The East Coast is a part of Peninsular Malaysia. Largely rural and comparatively poor, the East's prime attractions are some of Malaysia's most unspoiled islands, featuring great beaches and excellent scuba diving.
Regions
* Kelantan
* Pahang
* Terengganu
Cities
* Kota Bharu - capital of Kelantan
* Kuala Terengganu - capital of Terengganu
* Kuantan - capital of Pahang
Other destinations
* Sibu Island - less commercialized small resort and scuba tropical paradise
* Perhentian Islands - backpacker paradise
* Redang Island - resort and scuba paradise
* Tioman Island - slightly more commercialized paradise
Understand
The East Coast is the poorest and most culturally conservative part of Malaysia.
The economy is largely based on agriculture and you'll rarely see a woman without a headscarf. Kelantan and Terengganu (but not Pahang) implement and enforce fairly strict Islamic law (syariah), which to some extent affects non-Muslims as well. Beaches and supermarket queues are sex-segregated, the availability of alcohol is limited, and in Kelantan karaoke and billiards were banned until 2005. Even the weekend is Islamicized, as unlike the rest of Malaysia, in Terengganu and Kelantan the weekend runs from Friday to Saturday, with shops and banks closed on Friday but everything open normally on Sunday.
Still, the East Coast is not Saudi Arabia. Non-Muslims are generally exempt from Islamic law and the federal government has blocked attempts to impose full Muslim hudud punishments, complete with stonings and chopped-off hands. On the resort islands off the coast, dress and segregation regulations are ignored by all and sundry, nightspots dish out booze freely, and the occasional misguided backpacker sunbathing topless elicits more oglers than angry mullahs.
Climate
The East Coast is highly seasonal, with strong monsoon winds and rains lashing the coast between November and February. Most resorts on the islands shut down during this period, transport links to them are very limited, and high waves and poor visibility make most water sports impossible. The "good" season is April to October, with June to August being the busiest months.
Regions
* Kelantan
* Pahang
* Terengganu
Cities
* Kota Bharu - capital of Kelantan
* Kuala Terengganu - capital of Terengganu
* Kuantan - capital of Pahang
Other destinations
* Sibu Island - less commercialized small resort and scuba tropical paradise
* Perhentian Islands - backpacker paradise
* Redang Island - resort and scuba paradise
* Tioman Island - slightly more commercialized paradise
Understand
The East Coast is the poorest and most culturally conservative part of Malaysia.
The economy is largely based on agriculture and you'll rarely see a woman without a headscarf. Kelantan and Terengganu (but not Pahang) implement and enforce fairly strict Islamic law (syariah), which to some extent affects non-Muslims as well. Beaches and supermarket queues are sex-segregated, the availability of alcohol is limited, and in Kelantan karaoke and billiards were banned until 2005. Even the weekend is Islamicized, as unlike the rest of Malaysia, in Terengganu and Kelantan the weekend runs from Friday to Saturday, with shops and banks closed on Friday but everything open normally on Sunday.
Still, the East Coast is not Saudi Arabia. Non-Muslims are generally exempt from Islamic law and the federal government has blocked attempts to impose full Muslim hudud punishments, complete with stonings and chopped-off hands. On the resort islands off the coast, dress and segregation regulations are ignored by all and sundry, nightspots dish out booze freely, and the occasional misguided backpacker sunbathing topless elicits more oglers than angry mullahs.
Climate
The East Coast is highly seasonal, with strong monsoon winds and rains lashing the coast between November and February. Most resorts on the islands shut down during this period, transport links to them are very limited, and high waves and poor visibility make most water sports impossible. The "good" season is April to October, with June to August being the busiest months.
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