cherating in 2 days, 1 night
Drive over for an afternoon swim and a firefly boat ride after dark, then the turtle sanctuary and a wander round the village before heading home. Best from March to October, when the sea is calm.
Day 1 Beach and fireflies
- Morning
- Drive from KL, about 3.5 hours on the East Coast Expressway.
- Lunch
- Keropok lekor from a stall on the coast road, fried and dipped in chilli sauce.
- Afternoon
- Check in and swim in the bay, which is wide and quiet outside the monsoon.
- Evening
- A firefly boat ride along the Cherating River, with the fireflies glowing in the mangroves after dark.
- Night
- Grilled fish and seafood at one of the restaurants in the village.
Day 2 Turtles and home
- Morning
- A beach walk, then a short drive to the turtle conservation centre on Chendor Beach.
- Lunch
- Seafood lunch in the village, then browse for batik and handicrafts.
- Afternoon
- Head home, about 3.5 hours. If you don't mind a detour north towards Kemaman first, buy satar, spiced fish paste grilled in banana leaf, from the roadside stalls.
Good to know
- Turtles nest mainly in July and August, the best time to see hatchlings released. Follow the staff's lead: no flash photos and no touching.
- Only swim when the sea is calm, and watch for warning flags.
- Coming in the monsoon for the surf? Swap the swim for a lesson with one of the village surf schools, and expect rain.