Suria Cherating, The Good and The Bad

The Bad.....

We had booked a deluxe sea view room with Suria Cherating but when we checked in, we were disappointed at the size and condition of the room. It was small, bare and run down. It felt like a prison cell. 

I felt exactly like how Yin felt when she was put inside a carrier....I started yowling and scratching at the bars on the windows.....well, maybe not, but you get the idea.

Without wasting a single second, we rushed back down to the reception. We asked for a room with a balcony or patio. We had thought the deluxe sea view came with a balcony, based on the hotel's photos, but apparently not. 

The Good.....

The staff were very helpful and friendly, and tried their best to make our stay a happy one by listening to what we want from a hotel room, and then offering to upgrade us to Terrace with Sea View for only RM20 per night.  

Do you see the lady sitting on one of the deck chairs? Our room is directly behind her. 

There, at last....a place where I could sit outside the room and read. So peaceful. I spent many hours outside on the patio, reading my Kindle and drinking cups of tea. The wi-fi signal was not strong though, and I could not get any access from my Kindle (the Kindle is an ebook reader with wi-fi capabilities).

The view from our room

Although the furnishings were minimal, we were comfortable and cozy. A place I would like to return to if I visit Cherating again.

Other topics on Cherating:

1. Turtle watching

2. Mangrove river tour

3. Payung Cafe

Mangrove River Tour @ Cherating

Besides turtle watching, another interesting activity in Cherating is the mangrove river tour. The boat leaves daily at 9am and 4pm, and the boat ride lasts 1-1/2 hours, for RM20 per person.


It is managed by the same person who runs the nightly fireflies boat tour. His name is Hafiz, and he can be reached at 017 - 978 9256. Hafiz is full of information on the mangrove trees, the animals and their habitat. His eyes are exceptionally sharp, and is able to spot the snakes and monitor lizards on the tree branches from afar.

The mangroves

Spot the monitor lizard

Spot the black snake with yellow rings....*hint: click on the photo for a larger view*

Makes me think of anacondas and Stephen King.....

Me: Are there any crocodiles in this river?

Hafiz: There are, but only at specific season, and this is not it.

The mounds beneath the tree stump are lobster mounds

Hafiz: Lobsters are dug from those mounds, but one has to be careful as there is usually a cobra inside if you dug in too deep.

Attap seed (or palm seed) plant

Back at Hafiz's shop, he showed us the attap seed plants that he's growing. Attap seeds are those sweet, white fleshy seeds added in ice kacang (shaved ice).

Hafiz's shop at Cherating Village

Other topics on Cherating:
1) Turtle-watching
2) Payung Cafe
3) Suria Cherating, The Good and The Bad

Let Us Help Protect Our Turtles

Turtle watching is an experience not to be missed. It's not the same as watching documentaries. Being up close and personal with a turtle (or a few) is a life-changing experience.


This is the first time we were in Cherating at the right season. You could be picked up at your hotel, for RM50 each, or you could find your own way to Pantai Teluk Mak Nik (D'Monica Bay) at Kemaman, Terengganu and pay only RM30 per person. We opted for the latter, since Teluk Pantai Mak Nik is only a fifteen-minute-drive from our hotel in Cherating.


For the fee, you get to watch the turtles laid their eggs (I was lucky as there were four turtles that came to nest on the beach that night) and helped to release the hatchlings into the sea. 

A turtle heading back to the sea after it has laid its eggs

78 eggs from turtle with tag no. 8991

I could hear the explosion of breath and quick inhalation as the turtle laboured and expelled its eggs. After the turtle has covered its eggs, the ranger removed them and took them to a sanctuary where they will hatch in 40 - 45 days' time. Once hatched, they would be released back to the sea. The turtles we were asked to help release that night was only a few hours old.

My hatchling

Hubby's hatchling

Some were going in the wrong direction....one even crawled towards me.

The odds are stacked against their survival. Out of one thousand hatchlings, only one or two survive to reach adulthood, at 25 years. They get caught in fishermen's nets, under a boat propeller, or preyed upon by fish, crabs, birds and humans  We can't control the other factors, but we can say NO to turtle eggs and soup. There are many other eggs and meat, why consume turtles and their eggs??!!


They eat mainly sea grass, seaweeds and jellyfish. When humans throw plastic bags which are washed into the sea, the turtles mistook them for jellyfish, ate them and died. So, please do not throw any plastic bags at the beach or riverbanks as they will be carried into the sea. Let us help protect our gentle, defenceless turtles.


Other topics on Cherating:
1) Mangrove river tour
2) Payung Cafe
3) Suria Cherating, The Good and The Bad