Sata! nom nom

Sata or Satah is probably one of Terengganu's best kept secret. I had been to Terengganu four times and wonder why I had never heard or seen sata until now? It is simply the most delicious snack Terengganu has to offer. There are two variations. One is the conical shape one as seen above which I bought along the road leading to Merang. If you are going to Redang Island, you are bound to see these stalls lining the roadside.

The grilled sata which is selling for only RM2 per stick with four packets. Inside, there is the most flavourful and fragrant packet of fish paste mixed with onion, ginger and cut red chillies. These conical shape ones are not spicy and my children love them.

Meanwhile, another version which I bought from Seberang Takir near Kuala Terengganu has a different shape. This packet is very spicy and taste really nice. These are all freshly out of the charcoal grill and hence smell soooo good.

I did a google for Sata and am so glad that I found the basic recipe. It is made of blended paste of fish, onion, ginger, coconut, chillies and tumeric leave. Now, I can experiment making my own sata without driving 475 KM to Kuala Terengganu for them haha.

A look into how Sata is made . These were taken at Kampung Teluk Pasu, Manir, in Kuala Terengganu

Turtle Sighting Part 2! Teluk Mak Nik , Kemaman

As the throngs of tourist left, my friends and I stayed on, and guess what! We got to see the whole process of a mama turtle digging a whole in the sand, and laying her eggs! I also managed to touch the eggs! AMAAAZZZINNNGGG! I LOVE TERENGGANU!



before hand, we managed to catch a mama turtle who has just layed her eggs and was in the process of burying them. I got tonnes of info on the process and a little history on these turtles and their visits to this beach. Catch it all on the video! You cant miss it!



I believe that even locals rarely get to experience this! I feel truly blessed and am constantly amazed by what Terengganu has to offer. You'll just never know what's in store for you!

some stills for you :)

Turtle Sighting at Monica Bay!

The best part of my trip, I have to say was being able to witness turtles at Teluk Mak Nik or Monica Bay.

It was absolutely the most amazing thing to be able to watch a mother turtle lay her eggs, bury her eggs oh and dig a hole too! Pregnant turtles only come to lay their eggs on the beach in the dead of night, so we were very lucky to be around the beach at that time driving back from the firefly sanctuary!

When we got to the beach, it so happened that we were in time for some scientist-like work of releasing baby turtles back into the sea! The little turtles were the cutest things and would follow the light shone by the torchlights when released on the sand, to scramble back into the sea. Watch the video below!

Crystal Mosque

As we were crusing up the river, we were greeted by the spectacula Crystal Mosque or Masjid Kristal located at Islamic Heritage Park ( Taman Tamadun Islam ) on the island of Wan Man. Constructed between 2006 and 2008, the mosque was officially opened on 8 February 2008 by 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin of Terengganu.

Like the Floating Mosque, the Crystal Mosque can also hold thousands of people and is popular destination during the fasting month for Tarawikh prayers.

here's some pictures I got, one when I was crusing down the river, and one taken on a brighter day with better skies!

Taman Tamadun Islam!

Taman Tamadun Islam is a monument park that contains replicas of mosques from all over the world. There are 21 timeless monuments altogether and its all set in the beautiful natural setting of the city of Kuala Terengganu.



I decided to wear funny glasses for this video! hehe

With multimedia touch screen at the galleries, video screening at the interactive monuments and amphitheatre shows, you're sure to be educated about Islamic art, history and culture.


walking down the jetty





There's trams and buggies for you to embark on your own little journey across the park. Bicycles are available too! There's restaurants and retail outlets .




Other activities include canoeing and going for the river cruise which I did!

For the monument park its

RM 25 for adults
RM 15 for senior citizens
RM 15 for kids aged 7 to 12
and free for kids aged 6 and below

the river cruise is RM 10 a seat and its for an hour.

Operating hours are from 9 am to 7pm on public holidays and weekends whereas its
10 am to 7 pm on weekdays except for Friday where its from 9.30am to 12.30pm and 2.30 pm till 7pm.

