The Malaysian State of Terengganu has a great position on the north eastern side of peninsula Malaysia and is known worldwide for its beautiful beaches and offshore islands in the South China Sea. But the State is much more than Pantai Batu Burok (Beach), Perhentian and Redang Islands, the Capital, Kuala Terengganu often referred to as ‘KT’, has much to offer the visitor. If you are on your way to or from the islands, the Royal City of KT makes a great stopover. Or a destination itself.

 What’s special about Kuala Terengganu?

When we were invited by our friends at Gaya Travel Media, to visit the Candat Sotong Carnival in the State Capital, sponsored by Tourism Malaysia, we didn’t hesitate. Terengganu is most often associated with the beautiful offshore islands, Perhentian, Redang and Kapas as well as Kenyir Lake with houseboats and fishing among the attractions. So we were intrigued and decided to find out more about ‘Candat Sotong’. A quick search tool told us it’s the same as ‘squid jigging’ which we assumed to be catching them like fish.

Candat Sotong

We were right, based on what was described in our briefing. So when we gathered at the Pasar Payang boat jetty in Kuala Terengganu just before 5pm, we were ready to put what we’d learnt in our briefing to good use. We were ferried out to our larger fishing boat, with life jackets going on first.

Then it was out to sea, about 10km, which took about an hour. Surprisingly, we still had a good internet connection. We were given our reels with dangerous looking hooks and weight and started ‘jigging’ after a quick lesson. The boatmen using fishing rods and were having a lot more success, but sadly we hooked nothing, despite what felt like nibbles.

After we’d collected a few sotong (thanks to our boatmen), our Japanese friends produced a bottle each of soy sauce and wasabi and we all enjoyed squid sashimi for supper. So the evening was well spent and we all went home happy.

This is a great activity, though unless you’re a passionate fisher(man), it’s definitely worth doing at least once.

Special Events

We were in KT for the Annual Karnival Candat Sotong (Squid Catching Carnival), held at Dataran Shahbandar, شهبندر داتارن close to the Market, Pasar Payang. A number of other events were organised in conjunction with the Carnival, and we went along to check them out. We were specially intrigued by the Bubur Asyura (Asyura porridge) and found that we were to be involved, or at least given the chance to stir this tasty porridge. But first, we were divided into teams of 4 and handed RM20, which we were to use to purchase ingredients that could be used in the porridge, within the next hour. The four of us zipped around the nearby Pasar Payang (market) and thought we’d chosen (and bargained) pretty well until we delivered our purchased to discover we had at least half wrong in some way. Never mind, we had fun and enjoyed the interaction with the traders. Then we did the rounds of the different cooking stands and talked to the participants, who have formed into teams based on their kampung. One team was a bit different from the others, with a mix of different communities, demonstrating how they all work together on their projects.

We also enjoyed dropping by the petting zoo, especially saying hello to the very friendly macaw.

Bubur Asyura, which is made only once a year, has its roots in the story of Noah, common to both Muslims and Christians, who may call it Noah porridge. The name relates to the time after the big flood subsided, where the porridge was made from whatever was available, so the ingredients vary depending on your location.

Terengganu food

We ate lots of seafood during our trip, including some recipes seldom available outside homes. One such example was ketupat sotong, well described in this article by another of the participants.

⁠D’Suasane Ibai Restaurant

This cool restaurant overlooking the Sungai Ibai, south of the city. We arrived at dusk and in the evening light the restaurant looked very welcoming. They’re well known for their ikan bakar (grilled fish), but we also enjoyed their delicious chicken and traditional local dishes.

Places to visit

There’s lots to see and do in Kuala Terengganu, and we barely scratched the surface. The beautiful mosques, old and new, as well as the Sultan’s palace are worth a visit. We found the city quite easily walkable with well maintained footpaths. Check out the morning market and Pasar Payang and chat with the traders. Pick up a few words in the Terengganu Malay dialect and you’ll make more friends!

Masjid Tengku Tengah Zaharah (Masjid Terapung)

……. is one such example of these beautiful mosques.

The mosque was opened in 1995 and is popular with both locals and visitors. It’s open to all, but for non Muslims it would be sensible to avoid prayer times, especially on Friday. Ladies must cover their hair, arms and legs but they have cloaks you can borrow if you are unprepared. They are clean and comfortable and there’s a hanger of these close to the entrance. You must leave your shoes outside and while men may enter the main prayer hall (except during prayers), women may only visit the female prayer hall above and overlooking the main hall.

Chinatown

Back in the city, pick up some tasty treats at the Uptown Pulau Warisan pasar malam (open daily 5pm – 12am, except Fridays), before walking through Turtle Alley to Chinatown, where you can’t miss the 200 year old Ho Ann Kiong Temple 和安宮. The Chinese population in the state is a tiny 3%, but they have made it their home since the 1600s. At the end of the 18th Century, the community, most of whom came from Fujian Province, collected funds to build the Temple, which was opened in 1800.

Turtle Alley

….. is a small laneway across from the bridge to Uptown Pulau Warisan, with mosaic murals with interesting information about the turtles which come yearly to lay their eggs on the beaches of Terengganu.

Noor Arfa Batek Craft Complex

Phone: 018-298 2700

Hours: Open daily, 9 am–5:30 pm

Find them on their  Website, Facebook, Instagram

Visit the Noor Arfa Craft Complex in Chendering, about 10km south of the city, where you can try your hand at stamping or hand drawing the wax. See the artisans at work on their specialties including songket weaving and glass sculpting.

Then go up the stairs to pick up beautiful batik, songket and other craft items to suit your budget. They have ready made outfits as well as a wide range of batik lengths and songket for you to make your own. I wish we’d had more space in our bags, there were so many pieces that caught my eye!

Things to Know

Terengganu is quite a conservative state, so please be mindful of local customs and dress appropriately.

Accommodation

During our stay, we were well taken care of in the Pantai Primula Hotel (Primula Beach Hotel), which is the subject of a separate writeup, coming soon. Economy Traveller was a guest at the Candat Sotong Carnival in Kuala Terengganu. Our trip was organised by Gaya Travel Media, under the sponsorship of Tourism Malaysia.

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