Some of my favourite trips are the ones that were never really planned.
A week ago, I was having dinner with my best friend, when she suddenly said she wanted to go to the beach. It started as one of those random ideas you throw into a conversation without really knowing if anything will come from it.
Except this time, we actually considered it.
By the end of dinner, we had decided to go.
There was no proper itinerary, no hotel booking, and barely any planning involved.
The next morning, we were already on the road at 4:30 AM, heading towards Kuantan, Pahang.
The drive took around 4 hours, and we were aiming to reach Kuantan by 9:00 AM. Our main reason for leaving so early was simple: we wanted to enjoy the beach before the sun became absolutely unbearable.
If you’ve spent enough time at a Malaysian beach, you know exactly what I mean. 😂 By noon, that beautiful morning beach weather can quickly turn into why did we come here again?
So, early start it was.
📍 First Stop: Teluk Cempedak
We arrived at Teluk Cempedak right on schedule, and this was my first time visiting.
I honestly didn’t expect to be this impressed.
The beach was beautiful. The water looked clear, the sand was soft, and there were already quite a few people around even though it was still early in the morning. It had a nice mix of people enjoying the beach, families spending time together and visitors taking photos.
I also liked how easy everything was. There were plenty of trees and shaded areas if you needed a break from the sun, and there were food options nearby too. In fact, I was quite surprised to see so many familiar fast-food chains around the beach.
So, if you’re the type who likes having food and other facilities nearby, Teluk Cempedak is quite convenient.
We weren’t planning to spend the whole day there. We just wanted to walk around, take some photos and enjoy the sea before moving on to our next stop.
We ended up spending around two hours there, which felt just right for us.
✅ A Few Things to Know Before Visiting Teluk Cempedak
- Parking: We paid RM2.50 per entry when we visited.
- Watch out for the monkeys: This is probably the most important thing I can tell you. There were monkeys everywhere, especially around the wooden bridge.
- Please don’t walk around with food in your hands. Keep your food inside your bag and hold on to your belongings because these monkeys are not shy at all. 😂
- The wooden bridge is a nice place to walk and take photos, but keep an eye on where you’re stepping because the monkeys may be sitting right in the middle of the walkway. Don’t get too close to them. Give them their space and definitely don’t accidentally step on their tails!
- Bring water and sunscreen: It gets hot very quickly once the sun is up. Bring enough water, put on sunscreen and bring a hat if you’re planning to stay for a while.
- Go early: If you’re planning to visit, I would recommend coming in the morning. The weather is much nicer, and you’ll get to enjoy the beach before it gets too hot.
📍 A Quieter Stop at Cherating Beach
After spending the morning at Teluk Cempedak, we got back into the car and headed to Cherating Beach.
It took us around 30 minutes to get there.
The atmosphere was quite different from Teluk Cempedak. Cherating felt much quieter and more relaxed, which I think would be nice if you’re looking for a slower beach day.
We didn’t stay very long because there wasn’t much we wanted to see there. We walked around, took a few photos and enjoyed the surroundings before deciding to move on.
We were just going wherever we felt like going.
And, apparently, where we felt like going next was somewhere to eat.
📍 Don’t Leave Cherating Without Trying the Keropok Lekor
Before leaving Cherating, my best friend insisted that we stop for keropok lekor at Izz Keropok Lekor.
According to her, it was the best in town.
I trusted her judgement.
She wasn’t wrong.
If you’ve never tried keropok lekor before, it’s basically a traditional fish snack made with fish and sago flour. You can find it all over the east coast, and it’s especially popular in Terengganu.
The fried version is my favourite. It’s crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and even better when dipped into the sweet and spicy sauce.
After walking around in the heat all morning, this was exactly the kind of snack we needed.
And honestly, I’m never going to say no to good keropok lekor.
📍 Late Lunch at Restoran Claypot Patin Tempoyak
By this point, we were hungry again, so it was time for a proper meal.
We ended up at Restoran Claypot Patin Tempoyak where we ordered two dishes:
- Patin Tempoyak: Packed with flavour, although it was a little too spicy for me.
- Ikan Tilapia Goreng: Crispy, tasty and probably my favourite of the two.
If you’re visiting Pahang, patin tempoyak is one of the local dishes worth trying. Patin is a type of freshwater fish that is very popular in Pahang, while tempoyak is made from fermented durian.
Yes, fermented durian.
Don’t let that scare you, though. 😂
The tempoyak gives the dish a sour and slightly creamy taste that goes really well with the fish. I found it quite interesting, although the spice level was a little much for me.
After spending the morning at the beach, sitting down for a proper Malaysian lunch was definitely a good idea.
✅ Our One-Day Kuantan Itinerary
We didn’t actually have an itinerary when we left home, but looking back, this was roughly how our day went:
4:30 AM → Left home
9:00 AM → Arrived at Teluk Cempedak
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM → Walked around and took photos
Around 11:00 AM → Drove to Cherating
Around 11:30 AM → Cherating Beach
Around noon → Keropok lekor stop
Late afternoon → Lunch
6:00 PM → Started our drive home
It was definitely a long day, especially with the four-hour drive each way, but it was manageable for us because we started early.
If you’re planning to do something similar, I would suggest leaving early. You’ll have more time to explore without having to rush through the day.
✅ Would I Do This Again?
Absolutely.
We didn’t visit a long list of places or have a proper itinerary to follow. We simply spent the day together, and I think that was my favourite part of the trip.
We left home before sunrise, drove four hours to Kuantan, walked along the beach, stopped for keropok lekor, had a late lunch and then drove all the way home.
It was a long day, but it was also a really good one.
Sometimes, you don’t need to do anything fancy to have a good time with someone. A random road trip, good food, lots of talking and spending quality time together can be more than enough.
We left Kuantan around 6:00 PM with happy hearts and full bellies. Tired, yes, but already talking about where we should go next.
I guess that’s what made this little trip so special. It wasn’t really about Kuantan or the places we visited. It was about having a whole day to ourselves, catching up, laughing and making another memory together.
And for a trip that started with a random idea over dinner, I would say it turned out pretty well.
Love,
Auri Duham 🌻
