Layang-Layangan Beach

A golden beach, brilliant sunshine and waves gently lapping at your body as you lie by the sea - that sure sounds like a wonderful way to spend the weekend, doesn't it? Layang-Layangan Beach is an extremely popular spot for those wishing to bask in the sun.

Several amenities have been set up for public use such as cycling paths and picnic tables in the shade. There are also many food stalls and live music is played on weekends. The Peace Park and Manikar Beach Resort are also nearby.

Jalan Persisiran Pantai

Jalan Persisiran Pantai is as the name suggests. Literally translated to “the road by the beach”, it offers you an awesome view as you drive along its route. The scene at sundown is said to be breathtaking.

Jalan Persisiran Pantai is the only coastal road in the state and runs for about 19km.

Damai Beach

Take white sand beaches lapped by the South China Sea, add rainforest walks and an imposing jungle -covered mountain and you have Damai. This is Sarawak's main beach resort area.

Damai boasts three international-class resort hotels - the Holiday Inn Resort Damai Beach, Damai Lagoon Resort and Santubong Kuching Resort. Each has its own secluded beach, landscaped, free form swimming pool and offers jet skiing, water-skiing, windsurfing, mountain biking, tennis, squash and fitness centers.

You could spend a whole holiday without leaving the resort, but nearby are the Arnold Palmer-designed Damai Golf & Country Club, the Sarawak Cultural Villaqe and the sleepy fishing villages of Santubong and Buntal with their excellent seafood restaurants'.

For the more adventurous there is the climb through the rainforest to the summit of Mount Santubong. It's a five to six-hour trek and your hotel will provide a guide and a packed lunch.

If luxury living is not your style or you want to get closer to nature, try Camp Permai at the foot of Mount Santubong. With air-conditioned tree houses or family log cabins, the camp offers "a total rainforest experience.

The emphasis is on adventure with abseiling, sea canoeing and trekking and there are instructors on hand to guide you.

Whether it’s all out adventure, water sports, golfing or just relaxing on the beach, Damai has something for everyone.

Bagan Nakhoda Omar

Bagan Nakhoda Omar is a beach that’s “hidden away”. Located in the Sabak Bernam district, the beach is accessible by a road that will take you through several traditional villages. That in is already an eye-opening experience. A quiet getaway, Bagan Nakhoda has a good combination of sun, sand and sea, the no-frills way. For meals, you can check out the hawker stalls at the beach and have your meals accompanied by a refreshing breeze.

Air Papan

15 km towards the north of Mersing is Air Papan. This village is flanked by hills and dotted with many species of trees and palms. The beach at Air Papan is a popular picnic area where the "Pesta Air Papan" (Air Papan Festival) is celebrated on the 1st of May each year. This event has always managed to draw such a huge crowd that the available chalets are almost unable to contain the demand! The festival is fun-filled with food and games! There are also cultural performances.

Asides from the Pesta Air Papan, the beach is a popular spot, drawing lots of visitors to it every weekend and public holidays. Its clear blue waters is definitely a contributing factor to its popularity. When the weather is beautiful, you can even see the outline of other neighbouring islands.

Klebang Beach

The Klebang Besar beach's popularity does not lie in the water but in the strong winds that perpetually blow inland.

Klebang Beach is home to a group of villagers. At the beach are a fishing village and several stalls selling delicious grilled fish.

The beach is about 10km from Melaka and lines the seafront of Tanjung Kling.

You could take a leisurely seaside drive down to Klebang Beach and beyond to enjoy the view of the Straits of Malacca. Feel free to stop at roadside stalls selling local delicacies such as Goreng pisang (deep fried banana) for your tea or venture into one of the converted mansions for a beer.

Tanjung Bidara

Tanjung Bidara is a very famous beach that is popular with tourists and locals. A hot spot located some 35km north of Malacca town, Tanjung Bidara has lovely white sandy beaches and shady casuarinas.

Watersports are also aplenty. Visitors can opt to stay over at the Tanjung Bidara Resort. The road leading to the resort is also picturesque with many paddy fields and Malay kampung houses sitting in an idyllic, serene background. Tanjung Bidara promises to be a memorable experience!

Pantai Cherating

Pantai Cherating is the famous beach where Asia’s first Club Med was built.

But don’t think for a minute that Club Med is all you’ll find at Cherating – in fact, it only occupies a small stretch of the beach.

The rest is a seaside paradise waiting for you to explore. Aside from the wonderful beach, Cherating is also an interesting destination for those who like handicraft and cultural performances such as wayang kulit (shadow play) and silat (the Malay art of self-defence). Watch as the villagers weave pandanus leaves to make mats, bags, and other souvenirs.

