Kuala Terengganu (KT) is Shirl’s hometown. It is the capital city of the state of Terengganu in Malaysia. It is famous for its exotic islands and beaches that line its 225km coastline on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Photo Courtesy of http://www.cuti.com
ARRIVING AND GETTING AROUND KT
The airport you’d arrive in KT would be the Sultan Mahmud Airport. It’s a 45 min plane ride to here from Kuala Lumpur via KLIA or LCCT (see here for more info about KL and its airports). Once you get to KT, it is another half hour drive to downtown. You should be able to buy tickets for cabs from within the airport. Locals in KT speak english, malay, mandarin, hokkien and cantonese. Unless you know how to speak Malay (aka Bahasa Melayu), it is unlikely that you’d get a good price by bargaining with the cab drivers. Buying the fixed priced tickets from within the airport is your best choice.
There are no car rental companies that I know of in KT. So it is likely that you will need to walk from one place to the other or get cabs from your hotels. Make sure you have the cab company’s phone number so you can call them for the ride back.
ACCOMMODATION
Some hotels conveniently located downtown (the city’s small, so you’ll be OK getting around even if your hotel’s not in the middle of downtown).
- Parkroyal
- Yen Tin Midtown (this one’s a 2 star budget hotel)
- Grand Continental
THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO VISIT
1. KT’s chinatown. It’s probably the only street in KT where you will get an abundance of authentic Malaysian chinese food. Everywhere else outside of the street of Chinatown, you should be trying Malay food. You will learn very quickly that there are 3 main categories of food in Malaysia – Malay, Malaysian Indian and Malaysian Chinese.
2. Crystal Mosque – a mosque made out of steel and glass. Next to the mosque, there is a Muslim Civilization Park that houses 21 miniature mosques from around the world.
3. Central Market (Pasar Payang) – A must visit to experience the local culture. Here you’ll be able to taste and buy local fruits, food and souvenirs. It is a market visited frequently by locals, so you can expect a crowded atmosphere but cheap, reasonable prices. Ventilation in the market is not very good, so be prepared to sweat or to bring some sort of paper fan! An example of a local fruit you can obtain from the central market – Rambutan:
4. Nasi Dagang – A local dish that is special to Kuala Terengganu. It is unlikely that you’ll taste authentic nasi dagang outside of Kuala Terengganu. So while you’re here, this is a must do. The best nasi dagang in Terengganu is located about 15 mins drive outside of KT downtown. It is called Mak Ngah Nasi Dagang. We don’t have the address of the location on hang but will update this post when we have it. Feel free to email us if you’d like directions. Mak Ngah holds the secret to the delicious sauce and rumor has it that she has not shared the recipe with anyone else so far, not even family.
5. Redang Island – If you’re headed to Kuala Terengganu, it is likely because you’ve heard of Redang Island. It is one of the famous islands in Malaysia and is a favorite for snorkelers and scuba divers. Crystal clear waters, abundance of marine life, white sandy beaches and numerous dive sites makes this island a place that you must visit if you are ever in KT. There are various resorts on the island. Feel free to contact us to get further recommendations.
6. Others…
The reason most tourists visit KT is because it is on their way to Redang Island – a beautiful island to visit for a relaxing beach getaway! So if you’re in Malaysia, be sure to take a few days off to visit Redang Island! We’ll write a post on this in the future!
