Pulau Tinggi, Johor

"Pulau Tinggi offers a range of sea sports as well as comfortable accommodation with white sand beach and clear blue sea."

Pulau Tinggi or Tinggi Island is one of the many captivating tropical islands that nestles the East Coast of Johor. Its white, sandy beach surrounded by alluring blue waters makes it a perfect haven for those who want to escape from the mundane world.

Pulau Tinggi gets its name from a high hill rising 2,000 feet above sea level ("tinggi" is a Malay word for high). The island is painted green by the lush tropical forest that is rich with rattan, timber and other valuable plants.

Its surrounding waters is rich with exotic marine life and beautiful underwater flora fringing its coral reefs, providing a breathtaking underwater view for divers and snorkelling enthusiasts. The island is also blessed with natural fresh water and sheltered harbour, which explains its role as a stopover point for traders in the olden days.

Apart from its physical beauty, Pulau Tinggi is also famous for its mystical characters. The locals believe that Malay's most famous hero, Hang Tuah, had stopped here in one of his journeys. It is believed that his spirit still guards the island till these days.

Contact Info:
Johor
Tel: 607-2234935, 2241432 Fax: 607-2237554

Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan

Port Dickson is very popular with Klang Valley residents as a weekend retreat for those seeking a temporary escape from the hustle and bustle of a hectic city life."

The second smallest district in Negeri Sembilan, Port Dickson district offers an array of popular retreats for city dwellers seeking a relaxing beachside weekend not too far from the city. Once a coal-producing centre, today is more famous for its beaches and seaside parks.

The 18km stretch of beach on the coast of Port Dickson district is one of the few stretches of mangrove-free, sandy beaches found on the west coast of the peninsula. When people talk about Port Dickson, or PD as it is popularly known, they are most likely referring to the beach at Port Dickson town itself - a busy spot that attracts picnicker, swimmers, and those seeking simpler pleasures of a beachside stopover. But a short travel down the coast will bring you to one of the other beaches in Port Dickson district such as Teluk Kemang, Blue Lagoon and Cape Rachado.

Due to its close vicinity to Kuala Lumpur and easy accessibility for visitors from Singapore, Port Dickson has developed into one of the most frequented beaches on the West Coast. As a result, accommodation and food facilities are aplenty. Aside from the beautiful beaches, other attractions in the Port Dickson district include three golf courses, an ostrich farm, Pasir Panjang recreational forest and several historical sites such as the Lukut Fort and Pengkalan Kempas Historical Site.

Pasir Bogak Beach, Perak

"With its shallow and crystal-clear water, this beach is described as 'the biggest swimming pool in the world'."

Pantai Pasir Bogak (Pasir Bogak Beach), located south west of Pangkor Island, is the most popular beach on Pangkor Island. It has been described as 'the biggest swimming pool in the world'. The water is shallow and crystal clear, offering endless hours of fun and frolic in the sun-kissed sea along the vast coral reef.

The two-kilometre crescent-shaped beach offers a host of facilities such as sailing, fishing, snorkelling and wind surfing (available at Sea View and Beach Hotels), making Pasir Bogak Beach a popular recreation spot for the locals and tourists alike.

Thronging the beach are open-air stalls offering local delicacies such as barbecued squids, satay (grilled meat on sticks) and fish crisps. Accommodation is easily available, ranging from luxury hotels, chalets to the more Spartan comforts of 'attap' huts and camping sites.

Pantai Cahaya Bulan -PCB (Moonlight Beach), Kelantan

"This beach was formerly known as Pantai Cinta Berahi (Beach of Passionate Love) - reputedly named by a lovelorn British soldier during World War Two. Today, the beach has been renamed Pantai Cahaya Bulan (Moonligh Beach)."

Visitors to Kota Bharu must visit its famous beach, Pantai Cahaya Bulan (Moonlight Beach). It used to be called Pantai Cinta Berahi (Beach of Passionate Love), a name reputedly given by a lovelorn British soldier in a moment of fantasy while he was at the beach during World War Two. Today, some locals still use the old name, although many now prefer to just refer to it as 'PCB'.

With a long, wide and sandy beach, it is a popular spot for local family outings especially during weekends. The beach is well-developed for visitors' convenience, with a resort hotel, chalets, restaurants, food stalls, a camping ground, public restrooms and changing rooms.

The journey to the beach from Kota Bharu will take you through quaint, traditional Malay villages. This area is famous for the small industry of traditional handicrafts. Look out for simple advertisements along the roadside as you pass through, indicating batik printing, songket-weaving, brassware and kite making shops. You can buy these handicraft items directly from these producers at a good price.

