is so tall (see the picture below) and it produces a lots of tiny water vapours that would wet the visitors' face as a sign of greetings. The sight of the rainbow's appearance on the waterfall would send anyone goes crazy :) 

* An early arrangement/booking is required, it costs about RM 35 - RM 40 per person for the whole trip (the trip will take half day, 6am-1pm). The assembly point is at the Chinese stalls in front of Khek Association building at 6am, operation time is everyday (except flood season). Visitors are advised not to wear their sport shoes (bring a rubber sandal, but usually it's prepared by the tourist guide as well) and long pants (as it's all about to get wet there). The cold wind blowing in the morning would surely make the visitors go trembling, so bring along an extra shirt as well, and Yes you can swim there! 

The sight of the Rainbow waterfall from afar

The rainbow that is formed at the foot of the waterfall, it can get prettier than this though :)

The scenic view while on the way to Rainbow Waterfall, courtesy of http://joechiangphotoblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/sungai-lembing-trip-201/

3) Discover the site of the World's Deepest Tin Mine

The iconic structure of Sg.Lembing, and served as the pulse of the small town during it's glorious days. The local government even built a museum nearby the mine in honour to the contribution of the mine to the local people. It's a bit tricky to get to this place and it is almost hidden from the visitors. The tin mine is located on a hill beside the Sg.Lembing Museum, the sign going to the mine is written as " Muka Lombong" . There are several entrances to the tin mine (there are four if I've not mistaken), with only one that is still functioning, and it is located at a remote place (sadly this entrance has been sealed off by the government on year 2010 for the visitors' safety). Most of the other entrances are shut down due to the safety reason. Through the entrance, the visitors could walk for about 20+ km inside, but it is risky as it is completely pitch black inside. The only source of clean air and light come from the man-made ventilation holes above the ceiling of the tin mine. Further information on the Tin Mine could be obtained from the museum located nearby.

*Recently the site of the tin mine is closed because of some restoration work/ maintenance, lets hope that it will be reopened back for the public soon. :)  

At the entrance of the abandoned Tin Mine (year 2007)

The smaller entrance to the tin mine, there is used to be another entrance which is bigger than this but had been sealed by the government

4) A Walk on the Hanging Bridge of Sungai Lembing

This bridge connects the villagers to the town of Sg.Lembing. It had undergone through a few maintenance as flood often occurs in the town. From the top of the hanging bridge one could see the muddy Sg.Lembing river flows peacefully, and most of the time it looks like there's hardly any traces of water there. Don't be fooled though, this river is known to be ferocious during rainy season, as at certain places the flood is as high as it would cover up until the first floor of the shop houses. The Hanging Bridge is made completely from the woods, surprisingly even the motorcyclist could use it to travel to the town. For the people that is scared of height be sure to hang on tight to the rope that is attached to the bridge, as the bridge could get shaky at any time :)

*At the opposite of the bridge is the one and only factory that producing Sg.Lembing noodle. Be sure to have a visit there! 

The bridge connecting the villagers to the town of Sg.Lembing on the opposite

Another view from the hanging bridge of Sg.Lembing, courtesy of http://lookat.my/blog/2009/03/12/friendly-people-good-food-fantastic-sunrise-a-small-and-colourful-town-call-sungai-lembing/

5) Exploring the Sacred Cave of Gua Charas

This limestone cave is located outside of Sg.Lembing. The visitors need to go through the palm oil plantation in order to reach the place. The way to the cave is a tarmac road but don't be surprised if the appearance of cow dungs are everywhere (the surrounding area is a palm oil plantation). A huge mountain range which houses the Gua Charas is visible from main road of Sg.Lembing-Kuantan. Gua Charas is well known to the Hindus as a site of worship. The famous 30 feet Sleeping Buddha statue is laying at the end of the temple. The temple contains severals Buddha figurines and there is a fish-shaped figurine that is said to be mystical in the cave. On the top of the cave there is a cock-shaped statue that is formed naturally through the passing of water along the wall of the cave (the Brahmin living in the cave believe it represents one of their God).  The visitors are required to do some donation prior to their visits there.

*The only way to this cave is by your own transportation, stay alert as the path in the cave could get slippery.

