INTERESTING PLACE AT
KUANTAN
INTRODUCTION
K
uantan, the state capital, is located on the east coast and facing the South China Sea. It is fast developing into a modern commercial centre, yet retaining its unique age- old charms. Now, modern high-rise structures coexist harmoniously with pre-war shop houses and colonial buildings. Kuantan is vibrant, clean and punctuated by lush greenery that gives the town a refreshing countryside atmosphere. Food is easily available as there are many restaurants and open air food stalls selling local culinary delights. Its nightlife is an affair of colorfully decorated stalls selling anything from handicraft to costume jewelry and farm produce. The strategic location at the mouth of Kuantan River and its potential as a trading port made Kuantan an important outpost for the many Kingdoms that came and went in the course of its history. Pahang is the largest state in Peninsula Malaysia and was rich in natural resources, from jungle produce to tin and gold mining, sea produce and it had potential for opening jungle land for farming and for plantations. Through many years of intensive mining, logging and fishing causing depletion of non-renewable resources; such activities have now been replaced with plantations and industrialization.
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CONTENT TELUK CEMPEDAK
KUANTAN RIVER The mangrove swamps cover an area
This bay is the closest to get to , only 3 miles from the city centre. Despite being so close to the city, it is surprisingly beautiful.
of over 300ha. The swamps have existed for more than 500 years and initiatives by the state to preserve the flora and fauna has lead to an environment rich in marine life.
PAHANG ART MUSEUM The Pahang Arts Museum ( Muzium Seni Pahang) takes over the premises that once housed the Muzium Tokoh Pahang.
SEPAT BEACH is a typical Malay fishing village located about 10 km from Kuantan and is located on the way south to the royal town of Pekan. From Kuantan, it is accessible via Jalan Abu Bakar
MINI ZOO TERUNTUM
Taman Teruntum is a recreational park and min zoo at Kuantan, located near the Royal Pahang Golf Club and Taman Gelora or just before Teluk Cempedak Beach.
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TELUK CEMPEDAK
The white sandy beach and the beautiful casuarinas and pine trees line the coast, with some rocky promontories facing the incessant waves of the South China Sea. All these combined to make the beach serene and at the same time delightful. You can see the boats of the fishermen at sea during the day, and the twinkling lights of their boats at night.
This beach is one of Kuantan’s main sightseeing attractions for tourists and locals alike due to its suitability for water sport activities such as swimming, surfing, sun-bathing, sailing, and jet skiing. Or, take a stroll on the wooden walkway at Teluk Pelindung nearby, and watch the waves breaking on the rocks of the promontory. Go for a jungle trek there and observe the diversity of trees lining the forest and watch out for the assorted varieties of birds, insects, squirrels and monkeys there. The restaurants and food-stalls catering local and western dishes are just nearby, all fronting the white sandy beach. So you can feel the sea breeze while you take your meal. Even a McDonald drive-through 24 hours outlet is there together with KFC and newly opened Burger King outlet, to cater to those with foreign taste. Teluk Chempedak is Kuantan’s most popular beach and the crowds, especially during the week-ends attest to this.
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KUANTAN RIVER The Kuantan river cruise takes visitors through the picturesque landscape of a 500-year-old mangrove forest reserve that spreads along the Kuantan River. The swamp, which covers an area of 340 hectares, is home to fascinating varieties of estuarine plants, birds and fish species. The first stop along the way is a fishing village where the local community makes a living from the sea. Then the cruise will take a brief stop at the swamp area where visitors are greeted with a profusion of mangrove outshoots that blanket the muddy ground. Wading through the mud is impossible, so a 1000-metre wooden walkway was constructed to enable visitors to walk under the canopy of the tropical mangrove forest. Various species of mangroves such as Fhizephora mucrionata, ecoecaria and xylocarpus can easily be identified as some are marked to assist recognition. Mangroves available here are of the species that can be turned into high grade charcoal.