Marang Beach, Terengganu

"Marang Beach is unique in that its broad golden sands form a remarkable stretch of sand dunes like a wall that slopes dramatically into the sea, creating an unusual two-tier beach." Professed by many to be the "Queen of Sunrises", this bustling riverine village, about 15km south of Kuala Terengganu, grew originally from a cluster of fishing folks' homes. It is today acknowledged by many as the most advantageous point along the East Coast to witness and photograph the most spectacular daily sunrise in the country.

Thousands of postcards depicting the sunrise in all its blazing glory over the fishing villages amidst the silhouettes of massive coconut groves are circulated throughout the world regularly. In this respect, a string of budget hotels is located along the banks of the river and near the estuary offering " the most glorious sunrise views".

The most popular spot for this purpose is the bridge across the river mouth where one can also admire the colourfully painted fishing boats as they plough down the river towards the sea in the early moments of dawn. Marang beach is unique in that its broad golden sands form a remarkable stretch of sand dunes like a wall that slopes dramatically into the sea, creating an unusual two-tier beach.

Marang is also well known for its river and mangrove environment, and one can hire a boat at the Marang jetty for an insightful ride upriver to observe some of the intriguing wetland flora and fauna, including monitor lizards and otters.

Contact Info:
20503 Terengganu
Tel: 609-6178831 Fax: 609-6178832

Layang-Layangan Beach, Labuan

Layang-Layangan beach is a popular place on weekends. Its sandy beaches invites one to lie down and soak up the sun with the waves lapping at one's toes"

Layang-Layangan beach is a popular place on weekends. Its sandy white beaches is tempting, inviting one to lie down and soak up the sun with the sound of waves lapping at water's edge. Cycling paths and picnic tables are shaded by leafy trees. In this area too can be found many food stalls with live musical bands performing every weekend.

Horse riding and cycling are some of the popular leisure activities on this beach. The Peace Park is situated close by. The Manikar Beach Resort is also located around the same area.

Layang-layangan Beach is located on the western coast of Labuan, south of Pancur Hitam beach. For more information, please contact the Labuan Tourism Action Council office at 6087-4226622.

Contact Info:
Labuan Corporation,
Tourism & Culture Division, P.O Box No. 82099,
87030 Labuan
Labuan
Tel: 6087-417862 Fax: 6087-417861

Keluang Hill Beach, Terengganu

"Only a few kilometers away from Besut and about 140km north of Kuala Terengganu is Bukit Keluang, a peaceful beach park perfect for family outings."

Approximately 140km north of Kuala Terengganu and a few kilometres from Besut, lies Bukit Keluang. The view in this area is one of the most breathtaking and magnificent in Malaysia. It is also an ideal site for swimming, snorkelling and wind surfing.

It doesn’t matter whether you like to explore caves or not, for Bukit Keluang offers you more than that. For starters, the view in this area promises to take your breath away.

Best of all, the caves at Bukit Keluang is not too difficult for novices who are seeking casual exploration. There are easy walkways to help you along so all you need is a flashlight, good shoes and an adventurous spirit. Of course, exploring without a guide is not advisable.

Its distinctive features are caves, which are easily reached by walkways. Try to conjure up an image of a very peaceful village with beautiful wooden houses, innocent looking children playing games such as hopscotch or marbles, cows grazing in the field, swaying coconut trees, fresh cool breeze and a spectacular curve of white, sandy beach. This description describes Bukit Keluang beach to a tee.

Contact Info:
Kuala Besut
Terengganu
Tel: 609-6178831 Fax: 609-6178832

Jalan Persisiran Pantai, Perlis

"A drive along this 18.7km route is fully rewarding with the perfect view of scenic landscapes and wonderful landmarks."

This is Perlis's only coastal road linking Kuala Perlis and Kuala Sanglang, located near the Perlis-Kedah border.

A drive along this 18.7km route is fully rewarding with the perfect view of scenic landscapes and wonderful landmarks. Capture the best sunset scenery here or take a stroll by the beach along the coast.

Contact Info:
Perlis
Tel: 604-9761957 Fax: 604-9762951

Irama Beach, Kelantan

Located 1km north of Bachok, Pantai Irama (Beach of Melody) is famous for its gently sloping beach, clear waters and good visitor facilities."

