With a dazzling juxtaposition of Asian city, rural and seaside resort living, Pahang State is certainly worthy of a much higher rating as a family surf travel destination. Exploring this region is rewarding, quite simple and can be made very cost effective. Sometimes plans do just Sometimes plans do just come together – it may take time and effort but then it happens. This story is living proof. The voice on the phone quietly but passionately informed me “Hey man, did you know that there’s sick surf on the east coast of Malaysia – head-high barrels on waves that are ridable for over a kilometre”. I had heard enough. Meetings were arranged, proposals written and a sortie to Pahang State Malaysia became a reality, with the close collaboration of Tourism Malaysia (Pahang and Perth offi ces) Malaysia Airlines, Tim Brent and Mey Kamilah A Rauf.
LB

joining the mile long club brown snapper in reverse

Looking beyond the expansive glass doors of Kuala Lumpur International Airport Arrivals and seeing ‘mr peter - longbreak’ held aloft the waiting crowd by a man dressed in the obvious attire of a Transport Driver, is a great relief and tells me that all those emails, phone calls and faxes have actually done their work – there is someone to transport our boards, camera gear and daily wardrobe of board shorts, rashies and T-shirts across Malaysia to the east coast. A system of futuristic freeways makes our exit from the airport precinct deceptively swift; creating the illusion that the cited driving time of four-and-a-half hours will be smashed within the realms of safety and including ‘makanan’ (food) stops. But the status quo quickly changes.

On our journey east, the suburbs of KL have to be traversed and tropical rain floods from the clouds bring the traffic to a crawl. Motorcyclists wear their jackets back-to-front, in a futile attempt to protect themselves from the deluge.

Anxiety sets in. We have an appointment for a meeting and our first steamboat dinner (a tradition of the first night of Chinese New Year) with tourism officials in the city of the Kuatan, some 250km away! We soon realize that anxiety is as futile as a motorcyclist’s back-to-front jacket. It’s best to just gaze through the windows at the landscape and its passing parade – one less crowded and chaotic than in other parts of Asia. Perhaps the remnant of a British colonial past, but probably just less than the density of population we are used to seeing in places like Java and Bali.

Then a steep, potentially gearbox destroying ascent of the Genting Highlands, has us away from the urban sprawl and once again traversing the peninsular at speed on space-age toll ways. Palm oil plantations, impenetrable jungle, majestic rain forests and broad, swift flowing, soil-laden rivers become our window vistas.

Travel consultants say that January is not the most logical time to visit Malaysia – their mantra is gray skies, strong afternoon sea breezes and oceans brown from rivers depositing mud-laden waters. But they are unaware that the monsoon season is also responsible for good quantities of ground swell travelling across the South China Sea to the east coast of Malaysia and it is this that makes a November through February east coast excursion most rewarding for the surfer.

Kuatan, the principal city of Pahang state, is our overnight stopover and the morning assembly point for the ‘reef ’ of surfers joining us to travel the 50km north to Cherating – and a break labelled by the locals ‘Chocolate Snapper – in reverse’. Cherating is a small seaside village primarily catering to Malaysian holidaymakers. Its broad, east facing, shallow gradient bay makes it perfect for families and the water temperature definitely makes it aboard shorts and rashie affair, but with a refreshing edge.

For access to the break, we turned off the village main street, drove 100 metres down through a leafy park, and cut through a few low-key beach-side eating establishments. From here, access to the break was almost decadent; we whipped across a few metres of soft sand (I knew there had to be a reason for the 4x4 we’d been allocated), drove along the hard sand at the water’s edge to the rocky point, then established a beach head camp and strolled into the surf. The waves at Cherating were surfable from knee to head-and-a-half high. Small days meant a leisurely wade through the soft white water, then a paddle up the headland to a take-off point of personal choice. On bigger days there was a tendency for a rip to develop, so access to the take-off zone was slightly harder work but still fell into the luxury category. Waist high Cherating was a very mellow affair, ideal for all levels of long and short board skills. Beginners could pick a convenient take-off spot with the walls of water relentlessly marching on down into the bottom end of the bay, and getting to one’s feet was relaxed without the angst of gruesome take-offs or competitive crowds.

When a larger swell descended from the South China Sea, Cherating produced a better wave on the fuller tide. With early morning offshore conditions the rides can be sensational; a take-off that was a little hollow (a responsive light setup on your rig is the way to go) and then a section that could last a length of time that creates legends. One legend being that during a recent comp, after a 300 metre ride through the ‘coffee lounge’, (Malaysian east coast term for the ‘green room’ - see pictures to explain all) a competitor came out and had to stretch his back and legs to avoid cramp. We are not sure how this manoeuvre was viewed or scored by the comp judges but from what we saw of the break, there is a distinct possibility that this legend has an element of truth.

Stories abound of 2-kilometre rides and surfers disappearing in barrels for tens of seconds rather than split seconds. At first sight of the break, some of these claims seemed right off the Richter scale but Cherating is deceptive. The size of the bay and its very shallow gradient can make the waves look a little uninspiring, particularly on a low tide, but upon closer inspection, as we drove across the sand towards the break, the lines of swell could be seen hitting the point and then peeling off down the bay in procession. Even then, we didn’t really appreciate the fun quality of these waves until we hit the water and sampled them. This break was also the place to be when the afternoon onshore breeze swung into action. The point and headland gave some protection from the wind and good times could still be had in the water. This region cannot be classed as a onetrick pony. Right on the border of Pahang State, Chendor Point is another location where legends could be created. This bay is only 40 or so kilometres up the main north-south coast road and is a similar set up to Cherating in geographical terms, yet very different in feel. Although only a short distance away, the sense of isolation at Chendor Point created an impression of being on a remote personal mission of discovery.