At the entrance of Gua Charas

The Statue of the Sleeping Buddha in Gua Charas

The pathway at the inner of Gua Charas, courtesy of http://joechiangphotoblog.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/sungai-lembing-trip-201/

6) A Visit to Sungai Pandan Waterfall

Another cascading waterfall near the town of Sg.Lembing. It is easy to get to this place as it's situated near the village of Panching. It is known locally as a perfect recreational site, where the sight of people camping and bbq-ing is a common here. A favourite hang out place for the locals.

* It is not recommended for the visitors to swim along the waterfall during monsoon/rainy season as it is risky. 

Pandan Waterfall in Panching

Nothing else is better than relaxing on the stones near the waterfall :)

Besides from the tourist attractions that are mentioned above, Sg.Lembing does have some others famous tourist spots, such as the Crystal House, The Sg.Lembing Noodles Factory (the origin of the famous Sg.Lembing's noodle), and many more. The Crystal House is located further away deep inside Sg.Lembing where the crystal products are made there. There is a hot spring which is located at the half way to the Rainbow Waterfall, but the algaes has taken over the place recently, as a result the pool is turning green. Few Kilometres out from the town of Sg.Lembing there is a Chinese temple that is dubbed to have the longest dragon pathway in the world. The visitors would enter the temple through the tail of the dragon and make their way out from the mouth of the dragon. There is a wishing pearl lays at the end of the pathway that is believed to grant the wishes of anyone that touches it :)

Tourist Spots in Kuantan City

Kuantan, the city of traffic lights. Any people that have never been to Kuantan before will be surprised of the numbers of the traffic lights that the city possessed. A travel through Jln Wong Ah Jang will definitely gets someone headache. Kuantan is often quoted as the best place to live for during retirements. It is a city of no hustle, except for Friday as the people from Kemaman (a small town in southern Terengganu) will flock to this place to shopping. Kuantan is the home of some popular beaches, such as Teluk Chempedak, Cherating (known for the home of the prestigious Club Med, the one and only in Malaysia), Pantai Balok and others. East Coast Mall/Capita Mall is the latest shopping complex in Kuantan and is the biggest shopping complex in east coast of Malaysia.


7) Strolling along Teluk Chempedak Beach

This beach is located near the Kuantan City centre. The Hyatt Regency Kuantan, which is a 5 stars hotel, is located here. Telok Chempedak has three fast food chain restaurants, the McDonald, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King. The McDonald here is said to be the most profitable McDonald restaurant in Peninsular Malaysia (It is opened for 24hours a day,and often crowded with people during friday & weekend). Some of the youngsters spend their night by laying on the beach to catch a glimpse of the sun rise here. It is possible to do a jungle trekking here to Mount Pelindung which is located nearby the beach, as it is accessible through the stairs located on the wooden bridge in Teluk Chempedak. The local mountain-bikers like to ride their bicycles all the way through the reserved forest of Mt.Pelindung. There is a wooden bridge that is built to connect the land to the other side of Teluk Chempedak, known as TC2 to the locals. The monkeys from the nearby forest will sometime do drop by for a visit on the bridge and even into the McD. Stay extra cautious as they will snatch anything that seems to be valuable to them (in this case, your McD happy meals :)).

*This beach is too commercialised by the local government, and the number of the visitors are increasing each year. Head towards the Pantai Balok or Cherating Beach instead if you prefer a more quiet and relaxing place.

Telok Chempedak Beach, perfect for a family gateaway

The mesmerizing view of the South China Sea from Teluk Chempedak

8) Relaxing in Taman Gelora

This park is located in the vicinity of the town. Taman Gelora is well known for Kuantan citizen as a workout place. The park attracts a huge crowd early in the morning as people going there to jog and doing some exercises. There is a lake at the center of the park, which is filled with the lotus flower. Many people from the past used to pluck the lotus flower and bring them over to their home for decoration. Visitors can jog and do some healthy exercises while enjoying the scenic view of the lake and even catch the breath of the sea (there is a beach located just beside the park). In the middle of the lake there is small hanging bridge, and the Chinese locals used to call it as "qing ren qiao", which literally means "the bridge of the lovers". Visitors could see small little fishes swimming beneath them from the bridge. Taman Gelora is also famous for it's giant lizards. The natural surroundings of Taman Gelora makes it a perfect living place for the lizards there. The lizards will usually surprised the unaware visitors by jumping into the lake whenever the visitors passed by them. Dont worry though, these lizards pose no threats to the visitors as they are used to the presence of the people there :). This park is accessible through the way to Teluk Chempedak.