Pantai Irama (Beach of Melody) is famous for its gently sloping beach that extends far into the clear blue water of the South China Sea. It has been said that Pantai Irama is Kelantan's most beautiful beach and this is evident from the regular visitations from picknickers especially around the weekends.

Located 1km north of Bachok, Pantai Irama (Beach of Melody) has good visitor facilities, including motels, camping grounds, restaurants where you can dine on sumptuous local dishes, public restrooms as well as boats for hire, should you wish to explore the coast.

Pantai Irama is located just 1km north of Bachok, roughly 20km southeast of Kota Bharu. For more information, please contact the Kota Bharu Tourist Information Centre at 609-7485534.

Desaru Beach, Johor

Twenty-five kilometres of white, sandy beach and lush tropical greenery highlight the beach of Desaru - the most popular beach in Johor.

Twenty-five kilometres of white, sandy beach and lush tropical greenery makes up Desaru - the most popular beach in Johor. Located 98km north east of Johor Bahru, Desaru, or also known as the 'Village of Casuarinas', was developed by the South Johor Development Authority (KEJORA) to boost tourism industry in Johor.

Desaru is a great destination for family vacation as it offers a variety of activities for the whole family including swimming, fishing, snorkelling, canoeing, horse riding, jungle trekking, go-carting, golfing and windsurfing. Regarded as Johor's 'gold mine', Desaru is equipped with a wide range of facilities and several up-market resorts, each with its own individual character. An 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. makes Desaru a well-known destination among golfers.

Apart from first-class hotels and resorts, other accommodations available in Desaru include chalets, dormitories and camping facilities for those looking for a back-to-nature experience. Facilities at the beachfront include picnic grounds, restaurants, food outlets and souvenir shops.

Contact Info:
Johor
Tel: +607-2234935/2249960 Fax: +607-2237554

Datai Beach, Kedah

Datai Beach to the north-west of Langkawi island is way off the main road but it has the most exclusive golf course on the island. There is a beach near the resort meant mainly for resort guests."

Datai Beach is situated at the north-west corner of Langkawi island and has the most exclusive golf course on the island - the Datai Bay Gold Resort. There is a beach near the resort but it is solely for resort guests. Another exclusive establishment there is the Datai Langkawi Resort, one of the most exclusive and isolated beach resort in Langkawi.

There are several jungle trails that take you down to Datai Beach. There is also a crocodile farm on the way to Datai Beach where visitors can view the crocodiles and be entertained to shows in the mornings and afternoons.

For more information, please contact the Langkawi Tourist Information Centre at
604-9667789.

Contact Info:
Kedah
Tel: 604-9667789

Damai Beach, Sarawak

"This is Sarawak's main beach resort area with pristine sandy beaches by the South China Sea with the Mt. Santubong as backdrop."

This is Sarawak's main beach resort area. Pristine sandy beaches by the South China Sea are Damai's main draw, but there are also fine jungle trails all the way to the imposing jungle-covered Mt. Santubong for hikers to explore.

Damai boasts three international-class resort hotels - the Holiday Inn Resort Damai Beach, Damai Lagoon Resort and Santubong Kuching Resort. Each is finely landscaped with its own secluded beach and free-form swimming pool. All offer jet skiing, windsurfing, water-skiing, tennis, mountain biking, squash and a fitness centre.

Sprawling over 90 acres of prime sea-front land, the beach resorts are framed by the lush tropical forest of the legendary and majestic Mount Santubong. All of the idyllic resorts offers an abundance of land and sea-sports activities for complete fun and relaxation.

Yet, discovery of the ethnic Sarawak culture and village lifestyle is only a step away. Complemented by a variety of dining and entertainment pleasures, it makes every stay a delightful experience. Come and be captivated by our warm and friendly hospitality; true to the lifestyle of Sarawak!

Contact Info:
Kuching
Sarawak
Tel: 6082-240620 Fax: 6082-427151

Cenang Beach, Kedah

"One of Langkawi's most popular beaches, Pantai Cenang is known as the best site to catch sunset view on this island."

One of the most popular beaches in Langkawi is undoubtedly Pantai Cenang. And no wonder, with the variety of accommodation facilities, from five-star resorts, to budget chalets, as well as restaurants and bars dotting this 2km long stretch of beautiful beach. Occasionally being referred to as the 'Waikiki of Langkawi,' Pantai Cenang owes its origin to Haji Din, the owner of Sandy Beach Motel.

