Kuantan has long been the home of Club Med in Malaysia. Well, Cherating really, but since that's only about 20 minutes north of Kuantan Town, it'll do. Cherating has a really nice beach hence why the Club has been there for the last 20 years or so.
Kuantan lies directly east of Kuala Lumpur and it's a nice 3 hour drive via the Karak Highway. I've made the trip numerous times on the Ducati and the first 60km out of KL is a biker's dream - fast sweeping, undulating strips of wide bitumen. Okay, so on the Ducati it doesn't take 3 hours but who's counting!
The Karak Highway has been cut through a pass over the southern end of the Cameron Highlands. It's a pretty amazing highway with 3-lane switchbacks and mountain passes. Right at the turn off to the Camerons has to be the best MacDonalds Restaurant in all of Southeast Asia - and it's not for the food, just the setting.
It does require some caution especially in the wet as some of the corners are a bit off-camber and always seems to catch a car out. Every time I've made the road in the wet there is always a car parked in a ditch at the top of the pass!
Once you hit the flatlands the road straightens up and it will lead you straight into Kuantan town. I've 'found' a little boatel that is nicely located upstream where there is no boat traffic. The Kuantan River is a treat for natural life. In a 40 minute period on my last trip there, I counted no less than 7 sea eagles soaring over the river. The time before that, I spotted prawns as big as my forearm! So the River is alive and well.
Kuantan lies directly east of Kuala Lumpur and it's a nice 3 hour drive via the Karak Highway. I've made the trip numerous times on the Ducati and the first 60km out of KL is a biker's dream - fast sweeping, undulating strips of wide bitumen. Okay, so on the Ducati it doesn't take 3 hours but who's counting!
The Karak Highway has been cut through a pass over the southern end of the Cameron Highlands. It's a pretty amazing highway with 3-lane switchbacks and mountain passes. Right at the turn off to the Camerons has to be the best MacDonalds Restaurant in all of Southeast Asia - and it's not for the food, just the setting.
It does require some caution especially in the wet as some of the corners are a bit off-camber and always seems to catch a car out. Every time I've made the road in the wet there is always a car parked in a ditch at the top of the pass!
Once you hit the flatlands the road straightens up and it will lead you straight into Kuantan town. I've 'found' a little boatel that is nicely located upstream where there is no boat traffic. The Kuantan River is a treat for natural life. In a 40 minute period on my last trip there, I counted no less than 7 sea eagles soaring over the river. The time before that, I spotted prawns as big as my forearm! So the River is alive and well.
Heading upstream from LBC (boatel), you'll come to a dam in about 30 minutes at a good pace. Although relatively short, the trip is a treat as it winds its way through the countryside. There's even an Orang Asli village a wee way up. But it's the natural splendour, the peace and tranquility that I love!
If you head downstream from LBC, you'll pass under 2 bridges - a small one near the Boatel and a big one on the edge of town. The trip from LBC out into the South China Sea takes about 20 minutes and is easy as there are really no hidden dangers. The nice aspect of Kuantan City is that it is based around the River so you get a good view of the city.
Once out in the South China Sea, your range is the limit. Head north and you'll come across all the nice beaches in the Cherating area. Leo Watersports is on Balok Beach and, just north of that, you'll find the Kuantan Port. There are countless fish here. Just offshore are 2 reefs and a couple of wrecks so diving/fishing is good but you will need local knowledge onboard. More clearly visible are the small islands close to shore.
With a decent boat, it is possible to go from Kuantan up to Gem and Kapas Islands. These are well...real Gems! Gem Island has a nice little resort and really good snorkeling. An anchorage is possible between the two islands. An easy fetch is from Gem Island directly inshore to Marang. In all my rides up and down the East Coast, I've found Marang to have the best beaches. Marang to Gem Island is only 5nm so any boat can make that!
Living in KL and being a boating enthusiast, I can tell you I'd prefer to drive the 3 hours to Kuantan and have plenty of boating activity than to drive 1 hour to Port Dickson where I'll be bored out of my brain. You see, Kuantan does have some nice restaurants, you can buy a cold beer and there is a personable boatel that can take care of a boat. But better than that, you can get out fish/dive/explore plus the water is clean with good visibility!
If you head downstream from LBC, you'll pass under 2 bridges - a small one near the Boatel and a big one on the edge of town. The trip from LBC out into the South China Sea takes about 20 minutes and is easy as there are really no hidden dangers. The nice aspect of Kuantan City is that it is based around the River so you get a good view of the city.
Once out in the South China Sea, your range is the limit. Head north and you'll come across all the nice beaches in the Cherating area. Leo Watersports is on Balok Beach and, just north of that, you'll find the Kuantan Port. There are countless fish here. Just offshore are 2 reefs and a couple of wrecks so diving/fishing is good but you will need local knowledge onboard. More clearly visible are the small islands close to shore.
With a decent boat, it is possible to go from Kuantan up to Gem and Kapas Islands. These are well...real Gems! Gem Island has a nice little resort and really good snorkeling. An anchorage is possible between the two islands. An easy fetch is from Gem Island directly inshore to Marang. In all my rides up and down the East Coast, I've found Marang to have the best beaches. Marang to Gem Island is only 5nm so any boat can make that!
Living in KL and being a boating enthusiast, I can tell you I'd prefer to drive the 3 hours to Kuantan and have plenty of boating activity than to drive 1 hour to Port Dickson where I'll be bored out of my brain. You see, Kuantan does have some nice restaurants, you can buy a cold beer and there is a personable boatel that can take care of a boat. But better than that, you can get out fish/dive/explore plus the water is clean with good visibility!
No comments:
Post a Comment