Kuala Terengganu's Floating Mosque

okay okay, I'm a sucker for this song! haha

Tengku Tengah Zaharah Mosque also known as Masjid Terapung is a unique design which is built on a floating platform. The mosque is built on the estuary of Terengganu River by one of the prince in Terengganu state. Combining both modern and Moorish architecture design, the mosque symbolizes the innovation and modernisation in the state. ( wiki! )

the Floating Mosque, is known as one of the icons of Islam in the state of Terengganu. Built from an idea birthed by the late Sultan of Terengganu, Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, this mosque was named after his mother, Tuanku Intan Zaharah binti Almarhum Tengku Seri Setia Raja. Constructed between 1993 and 1995, the mosque was officially opened in July 1995 by Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah, the late Sultan of Terengganu.

The ideal time to visit this mosque is in the evening, when the evening sun shines on the mosque, turning the building into a beautiful amber shade. Plus the floating affect of the mosque looks even more interesting as the mosque will be brightly lighted and you can see its reflection on the water, as seen in the video above!


The mosque is located in Teluk Ibai, just over 4km away from Kuala Terengganu town centre. The white structure of the mosque gorunds covers and area of roughly 5 acres

The beauty of its architecture and serenity of its surrounding landscape, also draws a great number of visitors to Terengganu who take the opportunity to perform their prayers and take a breather from their journey at this mosque. The design of the mosque reflects a subtle Islamic influence combined with local features, incorporating the use of marble, ceramics, mosaic works and bomanite paving.It is large enough to accommodate between 800 to 1,000 people at once - and the minaret stands 125 feet tall. With the South China Sea as its backdrop, this mosque is undoubtedly an irresistable attraction to visitors in Terengganu and from across the peninsular.

A side note, as usual proper attires are required especially if you plan to have a look inside the mosque - dress conservatively, no shorts, mini skirts or sleeveless. Avoid also visit during prayer times especially on Friday afternoons from noon till 3.00pm.

Sungai Yak Yah fireflies!

Located about half an hour drive from the town of Chukai in Kemaman, Yak Yah River or 'Sungai Yak Yah', the biggest fire sanctuary in Malaysia

As the sky darkens into nightfall, twinkling fireflies can be found throughout the 13-km long river, with the best sights at spots around 5km from the jetty. Some trees along the river bank may harbour over a thousand fireflies, making it look like christmas trees!

it was a spectacular sight, one I shall never forget. Nothing beats being surrounded by darknes in hushed surroundings with thousands of little lights blinking and twinkling around you as you crusise gently down the river.

The best time to go here for firefly observation activities is from July to September, which is the mating season for the firefly. That said, it is a year round activity, except from the months of October to January.

You can get there by boat by arranging with a local tour operators to take you to Sungai Yakyah in Kampung Ibok, about 15km from Kijal.

its very hard to get a shot! But I did manage one with a hint of a firefly!

tada!



there are signboards to indicate direction from Chukai town to Sungai Yak Yah, so dont worry. For those who can't find their way to the place, they can always call the operator to fetch them from Chukai town.

The firefly river cruising hours is from 8pm to 12pm. If you wish to check out the place, please contact:

Che Ghani Che Mohd Nor
Tel : +6019 917 4012 or +6019 917 4012

Fees:
Adult - RM25
Children - RM12.50

For more information you can contact :
Tourist Information Centre Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin, 20000 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu Darul Iman Telephone No: 609-622 1553 Fax No: 609-622 1957

Boat & Yacht making at Fisherman's village!

Meet Mr Abdullah.

He has been making custom made yachts and boats all his life! Like Mr Johari with the keris, Abdullah's family history with yacht and boat making goes back to the time where there was no money and people practice the barter system! how cool is that!

Abdullah has clients from all over the world, and is proud owner of this huge workshop. There has been many tourists who have visited his shop from a quick glance at his guestbook ( which I ofcourse dutifully signed! ). His workshop is located at the fisherman village in Kuala Terengganu.

Mr.Abdullah was very kind to show me his office, also his huge boat plans. I wonder how his customers bring their boats/yachts back to their respective countris. The answer? they sail back!

Batu Bersurat - Terengganu Inscription stone!

here's a 360 view of monument replica of the famous Batu Bersurat in the heart of Kuala Tengganu



The Batu Bersurat, Terengganu or Inscribed Stone of Terengganu constitutes the earliest evidence of Jawi writing (writing based on Arabic alphabets) in the Malaya Muslim world of Southeast Asia. The Stone is a testimony to the spread of Islam offering an insight to the life of the people of the era as well as depicting the growing Islamic culture subsumed under a set of religious laws. It is an icon not only in Terengganu, but in southeast Asia aswell.

