I don't think we have a topic on Kuantan. It is not somewhere I have been to. I had a couple of expat friends who lived there for many years. They left and moved to Penang island, then changed their mind and moved back to Kuantan. Then moved again as they felt that the place was getting to be too "Malay". Though.... I think it always has been quite Malay, from what I have read.

I hear that the beaches are really fab over that side of the peninsula.

This topic has been inspired by Moonbeamzz's excellent roadtrip report when he visited Melaka, Kuantan and KL. Full report may be read on this thread here (post #55):
http://britishexpats.com/forum/malay...-781657/page4/
but I'll copy and paste Moonbeamzz's comments re his trip to Kuantan:

quote
From Melaka off to Kuantan, a 6 hour bus trip where at times you just shut your eyes and say I have had a good life if this is it well so be it. Anyway we got to Kuantan where they have a brand new sentral bus terminal some way out of town (much further than Melaka Sentral) so it needs a cab/bus or whatever to get into town and unless you are a real masochist you are not going to walk it well not if you have luggage anyway. Found Kuantan to be a happy pleasant and very polite place. Not as advanced as the west coast and very noticeable Muslim influence, realise Islam is the national religion but it is quite noticeable in Kuantan. They have a very picturesque mosque which I wandered up to and as it was Ramadan and prayers were starting it was quite busy but no one seemed to mind me wandering around. Went to a couple of beaches and they are the best I have seen in Malaysia certainly put Batu feringhi in Penang to shame. Found Kuantan pleasant put it in the category of been there, seen it, enjoyed it, don't see any need to rush back.
unquote

If anyone else has anything to say about Kuantan (good or bad) please do post on this topic.

Wow a blast from my past and really good memories too. Not been to Kuantan for 24 and a half years but still remember the beaches as being fabulous - I did 6 weeks work in Kuantan back in the days I was still allowed to touch tools and install equipment.

Thanks for bringing back some good memories BB

In sum, loved it - but it was a wee while ago!

Haven't been to Kuantan for a while because it's such a long drive.

I do like the place and the Malayness of it. But three nights is enough although there used to be a Club Med at Cherating just north which I found surprising good fun.

Not my view that the beaches in Kuantan itself are great although driving up the east coast from Singapore you do see one or two long stretches of white sand beach alongside the road.
Certainly around Desaru which is much further south at the end of the Peninsula there is a lot of undertow in the sea and can be dangerous bathing.

Mersing is the place to catch the boats to the islands but that's way south of Kuantan.

Kuantan and its airport are a stop off point on the way to the National Park????

Next year I want to take my time driving up the east coast to Terengganu and and Kota Baru so a stop off in Kuantan is on the cards. Yet to convince the missus though.

For things to do, places of interest and even beaches Penang beats Kuantan hands down imo but still like Kuantan.
And Malacca is more enjoyable much closer and easier to get to for me and the missus.

Oh, do people still swim in the sea rather than hotel pools?????

Garbatellamike, 24 years sure is a long time. I imagine that it's changed a bit.

ExReg, look forward to reading the trip report . It's somewhere we had planned to go to but we cannot travel much at the moment so that is on "hold" for the time being unfortunately.