A hubbub of local energy and action, the burgeoning economic centre of Kuala Terengganu juts its way out onto the edge of the Thai Gulf from its perch halfway down the eastern haunch of the Malay Peninsula. Here, its historic Chinatown district continues to wow visitors with its pre-war wealth of curious timber homes and decorated archways, while the surrounding clusters of shiny new condominiums give credit to the affluence brought by petroleum; a perfect image of the old Southeast Asia coalescing with the new.

First-time visitors should be sure not to miss out on the throbbing Pasar Payang marketplace, for everything local from batik to fresh fruits and spicy sticks of marinated keropok crackers. Nearby, Batu Buruk beach is a popular hangout for seafood and swimming, while the Terengganu State Museum offers the perfect introduction to the town’s other historical and cultural sites; from the colossal Crystal Mosque, to the Francophile Maziah Palace as well.