With a couple of creek crossings to add some adventure, a beach drive around the waters edge at low tide was once again the access method to the Point. Jungle cleverly masquerading as virgin rainforest clads the steep headland, stopping only at the high tide mark, making the last metres to the take-off zone a rock hopping exercise rather than a casual stroll through trees. These waves were gems. Once in them we couldn’t help but smile and the colour was extraordinary. Not the translucent blue and green we associate with tropical coasts, but iced-coffee brown, and once in the protection of the headland the water became glass smooth – like liquid chocolate.

The take-off could be quite suckie, so quickness to the feet and setting a line was important. The beauty of this break was its fairly forgiving nature. If these manoeuvres are misjudged and you’re suddenly projected toward the bottom, the sand is smooth and rock free so it’s more a matter of removing sand from every orifice than repairing wounds. These rides were long. Waves only waist to head-high on take-off, were consistently producing rides of 500-600 metres – even for the short boarders. With a little cruise control applied and gentle re-entries, members of the longboard fraternity were clocking up 1km rides, disappearing from sight as they steered a course for the bottom of the bay. It was a case of considering the length of walk back rather than how much further you could stretch out the ride. The initial section on the smaller walls still provided plenty of speed and power for the shortboard set to perform all their high octane manoeuvres, including the odd cover-up.

There are several other breaks offering good potential. One within the grounds of Club Med Cherating was unfortunately closed during the monsoon season – although we have it on good authority that this is to change, so watch this space. This region is probably more suited to a longer, relaxed investigation than a short, intense surf tour package. Accommodation opportunities abound and are varied, ranging from 5-star resort and hotel complexes to very simple but acceptable chalet or villa style. A stay of two to three weeks should give time enough to ensure some good swells, as these tended to build and subside over a four to five day cycle.

The ambiance of this seaside area was very, very casual. Activities revolved around tide, swell, wind and eating, the latter taking something of a priority with a plethora of eating haunts – within Cherating village, roadside, beachside, and on the beach itself – all offering amazingly good value and a vast range of cuisine. Of course satay in great quantities is a must, being an intrinsic part of the flavour of this region and, as a morning pre-surf session starter, Indian roti prata is an exotic energy source that certainly gets the cylinders firing.

If a greater sense of cocooning is desired, hotel resorts are a good option. The Legends Cherating is a 220-room hotel with the inhouse facilities expected of beach focused resorts – restaurants, bars, nightclubs, gyms, swimming pools and associated activities are family affordable. The Legends is situated at the base of the bay and is only a 10-minute drive from Cherating Point and the break. Small chalet complexes are numerous but standards vary dramatically. Payung Guest Housea set on the Cherating river banks was very presentable and delivered a product well above its price structure.

Getting There – and Back Destination Summary

Malaysia is well serviced from Australia by Malaysia Airlines with fl ights leaving all Australian capital cities, except Hobart. It is possible to get a morning fl ight from Australia arriving in Kuala Lumpur with time to make a daylight journey by car to the east coast – a very worthwhile drive. Due to the equipment surfers carry, it is recommended that before leaving Australia you pre-arrange your transport from KL International Airport to the east coast. If faster passage is required, there are fl ights from Kuala Lumpur to the east coast city of Kuantan, although longboards are not a familiar sight here, so problems can occur in the baggage department.

Once on the east coast the possibility of 4x4 car rental should be investigated. Fuel was relatively inexpensive and driving was easy, as roads were well signed and Asian road chaos was not an issue. Having a car considerably enriched the surfi ng component for us, as direct vehicle access to the beaches was possible.

The homeward journey usually requires a night stopover in Kuala Lumpur, as most fl ights to Australia leave early in the morning. This gave us time to explore the rich cultural mix of Kuala Lumpur and we stayed in affordable opulence at the Putrajaya Shangri-La, a stunning modern hotel with sweeping views of the magnifi cent architecture of the Putrajaya precinct and a convenient location on the airport side of the city providing hassle free access to the airport during peak hour traffi c.

When planning your trip make sure you determine the dates of Chinese New Year, as this always falls in the surf season and is a week-long major local holiday time, which can limit accommodation and travel options.

Other Activities
The coastal strip from Cherating to Chendor had a definite seaside holiday atmosphere, so there were plenty of distractions in the shopping and eating line. With the surfi ng being governed by tide and wind there was suffi cient time to cruise the many low-key, low-pressure local craft and clothing outlets. If more intense activity in this line is desired, a visit to the major city of Kuantan just 50km down the road is recommended. This is also a good place to visit local cultural highlights like the silk and batik visitor centres. With self-driving a realistic option, Pahang State is a place where casual exploration of the spectacular national parks and local areas can be achieved in a series of sorties from your surfi ng base. Information is readily available from hotels and local tourist offi ces. Enjoy your stay!

Destination Summary
Accommodation
The Legends Resort
Club Med - Cherating
Payung Guest Housea - Cherating
Putrajaya Shangri-La, Malaysia (KL)

Surf and Climate
The surf season is between November and February which is the same period as the monsoon season. Temperatures are in the high twenties with high humidity but far from oppressive. Cloud cover is usual, but still be conscious of sun burn.

Contacts Information
Pahang Tourism Action Council
Pahang Malaysia
Phone: +609 517 1111/2
Fax: +609 514 6900
Email: mtpnphg@tm.net.my mtpnphg@streamyx.com

Malaysia Tourism
Promotion Board
Pahang Malaysia
Phone: +609 517 7111/2/3
Fax: +609 517 7114
Web: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my

Malaysia Airlines Web: www.malaysiaairlines.com
The Legends Resort - Cherating
Email: ledgends@po.jaring.my

Putrajaya Shangri-La
Email: Slpt@shangri-la.com
Web: www.shangri-la.com

Everline Transport
Phone: +609 568 1126