As endearingly narrated by Haji Din, the story goes that a couple of Caucasians or 'Mat Sallehs' backpackers made their way to Langkawi and wanted to stay the night in Pantai Cenang. This was back in teh days when there weren't any chalets, motels or resorts there as tourists were still far and few in between. As the visiting couple was passing through Haji Din's place, they spotted his barn and asked him if it was okay for them to put up there there for the night. Haji Din, every friendly and warm, happily obliged and in a show of typical Malay hospitality to travellers, even provided some meals for them.

When the couple left Langkawi for Bali and Bangkok, they promoted Langkawi and Haji Din's warm hospitality to fellow tourists. Many, who came to Langkawi later on, would go and stay at Haji Din's place. Motivated by this, Haji Din decided to venture into setting up budget chalets. He built several A-shape chalets from photographs he took in Koh Sa Mui, Thailand whilst on holiday. Today, at the very spot where the barn once stood is the 100-room Sandy Beach Motel.

Today, Pantai Cenang is still one of the places where warm hospitality abounds and chalet owners like Haji Din can still be found if you look hard enough among the many accommodation outfits along this beach.

For more information on Pantai Cenang, please contact the Langkawi Tourist Information Centre at 604-9667789.

Contact Info:
Kedah
Tel: 604-9667789

Beserah Beach, Pahang

"The Beserah fishermen conducts a unique practise with water buffaloes, which are not normally seen on the beach for they are always used to plough paddy fields or to pull heavy carts), to transport fish from the boats to the processing area."

Situated ten kilometres from Kuantan, Beserah is a fishing village and is well-known for its salted fish. A unique practise of the Beserah fisherman is to employ water buffaloes (which are not normally seen on the beach for they are always used to plough paddy fields or to pull heavy carts), to transport fish from the boats to the processing area.

It also boasts a batik factory, many cottage handicraft workshops producing items made mostly of sea shells and plant materials such as dried nuts and leaves.

Beserah is also situated south of Balok. It is a rustic fishing village and a good place if you want to just laze around and watch the comings and goings of the local fishermen who occasionally pass by, busy with their own business.

It was quite interesting to watch a fisherman using a triangular net to catch fish, patiently trawling the shoreline. If you're lucky, you can see water buffaloes used to haul the fishermen's catch from the boat to land.

Contact Info:
Pahang
Tel: 609-516 1007 / 609-516 2007 Fax: 609-515 7006

Beach of Seven Lagoons, Kelantan

This lovely beach, located about seven kilometres north of Kota Bharu, near the Thai border, hosts the Annual Malaysian International Kite Festival."

This lovely beach, located about seven kilometres north of Kota Bharu and near the Thai border, hosts the Annual Malaysian Kite Festival. During this festival, Pantai Seri Tujuh will be busy with enthusiasts of the traditional kite, known as the wau.

The drive there passes through scenic coastline and fishing villages where traditional boats are built the traditional way. A modest resort and chalet accommodation facility is available here should you wish to stay overnight.

Batu Manikar Beach, Labuan

Glorious sunsets. That is the one thing a visitor would not fail to notice about Labuan. You can view it all along Jalan Batu Manikar right up to where University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is located."

When the skies are clear (as it mostly is in sunny Labuan), the magnificent sun behaves as it had for centuries past. Its brilliant disappearing act into the horizon performance will begin just after 6pm.

The famous Batu Manikar Beach-Layang Layangan is a great place to view such a sunset. It is a fabulously long stretch of beach fringed with casuarinas and coconut trees. A footpath circles most parts of the beach for the convenience of joggers and casual walkers, shaded naturally by the many trees. It’s a definite incentive for health buffs to exercise out there with the fresh air, breeze and fantastic view.

Batu Manikar Beach – Layang Layangan won the COBSEA Clean Beach Award 2008. The prestigious award is well-deserved as every morning municipal council workers can be seen hard at work cleaning the beach from any rubbish and debris.

Contact Info:
Labuan
Tel: 6087 - 417 862

Batu Ferringhi Beach, Penang

Batu Ferringhi is a popular destination in Pulau Pinang, a resort strip stretching along the northern coast of the island, with plenty of international hotels, extensive dining facilities and fun night shopping!"

Introduction
If there's one place in Penang that has its generous share of foreign visitors, it would have to be Batu Ferringhi. Aside from Georgetown, Batu Ferringhi is arguably the second most visited destination on Penang Island.

