MY · Terengganu · 5.67°N 102.72°E

setiu wetlands

Mangrove boardwalks, lagoon boat trips and fishing villages on the Setiu coast.

Best time
March to September. The north-east monsoon, roughly November to February, brings heavy rain and rough water, and most boat trips stop. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for birds.
How long
1 day
Getting there
Fly from KL to Kuala Terengganu (about an hour), then drive about an hour north. Driving from KL takes about 6 hours on the East Coast Expressway.
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MY · Terengganusetiu wetlands5.67°N 102.72°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Mangrove boardwalks, lagoon boat trips and fishing villages on the Setiu coast.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingSetiu WetlandsMY, Terengganu
KLsetiu wetlands
≈ 304 km from KL, as the crow flies
The boardwalk of Setiu Wetlands State Park.

Photo: Fikku fiq · CC BY 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A maze of mangroves, lagoons, rivers and sandbars on the coast north of Kuala Terengganu, made a state park in 2018. Walk the boardwalk into the mangroves, take a boat out on the lagoon with a local guide, then finish with fried fish by the sea at Penarik.

Makan

  1. Ikan celup tepungBattered fish and squid, Terengganu's favourite tea-time snack, fried to order at coastal stalls.Map ↗
  2. Keropok lekorFresh from the village stalls, eaten hot with chilli sauce.Map ↗
  3. Nasi dagangHave the classic Terengganu breakfast before you head out on the water.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Pengkalan Gelap boardwalkA short boardwalk through the mangroves. Watch for mudskippers, crabs and kingfishers.Map ↗
  2. A lagoon boat tripLocal operators take you through the waterways, past fish and oyster farms.Map ↗
  3. Pantai PenarikA long, empty beach on the sandbar between the lagoon and the sea.Map ↗
  4. BirdwatchingMore than 160 bird species have been recorded here. Bring binoculars.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Book a boat with a local operator ahead. There's no single entrance with everything in one place.
  • Bring insect repellent. The mozzies in the mangroves are fierce around dusk.
  • Turtles and terrapins nest along this coast. Keep away from nests and never buy eggs.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.