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Cherating is located
about 50 kilometres north of Kuantan town. The place is
the last popular beach destination before the
Pahang/Terengganu border near Kemaman. When Cherating is
mentioned, beach aficionados would normally conjure
images of lazy afternoons on the beach at Kampung
Cherating Lama.
The place came to its
worldwide fame in the 60s when backpackers flock
to the place to experience the the pristineness and
innocence of the area. Through word of mouth, which was
later picked up by travel writers from the likes of
Lonely Planet, Footprints and Rough Guide, Cherating
soon found itself languishing on another level of
international popularity.
Today, the area from
Kampung Cherating up to the state's border with
Terengganu is dotted with luxurious resorts , including
Impiana Cherating, Suria Cherating, Legends Resort, Club
Mediteranee and Holiday Villa. Almost all these resorts
are on the beachfront but the beach themselves are not
exclusive but open to the public. The beaches here are
more open to the elements and can be rough but exciting
at times. Even if the crashing waves cause the views
along the beach to be somewhat misty with the sprays,
this only enhances the dramatic vistas on
Cherating'snorthern beaches.
The village at
Cherating Lama offers a unique kind of ambiance with
budget stays providing spartan chalets and lodges
scattered throughout the area. Weekends is all about
confusion and congestion when locals and tourists vie
for the best spots on the casuarina -lined beach. There
are quite a few restaurants that offer anything from
seafood, Malay-Thai cuisine to some mish-mash of food
preparations passed-off as 'fusion'.
Like any other Malay
villages, the place is quite well-equipped with all the
amenities required to make a visit comfortable. Bearing
in mind that this a Malay settlement that shares its
persona with tourism, visitors are well-advised to
respect the residents and ensure that the place remains
livable and visitable always.
Sg Ular Beach. A drive north of
Kuantan through Kampung Beserah on the old Terengganu
trunk route, you will pass lots interesting sights as
you roll on by several villages that line the coast.
Ever so often along the way, mostly on the right, you
will see lots of signboards indicating resorts and
chalets with countless numbers of food stalls and
restaurants. After journeying about 8 kilometres you
reach a bridge that straddles a scenic river with Malay
fishing boats anchored in the shallows. The small
settlement on the right is called Kampung Sungai Ular
(Snake River Village). To access the place you have to
drive on ahead after the bridge and look for a safe spot
to make a U-turn and double back. A 20-minutes
boat-ride from the village will take you to Pulau Ular
(Snake Island), which is popular fishing spot.
Now less rustic and
colourful compared to about three decades ago, the area
is still interesting. You can still observe the age old
ways of the fishermen - from net mending to the various
activities that keep the village alive. From the bridge
you can view an almost perfect picture-like composition
of the river with tall coconut trees lining the beach at
the furthest point. The traditional boats complete the
rustic ambiance.
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