It's difficult to put a finger on what it is exactly that draws repeat visitors to Batu Ferringhi each year. Like Georgetown, Batu Ferringhi is a great place for visitors to enjoy the good food and great shopping. But Batu Ferringhi also has some of the nicest beaches on Penang Island. The long stretch of beach on the northern flank of Penang Island, of which Batu Ferringh beach is part of, is combination of wide golden-sand beaches and picturesque deep blue-green coves hedged by large granite boulders that seem to have tumbled from the hilly interiors of the island, right into the sea.

Compared to beaches on Malaysia's east coast islands like Lang Tengah, Batu Ferringhi beach may not be as gorgeous. But Batu Ferringhi has all the conveniences a visitor would want for an easy, hassle-free holiday. All along the Batu Ferringhi road, which runs parallel to the beach just a few metres away, you can find a great variety of shops including restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, mobile phone shops and souvenir shops. The combination of great location, ease of access, high number of accommodation choices and ample facilities and conveniences makes Batu Ferringhi a sure-fire choice for an easy holiday destination.

One unique feature of Batu Ferringhi is the exciting sidewalk bazaar that takes place every day from around 6pm until past midnight. This night bazaar is a busy and enjoyable shopping experience for visitors, and plenty of haggling can be heard along the stretch of individual stalls. Traders and buyers negotiating in good humour for the best price for the variety of items on sale – from imitation designer t-shirts to silver jewellery, colourful plastic buoys to fragile exotic curios.

And after you have done all your shopping and find yourself too tired to walk back to your hotel, you can always hail one of the many trishaw that ply the length of Batu Ferringhi's sidewalk bazaar. The Batu Ferringhi road stretches 3km long and the sidewalk bazaar covers more than half this length.

History
The name Batu Ferringhi itself attests historically to Penang's brushes with several different foreign powers, including the British, the Dutch and the Portuguese. Some locals believe that the word Ferringhi was derived from a foreign language (perhaps Portuguese) which refers to 'foreigners'.

Batu Ferringhi has long been known for its scenic seaside panorama. Like other seaside destinations such as Cherating, Batu Ferringhi has been frequented by tourists for decades. Over the years, factors such as the industrialisation of Penang island and the presence of the RAAF in Butterworth, further exposed Penang and particularly Batu Ferringhi to even more foreign visitors. But it wasn't until the late 1970's that one of the first international resorts and hotels were built.

People
In contrast to Georgetown, which is predominantly Chinese, Batu Ferringhi is a place where the mixed ethnicity of its residents are more apparent. All along the coast, visitors can see Malay and Chinese fishing villages. The cafes, restaurants, sidewalk stalls and single-story shops that line Batu Ferringhi road, are run by people of different races, all sharing in the wealth that tourism brings in to Batu Ferringhi. And although the sidewalk bazaar in Batu Ferringhi has a noticeably larger number of Chinese entrepreneurs, there are a few stalls selling speciality items that are run by entrepreneurs of different races.

Food
Practically all the variety of food you find in Georgetown, can also be found in the Batu Ferringhi area. All along Batu Ferringhi street, there are a great number of restaurants and cafes offering an incredible range of cuisine, from popular Western spreads to Mediterranean specialities and hearty German meals. All that, just a few minutes' walk from the string of hotels by the beach. If you drive eastward towards Tanjung Bungah, on the northern end of Batu Ferringhi you'll also find a number of street-side stalls selling a variety of snacks for picnickers the Miami Beach area, which is a popular weekend retreat for local visitors.

Related Events & Festivals
Be sure to visit Batu Ferringhi beach in June so you won't miss out on all the fun during the week-long Penang Beach Carnival. This annual carnival held in Batu Ferringhi features food promotions, various seaside activities and cultural shows, fashion parades, parties and inter-hotel competitions.

Travel Advice
Just like in George Town, Batu Ferringhi is a great place to do some shopping, particularly at the sidewalk bazaar. Always remember to bargain for the best price! Visitors almost never pay the first price quoted by the vendor. The street vendors are usually good-natured when it comes to bargaining.

For more information, please contact:

Penang Tourism Action Council
56th Floor, KOMTAR
10000 Penang
Tel : 604-262 0202
Fax : 604-2631020
Email : enquiry@tourismpenang.gov.my

OR

Penang Tourist Centre
Penang Port Commission Building
(Ground Floor Arcade)
Pesara King Edward
10300 Pulau Pinang
Tel: +604-2616663

Opening Hours: Mondays through Thursdays, from 8.30am to 4.30pm (Lunch break from 1pm to 2pm). Fridays from 8.30am to 4.30pm (Lunch from 12.30pm to 2.30pm)

Contact Info:
11100 Penang
Tel: 604-2616663