Kuantan Natures

Gelora Park

The Gelora Park is a nice recreational spot for families 3 km away from Kuantan. There are facilities for jogging, bicycling, tennis courts, volleyball courts, a soccer field and playing grounds for children. At this park, you can also view the Sultan of Pahang's palace called 'Istana Hinggap' and the residences of top Pahang state officials. Further up the main road is a golf course and Teluk Chempedak Beach.

Visitors can rent bicycles to travel around the park tracks or stroll around the lake that is covered with water lilies and lotus plants. There's even a short bridge across the lake that anyone can cross. All in all, the Gelora Park is a pleasant place to unwind for the weekend.

Taman Teruntum

Taman Teruntum is yet another popular recreational park near Kuantan with plenty of playgrounds for children and small ponds and canals with fishes. Some of the hills have wooden sheds built on tall, large trees which you can climb in to relax or soak in the view. Horse-riding is also available at the Western end of the park.

Watch out for the free-roaming mischievous monkeys that can cart off your valuables when you're not looking around. To see more animals, visit the mini zoo here which has a sun bear, porcupines, snakes, birds, tortoises and other creatures. Finally, refresh yourself with some snacks and drinks from the many stalls scattered around the park.

Deerland Park

The Deerland Park, a sanctuary for these elegant herbivores, is located in Bukit Rengit, Lanchang, 140 km away from Kuantan. While the main attraction of the park are the deers, there's also a Nature Garden which has a variety of herbs and plants on display.

Visitors can stroke and feed the gentle deer during the day. On top of that, there are other exhibits which include ostriches, peacocks and a sun bear. Visitors can also camp here or hire a guide to take them into the jungle for survival skills training.

Elephant Conservation Centre

The Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah, 40km from Bentong, is dedicated to the rescue of abandoned or wild-caught elephants.

Here, elephants that have been caught destroying crops are moved and then transported to other remote forests where they can avoid conflicts with farmers.

There're also tame elephants which visitors can feed and play with during bathing hours in the river.

Tasik Chini

The surreal Lake Chini is shrouded in myths and legends, attracting curious travellers and tourists.

Approximately 100 km away from Kuantan, the lake's most famous legend is that it was once an ancient Khmer city that became submerged in water. This has resulted in explorations from both local and foreign archaeological groups.

Another famous legend is that a mythical dragon-like monster guards the lake. Some visitors have claimed to have seen it but never has there a piece of hard evidence been recorded on film. Still, the amazing flora and fauna around the lake offers visitors a picturesque sight and there are plenty of chalets and restaurants to accommodate overnight visitors.

Tasik Bera

Tasik Bera is Malaysia’s largest natural freshwater lake, at 35 km long and 20 km wide. The Bera water basin is an important conservation site, being granted special status by the International Ramsar Convention on the protection of important wetlands.

Nature-lovers will be astounded by the variety of flora and fauna found here; over 330 species of plants, 200 species of birds, 50 different kinds of mammals and over 95 species of fish, the last being a major attraction for avid anglers.

Visitors can charter boats to explore the many water outlets that meander through the Lake Bera area, glimpsing monkeys and birds darting around the trees. There are also resorts and chalets available to accommodate visitors for the weekend. During this time, visitors should visit the Aborigines that live around the area and witness their unique lifestyle that revolves around the rainforest.

Tasik Kenyir

Located approximately 55 km from Kuala Terengganu, the Kenyir Lake is reputed to be one of the largest and most fascinating man-made lakes in the world. Covering an area of 369 sq km, it is also Malaysia's largest rock-filled hydroelectric dam. When the area was inundated by water, most of the hills were above the water level, thus creating about 340 man-made islands. Surrounded by a lush tropical jungle, the Kenyir Lake is a popular and ideal retreat for nature lovers, anglers, photo enthusiasts and fun seekers.

Some of the activities which could be carried out here are fishing, swimming, canoeing, boating and jungle trekking. Due to the cleanliness of the lake and abundance of food supply, the Kenyir Lake has a wide variety of fresh water fish such as Baung, Toman, Kelisa and Lampam. Accommodation such as houseboats, floating chalets and lakeside resorts are also available to visitors.

Kota Gelanggi Caves

The Kota Gelanggi Caves are a magnificent showcase of limestone formations, dating back to thousands of years ago. Its cave chambers were once home to early human communities.

Visitors can also check out the information centre here to look at exhibits of artefacts from the caves.

Recently, there have been hints of a 'lost city' located within the area, although not inside the caves, uncovered by satellite photos. It is currently under investigation by local geographers.

LA Hot Springs

Visitors can soak themselves in the hot springs located in Besut called LA Hot Springs.

The water contains natural sulphur which is said to have therapeutic properties, attracting many locals with skin ailments who come here in hopes of helping their skin.