Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There
The most conv enient way to get to K uantan is b y a quick flight fr om KL.
Malaysia
Airlines
(
&
1300/883-000;
www.malaysiaairlines.com) flies daily fr om KL, as does
AirAsia
(
&
03/8775-4000;
www.airasia.com). Flights arrive at the
Sultan Ahmad Shah
Airport
(
&
09/667-3666
). Just outside the airpor t is a taxi stand wher e you can get a
cab to Kuantan for RM35 ($10/£6.30) or to Cherating for RM60 ($17/£11).
Bus routes
service Kuantan from all parts of the peninsula, and thanks to the opening
in 2004 of a beautiful ne w highway linking K uantan to KL, the trip is only 4 hours.
Transnasional
operates hourly buses for RM20 ($5.80/£3.60) fr om Puduraya Bus Ter-
minal on Jalan Pudu (
&
03/2070-3300
). The bus terminal in Kuantan is in Kompleks
Makmur. Taxis at the stand just outside the terminal can take y
263
ou to to wn for RM15
($4.35/£2.70).
Outstation
taxis
from KL (
&
03/2078-0213
) will cost RM200 ($58/£36) for the
3-hour trip. The outstation taxi stand in Kuantan is at the bus terminal.
Getting Around
The areas in the town's center are nice for walking. Otherwise, stick with taxis, which can
be waved down on any street. There's also a stand behind the Tourist Information Centre
where you'll be sur e to find a cab in a pinch. Taxis here are not meter ed, so y ou must
negotiate the fare before you set out. This is a good deal when you want to hire someone
for a few hours to take you around the city. Rates start at about RM20 ($5.80/£3.60) per
hour. Use taxis to trav el to areas of interest outside the city that ar e covered in “Attrac-
tions Outside Kuantan,” below.
Fast Facts: Kuantan & Cherating
The
area code
for K uantan and Cherating is 09. M ost major
banks and A TMs
ar e
located appropriately along Jalan Bank, near the State Mosque.
Internet service
is avail-
able from a couple of cafes at the Kompleks Makmur; check the shopping mall adjacent
to the bus terminal.
WHERE TO STAY
Kuantan is not a very large place, and most of those who vacation here prefer to stay just
a little farther north, in
Cherating,
which is mor e established as a r esort destination. If
staying close to K uantan is impor tant to y ou, the Hyatt Regency, about 5km (3 miles)
outside of to wn on the beach at Telok Chempedak, is the best choice for accommoda-
tions.
14
In Kuantan
Hyatt Regency Kuantan
The H yatt R egency is par t business hotel and par t
resort. Its 2 hotel blocks ser ve business trav elers linked to P ahang and Terengganu's oil
industry, which is why y ou'll find ex ecutive club ser vices, a business center , and other
conveniences for professionals that might seem out of place at a beachside pr operty. On
the other hand, Hyatt does front an extensive beachfront, with cool breezes and the relax-
ing sound of ocean waves, plus a full range of exciting watersports activities. The open-air
concept of the hotel, especially the tr opical reception area, shows all the efficiency of a
Hyatt without the studied pr ofessionalism of a city hotel. I nside 2 large hotel blocks,
guest rooms are comfortable, with modern conveniences adorned with some local deco-
rator touches, but show some signs of wear. Each has a balcony, but not all have sea views,
so be sure to inquire when booking.
