About Kuala Terengganu
Kuala Terengganu is the capital of the state of Terengganu. Being an important hub and a buzzing tourist destination, Kuala Terengganu is holds an important place in the Malaysian sub-continent. It has always been an important port for business.
Hugh Clifford, visited KT in the 19th century and impressed with the industrious nature of the inhabitants described KT as the “Birmingham of the Peninsula”. Historian have described it as the “Cradle of Malay Civilization”. The place started developing further with the discovery of oil in the region. However, it still retains its laid-back vibe and puts forwards an old world culture which reflects in the several pieces of architecture that draw the attention of tourists.
Beginning from the Islamic heritage park, the peaceful white sandy beaches, the enigmatic mosques, tourism in KT has a lot to offer which we talk about in this KT travel guide..
When it comes to Kuala Terengganu tourism, visitors enjoy riding boats along the river in KT, going for a sun tan at the Redang island, listening to the mysterious stories of the Telaga Simpul or the Simpul Well located near the Marina beach. For a deeper cultural indulgence, you can visit the Pengakalan Gelap village and give weaving a go. You can also take a stroll around KT’s China town which is a UNESCO world heritage site..
A visit to KT is incomplete without touch basing with the Lemang Factory where they make the scrumptious Lemang – a rice dish ethnic to KT. You should sample some Keropok Lepor at the Losong Village and check out Pasar Payand for more local delicacies and souvenirs to take back home. .
Best time to visit
Kuala Terengganu has a classic tropical climate. While you can visit a region with these kind of climatic conditions almost any time of the year, it is best to avoid the place during the rains.
The best time to visit KT is during the months of February through October which gives you a quite large window to visit this place buzzing with beauty. This is the time when the rainfall has almost subsided. Sometimes there are light showers, but it does not affect any of your tourism activities. For most of the part the days are bright and sunny and nights are amicably pleasant. Although the humidity of the place is quite high, in the night the breeze from the South China Sea tends to regulate the humidity to large extent in the offshore areas. The areas that lie along the mountains also experience a relief from the temperatures and humidity given their altitude and the dense forestation.
You would rather want to avoid travelling to Kuala Terengganu during the monsoon months of November to January. The northeast monsoons unfold in all their might causing heavy rainfall. Sometimes there is also flooding, especially in the areas that lie offshore. The seas can also get very rough and overall the city is not conducive for tourism during this time.
How to reach
The first thing we look for when we hear about a new place or something as interesting as KT, is about how to reach.
- How to reach By Air
Daily flights connect KT to Kuala Lumpur and you can reach in an hour via any of the four major carriers that fly into this airport. The Sultan Mahmud Airport is the prime airport serving KT and lies at a distance of 8 km from the city center. There is also a daily flight from Singapore, which again comes via Kuala Lumpur. Several charter companies also offer a helicopter ride that can take you to KT.
- How to reach By Road
KT has a good network of roadways that connects it to other cities in Malaysia and to Singapore. Several bus services use the roads to get to KT and are available on a regular basis. Buses offer a cheap option for travelling and can cost you anywhere between 28 to 35 RM.
When you are travelling by road, you will ideally take the East Coast expressway.
- How to reach By Rail
There is no railway connectivity to KT although there are plans to set up a railway station in near future.
Transport
There is an extensive network of buses and three primary city lines that the buses use to scale various parts of the city. You can use the bus service to get around KT with ease.
Being a tourist town, there are also several taxi services available. You can avail these from the Central bus terminal or even from the airport. If you prefer a self-drive rental cars are also available at very reasonable prices. Tourists also have the option to rent motorbikes and bicycle if a two-wheeler is what they prefer.
Metros or local trains are not available in KT.
Weather
Because of its location along the tropics, the weather of KT remains pretty much constant throughout the year. The temperature also doesn’t vary that much either. It ranges from 28 to 32 degree Celsius. Nights are ideally cooler with a very pleasant climate. The humidity also remains consistent and high, ranging from 70% to 80%.
During the winter months the temperature is slightly lower than usual and ranges from 22 to 25 degrees.
The north-east monsoon brings rains which ransack the city during the months of November to January which record a precipitation of 500mm on an average.
Map
Kuala Terengganu lies in the eastern part of Malaysia. It lies 530km to the northwest of the city of Kuala Lumpur. Singapore comes towards the south of KT.
The Terengganu River makes its way right through the center of the city and makes for an important port which has become a hub of economic, political and transport activities.
Since the location of KT is in the Malaysian Peninsula, it has Thailand on one of its borders with the state of Kelantan lying between Thailand and KT. Kelantan forms KT’s northern and western borders. Also, the Strait of Malacca also has a part concluding here.
Culture/People/Language/History
The history of Kuala Terengganu as some would say, dates back to the 19th century, when the Chinese set up their establishments in the area. However, the place is more than 2000 years old and many pieces of history hide in every nook and cranny. Historians have even found several fossils dating back to the Neanderthal era. The place also carries a mention in the ancient history of the Chinese with records from the 12th century. The famous Greek Astrologer from the 2nd century, Ptolemy has also described the ports of Kuala Terengganu or KT as the locals now call it.
Many influences have come together in knitting the current identity of KT. The predominant influence is of the Islamic culture. Although one can also see glimpses of Chinese, and Indian impacts dotted across the lanes of the city and reflecting in the form of the many different festivals that the population of more than 4,00,000 people here celebrates.
The primary language here is Malay which is slightly different from that spoken in the rest of Malaysia. Indian descendants speak Tamil and Chinese descendants speak Mandarin. You will find the inhabitants to be highly conservative and reserved. Yet, the society is a closely knit one with a strong inclination towards family values.