Walk to Pasar Kedai Payang from the Bus Station

If you are already at the bus station in Kuala Terengganu, you can walk 400 metres to the market. The moment you disembark from the bus, you will notice a road leading to the market. Depending on the time (as the market only open from 8.00am to 6.00pm), you can choose to walk.

The new shops 

As you walk, you will notice a row of beautiful shops (4-storey) on your right. This area is called Paya Keladi. It has restaurant, textile, gold and jewellery, budget hotel and offices. As you proceed, you will see the Pasar Kedai Payang on your left. There you are, you have reached the most popular market in Terengganu. If you bag burden you, deposit it at the lockers at the bus station for a small fee. Once you had finished sight seeing the market, you can reverse back and find your accommodation. Happy travelling.

Sata, a Terengganu delicacy

Sata is a kind of snack taken by the folks of Terengganu for generations. It is made of  fish and coconut and wrapped with banana leaf. Like keropok lekor, the fish is cleaned and mixed with coconut (edible white), sugar and salt to form a paste. It means the ingredients have to be blended to form a paste. This paste is divided into small portions and each small portion is wrapped with banana leaf. The wrapped sata is grilled on the fire stove until it is cooked. Normally it takes a few minutes.

Sata is pricked with a long bamboo or wood and is grilled on charcoal stove.

The cooked sata served in the plate.

The white one is ready for eating. 

The quality of sata depends on the quality of the ingredients and the right amount of fish and coconut white. The bigger the sata, more time is needed to cook and vice versa. If the ingredients are spoilt, you may get bad sata. Now, it is very common to see, the size of sata is getting smaller by days and the price is getting high. Those days, you can get 10 pieces for RM1.00. Nowaday, you are fortunate to get only 4 pieces per ringgit.

When you want to consume it, you have to expose the sata from the banana leaf first before you can eat. You can eat just like that or you can eat with rice. It is advisable to eat while it is hot. If you feel sticky or itchy- tongue, do not consume it. It means it had turned bad.

If you are interested to try, you can get this sata from night markets and daily markets. You also can try this in Kuala Kemaman, 150km south of Kuala Terengganu. A lot of stalls in Kuala Kemaman are selling sata for the visitors. Before you order, ask the price first. Do not assume. Happy travelling.

Rusila-Kelulut, Terengganu, Malaysia: A drive that give you different feelings

If you drive from Kuala Terengganu to Dungun or vice versa, you will pass through fishing villages of Rusila and Kelulut. It is about 16km south of Kuala Terengganu.You will see many stalls or shops at road sides that sell dried squid, dried fish, anchovy, dried fish crackers, keropok lekor and other related products related to the sea. You will be amazed to see crafts that were made from the corals. The glittering blue sea water adds beauty to this area.

Kelulut beach, what a breath taking view...

The stall in Kelulut.

Even rattan furnitures are sold here.

This stretch of road, you also will see many food kiosks serving simple food and drinks especially at Kelulut. This adds variety and bring colourful atmosphere to this area. At night these food kiosks are adorned with colourful lights. If you travel along this road, do stop and look at the products sold. You can have refreshment here. You can watch the Kapas Island from far. You can buy some dried fish to bring home or give as souvenirs to friends and neighbours. Happy travelling.

Sultan Mahmud Airport, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Sultan Mahmud Airport is actually Kuala Terengganu Airport. Its name is taken from the name of the former Sultan of Terengganu. The airport is located at Telaga Batin, Kuala Terengganu, 18km from the city centre. The old terminal was demolished to make way for the new ones. The new airport was opened in 2008 with a longer runway and its new terminal building. The terminal has departure lane at the upper floor while the arrival lane at the ground floor.

The terminal seen from the runway.

This airport was designed like any other international airport. It has viewing gallery and also the communication tower. This airport is managed by Malaysia Airport Berhad. Though its operation is not fully international, however once a year, this airport handles international flights i.e. the direct flight from TGG to JED (Jeddah). The aeroplanes ferry thousands of pilgrims from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia to perform their haj in Mecca. 

The departure lobby

The tower and typical roofs

Cascading water and the koi fish in the pond (at the departure lobby.

The airport building looks elegant with its special roofs. The roofs design are also unique. Perhaps its colour  remind me of the roof colour of Siem Reap International Airport in Cambodia.

