It's amazing how small gesture of human interaction can lead to a whole new level of a lasting impression. I came as a stranger but ended up as friends when I left. And everything start with a smile or one simple word with barely more than 3 alphabets called "Hi".
To be honest, I have always wanted stay at any of the Club Med 's resorts as it is widely known for its all-inclusive meals and beverages plus the facilities and numerous activities not forgetting their friendly staff as well. Ok, you may asked- "tell me something that I dont know?" Well.. let me share with you some of the amazing experiences and time i had during my 4D3N weekend getaway to this friendliest resort in the corner of Kuantan, Pahang.
Our road trip of 4 hours drive from KL to Cherating was quite pleasant with gorgeous landscape of deep green forest along Karak highway (loving it everytime i head to my hometown), then we passed by Kuantan town before heading a small road leading to Cherating beach. Do you know that Club Med Cherating was built since 1979?? yeah 36 years ago! Nestled in the heart of an 80-hectare rainforest, this resort has won numerous awards by Tripadvisor, HAPA resort of the year and Green Globe Certification. While the accommodation that we are staying might look a little aged, but the unspoilt beaches and tropical scenery are ridiculously magnificent.
Upon arrival, i was greeted by one the friendly G.O (Gentil Organisateurs), Antonio with welcome drinks and cold towel as freshener. He explained to me the whole concept of Club Med and hand over to me a brochure filled with time tables of activities and restaurants/bars opening hours. Hrmmm looks like my hand are full for the next 3 days. :) as long it revolve around nature, i am up for it. And in conjunction with
their initiative of a campaign called -the Eco-Unplugged Retreat
Challenge, I think I can score with flying colors for this task since I am naturally
a nature-lover, a freak for all beautiful serendipity in life got to offer and
a sucker for both sunrise/sunset. So after escorting us to our room, we rest for a while as the weather was pretty hot out there. The room might look a little old, but at least it is clean with a nice garden view at the balcony. Just a note, wifi reception is very slow or none at the room, so if you are a online freak, its time to get that body of yours to reach the beauty of nature and interact with real people instead of facebooking..hehee. i must confess that i am an internet addict myself.. :( After resting for a while, we head straight to the Noodle Bar for our late lunch!We were greeted by one of the GO, Karu and he even explained the types of noodle available and recommended us signature dishes.
The cozy room
Red noodle simply yummy!
After scrumptious late lunch, we just chilled at their lounge for some quiet moment of sipping freshly squeezed fruit juices while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the coconut trees and the sea.
with served of pancake for tea-time..
everyday has different theme of cocktail/mocktail
You will never get bored with the ever creative people of Club Med, because almost every single day there will be different theme for dress code for entertainment during the night, even the shows are played differently at the theater. Its almost 530pm and we decided to try out the sunset yoga! our instructor was a cute G.O from Korea , CC. It was very relaxing and almost synonymous to the mantra of Eat, Play and Retreat. My DNA is finding chemistry to the sound of the wave that pampering my soul gently almost effortlessly. The fresh breeze distinctively ignite my cerebrum oblongata to generate poetic rhythm of deep calmness. simply wash away my mind to mode of relaxation.
Inhale and exhale...nice sunset yoga class
it all begun with a single step :)
For dinner, we went to Mutiara Restaurant for some buffet delight from asian cuisine to western and a lot of desserts. After all that filling, we proceed to the theater for Halloween show by all the G.O. Its nice to see that every night, the Chief of Village, Mr Ryan will call out all the G.O, Managers and even the chef as part of appreciation and recognition before the performance. Their team really pay attention to this small thing and treat each member of their staff like a family. :) Looks like a nice place to work right?
the reception area during the night.
we were early after dinner..the theater is still empty which was a thing to find a good seating spot.
all the G.O was introduced to the guests before the show.
even the chef was also called upon.
After the show, we were asked to join the for their 2nd entertainment of the night..party time! when the DJ were playing our favorite music, we were just let our hair down, put our hands up at the air and dance to the beat! it was fun coz and its very family oriented at the same time. Dont worry your kids will love it here too.
celebrating Ryan's advance birthday that night.
The next day, woke up early for sunrise! Amazing golden reflection of the sun towards the calming sea.
beautiful!
amazing glitters of colors..golden !
TAKE good care of our environment.
