Mangrovecruise in Cherating

Cherating is not all about the beach. We went for a 1 1/2-hour mangrove river cruise with Hafiz's Cherating Activities at 9 a.m. As it was high tide (high water level), the departure was at another jetty further upstream located across Jalan Kuantan-Kemaman (federal road #3 - essentially after the bridge) from the main Cherating area. We drove our own vehicles to the said departure point which is less than a kilometre away. Our boatman did not say very much but have a keen eyesight. He spotted three yellow-ringed cat snakes (or mangrove snakes), mangrove crabs and the very adorable dusky-leaf monkeys (or spectacled langurs). Birds can be heard but very difficult to spot. We saw a collared kingfisher and a Brahminy kite. Did not see a water monitor lizard although they are usually very common in such a habitat (saw one the next day rummaging through rubbish near a bin together with some long-tailed macaques). The journey along the Cherating river is serene and picturesque with mangrove trees with fascinating air roots and some Nipah palms lined up on both sides of the river under the beautiful blue sky. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and apply sunblock to protect yourself against the sun's rays. All in all, an enjoyable outing to appreciate our natural heritage - both the wildlife and the mangroves.