Penarik Inn

Penarik Inn is the ONLY chalet (as far as I'm aware) located on the Penarik beach, which stretches for miles along the Terengganu coastline.

The establishment was designed for fuss-free tourists who care only to spend their lazy days on the beach - sunbathing, sleeping or simply doing nothing.

Facilities are limited at Penarik Inn, but arrangements can be made when you confirm reservations for a group stay. The owner will then organise trips/tours and barbeque dinners if you want it included in the package. Solo travellers or those travelling in pairs may find very little to do except to enjoy the beach, even that may be meters off the inn's own beachfront access, as the one right in front of the inn is not as clean as it used to be.

Apart from the chalets, there is the reception office and a mini cafe/kitchen next to it, where the owner, Yad, will whip up your meals as per your request. A clubhouse in the middle of the property is a structure with a roof and a few tables and chairs to sit and while away the hours or have a chat without burning up in the heat of the sun. You may also amuse yourself with the "visitors" to the inn, such as the odd cow and goat, as well as some lizards, all a common sight here.

When I say there is nothing to do here, there is literally nothing to do as there is not a restaurant or shop in sight within the vicinity of the street that leads to the inn. Your sole adventure would be to explore the stretch of the beach, which may lead you to docked fishing boats belonging to the fisherman's village located about a kilometer or less away from the inn.

On the accommodation front, there are 10 wooden chalets with fans, an attached bathroom and a seated toilet, plus one family room that sleeps 3-4 people and comes air-conditioned and satellite tv channels. The family room is the only one made of brick and mortar, so you're less likely to find unwelcomed "visitors" such as mosquitoes and/or geckos.

The wooden chalets are built on stilts, giving you the feel of a typical Malaysian village home. Also, because it's made of wood, the chalets do have minor crevices through which, during the day, makes for an interesting visual as sunlight can be seen breaking through those gaps. The chalets are generally clean, except for mild traces of sand, courtesy of the ants that seem to want to set up their homes there and keep you company!

Basic accommodation should be expected, in that there is a double bed and a table by the foot of the bed which houses a small box fan as well as a wastepaper basket and one mosquito coil with a box of matches, which you'll find will come in handy at night. There are hooks located on one side of the wall and on the bathroom door, to hang up your bath towels or a swim suit(?). I only recommend staying at the chalet if you're the sort that is used to roughing it out and a seasoned camper. You may want to reconsider the chalet if you're not comfortable sleeping with bugs and geckos!!

One of the things I loved about Penarik Inn is how quiet it was when I was there. I felt like I was on my own island, as I enjoyed the wind blowing in from the ocean and the sound of the crashing waves and nothing else. There is the noise of the odd car or motorcycle passing through the street behind the inn, otherwise it's just you and Big Blue. I guess I was lucky enough to had gone to Penarik just before the school holidays. According to Yan, the inn is fully booked for the last two weeks of May because of the school holidays.

As a foreign tourist, you may find that getting to Penarik beach is daunting, given its great distance from the capital city, Kuala Terengganu. However, it is worth the trip if you're looking to lay back and just relax with nothing to do for a spat.