
Vacation Like A Boss With This Scenic 4D3N Escape By Road & Ferry To Redang!
And the best part? With redBus, you don't need to juggle multiple bookings or stress out over ferry timings. Just head over to redBus — where you can book your bus to Kuala Terengganu and ferry to Redang in one go. Travel smart, travel smooth. So, here's your perfect 4D3N coast-to-island escape, built for long weekends and spontaneous getaways alike. Packing essentials: sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, swimwear, comfortable walking shoes, a camera, and a good playlist.
Day 1: Road Trip
KL → Kuala Terengganu
Start your long weekend adventure with a classic kopitiam breakfast near KL Sentral — soft-boiled eggs, kaya toast, and a strong kopi to fuel your journey. Then it's time to board a double-decker bus from KL to Kuala Terengganu. The ride takes about 6 to 7 hours, so bring a book, listen to a podcast, or catch up on sleep. Along the way, you'll pass stretches of lush greenery, winding coastal highways, and small towns that offer a glimpse of east coast charm.
Upon arriving in Kuala Terengganu in the afternoon, you can stretch your legs and head over to the city's colourful Chinatown. This historic quarter is home to the oldest temple in Terengganu, Ho Ann Kiong, built in the 1800s. It's a preserved slice of pre-colonial heritage. Its traditional Chinese-style shophouses and settlements are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, now refreshed with vibrant murals and the charming Memory Lane, which pays tribute to notable Chinese figures from Terengganu's past. With every corner steeped in culture and character, it's also an ideal spot for snapping some insta-worthy photos.
As the day winds down, make your way to Pantai Batu Buruk for a relaxed sunset session by the sea. The beach vibes here are laid-back with families flying kites and some strolling leisurely. Wrap up your evening with a seafood feast at one of the nearby warungs. Don't miss local favourites, spicy sambal sotong and ikan celup tepung.
DAY 2 & 3: Boat Rides & Island Life
Kuala Terengganu → Pulau Redang
Wake up early, check out, and make your way to Taman Tamadun Islam Jetty to catch the first ferry to Pulau Redang. The ride takes around 1.5 hours, so settle in and enjoy the sea breeze. If you get seasick easily, it's a good idea to take a pill beforehand and do not forget to layer on the sunscreen before you board!
Pro tip: Book your ferry via redBus for around RM55 with free cancellation (just in case your plans change). Even better? Use the code RBFERRY to score 25% off instantly + 25% cashback on your booking. More savings = more beach snacks.
Check in to your resort, drop your bags, and hit the beach. First swim, first floating-in-the-sea pic, first fresh coconut water — all before the sun goes down.
As evening falls, settle in for a sunset dinner right on the beach. Many popular resorts host grill nights and fire shows, a perfect way to end your first island evening.
The next day is all about soaking in the best of Redang. Post breakfast, join a snorkel tour to explore the Marine Park and Coral Gardens, where with a little luck, you might spot turtles gliding through the water. Make sure to carry a waterproof pouch or GoPro to document these incredible moments.
Spend the afternoon as you like. Kayaking, beach volleyball, or lounging under coconut trees, do as much (or as little) as you want. The only rule? Relax and repeat. Ps. if you stay up late, you will be treated to a spectacular show of stars above the island.
DAY 4: One Last Dip
Pulau Redang → Kuala Terengganu → KL
Ease into your final island morning with a coffee and a quiet beach walk. And yes, squeeze in that last swim before reality (and your inbox) calls. Before you pack up, swing by the local beach stalls for a few souvenirs.
Catch the ferry back to Kuala Terengganu. If you have a bit of time before catching your bus back, make a quick stop at Pasar Payang, one of Kuala Terengganu's most vibrant local markets. Take your time browsing for woven bags, batik prints, and quirky souvenirs.
Then it is back on the road for the journey home. As the city lights of KL come back into view, you will already be dreaming of your next east coast escape.
What's your Reaction?
