English (英语) |

Upon entering Chendering, on the outskirts of Kuala Terengganu , sits the Kuala Ibai mosque also known as the 'Floating mosque of the East'. It is built on a lagoon by the mouth of Sungai Ibai or the Ibai River. The mosque is open to all, you can have a wander around but please observe the regulations and most importantly, if you intend to visit the mosque or any mosques - remember to dress conservatively ie. no shorts or mini skirts or any other revealing attire - not even spaghetti strap tops. And another thing, it's best not to visit during prayer times especially Friday afternoons from noon till 3.00pm.

Jalan Bandar - Chinatown

Town is just a stone's throw from here(well, actually another 4km). Kuala Terengganu has grown tremendously since the discovery of oil. For most travellers, the favourite part of K.T. is definitely chinatown. A row of pre-war chinese shophouses filled with familiar scents of the past- old fusty rooms with cardboard boxes full of unwanted bric-a-bracs, aged documents piled up high in the corner with a lingering faint smell of dampness.

A few of the shophouses have been taken over by island resort operators such as Redang Reef Resort and Square Point Resort. But many of the premises are still maintained by the original owners. If you get a chance to snoop around, the back of the shop extends out onto the river, which opens an entirely different scenary from the bustling street. Here, you may be able to spot the fishing boats coming back from a day's fishing and the usual daily routine of river life. Looking across the river, you can see a throbbing fishing village with women going about their daily chores. This is Seberang Takir.

There are also several batik boutiques along the way and a couple of shops selling art pieces which includes reprints of prints painted by a well known local artist from Dungun, Chang Fee Ming. Apart from the resort operators, many of the shops are closed by 5.30pm and most do not open on Fridays.

A backpackers' hostel around the corner from chinatown and its batik gallery shop called the Ping Anchorage travellers' inn is a good place to meet other travellers but caters only to foreigners. Reason being, bad past experiences with local people who preferred to use the inn for untoward reasons (or so we were told). They have a small café/restaurant in the premise that sells cold beer in chilled mugs - the sort of luxury that is difficult to come by in these parts.

Central Market

At the end of Jalan Bandar (Bandar Road) is Central Market. This 2 storey square building is the hub of K.Terengganu. The ground floor is bustling with the haggling of vendors selling everyday needs. Fresh fish such as trevally goes for RM10 a kilo. Women dressed in colourful, vibrant tudungs (head scarf) and baju (malay top and long skirt) selling grain, fruits and sundry items. Shops selling brassware, batik items, books, local medicine. On the top floor, there are more shops selling a great selection of baju, scarves, songket- handwoven cloth, batik clothes. Don't worry if you don't have cash with you, many of them accept credit cards (mastercard, visa).

There are also a number of shops selling colourful malay and indonesian cakes(kuih). Daintily wrapped in banana leaves, the 'dodol' is a strange tasting candy. It may take a bit of getting use to for first-timers - it's goo-ey in texture, is made from coconut and is extremely sweet. The other local must-have is the 'serunding'. This is usually sprinkled on rice or on the vegetable/meat dishes. Beef, chicken or lamb pieces are finely grated, fried in a helping of hot oil and generously seasoned with red hot chilli peppers. Serunding goes great with bread too. Try it only if you can take really spicy food.

Occasionally, travelling medicine men are seen peddling their wares on the side lanes. Talking through their microphones, they entertain interested crowds with fancy concoctions for all sorts of illnesses bottled in fancy containers- sometimes throwing in personal demonstrations for added effect.

There are other places you can get to by hopping onto the riverboats at the jetties around the market area. Just to name you 2 interesting places below:

Pulau Duyung Besar

Right next to Hotel Seri Malaysia is a small jetty where local villagers arrive from a little river islet called Pulau Duyung Besar. Pulau Duyung sits at the mouth of River Terrengganu and is now accessible either by boat or by road. The local riverboat charges a nominal fee of 50sen or so. Villagers unload their produce to sell in the market. Bunches of bananas and baskets of c(h)empedak fruit (a very pungent but delicious fruit but not as wicked as the durian!) are common produce of the villages. Others unload their bicycles for cruising around town or used as transportation to work nearby. Another way to get to Pulau Duyung is via the highway but many travellers prefer the old-fashioned way of travel by riverboat. For more on Pulau Duyung, click here.

more story on Kuala Terengganu and around...

Accommodation and Holiday Packages to Kuala Terengganu, Merang, Marang, Kapas Island, Tenggol Island, Gemia Island, Redang Island, Lang Tengah Island, Bidong Island, Penarik, Rantau Abang, Kenyir Lake, Tanjong Jara, Dungun, Paka and Surroundings

Malaysia Cities , Towns & Villages