The Sight of the blooming Lotus flower on the lake welcoming the visitors

The lake that is the home for the fishes and the giant lizard as well

The "qing ren qiao". There is a tale that saying one will eventually be in love with the person that is crossing the bridge at the same time with him :)

9) Pantai Balok

My most favourite beach in Kuantan :) This beach is located on the right side of the road to Beserah. Pantai Balok is a perfect place for anyone that seeks a place where they can be away from the hustle and bustle of the city. For the visitors that enjoy tranquillity and privacy, this beach is just a perfect place. The beach doesn't have as much visitors as Teluk Chempedak does as it's quite a distance away from the town. There are huge spaces available for the visitors to set up their tents in case they do want to stay overnight there. Any camping or water activities can be done here by granting a permission from the Kuantan Municipal Council. I do recommend people to visit the place at 530pm-630pm as the beach is shady during that time:). The cool breeze of the sea and it's long strand of beach make it a perfect spot for the visitors to relax themselves.

The evening view of Balok Beach

A heaven for refreshment :)

10) The Hidden Gem of Kuantan : Cherating Beach 

Home of Club Med in Malaysia. It was a popular tourist spot once upon a time, but almost losing its shine nowadays. The visitors that visit the beach will notice that the texture of the sand here is different than the other beaches near Kuantan. The beach is surprisingly shallow, making the beach as an ideal location for a family vacation. The way to the beach is a little bit tricky as there's lack of sign showing the direction to the place. There are plenty of parking space nearby the sea as most of the time the parking space is left vacant. This beach is considered as one of the most quite and relaxing beach located along Jalan Kuantan - Kemaman.

The view from the beach of Cherating

Don't be surprised if you are the only person strolling on the beach :)

11) Having a Slurp of Ice Kacang while enjoying the breeze of the Black Stone Beach 

One of the most extraordinary beach in Kuantan. It is located near Pantai Balok via the way from Kuantan - Kemaman. The beach gets its name from the black rocks that appear on the beach. The visitors can have a walk on the pedestrians' pathway that is built on the long strand of the beach. It is a must for the visitors that visit the Black Stone Beach to have a slurp of an ice kacang at the stalls located nearby. The visitors can enjoy their foods while enjoying the panoramic view of the vast South China Sea. Some of the famous restaurants in Kuantan such as the Pak Su Seafood Restaurant is located nearby as well. 

*There are tables facing toward the sea in Pak Su Restaurant, the ambience is nice especially at night so give it a try by having a dinner there, but be sure to ask for the price of the seafood - as it gonna get a bit expensive here.

The black rocks in the Black Stone Beach

12) River Cruise and Fire flies watching in Esplanade 

Esplanade is located right beside the river of Kuantan. It is a place for the people to enjoy the view of the Kuantan's river. There is a river cruise service provided by the Kuantan Municipal Council for the visitors where the visitors will have a chance to cruise along the Kuantan river to an island located not far away from the city, but this service is only available in the morning. The island is a mangrove reserved forest and there is a watch tower built on the island for the visitors' visit. During the boat ride, the visitors will be brought to see the fishermen's village and the Keropok's factory. If the visitors are lucky enough, they could spot some crocodiles that live beneath the river of Kuantan. Esplanade is alive at night as the youngsters and couples like to hang around here. At night, the visitors could watch the fireflies along the estuary of the Kuantan's river through the service that is provided by the Kuantan Municipal Council as well (this service is only available during friday,saturday and sunday night), which require the minimum of 10 persons per boat. There was a tale that once there was a bomb that was dropped from a fighter airplane during the WWII that falls into the Kuantan's river, yet surprisingly the bomb didn't explode and remained in the bottom of the river till these days (I get this story from a local tourist guide). Beneath the bridge that leads to the city of Kuantan lays a fort that is submerged below the water level. The fort was built to counter the Japanese invasion on the city of Kuantan many years ago.

