>LOOKING for an invigorating dose of glorious sun, silky sand and sparkling sea - away from the madding crowd?
Sunny Terengganu, just a short hour's flight from Kuala Lumpur, boasts the longest sandy coastline in Malaysia, where cloistered palm-fringed coves and vast stretches of unspoiled beachfronts can be found.
Saunter down to the bustling Friday market at Batu Buruk Beach for some bargain-hunting and people-watching.
Between May and August, nature lovers will not want to miss watching magnificent giant leatherback turtles laying eggs on Rantau Abang beach.
At nearby islands Pulau Redang and Pulau Lang Tengah, the turquoise waters are so brilliantly clear, it is great for those who want to get up close with the teeming marine life and colourful coral reefs.
At Pulau Redang, you can plunge into one of several shipwreck dive sites - just don't expect to run into Captain Jack Sparrow while you're at it.
For another kind of weekend getaway, head over to Penang, also widely known as the Pearl of the Orient, for its rich culture, endless string of festivities and mouth-watering cuisine.
Its capital Georgetown, recently named a Unesco heritage site, is a bustling port, a short flight from Kuala Lumpur. The town is an exuberant celebration of many ethnicities and cultures.
We suggest you take a stroll and satiate yourself at the diet-killing roadside hawker stalls, or sit down to a 10-course banquet at the many Chinese restaurants dotting the town.
Fishing being a major industry of Penang, the fresh succulent seafood is a must-have, as are the many local delights such as char kway teow and satay.
All meals of any note invariably end with dessert, and in Penang, you won't be lack of it, as hawker stalls feature a drool-worthy variety of rich sweets that are usually made with coconut milk, sugar and flour.
At the end of it all, plop down on the pristine sands of Tanjung Bungah beach, and enjoy a majestic purple-gold sunset over the horizon.
Getting there:
AirAsia flies twice daily from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. From there, the carrier has three daily flights to Terengganu, where you can also hop on a ferry to Pulau Redang or Pulau Lang Tengah. You can also catch a flight from KL to Langkawi on one of the seven flights daily.
This article was first published in The New Paper on August 1, 2008.
