Cherating River: Explore Nature with Purpose on the East Coast

Cherating River is a relatively short river, but that doesn't mean it's any less remarkable. It's a mangrove river that runs just beside a village and with minimal development in the area, the river manages to remain untouched and brimming with life. In fact, Cherating is among Malaysia's best thriving coastal ecosystem, while only being three hours away from Kuala Lumpur.

Besides its reputation as one of the calmest beaches in Malaysia, Cherating River is also a natural wonder that deserves to be a top travel destination. With little change in terrain and elevation, unlike many rivers further inland, this river flows slow and steady, even upstream. This makes the river a popular spot for fishing and of course, relaxing river cruises. The river varies in width, with some parts being only a few metres wide and covered by lush green canopies.

Mangrove forests are concentrated in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Being close to the equator, Malaysia boasts a large number of mangrove forests, with Cherating being one of them. With the river being so close to the coast, most of it is lined with mangrove trees, which serve as a natural habitat for a range of unique animals, some you may not have even seen before.

The most common fauna in the area are monitor lizards, multiple species of snakes, and otters. Other unique animals that you can spot here include owls, monkeys, terrapins, mud crabs, fireflies, and even eagles hunting for prey. If you look close enough, you can see spider crabs, which have the ability to climb up trees.

Being a mangrove river, you can see a lot of mangrove trees here. However, there are numerous other plants along the river. Further upstream, where the river is freshwater, there are plenty of Nipah palm trees, as well as other fruit trees.

With so many things to do here besides going to the beach, there's no wonder why Cherating is among Malaysia's top tourist spots. When you're here, you have to try the two main Cherating river cruises below.

Cherating Mangrove River Cruise
The mangrove river cruise takes you on a daytime cruise through the river where can relax, enjoy the tranquillity of the river, and learn about the local mangrove forest. If you're lucky, you'll also be able to spot some of the wildlife in the forest from spider crabs to eagles. The Cherating mangrove river cruise departs twice daily, once in the morning and afternoon.

Firefly Night River Cruise
Fireflies are a vital part of a mangrove forest's ecosystem, and even more so at Cherating River. The best way to see these magical creatures is to get on a river cruise after dark and get up close with the fireflies. After receiving a briefing about the cruise and learning some facts about the local fireflies, you and your family will get to cruise by the mangrove and see hundreds of blinking lights by the trees, and even have the fireflies fly up to the boat.

The Cherating River is crucial to the local biodiversity and is also a major holiday attraction that brings visitors a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for the local forest habitat and wildlife. Experiencing Cherating River will guarantee you an experience that makes you feel fulfilled and wanting to get out and learn more about the natural world.

At Club Med, we not only emphasise eco-friendly practices on our premises, but we also support sustainable tourism that benefits the local environment. When you stay at Club Med Cherating, we can arrange for a variety of excursions and activities including river cruises for your family. Come to Cherating and enjoy the beautiful natural attractions we have here!