Historians believed it to be written on the 22nd February 1303. Proving that Islam reached Terengganu earlier than 1326 or 1386.

In Unesco International Advisory Committee meeting in Barbados on July 13, the 700-year-old inscribed stone have been listed as an item eligible for such recognition. ( according to Wikipedia )

It was actually accidentally discovered near Sungai Tersat at Kuala Berang, Terengganu, Malaysia by an Arab trader named Sayid Husin bin Ghulam al-Bokhari in 1899 after a flash flood hit Kuala Berang. The inscription on the stone proclaims Islam as the state religion of Terengganu

Kuala Berang is situated about 33 kilometers from Kuala terengganu and it is an historical place. Kuala Berang became famous when an inscribed stone was discovered here. The inscribed stone found was the earliest record of Islam in Peninsular Malaysia.

the inscribed stone was brought back to Kuala Terengganu where it was presented to Sultan Zainal Abidin, who was then the Sultan of Terengganu. Sultan Zainal Abidin kept the inscribed stone from many years as no one understood the Jawi writings that was inscribed on the stone. an Englishman who was working in Terengganu send photographs of the inscribed stone to history language specialists in Singapore and London. In the end, the inscriptions on the stone was able to be read clearly.

The inscribed stone weighed about 215 kilograms, 84 centimeters in height, 53 centimeters wide at the top and 27 centimeters wide at the bottom. The thickness of the stone is 24 centimeters and is made of granite which cannot be easily broken. The inscribed stone also proved that a government existed in Terengganu long before Melaka was founded. Even after Melaka was founded, Kuala Terengganu still remained an important port.

additional info source : www.tourismterengganu.gov.my ( thanks! )

Keris Making at Kuala Besut!

Mr.Johari here has been making keris all his life.

It runs in his blood as his dad, his grandfather has been doing the same thing. It was a special day and keris making is slowly dying out just like the samurai swords in japan! It takes true skill, and most of the younger generation rather study business than stay at home, laboring over keris. Even Mr.Johari says that his children are not very interested. Nonetheless, he is adamant on keeping up the tradition and continues producing one of a kind works of art with the intricate Keris making.

Keris making is very time consuming, taking months to complete just one. Mr Johari mainly makes kerises for royalty and special functions. They're not cheap either! the prices is definitely within the thousands. But hey, no two keris are the same! To each his own, literally :)

Mr. Johari lives in Kuala Besut, about an hour out of the main city, Kuala Terengganu. In the olden times, keris used to be associated with mysticism, magic and power. Many local legends involving local warriors all wielded the magnificent crafted keris. Although people dont buy it for magical purposes haha, its a significant part of the traditional costume and a symbol of royalty, the government and the Malay race.

Making the keris is no easy feat as good quality wood has to be carefully selected, and blade perfectly sharpened.




cutting the slab of wood


mr Johari


types of wood


finished product

Keropok lekor! at Kampung Losong

a little info is in the video about keropok lekor!

A little info on keropok lekor ;

I was so happy I finally got to see how keropok lekor is made in Kampung Losong which is known for making keropok lekor in Terengganu. Ive always eaten keropok lekor, especially in highschool. Hot keropok lekor sold like hotcakes at the cafeteria during lunch breaks! I also usually buy them from pasar malam (night markets) and roadside stalls. So, having the chance to see and taste them when they are fresh out of the "oven" is amazing!










As you can see in the video and pictures above above, making keropok lekor involves hand rolling the fish paste into rolls and boiled in a huge pot of water. It looks kinda like making sausages eh?. Let’s imagine keropok lekor as a fish sausage!

Normally, keropok lekor is eaten deep fried. However, this makcik told us that they are best eaten boiled. So, we bought a couple at Rm1 a piece and had it hot out of the boiling pot. We also got some special chillies sauce to dip in it too!

The prepared keropok lekor is sold everywhere in Terengganu and some are sent to other states too. Keropok lekor is best had during tea time, or heck anytime of the day! yum!