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Malaysian chefs abroad promote national cuisine with pride
KUALA LUMPUR: Renowned Malaysian chefs Norman Musa and Jasmine Kho, despite living abroad for years, remain steadfast ambassadors of their homeland through culinary excellence. Their efforts highlight Malaysia's diverse food culture while strengthening national pride overseas. Norman Musa, an award-winning chef from Penang, has spent decades promoting Malaysian cuisine in the UK and Europe. Through cooking classes, pop-up events, and cookbooks, he introduces traditional flavours to international audiences. 'Food connects people beyond borders,' Norman said. 'Sharing Malaysian dishes allows me to engage with diverse communities, reinforcing how fortunate I am to represent a nation rich in culture.' Recently, he completed a six-week chef residency at London's The King & Co, receiving overwhelming responses. His Dutch-language cookbook further expanded his reach in the Netherlands. Appointed Kuala Lumpur Food Ambassador in 2015, Norman continues organising culinary tours, including an upcoming 2026 Malaysia trip. 'I'll always be Malaysia's flag-bearer,' he affirmed. Meanwhile, Jasmine Kho, founder of Beijing's Laksa Queen, dedicates herself to preserving Sarawak Laksa's heritage. Her restaurant's kopitiam-themed décor and family-inspired mural reflect deep cultural roots. 'Laksa embodies harmony—36 spices from ancient trade routes united in one bowl,' Kho explained. 'It symbolises cross-cultural peace, much like Malaysia's diversity.' Despite initial challenges educating Chinese diners, her decade-long perseverance built a loyal following. Social media storytelling further bridges cultural gaps. As National Month unfolds, both chefs express unwavering patriotism. Norman recalls his mother's advice: 'Never forget your roots.' Kho adds, 'Living abroad only deepens my Malaysian pride.' – Bernama


The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
New Zealand to charge foreign visitors at popular tourist sites
WELLINGTON: New Zealand will begin charging foreign tourists up to NZ$40 (US$24) to visit its most popular tourist destinations such as Milford Track and Mount Cook as the government seeks ways to help spur economic growth. The country's pristine national parks and great walks are "truly special to New Zealanders' and foreigners should pay a fee at high traffic sites, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a speech Saturday (Aug 2). The NZ$62 million in annual revenue generated will be re-invested into those locations, he said. "I have heard many times from friends visiting from overseas their shock that they can visit some of the most beautiful places in the world for free,' Luxon said. "It's only fair that at these special locations, foreign visitors make an additional contribution of between NZ$20 and NZ$40 per person.' New Zealand has earmarked tourism as a key avenue to generate economic growth as the nation's recovery from a recession last year gathers pace. The government from November will replace a costly transit visa for Chinese travelers in a bid to attract visitors. The government will initially consider introducing the fee at Cathedral Cove, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Track and Mount Cook, sites where foreigners often make up 80 per cent of visitors, Luxon said. "At the same time, there will be no charge for New Zealanders to access the conservation estate,' he said. "It's our collective inheritance and Kiwis shouldn't have to pay to see it.' - Bloomberg


Borneo Post
15 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Study tour boom fuels China's countryside revival
Children draw pictures beside the fields at Yuxin Town of Nanhu District in Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province on April 27, 2024. – Xinhua photo BEIJING (Aug 3): 'Traveling thousands of miles is better than reading thousands of books' is a proverb many Chinese parents have faith in, and its sentiment is fueling the rise of study tours, particularly during the ongoing summer vacation in China. Integrating educational content with holiday vibes, these tours typically involve visits to prestigious universities, museums and cultural heritage sites. And now a shift is underway – parents, schools and travel agencies are turning away from bustling cities and opting for the tranquil countryside when making holiday arrangements for children and teens, aiming to help them broaden their horizons and get close to nature. In northeast China, where cornfields stretch far and wide, Ma Zhihai demonstrated how to use stone axes and iron sickles, both traditional farming tools that are unfamiliar to many urbanites, to an attentive study tour group. The 62-year-old farmer from Changchun, Jilin Province, works as a part-time guide at a corn museum in his village. With a collection of nearly 10,000 items, the museum often caters to groups of local students. 