Popular Beaches around Kuantan

There are three main beaches around Kuantan. Teluk Chempedak, the nearest one, boasts a long stretch of casuarina and palm trees along the shore. There is also a jungle trek route nearby. The main hotel near the beach is the Hyatt Regency Kuantan Hotel.

The Batu Hitam beach (in Malay means “Black Stones”), 10 km from Kuantan, is having a stretch of black stones on white sandy beach and is famous among the locals. One must try food here is the Ikan Bakar or grilled fish with a little soury sauce locally called asam pedas. They usually grill the whole fish with skin wrapped in some leaf. Once done, you have to remove the burnt skin and inside lies a fantastic juicy fish meat.

Cherating beach, about 50 kms of Kuantan, is famous for the location of Asia’s first Club Med resort. The nearby Kampung Cherating offers an opportunity to learn batik print on clothes by skilled locals, the mangrove river tour in Cherating and the nighttime firefly tour in Cherating are two not to be missed things. There is a turtle sanctuary in Cherating near the Club Med Resort and a 3.5kms stretch of beach is protected for them to lay eggs. Olive Ridley, Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles are usual visitors of the beach. You can see tiny baby turtles and few adult ones in the turtle center. There is also baby turtle release program during June-September and you may also get a chance to see adult turtles laying eggs on the Cherating beach during night accompanied by the rangers.

There are some basic Chalet accommodations in Cherating village for tourists. There are also few resorts in Cherating, like Suria Cherating, Legend Resort Cherating etc. For breakfast you can opt for the small café on the beach selling western foods along with nasi lemak and other local breakfasts and for lunch you have to depend on the local Malay foods mostly. Dinner time you have more options, from fresh seafoods in Cherating to various types of fried rice and noodles and lots more. One restaurant, Paksu Seafood, is very popular there, but usually crowded with tourists throughout.

Chilapata Travel

Last week we, a group of four nature enthusiasts, planned for a trip to Dooars. This time we wanted to explore the Chilapata Reserve forest area. We booked the Mendabari Nature Camp for two nights. This camp was at a pleasant 40 minutes drive from Hasimara railway station through a dense elephant infested forest. We did not book for the third night and planned for homestay in tribal village. I had been to Chilapata few times before and each time it mesmerized me with a different beauty.

We boarded Kanchankanya Express and it departed on time.  Next morning we woke up and found the train was running few hours late. Now if someone does not know, the Kanchankanya Express is the only train to reach Hasimara, Malbazar and Alipurduar. The train passes through a forest and through couple of tunnels after it crosses Siliguri junction. 

Our driver and old friend Rabi was waiting for us at Hasimara. We quickly started off for Chilapata. When we reached Mendabari, we met a family there who who sighted a couple of rhino in the adjacent grassland. 

Arunachal Pradesh from Kolkata Travel Itenarary

Day 1: Reach Guawahati and transfer to Bhalukpong, night stay at Bhalukpong, Rs. 600-1200 per rooms at lower Bhalukpong just after the checkpost of Assam Arunachal border.

Day 2: Start early enough and reach Dirang. Pemaling and Awoo are the two best hotels there. But more hotels are available in the market area. Take a walk to the Kameng river.

Day 3: Start for Tawang, again start early enough to cross Sella before noon, after 1-2pm the weather goes crazy there, snow falls and rains are usual in the afternoon. In road watch Jashwant Gar. 

Hotel Tawang is very good and cheap, and the the tourist lodge is even better. We stayed in the VIP suits there @1050 per night during 2011. The food is good too.

Day 4: Local sightseeing of Tawang, Tawang Monastery, War memorial are very good. Apply for permit to Bumla, the Indo-China LOC from DC office. If it is Sunday, then also you can get it from the office. Usually someone is there at the office to help the tourists, even you can get the signed form from the DC bunglow. Collect it before 5pm and submit in the BRIGADE beside War memorial as soon as possibe, usually before 6pm. At around 7pm they will give you the permit.

Day 5: Start for Madhuri (Or, Sungetsar) lake and Bumla. Use the whole day. The roads are pretty bad but not dangerous. Only SUV can reach to Bumla. The LOC at Bumla looks amazing. You can even see the Chinese soldiers through binoculars. The Indian Army welcomes you with hot tea and snacks.

Day 6: Start for Tenga. Many suggests Bomdila, but it is almost same as Tawang, with lesser cold. On the other hand Tenga is beside the river and is a military camp, very clean and very beautiful with the sound of flowing river all day through. Night halt at Hotel Aphet with Rs. 1100 per night. But the food is of real bad taste.

Day 7: Reach Guwahati, visit Kamakhya temple. It will take almost 10-11 hours from Tenga to Guwahati.