Getaway in Terengganu

Local holiday again, this time to Terengganu. Decided to try FireFly airline this time. Very convenient for me, as it is in Subang airport. Just 15 minutes from my apartment.

Fly High! Proudly sponsored by SP Setia

Destination is YTL's Tanjong Jara Resort. It is between Kuala Terengganu and Kerteh (where all the petroleum refineries are). From Sultan Mahmud airport, it is about 1 hour to get to the hotel.

As with all YTL resorts, there are some familiar touches reminiscent of Pangkor Laut. Lots of leafy trees, wooden architecture, lavish bathrooms, thoughtfully placed decor items etc. Tanjong Jara is smaller in size compared to Pangkor laut but almost as comfy. A facility to wash your feet to avoid sand getting into your room, umbrellas in your cupboard for a rainy day, bath salts for your bath tub, 2 sinks, ceiling fan + air conditioning, the list goes on and on...

Freshly house kept whilst you are out for dinner

Double sink, and a dressing table!

Bathtub!

A water pot with water to wash your sandy feet before entering your room.

We went during Hari Raya period, so as a welcome treat, they gave us a box of Dodol sweets. There was also an open 'tent' where they served Hari Raya goodies like keropok lekor, Nasi Minyak, Rendang Tok etc.

The card looks handwritten too. That's a nice personal touch.

Decorative shelf in your room. Wine sold separately.

I was worried this place may be boring for kids, but I was wrong. The hotel manager got a trained monkey and handler to help pluck young juicy coconuts from the trees around the hotel. The fallen fruit is chopped up and straws placed inside and served to you on the spot. That was really fun for the young kids to see.

There are also lots of animals in the resort. We saw squirrels, iguanas, monkeys, many kinds of birds. Heck, I didn't know iguanas climb trees, but I saw one do so at the resort.

Hammock anyone?

The sand on this beach is quite rough, but the beach and water is clean. We saw schools of colourful fish swimming really close to shore. The beach is private, in a bay. So no other people crowd the beach. I flew a kite for the first time in years, and totally crashed. My cousin had to teach me again how to fly it. I got the hang of it in the end. Also made sand castles as well. Got tanned after doing this.

Sunset beach

The package we got is a full board package with 2 spa sessions each. The food here is above average. There is a credit limit, but you will never hit it. The main restaurant (Di Atas Sungei) has a different concept. A Menu Master staff comes over to your table to ask you what you'd like to eat. If you say fish, she will recommend the cooking style for you. This is somewhat like Chinese restaurant style, but in a Malay setting. The breakfast is also served here.

A morning view above the river (Di Atas Sungei)

There are also 2 different pools provided. One is for general adults and children. This one has a portion for jacuzzi jets, and the pool floor is shallow and shaped like a reclining chair! You can lie down with support for your back and knees... how cool is that!



There are also fish ponds with some tortoises by the reception. Kids can get free fish food to feed the fish. Alternatively, knick some bread from the breakfast table and feed the tortoises.

Gardenia, so good you can event feed tortoises

We had a very special outing in Terengganu. We managed to release baby turtles to the sea, see them hatch from the ground, and also catch a mother dig its nest and lay eggs! This was a real experience, and I've not tried this before. We are very lucky to be able to witness all of the different turtle activities. At this time, it is the end of the egg laying season, so much fewer turtles come on shore. It was no easy task to wait for the turtle to lay its eggs. We left the hotel at 9pm and returned at 3:30am! Some kids that joined us couldn't stay awake, but most of us made it. Turtles are indeed a special kind of creature. We managed to see green turtle during our trip. The more iconic black leatherbacks have all but gone from Malaysia. But we are still very thankful for what we did see during our outing.

Look at them go! All the best little ones...

The babies are attracted to light. Our guide showed us how they followed the torch.

It's climbing on my hand! So cute!

The spa sessions were really good too. I think the masseurs were very skilled, but the oil and tea drinks at Pangkor Laut are still better. In Tanjong Jara they specialise in Malay style massage. Again, I surprise myself because I really enjoyed the massage. Never really had these before, but the 1 hour flew by before I knew it. They also give you a pretty sarong after you're done with your session.

Lack of staff due to the holiday season resulted in long waiting times at the restaurants. But besides this, not much complaints. We also played tennis, and I went to a gym. So we were quite activity filled throughout.

I did not manage to try snorkelling at Pulau Tenggol (off the resort beach). I hope to try this one day. There are also boat cruises, waterfall excursions, cooking classes, visits to local markets as optional chargeable activities you may opt for.

I will be sure to try coming back to this place soon.

Happy memories at Tanjong Jara.