Cruising along the Kuantan River, you’ll discover the riverbanks are teaming with fishes, crawlies, crustaceans, and monitor lizard. The riverine mangrove area is also a house to the white belly sea eagle. Long tail monkey is a common sight and sometimes with luck Crocodiles. This cruise will take you passed the fishing village of Tanjong Lumpur. At the river mouth out towards South China Sea On the way back we will stop at the mangrove area known as
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SEPAT BEACH
SEPAT BEACH Just 10 kilometers south of Kuantan is Sepat Beach, a stretch of over 10 kilometers of white sandy beach that is poised to develop into a major weekend destination. A popular spot among campers, the beach is set amidst traditional fishing villages.
The small coastal road is adequate only for two vehicles either way, and being an alternative road to Pekan from Kuantan, a few cars can be seen to be speeding. The beach stretches for miles and you can see the waves of the South China Sea incessantly pounding the coast. Fishing boats can be seen far out in the sea, and there are some boats tied together at the beach.
Along the beach, you can see monkeys picking coconuts on the trees. It is common for villagers to use their monkeys to pick coconuts. Usually, monkeys are trained for weeks to help their owner with this little task.
Unlike beaches which slope to the sea for a few meters and then suddenly drop deep, the beach at Pantai Sepat seems to slope very gradually to the sea, and perhaps would be ideal for children to splash and swim as it poses no danger of a sudden fall in the water gradient.
When you reach Tanjung Sepat village, you will find that the place is serene and tranquil, a typical Malay fishing village. The houses are far between each other, separated by coconut trees and woods. Fishing boats can be seen far out in the sea and some boats tied along the beach.
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PAHANG ART MUSEUM The Pahang Arts Museum ( Muzium Seni Pahang) takes over the premises that once housed the Muzium Tokoh Pahang.
For a certain duration of time, it will exhibit or portray new themes and/or works of different and new artists, genres and artistic specialties.
It is located at Jalan Masjid, near the Kuantan mosque in the middle of the town, and across the When it first opened in 2011, it started with an town padang from Jalan Besar (main street), just a exhibition of the works of the famed Malayshort walking distance from the Shahzan Inn hotel. sian Indian classical dancer, Ramli Osman. The Pahang Arts Museum is established to further The art-works displayed featured various of enhance appreciation of the arts and related his paintings and images of the classic Indian works, and of famed and renowned artists and dances and dancing postures. celebrities. To achieve this goal, the museum plans to exhibit and display works of art not only by those who are born or bred in Pahang but also by national artists, painters and sculptors.
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Displayed during that exhibition were paintings, images, forms and sculptures that depict traditional Malay life in the old days, that are still found today but rarely and occasionally, like silat, wayang kulit, menora and other scenes of culture and practices found in the rural kampung that are still followed and practiced by some of the older Malay folks. Then followed the works of the top Malaysian cartoonist Lat, whose real name is Datuk (Dr.) Haji Mohd Nor bin Khalid. After that the museum then (from June to December 2011) held an exhibition on “Buka Panggung” Pameran Tradisi Pantai Timur, Tradisi dan Transformasi” -- which are displays of arts and sculpt-works on the various traditions and practices of folks in the east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia
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Art being universal in its form and nature, and appreciated by everyone irrespective of race or religion, the establishment of this Pahang Arts Museum in the state capital of Kuantan is a welcome addition especially to the artists, followers and enthusiasts of the arts and related artistic legacies and heritage of Pahang. So do take a visit to this place when you’re in Kuantan, and enjoy the exhibitions.
MINI ZOO TERUNTUM
This popular Kuantan recreational park is located just before you go uphill on the road to Teluk Chempedak and opposite the Royal Kuantan Golf Club.
There used to be a small go-kart circuit for children at the eastern end of this Kuantan recreational park. My children loved to ride the go-karts then and always spent time driving there. Now however, the go-kart has been replaced with mini motor-bikes for children.
Children will enjoy coming to this Park as In this Park, there is also a mini zoo, with a few anithere is a playground with swings, seemals. There is a small sun bear, porcupines, ostriches, saws, rocking boats and climbing bars. They can also go horse-riding on the west- varieties of birds and peacocks, tortoises, and others. ern side of the Park. And watch the fishes in the water under the many small bridges.
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www.pahangtourism.org.my