Surfer Paradise - Cherating

Finally, after so many times of hearing about Cherating, I managed to get up and visit the place where surfers go. And let me tell you...I didn't want to leave!!!

Leaving after the morning traffic on Friday, we made our way up to Cherating with clear skies and even clearer road. After a few hours journey, we breathed in the fresh sea air and felt the cooling sea breeze.

[caption id="attachment_406" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Ranting Beach Resort"][/caption]

If you go to Cherating, there are lots of resorts and hotels to stay, like Legend and the soon-to-come Bayview. But me, I like to stay in down-home chalets. So we pulled up to Ranting Beach Resort. Clean and spacious, the chalets are right on the seashore and the rates are around RM150 a night. I think it would be more expensive near the holiday season. (Psst, by the way, I heard from my friend that there's another place called Gelora something which costs RM70 a night, and the waves are even bigger than the ones at Ranting. Woohoo!!)

[caption id="attachment_411" align="alignright" width="210" caption="Chalets at Ranting"][/caption]

For those who love to surf, or have always been wanting to try it, the waves are good enough to surf and the best thing is, it's not deep at all. For a beginner like me, I could walk all the way out to the big waves and the water level only reaches up to my waist.

If you don't have a surfboard, don't fret. There's a rental shop just a few minutes walk away from Ranting called the Satu Suku Surf School. The rates are about RM40 for half a day and RM70 for a full day. Oh, by the way, don't be surprised when you see one of the guys who operates the rental shop. He's White yet he's speak totally fluent Malay. He even got our slang and shortcut words down.

[caption id="attachment_435" align="aligncenter" width="574" caption="Waves, the rental shop, and more waves"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_439" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="Food at Matahari"][/caption]

After a great day of surfing, what is there to do at night? Well, you really must try this Malay place called Matahari Restaurant. It's about a 10-minute walk from Ranting. They serve really fresh seafood. We had 2 rice, a dish of Kailan Oyster, a dish of 'kerang' (shellfish, I presume it's called), a plate of fried squid, 'telur bungkus' (eggs), Tom Yam, and two drinks. And it costs....(drum roll please).... a cool RM34. Try getting these dishes for that price in Kuala Lumpur (KL for short). Even if you do manage to find a KL place with those kind of prices, believe me, the seafood won't be as fresh as the ones you can get in Cherating.

[caption id="attachment_442" align="alignright" width="189" caption="Payung Cafe"][/caption]

Still awake? I heard that there's a live band nearby Matahari Restaurant. I can't remember whether it's at Payung Cafe or somewhere near the cafe. Oh, Payung Cafe also offers other activities, such as a firefly trip, island trips and fishing trips, if you're staying longer.

Live bands not for you? Well, there was a group of young guys vacationing at the same resort as us and they made a bonfire and just talked the night away. Or for the romantic couple, there's always star-gazing. The sky is so clear, you can just pull out a blanket or chair and just stare up at the stars. If you're lucky, you might catch a shooting star, or perhaps, a UFO. :lol:

Trust me, one night is not enough to stay in Cherating. I've just been back and I'm already dying to go back there. I miss the sound of the waves, the salty breeze, the shiny stars (you'll see way more stars near the sea than you do in the city), and the feel of the surf rocking you back and forth in the sea. The locals said that surfing season lasts from October/November to February/March so there's still time if any of you want to go there. But seriously, try your best to go there. I know islands are the places to go but if you don't want to get on a boat or if you get seasick, just drive to Cherating. 8-)