I know the long ones look pretty icky, but trust me, it tastes WAY better than it looks!

agricultural expo part 2!

as we roamed around we found stalls selling fruit, and lucky me I got a chance to play with some livestock with a bunch of inquisitive kids!

I loved how the stalls were so well decorated too!












after visiting the livestock and fruit stalls we decided to check out all the big kahoonas of agricultural machinery

check the video out! :)



ps : I couldnt find the word online! how odd! haha

Agricultural expo!

One of the things I managed to catch an agricultural expo! An amazing thing is was a bumped into a friend at the expo too who decided to tag along and watch me mumble my videos!

The expo showcased people from all over Terengganu and Malaysia with their local produce, livestock, machines and food! It was like a little fiesta if you asked me. It was quite late at night, but there were throngs of families roaming the street, browsing through the stalls and having fun. I was very lucky as that was the last day of the expo! woohooo!

I decided to get my hands on some snacks after all the walking! here's a clip! I had a snack called Onion Crisps, and the lady was nice enough to throw in an extra packet of a lil something too! yay! I love Terengganu hospitality!



also got to witness some awesome kuih making!



the night was breezy, the snacks were a hit and I must say, the expo was very educational too !

Noor Arfa Craft Complex

A must-see place if you're visiting Terengganu is definitely the Noor Arfa Craft Complex. If you want to see how batik and other local cratfs are made, oogle at some super luxurious and pricey songkets, then this is the place for you.

The craft complex is situated in Kuala Terengganu itself not far from the infamous Floating Mosque. The craft complex was founded by Mr.Wan Mohd Ariffin Wan Long and his wife Mrs.Noor Hijerah Hanafiah. Aside from being a craft complex, Noor Arfa also Malaysia's best batik manufacturer. You can get so many types of batik here , for formal events, exclusive events and casual wear. All available at the complex.

Aside from songket, batik and mengkuang braidery, glass craft, batik pattern makers and wau are demonstrated and exhibited.The centre demonstrates the unique batik making process such has janting and block printing. The staff there dont hesitate to explain all the elaborate processes too! Very educational.

The centre is so elaborate that spending a couple of hours might not be enough!

my friends and I entered and after having fun with the demonstrations, we headed for the jewel of Noor Arfa, which is the super luxurious, mighty expensive , Sultan-wearing, datin-buying songkets!

All you have to do is throw a smile and ask the lovely staff there and they'll guide you through secret doors ( okay, not so secret lah haha ), at the main craft shop and into a private showroom showcasing intricate , bejeweled, glittering batik and songkets. Some of the songkets were going for thousands and thousands of ringgit! My friends and I felt like royalty for the day, being able to scoot around the room, browsing through the beautiful clothing, wishing our wallets were a bit fatter with cash ;) we werent allowed to take pictures though! :(

I actually gave the batik-making a try! watch! :)






local colour dyes are made from fruit! how amazing is that!





ps : got the lovely photo of the complex from http://shw.salisma.fotopages.com

Durian at Pasar Payang!

After leaving the Agricultural expo, my friends and I stopped by Pasar Payang to catch some funny haggling going on between locals on the country's most foul smelling fruit ( cant say the same for the taste though! ), the Durian. Funny how even at that hour of the night ( nearly 12pm ), people were still buying the fruit. The sellers, desperately trying to sell of the last of their Durian before they head towards another state. The haggling banter was really funny!






Quite a few fruit stalls are open at this house at Pasar Payang, so if you're interested in seeing Terengganu's little quirks, head down to the market, soak in the warm air and the sea breeze on your face, buy a few fruits and enjoy!

Lake Kenyir Tress

Our last stop before leaving lake Kenyir was to stop at an area plenty with this stark dead tress protruding out of the water. There's something mystical and eerie about this scenery, an obvious reminder of what was, before the dam was built and the lake formed.



A rare sight, these trees aren't an eyesore but add character to the lake. The trees also provide breeding grounds for the multitude of fish in lake Kenyir. Aside from that it the algae growing on these trees serve as a food source for the fishes too!

Back in the day, local divers would perish trying to cut down these trees, because the lake is far too deep, plus they didn't have the technology to withstand the harsh conditions underwater.