After the sun was up and beaming on us, i decided to try the "Power walk". so i went to the main bar at 830am for meeting point . to my surprise, it was only me so when G.O, Andy said let's go, i thought he was kidding. Apparently you suppose to walk as fast as you can during power walk for good 2km. We were walking (more like jogging ) haha and talking at the same time. He shared some his reasons joining as a G.O and working here has been nothing but fun. It was a dream job since he left the financial industry 2 years ago. Hrmm...time to ponder, D! :P Anyway, the morning mist of this lush green with the sounds of chirping birds and crickets seems like a dream life. what else could i ask for ? :)
the morning after the sun was up!
After our breakfast, we took the shuttle train from the main lobby to Pantai Beach as planning to try some water sports. Unfortunately it was fully booked so we decided to come earlier next day and at the same time trying out Rock Climbing as it is only open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. We chilled at Zen Pool (for adults only - i explain to you later why), i actually took a nap at their cozy chairs. hahaa...and when i woke up, it was time for lunch hour. So we decided to dine in at Rembulan Restaurant. Food spread are lesser but it is almost full course meal.
salmon, grilled fish and satay! hrmmm yummy!
After meal, we decided to walk back using the small route over passing the jungle from Pantai beach to the reception.
.peace out. the route of peacefulness.
And while i had a chance, i tried out the archery and also the Flying Trapeze- twice..haha..i've always wanted to try this so finally- checked! :) thanks to the friendly GO, Elisabeth, Rolando and Nikki! They have been helpful on assisting us how and what to do next especially that this is our first time trying this. It was exhilarating!
bull eyed?
after short briefing and demonstration by NIkki, i am ready to try this out!
"ok step slowly towards me"...must admit, he is kinda cute. hahaa
swing like a tarzan!
After that, we went to check out for some batik painting. The owner of this batik painting place is married to a japanese, he can speak fluent Japan language and mixing the art of batik with japanese arts. Amazing!
i hope i dont messed his artwork :P
Then after refresh myself, headed to pantai beach with the shuttle provided for our dinner. Lucky thing that we had made a reservation before the power walk this morning to dine in at Rembulan Restaurant tonight. The dinner at Rembulan Restaurant is only limited to 80 pax to maintain the exclusiveness and also every patrons could enjoy a quiet moment while enjoying the scrumptious food. While waiting, we bump into a friendly founder of this giant bubble show by Kapten Bueh Bossa. He was obliged to let us try out and have fun with the tools. seeing those bubbles formed was simply a memory relocation during my childhood except that this was huge! such a nice feeling when the bubble didnt pop and get carried away by the soft wind.
so excited
While we are enjoying our giant bubble making feat, our shuttle has arrived and off we go to Pantai Beach. Arrived there quite early for sunset. Weather has been good, people has been friendly, this place remind me of my childhood, no worry, just live your passion and enjoy the nature. Anyway it is after all located at the state of my birthplace. My mind was completely off from work. I just unplug myself so easily into a naturist and enjoy every moment here. Wish I could stay longer!
so peaceful
Menu is on my table...so what to order? Lucky GO Karu was there to rescue!
nicely decorated :) thank you!
And the menu served was simply scrumptious. Every bits and pieces are made with care and love. it was a lovely evening with the soft wind caressing our skin and the sound of the waves was like the music to my ears, while my eyes was oozed with colorful delight, it was my body and soul that felt so relaxed, so settled, so calm that the moment was a perfect serendipity. Looking back, i am blessed to be able to experience a lot good things in life. :)
fine dining, from creamy pumpkin soup to salmon and smoked duck to foie gras and dessert.
We stayed almost the end and GO Malik and Karu was kind enough to escort us back. Upon reaching the lobby, we chilled at the lounge for a while before getting change our outfit and get ready to dance and join in the foam party. it was wicked! All the GO was so sporting that they lead the dance moves and made us feel so ease. Almost everyone participated as it was pure fun and entertaining. No pressure, just dance as no one is judging you!
to the left and right we dance!
Foam party ...bring it on!
Time really do flies fast when you are having fun..we call it a night after that great party and dancing. What a great workout at the same time after all that stuffing we had earlier. After a good night sleep, it is already our 3rd day..good morning sunshine! One thing i noticed while walking at the shore was that the beach are well kept. No rubbish or debris lying/floating around and the management took the initiative to ensure that it is eco-friendly over here. :)
loving this place! :)
With a decent fee, you may also hire a photographer for your perfect vacation potrait. check out at the swimming pool reception for more info.
The route to jungle trekking..pls make sure that you bring along your sport shoes !
spa service is not only available indoor but outdoor as well. Just remember to make a prior booking reservation with the reception. The price however is not inclusive in the package and is slightly expensive.
