This year, my family and I went back to Kuala Terengganu for the Year of the Dragon's CNY celebrations and holidays. It was a time of togetherness, joy and happiness, marking the start of a brand new year filled with hope, prosperity, and boundless blessings!
The post above showcased our meals when we were back in Kuala Terengganu. The first photo showed an ensemble of homemade nasi lemak. That homemade sambal petai by my MIL was awesome!
The rest of the photos were about our CNY eve dinner dishes and snacks. The "tong sui" or Chinese sweet soup was a dessert I looked forward to!
From the post above, it's about #makanmakan during our stay in Kuala Terengganu.
My score is 70. So, I'm an Ambivert. I'm somewhere in the middle of the spectrum and display characteristics of both an introvert and extrovert such as likely to be more flexible - can adapt to different social situations; feel comfortable in different social settings, but also enjoy time alone; know when to talk and when to listen; and ambiverts are usually well-balanced people who can wear many different hats and be successful at it.
So, how does an Ambivert like me enjoy a beach holiday at Club Med Cherating?
The key to have fulfilling experiences during a beach holiday is to find the perfect balance between partying and embracing solitude and self care.
#1 - Take time to explore the grounds
For me, when I just arrive at a resort, it's always a good idea to take some time to roam around and explore the grounds - architecture, pathways, etc. Take time to soak in all that serenity, calmness, and freedom of being away from work!
#2 - Capturing timeless moments on video
When I come across something delightful or memorable, I'll record those moments for my personal keepsake. Whether or not I choose to share them on social media right away is entirely optional.
#3 - Sunset contemplation
Watching the sunset skyline can be a mesmerizing and solitary way to end the day.
#4 - Exploring nature
Look what I found when I was roaming around the area. I saw bats, monitor lizards. Monkeys too actually.
#5- Quiet reflection
Beaches offer a tranquil setting to reflect, meditate, or simply relax. No frills. Just the sun, breeze, and peace.
#6 - Solo beach walks
Strolling along the shoreline solo to enjoy the serene beauty of the beach and my own thoughts.
#7 - Enjoying drinks at the bar
Need I say more? The main bar (Orchid Bar) at Club Med Cherating offers bottomless drinks - coffee, tea, mocktails, cocktails.
#8 - Relaxing by the main poolside & Zen Pool
You just have to spend some time in the water.
#9 - Participate in the themed night celebrations
Club Med Cherating has themed nights with different dress codes every night after dinner. This is a fun way to participate in the night's theme.
When I was from Thursday to Sunday, we have the following themes.
Asian (Thursday)
Thursday featured an Asian-themed lion dance performance.
Black & Glow (Friday)
During the Black & Glow theme on Friday, we enjoyed a captivating neon
lights performance, followed by a lively Glow Party on the dance floor.
White & Jeans (Saturday)
The White & Jeans night on Saturday included the Music Factory show, followed by an evening of dancing to 80s and 90s hits.
#10 - Moonlight appreciation
Finally, after all that vibrant and lively festivities come to an end, there's nothing quite like a peaceful stroll back to your room beneath the moonlit sky.
In summary, anyone can make the most of a beach holiday by embracing the tranquility and opportunities for self-reflection that coastal settings offer, creating a restful and rejuvenating experience.
If you are in Kuala Terengganu and if you want to have freshly baked roti payang (also known as naan) with delicious kari daging cincang (minced beef curry), you should go to Restoran Nurul Islamiah.
The restaurant is open from 4pm till 11pm, so it's a great place for supper and catch up with friends over multiple glasses of teh tarik too.
Here's roti payang biasa (I believe it comes from the word tempayan) with kari daging cincang. My two kiddos have roti payang cheese (similar to cheese naan for us KL people).
If you fancy rice, try their nasi briyani.
'Gerai tepi jalan' that sells breakfast food
My father-in-law bought nasi dagang for breakfast. I have no idea what the gerai is called but if you drive along the road heading towards Kuala Terengganu town, there are quite a number of gerai that sells local breakfast food such as nasi dagang, nasi minyak, laksang, etc.
These are some of our favorite breakfast food - kayu keramat, karipap, and the round balls (I don't know these are called locally).
There are two types of karipap - one with potatoes and another type with minced fish. The round balls are filled with minced fish too.
Biskut Temangan
These Biskut Temangan are definitely my favorite pastry. It's like Tambun Piah but it's flat and super delicious!
So, have you tried any of the above East Coast Malaysian food?
CNY is all about celebrating, feasting, resting, taking a break from work routine, and doing nothing else but having time for people who matter the most.
Take a look at what my parents-in-law prepared for CNY meals on different days.
Reunion Dinner on 21 Jan 2023
Highlight of the reunion dinner was definitely the plate of yee sang with abalones!
CNY Day 1 (Lunch Menu) on 22 Jan 2023
Highlight of Day 1 Lunch is this dish called "Lap-Lap".
Lap-Lap basically means biji-biji. All ingredients in this dish are chopped / cubed / diced. There are long beans (chopped into small cubes), chicken liver (cut into small pieces), water chestnut (cubed), green peas (drained).
To enjoy this dish, take a spoonful of the mixed ingredients, sprinkle a handful of peanuts, wrap them in fresh lettuce and eat!
잘 먹겠습니다 (jal meokkesseumnida)! This is the Korean way of saying, bon appetit!
CNY Day 1 (Dinner Menu) on 22 Jan 2023
Highlight of Day 1 Dinner is the Mookata.
CNY Day 2 & 3 (Lunch & Dinner Menu) on 23 Jan 2023
Family favorites are the highlights on these two days. Check out the braised whole pumpkin and bak kut teh.
This is my favorite dish whenever I'm back at my in-laws' house in Kuala Terengganu. It's my mom-in-law's home-cooked healthy Sayur Campur Masak Lemak.
Look at the assortment of ingredients! Let me show you the ingredients. First of all, freshly plucked lobak putih from her garden.
Other vegetables are carrot, onion, long beans.
Leaves of the lobak putih is very delicious too. There are also red chili slices.
Don't forget the pumpkin!
Stink beans or petai is another must-have ingredient! I absolutely love petai.
Tempeh! Woohoo! It's like having all my favorite ingredients in one pot.
Fish balls and fish cakes for more flavor.
Flaked fried fish.
Coconut milk for the lemak. Other ingredients not captured in the photos are a knob of ginger, turmeric powder, and salt to taste.
Christmas 2021 was celebrated in a simple and homey way. We had sugee cake, fruit cake, chicken and beef satay with spicy peanut sauce.
My parents-in-law also taught their grandkids how to make putu mayam from scratch! I forgot to take a photo of the apparatus used to make these delicious putu mayam.
My mom-in-law cooked a pot of delicious chicken curry with so much potatoes and all I did was to eat all the potatoes I could scoop from the pot. Hahaha!
Not forgetting the iconic Roti Paung and some local kuih-muih for breakfast and tea time.
