Before Kapas Island became a destination, Cherating was the place to be at. Starting November and throughout the monsoon season, it still gets pretty busy here with surfers and regular beachgoers that appreciate the local chill vibe. Cherating doesn’t have a commercial feel most vocations spots do. It is more as if people of Cherating are happy to share with you their town, culture, and waves and leave you with good memories about Malaysia.
Nicknamed Surfers Paradise, it used to be a popular spot in the ’60s and ’70s for beginning and intermediate surfers.
Like most tourists that come to Cherating, we discovered it by pure accident or magical serendipity depending on how you look at these things. We wanted to make a stop between Taman Negara and Kapas Island and so we went to Pahang. And although I just loved its quiet lagoon with picturesque boulders, I craved something less urban.
And so we drove along the shore looking for something we liked. My friend misunderstood my directions and went a bit further and so we eventually stumbled on to the wide, quiet and very clean beach. Had a chat or two with the locals, drank a very local (the yellow kind) coconut and came to realized that we feel pretty good in this place. We liked it. A short walk down the road we booked a bungalow for the night and went for an afternoon swim. I absolutely loved the offseason vibe here (was in Cherating in April).
COOL EATS:
- We had a delicious breakfast at THE OMBOK CHERATING SURF CAFE: an eco-friendly local spot where an omelet with organic spinach from a local farm could be found. The owners try to source locally and as much organically as possible. No plastic straws could be found here either. People at the OMBOK CHERATING CAFE are very conscious of their impact on the environment. During the monsoon season Ombok Cherating Surf School, which is right next to the cafe, becomes the center for many activities. You can even find swimming wear and Vissla T-shirts for sale here as well.
- Don’t forget to take a photo on a beautiful beach swing near the BEACH CAFE.
- And check out DON’T TELL YOUR MAMA Restaurant for delicious pasta for lunch or dinner (bring mosquito spray though).
- There is a Chinese restaurant set on the beautiful river here as well, but I will leave it up to you to discover this hidden spot. So no name or geotag provided.
There are decent accommodations available in a form of many small bungalows and cottages around the area. You can camp near the beach as well.
WHERE TO STAY:
I stayed at the DESA REHAT bungalow with a fan and it was lovely. It’s a short walk away from the beach, very quiet and comfortable.
If traveling with friends or family, check out MAZNAH GUESTHOUSE to rent out a whole lovely cottage.
Someone I’ve met in Kapas really enjoyed staying on the budget at the CHERATING CHALETS.
For a private beautiful cottage resting cozily on the side of the mountain and a more luxurious adventure with bubble baths head to ROYALE CHULAN. You will be pampered there.
Cherating is one of the hidden gems of the Malaysian east coast, only a 3-hour car ride away from Kuala Lumpur. Malaysians know about this super chill spot and love to come here but somehow it is kept secret from the tourists. I visited in April, during the offseason and it was very serene... Cherating is going through the renaissance and it would be interesting to see how it looks like in 3-5 years. There are talks about starting an organic farmers market on Sundays here as well. Come check Cherating out if you are looking for a beach town with a relaxed atmosphere and not a lot of tourists.