We head to Pantai Beach after breakfast to register ourselves for sailing and kayaking. Luck was on our side this time. Thanks to G.O Akey and Ian Chen. You see, there's something about this resort that capture my heart, its not only the facilities, all-day meals but also the people who works here. They are so genuine and always made us felt important - just like a family. Probably that's what makes this place so special.. i just rated this resort at Tripadvisor as the friendliest resort i've been. :) Keep up the great job guyz!
lets go for sailing!
kayaking early in the morning to avoid the crazy heat later
thanks GO Ian chen for the photo. Grace and I was really having fun as a 1st timer sailor. :P
After all that breaking sweat activities and a good 2/3 shades darker skin, we decided to chill at the zen pool just 5 minutes walk away.
after all that water-sports, time to chill at the Zen Pool
yoga mode?
Remember i was telling earlier that the Zen Pool was for adults only? Yes it was for 18 years old and above because sometimes there might not be appropriate for underage as some people want to be in the birthday suit. well literally. Anyway, it is also to maintain the tranquility and quiet ambiance, tucked in an isolated Zen Zone, away from all the hype, screaming children and drama, this breathtaking surrounding is simply one of my favorite place to chill. Bar service with variety of refreshing cocktails and juices. I wish i could have a pool like this at my home too. :)
Since it was a sunday and i am in the mood to do some rock climbing, i waited for the session to be opened for me to try on. The rock are sharp and a little steep but if you follow the instruction and take every step carefully, you will be fine. even kids could do it. :)
since it was a sunday, so i decided to try out rock climbing. quite easy except the be careful with the sharp protruding rocks.
peace out after reaching the top!
Rock climbing was fun but please ensure that you bring along your sport shoes or else you will not be allowed to participate. Then while walking back from Pantai beach, we stopped at the Tree Top Challenge for some spidey stunts. :) I enjoyed the most over here while I was up there channeling the ropes, the ray of sun was penetrating the lustful trees with natural treasures that paused my moment of into the wild with deep admiration.
feel like a spidey woman
my moment of deep admiration towards the wild.
After all that sweats, time to head back to the room and get myself refreshed. Then i head to the Orchid Lounge to chill. You can play pool, enjoy the unlimited cocktails and mocktails or just lazing around at the comfy sofas.
these kids love to play pool. almost daily 3/4 times per day. bunch of friendly kids.
While waiting for sunset, i just check out the places around. Apparently there are plenty of activities for kids too. So if you planning to bring along your kids. nieces or nephews , this place would be a playground heaven for them. From discovering their talents in drawing, music, sports to educational/ learning sessions, there are never a dull moments here.
only for kids
playing pool, drumming or just hanging around..your choice, kids
Its our final night, and there are organizing sports event night. Mainly for kids where there are small booth for games like a telematch and the highest points collected won!.
sports event night .
the way to jungle walk..just saying..wear your shoes yea.
the stairs to adventure into the wild jungle.
view from above was pretty calming.
After sunset and dinner, we head to the main centerstage for a circus performance from the trapeze group. what a bunch of talented G.O there were. Truly enjoyed the show! :)
strong arms and coordination with the rest to perform such excellent show!
the sports event that i was talking about..kids and adult were having fun.
And they say all good thing must come to an end, the only thing is permanent is change. Finally, its time to bid goodbye to this wonderful resort, gonna miss the place, the food , the activities and the G.Os . Before i start my road trip back, i managed to try on the painting session. it was fun expressing my inner creativity into a painting that i could bring back home. it has been years since i last paint something like this. definitely a great way to end my stay here..its time to paint my life with colorful beautiful things! :)
ready, lefty?
both grace and my finishing masterpiece.
afternoon dance entertainment by the G.O
finally completed my retreat challenge and got myself a blue tshirt as memorabilia
Remember, just because your eyes are opened, doesn't mean you are seeing everything. Sometimes we are at our best emotion when we shut ourselves by igniting all our senses into realization.
So unplug yourself from that gadgets once in a while and embrace the beauty of nature with eco-friendly resort here in Club Med. Check out the link below for more updates and juicy promotion: Facebook Website Instagram Address : 29th Miles, Jalan Kuantan - Kemaman, Pahang 26080 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia Tel : +609 581 9117 GPS : 4.144706, 103.407509 Thank you Club Med for this wonderful getaway! im recharged! :) hopefully i could bag that winning prize as Club Med Ambassador and bring along 10 of my family members here!
