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Taman Esplanade |
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Where is Taman Esplanade in Kuantan?
Across the road is the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, the big government hospital named after the late queen of Pahang.
In fact the esplanade or paved walkway ("Benteng" the Malays and Kuantan folks call them) along the Kuantan River is about a kilometer long, stretching from the Shahbandar Jetty, close to the MPK headquarters, across the town bus station and Medan Pelancung food-courts, and ending at the Megaview Hotel (formerly the Samudra Hotel).
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This new Jalan Besar esplanade was renovated and built at a cost of more than RM3 million including the jetty. With lush palm trees and decorative lamp-posts lining the walkway, it makes for a very pleasant and relaxing walk, whether in the day-time or at night, especially with the delightfully cool and gentle breeze from the sea.
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CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND
Taman Esplanade, being rather smack in town, is a popular playground for children, where playing facilities, like swings, see-saw, slides, and other climbing structures are available for children to release their boundless energies.
Adults and parents can sit and relax at the benches in the park or just take a slow walk along the esplanade and take in the cool sea and river breeze. (Of course, I did see old guys on the swings! Perhaps just to relive their younger days.)
This place is vibrant especially in the evenings and week-ends, when families and friends gather and enjoy the settings, some picnicking on the grass along the esplanade.
FISHING SPOT
The esplanade adjoining this park is a great place to try your fishing skills, the river being deep enough for many kinds of fishes to congregate at the banks.
SIDE-NOTE
Memories of My Fishing Days
I remember well this place, because about twenty years ago, before the esplanade was renovated and upgraded, my uncle has a food-stall in the Medan Pelancung foodcourt, where, as a bachelor working in Kuantan, I sometimes take my lunch and dinner.
My cousins (still young then) used to fish at the banks of the River using just fishing strings rolled around a tin can. I never fished before, and when I saw them catching the fishes, it looked rather exciting. And I initially joined them in the fishing, they letting me hold their fishing lines.
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I not only tried fishing at that riverbank, but, other "easy fishing spots" in Kuantan, like ponds and small rivers, but amazingly, with no luck.
In fact, I brought my fishing rods ( I had by then bought 3 expensive ones with the latest gears and special artificial baits) when I went to Taman Negara, paid for the fishing licence, but still never got a fish!
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I have enough of the fishes being more intelligent than me!
And I’m sure I’d be fired by the third day if ever I’m employed as a fisherman!
END OF SIDE-NOTE
Although you can see people fishing during the day, this Kuantan River esplanade turns into a popular fishing spot at night, and you can see scores of people (including children ) lining the banks with their rods (and tin cans).
And the MPK frequently organizes and arrange fishing competitions on Saturday nights, as a leisurely and sporting pursuit for the Kuantan folks.
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CEMETERY
There is an old Muslim cemetery just beside Taman Esplanade, called the Cik Timah cemetery. There are about thirty old graves mostly located at a small corner of the wooden-fenced, but always opened, cemetery area.
Of course this Cik Timah cemetery is no more in use since decades ago, and other new Muslim burial grounds for Kuantan folks are located further inland.
This well-kept and serene cemetery is actually of historical importance to Kuantan and Pahang. The graves here are evidence that Kampung Teruntum, or Teruntum Village, the old name for Kuantan, existed.
Haji Senik, the founder of Kampung Teruntum, and his followers settled in the area near the estuary of the Teruntum river in the 1850’s and, besides fishing and trading, cultivated the marshes then existing at the current hospital site.
Munshi Abdullah, in his voyages, confirmed the early existence of Kuantan when he mentioned Kuantan in his writings in 1851.
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SIDE-NOTE
Kuantan actually got its name from Kampung Kuantan in Sumatera, Indonesia, when Malays from there led by a Tuan Besar, opened a settlement at the upper part of Kampung Teruntum in 1854.
The place where they settled was called Kampung Kuantan, and it was eventually shortened to "Kuantan".
END OF SIDE-NOTE
In the middle of the cemetery area, there is a walkway to cross the cemetery from the car-park and restaurants near the Shahbandar Jetty to Taman Esplanade.
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RIVER CRUISE
From Taman Esplanade, you can go to the Shahbandar Jetty and take a fascinating river-cruise on the Kuantan River.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the special river-cruise will take you to the Kuantan River estuary and back for RM5.00, where you can watch the glittering night scene of Kuantan town, and feel the gentle breeze of the night.
Read more here on the fascinating river-cruise and mangroves.
RESTAURANTS
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Other than the food-courts at Medan Pelancung, you can find a restaurant and local food and drink eatery just across the cemetery from Taman Esplanade, with a car-parking area, located close to the Shahbandar Jetty.
The restaurant and eatery there offer a variety of local dishes, drinks, snacks and food, including western offerings.
Try the place anytime you’re hungry or thirsty, or wish to try a local dish, after the river-cruise or after a walk along the river-bank.
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So whenever you’re in Kuantan , Pahang and desire to calm your mind, come to Taman Esplanade by the Kuantan River, and relax.
Visit this Pahang Hotels and Resorts Directory for the list of hotels and resorts in Pahang.
As always, from me...
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