'The oldest exhibits date back to dynasties 1,000 years ago,' Ma said, viewing the collections as a living textbook preserving China's farming culture. Ma's village is among China's many rural areas that are tapping into the potential of educational tours and opening a new gateway to rural revitalisation. Data shows that this booming market neared a scale of 147 billion yuan (US$20.6 billion) in 2023 and is projected to hit 242 billion yuan by 2026. Featuring wild landscapes, rich histories and folk cultures, China's rural areas have natural advantages for study field trips. 'Look, I caught a crab!' a girl exclaimed in a paddy field that is also used for crab breeding. Mud spots on her face marked her triumph and also her study results. The field in Zhoujiazhuang, a village in north China's Hebei Province, allows rice and crabs to coexist, while also serving as a dedicated base for educational tours. Students on the tour were seen planting rice seedlings and taking notes on the ideal water temperature for crab cultivation. 'It's so fun. I'm even thinking about raising a crab myself now,' one boy said. Attracted by such niche experiences, many of the tourists visiting Zhoujiazhuang are now willing to remain there longer, with overnight stays increasing notably. Ranging from brief snapshot visits to deeper immersion in a slow-paced way of life, rural tourism is gaining new vitality. This positive trend is also a result of the progress China's rural areas have made in their development of infrastructure and living environments. Today, over 90 per cent of administrative villages across the country are covered by the 5G network, and more than 300,000 village-level logistics facilities have been put into use. Thanks to a government push to stimulate consumption and the country's efforts to promote comprehensive rural revitalisation, a multitude of study tour campsites have sprouted across rural China. By giving full play to local tourism resources, they are emerging as a new form and key driver of rural revitalisation. In southwest China's Yunnan Province, a popular tourist destination, travelers are attracted by the opportunity to learn about ceramics, bamboo weaving and ethnic-minority embroidery handicrafts. Meanwhile, in Yudong Village in east China's Zhejiang Province, which is known for its folk arts, the likes of travelers, artists and farmers sit down together to paint picturesque scenery. Rural residents are deeply involved in this wave – and their incomes have increased markedly via sales of specialty foods and the running of guesthouses. In a village of Zhongyi Township, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, workshops on local dances, tea and desserts have created more than 200 jobs and spawned over 20 derivative products, like noodles and honey beverages, achieving a remarkable 43-per cent repurchase rate on multiple e-commerce platforms. Zhongyi was once among the poorest towns in Chongqing – its local average annual income was less than 10,000 yuan in 2019. Capitalising on the 'tourism-plus-educational-tour' model, Zhongyi recorded 189,000 tourist trips in 2024, generating 9.88 million yuan in revenue – with the average income of locals increasing by 32 per cent compared with 2020. 'We have designed 10 tours involving different routes, transforming Zhongyi into a live-scenario classroom that teaches about bees while representing traditional farming and folk customs,' said Liu Chengyong, an educational tour guide. Liu is a native of Zhongyi. In 2020, he returned to his hometown and joined a collective that organises study tours. He led other young entrepreneurs to tap into the market and design compelling educational programs. Now, the company can handle 1,300 visits each day. The transformation of Zhongyi has convinced more young people like Liu to return home and pitch in. Over the past three years, the town has attracted over 100 young entrepreneurs, giving rise to new jobs like 'countryside CEO' and study tour guide. Young returnees in rural areas also help address the lack of guides and breathe new life into rural revitalisation with fresh eyes and business philosophies. Ni Shuna, who was born in the 1990s, operates an ecological agricultural company based in a town under the administration of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang. Seeing the potential of educational tours, Ni's team designed activities such as fruit picking, orchard tours and starry-night camping, making her company a multi-functional leisure business that integrates catering, entertainment and education. 'Kids come here to increase their knowledge and broaden their horizons. It's worthwhile to see their eyes gleam with curiosity and gratification,' Ni said. – Xinhua