By the time the last Deepavali open house winds down, I am usually already thinking about the road east. The festival brings a public holiday, often a long weekend, and for me it is the best excuse of the year to swap the city for a stretch of quiet sand. A Deepavali beach getaway from KL does not need flights or complicated planning. The east coast is a morning’s drive away, and within a few hours you can go from traffic lights to mangroves, lagoons and coral reefs.
Over the years I have made this trip with two days to spare, with three, and once, gloriously, with four. Each length suits a different kind of holiday, so I have written up all three below. The short version takes you to Cherating for sand and fireflies. The three-day plan heads further north to the Setiu Wetlands in Terengganu, which I think is one of the most underrated nature spots in the country. The four-day version adds a boat ride out to the islands. Deepavali moves between late October and mid-November from year to year, and I will point out where that makes a difference.
The Drive from KL to the East Coast
Every one of these itineraries begins on the Karak Highway, and how you time that first stretch sets the mood for the whole trip. The day before Deepavali, when half the city is heading home to family, is best avoided. I leave before six in the morning, or I wait until the afternoon of the holiday itself, when most people are already sitting down to lunch and the roads go quiet.
From Karak, the road joins the East Coast Expressway, known to everyone as the LPT. Kuantan is about three hours from KL, Kuala Terengganu around four and a half to five, and Setiu roughly another hour beyond that. It is an easy drive and a surprisingly scenic one. The forested hills of the Titiwangsa range give way to oil palm, then to paddy fields and kampung houses, until the first glimpse of the South China Sea tells you that you have arrived.
I tend to break the journey in the same places. The R&R at Genting Sempah is my first coffee stop, usually while the hills are still wrapped in mist. Temerloh, on the banks of the Pahang River, is the place for ikan patin masak tempoyak, so it is worth timing the drive for an early lunch there. Further on, the old kopitiams of Kemaman serve thick Hainanese coffee and roti bakar, my reward for the last leg. Fill the tank and top up your toll card before leaving the Klang Valley, as the gaps between petrol stations on the LPT are longer than you might expect.
Two-Day Deepavali Getaway: Cherating's Beach and Fireflies
If you only have the public holiday and a weekend, Cherating is the answer. It is close enough that you will not spend the whole trip in the car, and it packs a surprising amount of nature into one small village. It is also the plan I would suggest for families with young children.
Leaving KL at dawn puts you in Kuantan in time for a late breakfast at Teluk Cempedak, a small bay on the edge of the city. A boardwalk trail winds around the headland through the trees, easy enough for kids, and you will very likely share it with a troop of long-tailed macaques, so keep any food out of sight. From there, Cherating is a 45-minute drive north.
The bay at Cherating is broad and shallow, which makes for gentle swimming in the afternoon. Around Deepavali, the northeast swell sometimes starts to roll in, and when it does the local surf schools come to life. A beginner’s lesson here is great fun, even if you spend most of it falling off the board.
The highlight comes after dark. Boatmen take small groups up the Cherating River, where the mangroves along the banks are dotted with fireflies blinking in unison. I have done it several times and it still leaves me speechless. If the timing works out, the Cherating Turtle Sanctuary nearby is also worth a visit.
On the second morning, get up for sunrise, when the beach is empty and the light over the water turns soft and pink. After a slow breakfast, head back south with a stop in Kemaman, and you will be home in KL in time for dinner.
Three-Day Itinerary: Exploring the Setiu Wetlands
With one extra day, I would skip Cherating altogether and drive on to Setiu in northern Terengganu, my favourite corner of the peninsula. Behind a long, thin strip of beach lies a lagoon fed by rivers, fringed with mangroves and nipah palms, with seagrass beds in the shallows. It is one of the most important wetland areas in Peninsular Malaysia, and yet it still sees remarkably few visitors.
The first day is mostly the drive, broken up with lunch in Kuala Terengganu, and I try to reach Setiu in time to watch the sun go down over the lagoon. For the past few trips I have based myself at KatSetiu Villas, a set of private beach villas near Permaisuri, mostly because I like falling asleep to the surf and being on the lagoon within minutes of waking up.
The second day belongs to the wetlands, and it starts early. I arrange a trip with a boatman from one of the fishing villages along the lagoon and set out at first light, when the water is still and the birds are most active. Kingfishers dart between the mangrove roots, herons wade through the shallows and monitor lizards bask on the mudbanks, while fish and oyster farms float quietly across the water. Setiu is also one of the places where local communities and conservationists work together to protect the critically endangered painted terrapin. If their programme is open to visitors during your stay, it is well worth making time for.
The afternoon is for slowing down. I like cycling along the village roads, stopping at a kelulut (stingless bee) honey farm, and then walking the long, empty beach at Penarik as the heat fades. There is very little light pollution out here, and on a clear night you can often see the Milky Way from the sand.
On the final morning, catch the sunrise before you pack up, then drive south to Kuala Terengganu. A wander through Pasar Payang and a bag of keropok lekor for the journey is the traditional way to say goodbye to Terengganu.
Four-Day Itinerary: Setiu Wetlands and Redang Island
Four days is the luxury version, and the extra time lets you reach the islands off the Terengganu coast. Spend the first two days in Setiu as described above; without the clock ticking, the lagoon feels even more peaceful.
On the third day, drive the short distance to Merang jetty and take a boat out to sea. Redang is the obvious choice, with its clear water and the coral reefs of Redang Marine Park. Even a day trip with a mask and snorkel is enough to see shoals of reef fish and, if you are lucky, a green turtle grazing on the seagrass. If you prefer somewhere quieter, Pulau Bidong has good snorkelling and a moving history as the site of a former Vietnamese refugee camp. Whichever you choose, you will pay a small marine park conservation fee, and it is money well spent on protecting the reefs.
This is the one itinerary that depends on when Deepavali falls. Island resorts and boat operators on the east coast generally close as the northeast monsoon arrives, usually around early November. When Deepavali lands in October, the islands are normally still open; when it falls later, check with operators before you book anything. If the boats are not running, a morning kayaking on the lagoon makes a lovely alternative.
The fourth day is for a final swim and the drive home. If you have time, stop in Kuala Terengganu to walk through the old Chinatown with its shophouses and murals, or pick up a packet of nasi dagang from a roadside stall along the coast. Traffic back into KL is heaviest on the last afternoon of any long weekend, so I either leave early or wait until evening.
Tips for Planning a Deepavali Beach Trip in Any Year
Because Deepavali follows the Hindu lunisolar calendar, its date changes every year, and that affects the sea more than anything else. An October Deepavali usually means calm water and open islands. A November one brings bigger waves, moody skies and fewer boat trips, which some of us actually enjoy. Either way, book your accommodation and boat trips early, as long weekends fill up fast.
On the water, let the tides guide your plans. Both the lagoon trips in Setiu and the firefly cruises in Cherating depend on water levels, so ask your boatman when to go rather than insisting on a time. Pack reef-safe sunscreen, insect repellent, a dry bag, a light rain jacket and sandals you do not mind getting muddy.
Finally, tread lightly. Do not touch or stand on coral, avoid flash photography around turtles, and take your rubbish home with you. It also helps to know that Terengganu’s weekend falls on Friday and Saturday, so many shops close around Friday prayers, and that modest dress is appreciated when walking through the villages.
Ending Deepavali by the Sea
Deepavali is the festival of lights, and I have come to love ending it somewhere the lights are fireflies in the mangroves, stars over the lagoon and the sun rising out of the South China Sea. Whether you have two days or four, there is a Deepavali beach getaway from KL to match. Choose your plan, set the alarm early and enjoy the drive.