The view of Esplanade at night

13) A Tour to the mystical Lake Chini

Lake Chini is known to the natives as "Laut Gumum" or sea of Gumum because of its huge surrounding, comprising of 12,565 hectare of lake. The name "Laut Gumum" originates from the Jakun tribe that still living at the surrounding area. Lake Chini is also known as Malaysia's Loch Ness because of the legend of the lake. The visitors can rent a boat and they will be taken to cruise along Lake Chini. The lake was once full of the blossom lotus flower but it is almost depleting now because of the presence of parasite plants, and also the effect of the construction of a dam nearby the lake. The visitors would be taken to visit the village of the Jakun tribe as well during the cruise that is located somewhere in Lake Chini.

According to the legend, the Jakun tribe was the first native to discover the land. It was said that they met with an elderly woman who claimed that the land was actually belong to her. After a negotiation with the head of the tribe, the woman gave permission to the tribe to clear the land for planting purposes, and pinched a wooden wand into the soil and warned the tribes to never pull it out until she left the place. As the tribes men were cutting the grass and the trees, suddenly the dogs were barking at a huge, strange dark tree branch. Feeling curious, one of the men threw his "tugal" (a sharp equipment used for planting) to the strange tree branch. Out of a sudden, blood gushed out from the tree branch and this had shocked the tribes men. They ran away frantically and one of them accidentally break the wand, and a huge amount of water soon covering the land from the hole on the ground (which is caused by the pinching of the wand to the ground). The legend however said that the dark tree branch was actually the protector of the land, that was the mystical dragon in disguise.

Many older generation people that live nearby Tasik Chini today do believe on the existence of the dragon, or the giant snake as some of them mentioned that they had seen it before. Some cases were reported in around 1980-1986 where people (mostly fishermen) spotted a strange, long dark figure beneath the lake, before disappearing a moment later. The presence of the dark figure was accompanied with a rough wave on the lake which terrify the people. Apart from the myth surrounding the lake, Lake Chini is a place that is rich in its natural beauty.

* For travellers that are travelling to Lake Chini by public transportation, take the MARA public coach from the public bus terminal nearby Terminal Makmur in Kuantan that is heading to Chini. Accommodation is available in Lake Chini as it is operated by a tourism company.

Here are some infos related to the bus schedule to Lake Chini that I have obtained from http://pahangtrekker.malaysiatrekker.com/lake_chini.htm

Lotus flowers are blooming on Lake Chini depending on the season

The visitor can try the blowpipe for free during the visit to the Jakun tribe's village

a scenic boat ride through the Lake Chini

The home of the legendary mystical dragon

The jetty at which the boat departs

The calm lake of Tasik Chini, courtesy of http://www.blogsempoi.com/redah-tasik-chini.html

If you are lucky, you might bump into few of lotus flowers :), courtesy of http://www.break-fresh-ground.com/Asia/Southeastern-Asia/Malaysia/Travelogue-4433/Journal-24.html

The quiet road to Lake Chini, courtesy of http://www.blogsempoi.com/redah-tasik-chini.html

A video based on a 1-day trip at Lake Chini:

14) Teruntum Mini Zoo

This mini zoo is situated between Telok Chempedak and Taman Gelora in Kuantan. It is opened daily and is the home for some of the wild and exotic animals. Teruntum Mini Zoo was once famous for the monkeys that residing in the surrounding jungle area. The monkeys were used to be a threat to the visitors as they would snatch foods and drinks away. Lately the number of the monkeys there are no longer as many as they were used to be before (wondering whether they have migrated to somewhere else). There is a small turtle pond in the mini zoo. In the past, the people of Kuantan used to release their turtles into the pond whenever their turtles are growing up . Due to the rising number of the turtles in the pond, the authority came up with a plan to cage the pond over to avoid the people from releasing their turtles into the pool again. There is a crocodile pond in the mini zoo which is the home for the severals crocodiles there. The mini zoo used to own a Go-Kart Playground last time, but it has already been closed for the few years back. After a few restoration work a few years back the zoo becomes alive again! :)

The bear was posing after seeing we were taking his picture

Me and my friends were sitting at the place that was once surrounded with horses

Smile :) hope you guys enjoy your visit to Kuantan!

*special thanks to Sing Ying for you lovely Cherating & Gua Charas' photos, my friends (in our quest of having fun time together) and anyone that willingly to spend a moment to read this travelling blog... I am doing this blog without any intention of profits gaining, just to introduce Kuantan to the people around, good days ahead :)