Chukai

Chukai
Chukai
Town and district capital
	Chukai Town; Bandar Chukai
Other transcription(s)
• Jawi	چوكاي
• Chinese	朱盖 (Simplified); 朱蓋 (Traditional); Zhūgài (Hanyu Pinyin)
	Chukai, Kemaman, Terengganu
	Seal
	Location of Chukai in Terengganu
	Chukai Chukai in Terengganu Chukai Chukai (Malaysia) Chukai Chukai (Southeast Asia)
	Coordinates: 4°15′N 103°25′E / 4.250°N 103.417°E
Country	Malaysia
State	Terengganu
District	Kemaman
Establishment of local government	1942
Establishment of town board	1953
Establishment of town council	1973
Establishment of district council	1 January 1981
Municipality status	1 January 2002
Government
• Type	Municipal council
• Body	Kemaman Municipal Council
Area
• Total	500 km2 (200 sq mi)
Population (2017)
• Total	171,539 (2nd)
Time zone	UTC+8 (Malaysian Standard Time)
Postcode	24xxx

Chukai (Terengganu Malay: Chuka: Jawi: چوكاي), also known by the name of Kemaman Town (Malay: Bandar Kemaman, Terengganu Malay: Bando Mamang), is a mukim and capital of Kemaman District, Terengganu, Malaysia.

The name "Chukai" (proper spelling of the Malay word: cukai) means 'taxes' in Malay. The town is so named due to its position near the estuary of the Kemaman River, whereby taxes and levies were imposed on riverine traffic, especially during the British colonial period. Chukai is the largest town in southern Terengganu, and its position between the state capitals of Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu as well as proximity to the oil town of Kerteh has turned Chukai into a major commercial hub for the region. The nearby Kemaman Port serves both as a fishing port and supply base for oil platforms off Terengganu's coast.

Attractions

The Hai Peng Coffee Shop, located just off the main Kuantan-Kuala Terengganu route and near the town centre is famous for its fine coffees.^[2]

Other attractions in the vicinity include:

The Ma’ Daerah Turtle Sanctuary Centre (near Kerteh)
Firefly watching along Sungai Kak Yah (Kak Yah River) in Kampung Ibok
The fishing village of Kuala Kemaman
Boating and kayaking along the Chukai River at the Bakau Tinggi Recreational Area^[3]

Many beaches are within a short driving distance from Chukai. They remain idyllic, undisturbed by the fast-growing pace of development in Terengganu.

Club Med Cherating Beach is about a 15 minutes drive south away from the town centre, towards Kuantan, Pahang. Another world class resort nearby is the Resorts World Kijal (formerly Awana), about 25 minutes drive north from the town centre, towards Kuala Terengganu, the state capital.

Image gallery

The Hai Peng Coffee Shop, a Chukai landmark famous for its coffees and toast.
A trishaw parked by the roadside with Chukai town in the background.

References

^ Dept. of Urban and Rural Planning, Terengganu State Government. Rancangan Struktur Negeri Terengganu 2005-2015 (Malay), 2005
^ "Coffee, anyone?". The Star (Malaysia). 26 March 2006. Archived from the original on 6 November 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2007.
^ Zanina, P. (2006-10-10). "Road less travelled in Terengganu". nst.com.my. Archived from the original on 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2007-03-20.

External links

[1] Dept. of Urban and Rural Planning, Terengganu State Government. Rancangan Struktur Negeri Terengganu 2005-2015 (Malay), 2005

[2] "Coffee, anyone?". The Star (Malaysia). 26 March 2006. Archived from the original on 6 November 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2007.

[3] Zanina, P. (2006-10-10). "Road less travelled in Terengganu". nst.com.my. Archived from the original on 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2007-03-20.

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