At least three commercial airplanes companies that fly into Kuala Terengganu. One is MAS, Air Asia and Firefly. Firefly flies between Subang and Kuala Terengganu while MAS and Air Asia fly from Sepang. Firefly also flies to Singapore.

The schedule flight for MAS : TGG-KUL    10.00 in the morning; 4.00 in the evening and 9.00 at night. For the sector KUL-TGG: 8.30 am; 2.50pm and 7.45pm. Air Asia fly from LCCT in Sepang: KUL-TGG: 7.00am and 8.20pm; For details: click to respective airlines web (Airasia.com, Firely.com and Malaysiaairlines.com).

When you reach the airport from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, you can take a taxi or rent a car to your destination. The taxi counter or booths are located at the arrival hall. You will notice Terengganu taxi has a  special colour design  and their drivers wear uniform. Happy travelling.

Chendering-Craft Village of Terengganu

Terengganu is unique with its crafts evolving over hundreds of year. Its crafts are valued and has been passing down from one generation to generation. Simple crafts like batik and songket are made by villagers as their pastimes. But now, it becomes a full-time job by itself. The government through many agencies wish to keep these craft alive and started many programs to train entrepreneurs to sustain this craft and culture.

In Kuala Terengganu, there is a "Craft Village" which is located in the Chendering Industrial Area,10km south from the town centre. It started with government agencies like Kraftangan Malaysia, which involves in regenerating this craft. Kraftangan has gallery of songket, batik, weaving etc. Behind this complex, there is Sutera Semai which manufactures silk batik. Sutera Semai is a subsidiary company of Terengganu State Economic Development Corporation (Permint). Next to this building, there is another agency which is taking care of brassware. SIRIM  Terengganu is involved in making research in brass ware. Its gallery has many brass ware products of Terengganu. Next to this Sutera Semai and SIRIM is Nor Arfa Craft Complex, a private entity popularising and promoting Terengganu crafts. Of late, Terengganu has another body which involves in craft reseach and training i.e. Terengganu Institute of Design Excellence(TiDE). It is  located at Galeri Seni Warisan Terengganu in Ladang, near Batu Bersurat roundabout.

So if you want to look, learn and appreciate Terengganu crafts which was in existence for many hundred of years, this village is a must visit and you must write in your itinerary. Take town bus Cas Ligas to Chendering and stop at Kraftangan Malaysia. From there, you just walk to the other establishments. Happy learning.

Nor Arfa Craft Complex, Chendering, Malaysia

Nor Arfa Craft Complex (NACC) is a complex which deals with the crafts of Terengganu which includes batik, songket, brassware, pandanus weaving etc. It is privately owned by a local entrepreneur. It is located in Chendering, 10km south of town centre of Kuala Terengganu.

Its upper floor has all those crafts displayed and sold to the public. Occasionally, the owner made promotion and some price were discounted. This complex also become a centre of collection of other handicraft from other companies and were displayed here.

The NACC complex.

Traditional songket weaving kit being displayed at NACC.

Part of batik making at the complex.

Metal block for batik design.

Live demonstration of pandanus weaving to make a small purse.

The finished products.

On the ground floor (no wall), there are many exhibits related to the making of batik, songket and weaving. The complex also has food stalls and kopitiam at river side (Ibai River), a few metres from the main building.If you want to learn how Terengganu handicrafts are made, certainly this complex is worth visiting. Take  a town bus Cas Ligas (C01) to Chendering and stop at the bus stop at NACC. Happy learning.

Bazaar Warisan, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Bazaar Warisan (Heritage Bazaar) is the latest shopping arcade in Kuala Terengganu. Situated at the foothill of Bukit Puteri and facing the mouth of Terengganu river, this bazaar command good view of the river. It was operational in 2009. Designed in the Terengganu traditional architecture, the bazaar looks  so attractive. It is one of its kind in Malaysia. It now becomes one of the landmarks of Kuala Terengganu.

The bazaar hosts many shop lots which sell Terengganu products like batik, songket and other handicraft. Since it is new and unique in design, and perhaps close to Pasar Kedai Payang, Bukit Puteri, Tourist Information Centre, Post Office and jetty, many people are tempted to this place. 

The main entrance to the Bazaar.

Another view of the Bazaar.

The centre court where the escalators are provided to assist visitors going up to upper floors.

There is an underground car parking area. If you decide to shop at this bazaar, by all means. This place is good for photography.