Pahang Hari Raya -- Part 2
by prudence on 22-Aug-2012
As I've already noted, we were in Kuantan for Hari Raya Aidilfitri. We booked our bus tickets with Easibook, which gives you lots of coach options (and in future we would pick Plusliner over Transnasional, even though they're both part of the same group). It's a very scenic trip, as the main road from KL to Kuantan passes through beautiful mountain scenery for much of the way. The pre-Hari Raya traffic slowed us down a little on the way out (but there was nothing like the epic gridlock of Chinese New Year). The journey back would have benefited from a bit more traffic, as it might have slowed our Speedy Gonzalez bus-driver down to a less heart-stopping pace...
We stayed at The Classic, which offers a very acceptable room and a quite excellent breakfast at a very reasonable price. Our room overlooked a flame tree (occupied by a succession of joyfully warbling birds) and the big, tidal river.
Kuantan is "interessant" rather than "merite un detour", as M. Michelin would phrase it. You can stroll the broad, tree-lined streets, or admire a few rows of nice shophouses. You can buy dried fish, which is a speciality. If it's not the end of Ramadan, there is an art museum to visit -- closed, of course, when we were there. And you can go on a boat trip. A little short for RM 18 each (maybe curtailed by the impending celebrations?), but it was nice to see a sea eagle, otters, mangroves, lots of fishing boats (including three illicit Thai vessels tied up behind the maritime police station), the mosque at the river mouth -- and the infamous South China Sea.
Don't rely on your Lonely Planet map if you visit Kuantan. The bit round the river has changed substantially, with lots of abandoned shoplots contrasting a little unhappily with someone's attempt to perk up the riverfront by installing a walkway, a couple of fountains, and KUANTAN in big letters.
Your touring options are limited at this festive season. When I asked the hotel receptionist about trips to Tasik Cini, she gave a hollow laugh, and said, "I don't think so at Hari Raya." But we were able to get a taxi to Teluk Chempedak, as I mentioned in the previous post, and we didn't have to resort to the beachside MacDonalds to find lunch. The beach is pretty, and there's lots of people-watching to do.
By Monday, there were buses on the move, and we caught one along the coast to Cherating. Not the fastest trip -- we stopped at the padang, where we gained a conductor but temporarily lost the driver, who disappeared on some mysterious errand, and then we stopped again to refuel. But the journey -- up and down the hills, with the sea on the right; through little villages; and past cemeteries where brightly clad families were doing Hari Raya grave-visiting -- was enjoyable.
Cherating has a good beach, and a few places to eat and stay. It was pretty deserted when we arrived, but began to fill up in the later part of the morning, as local families joined the handful of sparsely clad Europeans. We had lunch in a breezy beachside restaurant -- fish in black bean sauce, seafood fried rice, and a good selection of veges.
Good weekend -- glad we risked going away.
We stayed at The Classic, which offers a very acceptable room and a quite excellent breakfast at a very reasonable price. Our room overlooked a flame tree (occupied by a succession of joyfully warbling birds) and the big, tidal river.
Kuantan is "interessant" rather than "merite un detour", as M. Michelin would phrase it. You can stroll the broad, tree-lined streets, or admire a few rows of nice shophouses. You can buy dried fish, which is a speciality. If it's not the end of Ramadan, there is an art museum to visit -- closed, of course, when we were there. And you can go on a boat trip. A little short for RM 18 each (maybe curtailed by the impending celebrations?), but it was nice to see a sea eagle, otters, mangroves, lots of fishing boats (including three illicit Thai vessels tied up behind the maritime police station), the mosque at the river mouth -- and the infamous South China Sea.
Don't rely on your Lonely Planet map if you visit Kuantan. The bit round the river has changed substantially, with lots of abandoned shoplots contrasting a little unhappily with someone's attempt to perk up the riverfront by installing a walkway, a couple of fountains, and KUANTAN in big letters.
Your touring options are limited at this festive season. When I asked the hotel receptionist about trips to Tasik Cini, she gave a hollow laugh, and said, "I don't think so at Hari Raya." But we were able to get a taxi to Teluk Chempedak, as I mentioned in the previous post, and we didn't have to resort to the beachside MacDonalds to find lunch. The beach is pretty, and there's lots of people-watching to do.
By Monday, there were buses on the move, and we caught one along the coast to Cherating. Not the fastest trip -- we stopped at the padang, where we gained a conductor but temporarily lost the driver, who disappeared on some mysterious errand, and then we stopped again to refuel. But the journey -- up and down the hills, with the sea on the right; through little villages; and past cemeteries where brightly clad families were doing Hari Raya grave-visiting -- was enjoyable.
Cherating has a good beach, and a few places to eat and stay. It was pretty deserted when we arrived, but began to fill up in the later part of the morning, as local families joined the handful of sparsely clad Europeans. We had lunch in a breezy beachside restaurant -- fish in black bean sauce, seafood fried rice, and a good selection of veges.
Good weekend -- glad we risked going away.