Rantau Abang - The Giant Leatherback Turtles

At 22km north of K.Dungun and 80km south of K.Terengganu, is probably the most talked about tourist spot in Terengganu. There was a time when a great number of giant leatherback turtles came to Rantau Abang to lay their eggs between May and August. (Peak egg laying months are June and July).

The beach terrain here is favourable as it has a steep and deep slope so that the turtle can 'land' straight up the beach. If the beach has a shallow and gradual slope, the turtle would have to spend much of her energy wading through a fair distance before finding a suitable nesting site closer to the vegetation line. She must conserve as much energy as possible for what she has to do later. The mother turtle comes up in the cover of night to lay her eggs. Leatherback turtles can grow to a length of 2m and easily weigh up to 500kg. Unlike other turtles species who have hard bony shells, they have soft, leathery shells or carapace with 7 ridges running longitudinally down. The design and shape of the carapace reduces water friction and together with the long flippers helps the turtle propel smoothly through water. This is a more suitable design, for these long distance swimmers have to travel across great oceans every 2 to 3 years to return to the same breeding ground. It is believed that the long distance travel is related to seasonal drifts of the jellyfish.

Best time to go

From early March right through till end-November

Desaru

Desaru, the popular beach resort, is located on the eastern tip of the peninsula. Its clean sandy beaches with a lush tropical forest that goes for about 25 kilometres has made it a favorite spot for holiday-makers both local and foreign. To meet with the demand, there are many resorts and hotels here that cater to a variety of budget.

Its casuarina trees-lined beach and clean water has made many water sporting activities such as snorkeling, fishing, boating and canoeing possible. If you're not into that, you can also opt for horseback riding, tennis, golfing, or jungle trekking.

The sands on the beach is also unique, as it is rather grayish in color and the depth of the seabed from the beach is relatively shallow although you are 50 metres into the sea. However, without a doubt, Desaru has one of the best beaches in mainland Johor.

If time permits, do pay a visit to Tanjung Pengelih where the relics from World War II is kept. You can also view the historical artifacts from the Malay Johor Riau Empire at Johor Lama.

Pulau Besar

There are not many good islands in Malacca; some are not exactly clean, while some are not easily accessible. Pulau Besar is an exception - it is noted for its clean sandy beaches, clear waters and plenty of sunshine! The good environment makes it a great place for swimming, snorkeling or fishing.

Aside from being a good holiday destination, Pulau Besar also has a fair bit of history - just like many other locations in Malacca. A small area covering just 16sq km, Pulau Besar was once used as a burial site in days of old.

It was also used as a base for the Japanese once, with remains of a bunker, explosives store, and graves. Because the island is so small, visitors can easily cover the place within a day.

Pulau Kapas

A little island not more than 20 minutes away by boat from the sleepy village of Marang, Pulau Kapas(Cotton Island) basks idyllically as it has for over 270 million years. This little haven in the South China Sea and just off the Terengganu coast is a pleasant getaway for the locals during weekends. During the weekdays, it can be surprisingly quiet as throngs of visitors depart home to their 9-to-5 jobs and businesses.

Pulau Kapas is a small island, just over 2km long and 1km at its widest point. Since it is so close - only 6km from the mainland, visitors seldom stay overnight. For those who prefer to spend a longer time on the island, there are a variety of accommodations available on the island best suited to most travellers although non rivalling exclusive resorts establishments. Most resorts are clustered together on two strips of white sandy beaches facing the mainland, whereas the rest of the island is largely forested harbouring lots of small mammals, birds, insects and reptiles.

Pulau Perhentian

No island could have been given a better name than Pulau Perhentian. Far away from the urban sprawl of civilisation lie these two gems, off Peninsular Malaysia's east coast. No five-star resort to call home. No motorbikes and tuk-tuks in sight. Just tranquillity in every nook and cranny. If you ever wanted to get away from it all, this is the place. Pulau Perhentian consists of two islands 21km from Terengganu. Pulau Perhentian Kecil and Pulau Perhentian Besar.

Gunung Ledang, Mt. Ophir

Formerly known as Mt. Ophir, Gunung Ledang is shrouded in mystery and legend. Besides being a favourite hill retreat for mountaineers and holidaymakers, Gunung Ledang Recreational Forest is also said to be the home of the legendary Puteri Gunung Ledang, a woman who captured the heart of the Sultan of Malacca.

Legends aside, there is also the Sagil waterfall at the base of the mountain, which is a favourite picnic spot. Here, the waters are refreshing and clean, while the environment is tranquil and peaceful.

There are also facilities for visitors like campgrounds, food stalls, changing rooms and so on. There are also tracks for those looking to hike up Gunung Ledang.