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Kuantan

Most travelers pause briefly in Pahang's capital and Malaysia's second-biggest port to break up longish bus trips. This is a shame; while the city isn’t especially geared towards tourism, it is definitely interesting enough to warrant a day or two’s exploration. There's an excellent museum, plenty of great places to eat, decent accommodation choices and the nearby sands of Teluk Chempedak with upmarket resort accommodation and beach views. The vast mosque is also a fantastic spectacle when illuminated at night, the padang is huge and refreshingly cool in the morning and at late afternoon, while food markets set up nearby towards evening.

Explore Kuantan

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Gua Charas
Located 26km north of Kuantan, the limestone karst containing Gua Charas towers high above the surrounding palm plantations. The caves owe their fame to a…
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Pahang Art Museum
This museum's collection is housed in an attractive colonial-era building just north of the Padang. The museum focuses on the state's culture, history and…
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Sungai Lembing
Visit quiet Sungai Lembing in the hills to explore the informative regional museum (RM2) that covers the history of local tin mining to the collapse of…
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Sungai Lembing Museum
This fascinating museum charts the rise and fall of the 'El Dorado of the East', as Sungai Lembing was known after the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited…
S
Sungai Lembing Tin Mines
Try and get here early after lunch (or first thing in the morning) to have the eerie sensation of being alone in some of the longest and deepest tin mines…
S
Sleeping Buddha Cave
The colossal Sleeping Buddha Cave at Gua Charas outside Panching is decorated with small altars to various Buddhist Bodhisattvas and leads ultimately to a…
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Beserah Beach
This long beach is a lovely place to catch the sunrise and watch large crabs scuttling at high speed over the sands in the twilight. There are several…
M
Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah
The east coast’s most impressive and imposing mosque presides regally over the Padang. At night it’s a magical sight with its illuminated spires and…
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Padang
Kuantan's lovely grass padang – the sight of cricket matches during colonial days – is today largely used for football practice in the late afternoon and…

G
Gua Charas
Located 26km north of Kuantan, the limestone karst containing Gua Charas towers high above the surrounding palm plantations. The caves owe their fame to a…
P
Pahang Art Museum
This museum's collection is housed in an attractive colonial-era building just north of the Padang. The museum focuses on the state's culture, history and…
S
Sungai Lembing
Visit quiet Sungai Lembing in the hills to explore the informative regional museum (RM2) that covers the history of local tin mining to the collapse of…
S
Sungai Lembing Museum
This fascinating museum charts the rise and fall of the 'El Dorado of the East', as Sungai Lembing was known after the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited…
S
Sungai Lembing Tin Mines
Try and get here early after lunch (or first thing in the morning) to have the eerie sensation of being alone in some of the longest and deepest tin mines…
S
Sleeping Buddha Cave
The colossal Sleeping Buddha Cave at Gua Charas outside Panching is decorated with small altars to various Buddhist Bodhisattvas and leads ultimately to a…
B
Beserah Beach
This long beach is a lovely place to catch the sunrise and watch large crabs scuttling at high speed over the sands in the twilight. There are several…
M
Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah
The east coast’s most impressive and imposing mosque presides regally over the Padang. At night it’s a magical sight with its illuminated spires and…
P
Padang
Kuantan's lovely grass padang – the sight of cricket matches during colonial days – is today largely used for football practice in the late afternoon and…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kuantan.

See
Gua Charas
Located 26km north of Kuantan, the limestone karst containing Gua Charas towers high above the surrounding palm plantations. The caves owe their fame to a…
See
Pahang Art Museum
This museum's collection is housed in an attractive colonial-era building just north of the Padang. The museum focuses on the state's culture, history and…
See
Sungai Lembing
Visit quiet Sungai Lembing in the hills to explore the informative regional museum (RM2) that covers the history of local tin mining to the collapse of…
See
Sungai Lembing Museum
This fascinating museum charts the rise and fall of the 'El Dorado of the East', as Sungai Lembing was known after the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited…
See
Sungai Lembing Tin Mines
Try and get here early after lunch (or first thing in the morning) to have the eerie sensation of being alone in some of the longest and deepest tin mines…
See
Sleeping Buddha Cave
The colossal Sleeping Buddha Cave at Gua Charas outside Panching is decorated with small altars to various Buddhist Bodhisattvas and leads ultimately to a…
See
Beserah Beach
This long beach is a lovely place to catch the sunrise and watch large crabs scuttling at high speed over the sands in the twilight. There are several…
See
Masjid Sultan Ahmad Shah
The east coast’s most impressive and imposing mosque presides regally over the Padang. At night it’s a magical sight with its illuminated spires and…
See
Padang
Kuantan's lovely grass padang – the sight of cricket matches during colonial days – is today largely used for football practice in the late afternoon and…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Kuantan

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