
Cherating has for a long time been a popular stop-off for travellers moving between the Tioman and Perhentian islands locations. In more recent years surfers and windsurfers have discovered that monsoon season, particularly the months Nov and Dec, provide pretty decent conditions for Malaysia. The more recent completion of an expressway which hits the coast about 30km south had brought KL within a 3 hour drive and had seen a boom in local weekenders and holiday-makers.
On my previous 1999 visit I enjoyed the special travellers' vibe Cherating has long been noted for. Strangely there were not many budget travellers this latest trip - more western families and couples, plus a few Malaysian holidaying families in this non weekend period. I arrived on a Monday and the place was very very quiet - a fellow guest told me the weekend was busy with Malaysian visitors.


Most of Cherating Beach's accommodation is on the U made by these access roads and the beachfront road.
On the northern access you have a number of mid-range places like Residence Inn, Cherating Bay Resort and Eastana Resort plus the funky budget joint The Shadow of the Moon.
Where the road turns left at the beach are some flashpacker places right on/next to the sand like Cherating Inn Beach View and Dayung Chalets (with the nicely positioned Duyong Restaurant adjacent).
Across the section parallel to the beach are lots of restaurants, shops etc with quite a few chalet places located behind, mostly on the inland side.
The southern access road has more budget/flashpacker places - some of those on the left boast riverside views.
The single road which leads of the bottom left of the U contains mostly more recent developments although Tanjung Inn was there in '99. On both sides of Tanjung are similar inexpensive joints but as you push further west you have some newish midrangers like Compleks Budaya and Cherating Bayview .
Unusually for a place like this I could see no banks or ATMs.
There are several beaches out of frame to the north with midrange or better places. Club Med Malaysia is one. In my research I noticed a budget place called Ruby's has set up on the same beach as Club Med. On my '99 visit I rode a bicycle the 4km or so up to this beach - it is pretty nice. Note the security goon on Club Med's gate wouldn't let me in to have a look around. Fair enough, I wouldn't let a reprobate like me in either.
The beach south of Cherating continues in a gentle sweep for about 10-15km and there are periodic midrange places along here. The highway closely parallels the coast so that these places are not difficult to access.






I returned from dinner one night and there was a lot of splashing going on in the pool. One of the staff was in there up to his waist hauling out overgrown water lillies etc. Strewth - that's a job I'd leave 'til next morning..
My room was spacious, clean but getting a bit worn around the edges, had wardrobe, a big comfy bed, no mozzie net but pretty good screens. Okay bathroom with good water supply but mirror was in main room which is not great for shaving. Very quiet area - plus my fan was a quiet one.
Breafast is included in the tariff - a pretty simple job of coffee/tea, toast and an egg dish served up in the reception area near the road. The coffee machine gives you a good variety. Staff are cheerful and obliging. The resort does not do other meals but there are several restaurants within 5 minutes walk.
I'd already stayed at Tanjung Inn my previous trip. I found the accommodation places in the U road area tended to have their chalets jambed together and many were pretty scruffy -they were heavily booked too so I grabbed one for the first night but took off next morning for something better. Tanjung's spacious grounds were a big contrast. I took an outside-bathroom bungalow at some ridiculously low price - these were not pond-side and no longer exist.

At the crossroads top of image is a cluster of shops including a 7/11 type joint and restaurants. Some accommodation places backing onto the river are located 0n both arms of the junction.

"Point" in surfer terminology is a headland - I'm assuming this joint is named after some legendary wax-head's spot because the nearest headland is 600m away. Bet it packs a crowd in Nov-Dec prime surfing/windsurfing time.

I called in here for a meal in '99 and thought I'd stay next visit. However my borrowed Rough Guide made no mention of it when I was researching this latest trip so I assumed it had been bought out by one of the nearby mid-rangers. So I headed straight off the bus for Tanjung Inn.

GETTING THERE
Travellers from Tioman usually catch an express bus from Mersing to Kuantan and then a share taxi or local bus the 40-45km to Cherating. Fewer express buses go Mersing right thru to Kota Bharu allowing you to jump off at Cherating - you will not use about 40% of your fare but express buses are very inexpensive in Malaysia.
From the Perhentians you need to get up to the highway and grab an express bus from Kota Bharu to Kuantan (or Mersing) - plenty of small agents on the islands will be able to facilitate this for you.
From Redang and Kapas get an express bus from Kuala Terannganu bus station for Kuantan or Mersing/Johor Bahru. I came down to Cherating from Kapas: fortunately my bungalow was going to Kuala Terennganu the day before on a food run and got me an express bus ticket, meaning I could jump on the bus in Kapas' mainland pier town of Marang 20km the Cherating side of Kuala Terennganu. It seems you can't buy an express ticket in Marang itself these days.
The nearest airport to Cherating is Kuantan about 40-45km away. For budget travellers plenty of express buses run KL to Kuantan.
LEAVING CHERATING
If you are heading south you can jump on one of the express buses from Kota Bahru or Kuala Terenngaunu - but you will pay the full KB/KT to Kuantan or Mersing/Johor Bahru for a relatively small part of the journey. It is more cost effective to jump a local bus or share a taxi to Kuantan bus station.
Heading north you will only pay for an unused 40km or so if the bus starts in Kuantan, so simply jump on a northward heading express bus once you have booked a seat.
In both directions it is best to have a ticket - these buses can be heavily booked. There are several small travel agents in Cherating who can do this for a small premium - ask your accommodation; a lot of these agents will come to your place.

------------------------------------------------------
IF YOU ARE VISITING CHERATING YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THE PERHENTIAN ISLANDS, PULAU REDANG, PULAU KAPAS, TIOMAN ISLAND AND SIBU ISLAND - I HAVE SIMILAR PAGES ON THESE WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INDEX TOP RIGHT OF THIS PAGE.
------------------------------------------------------
IF YOU SEE MISTAKES OR HAVE EXTRA INFORMATION, PLEASE POST IT BELOW. HOWEVER IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION PLEASE ASK IT ON THE SPECIAL FORUM
PAGE WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INDEX. I SELDOM VISIT INDIVIDUAL PLACE PAGES LIKE THIS BUT I TRY TO CHECK THE FORUM AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.
BACK TO MAIN INDEX