After the short stop, we headed home and boy was I lucky! our boatman let me get behind the wheel! revving up the speed when we seemed to be crusing along too slow! It was so much fun, taking on the lake like that :) .

Pasar Payang!

if you're in Kuala Terengganu, its practically a sin if you dont visit Pasar Payang! Promise of keropok lekor, fresh produce and belacan is enough to get me off my bed and roaming through the array of clothes, toys and food.



The Central Market or Pasar Payang, is located by the Terengganu River. Pasar Payang seems to be a tourist hotspot with its amalgamation of a wet market, dry market , clothes and toys! There's also local handicrafts like batik, brassware and songet.

It is unique marriage of modern and classic terengganu. The shopkeepers are very friendly, and are always willing to throw in a little extra something when you buy things like snacks, or fruits.

You can get to Pasar Payang through Jalan Sultan Zainal Abiding and Jalan Hiliran.

From the Express Bus Station, turn right and walk about 1KM. You can see there're Istana Maziah followed by the General Post Office at the left on the way just before reaching the Pasar Payang



All the men in charge of the fish market were intimidating at first! chopping their fish with extra vigour as I passed, but they were all just messing around. They were eager to display their catch of the day, although I have no idea how to cook local fish, I was assailed by an urge to whip up a gulai.

Kuih Che Mek Molek

After I had the awesome concoction of rice and vege that is Nasi Kerabu, my friend insisted I tried a local treat, native to Terengganu, called kuih Che Mek Molek. Che Mek Molek actually means 'pretty young lady'! I wonder why they called it that until of course I took my first bite.

And.... it was lush! lawsie it was lovely, having a harder shell compared to its creamy buttery interior.


The pastry is made by scrambling the egg until fine, then the addition coconut milk ( local elixir I tell you! ). gula Melaka is dissolvoed with water and then mixed with flour. It is then stir and filtered prevent from being lumpy. A slice of pandan leaf and out into flour. Heat the muffin mould and sweep a little oil. the muffin is then placed in muffin mould in a preheated oven

you can get this at many hawker stalls, or simply at "pasar malam" or night market.

Blue rice? seriously?

Nasi kerabu, a dish of rice tinted bright blue and eaten with ulam, fried salted fish, fish crackers and other garnishings.

I was amazed at the number of colors that were on my plate!

Nasi Kerabu literally means ‘rice salad’.

The kerabu/salad could be any vegetables or edible leaves though the more or less standard version will have daun kesum, taugeh (bean sprout), long green beans, bunga kantan, cucumber and daun kadok. Apart from that it is also sometimes served with fried breaded fish, keropok keping, salted egg, and pickled garlic. There's also dry fried coconut, sambal belacan, some budu with limau kerat lintang and bird’s eye chili as an "add on". The way to eat it is to mix everything by hand and dig in! This delightful mix of raw and cooked ingredients has an interesting flavour even though some folks find the pickled leek too strong. Others have plenty of praise for the fragrant wild veggies.

IF you love rice meals but want a healthier alternative to nasi lemak, it may be worth your while to give the nasi kerabu a try.

Eating this concoction of freshly cut ulam or wild vegetables, grated coconut with tuna floss, raw beans sprouts, fish crackers, salted fish and egg, pickled leek and local rice dyed blue using botanicals is a unique experience.

This dish originated from the East Coast and can be found at roadside stalls in Terengganu. Its also very affordable, with prices starting from only RM2.50.

It used to be regarded as a poor man's meal but over time, the nasi kerabu has made its way even into the menus of some of the more expensive restaurants in the Klang Valley.

To get that wonderful blue colour, a handful of bunga telang are cooked with the rice, which is also impregnated with herbs and spices.


For that extra 'kick', the nasi kerabu can be taken with budu or fermented anchovy sauce.

Hempedu Bumi! what did I get myself into?

Hempedu Bumi actually directly translates into Earth Bile haha!



These are some of the benefits of this potent plant ;-

A Powerful Liver Protector
Bitter Tonic & Digestive Stimulant
Helps With Cardiovascular disease and cholesterol build-up
Enhancing the Immune System

And on to nicer smelling plants!



here's our favourite pakcik!


our Pakcik giving us a sexy pose! haha