Terengganu's state capital, Kuala Terengganu is a modest town, laid back and friendly. It doesn't have the busy pace nor excitement that can be found in other state capitals in Malaysia. For most visitors, Kuala Terengganu is known as one of the jump-off point for the many idyllic island destinations off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, including Redang, Perhentian, Kapas, Tenggol and Gemia.

But Kuala Terengganu is not merely a transit point for those seeking passage to the state's beautiful islands. For the real traveller, Kuala Terengganu is a town that offers some of the most unique and understated holiday experiences . The waterfront in Kuala Terengganu is full of delightful, quirky and classic scenes, from fishermen unloading and selling their catch at the jetty, to merry traders peddling their wares and fresh produce at nearby Pasar Payang, an understated trade centre in Kuala Terengganu just a few metres away from the Terengganu Tourist Information Centre.

If you feel like exploring the quiet roads and suburbs of Kuala Terengganu, one of the things that you shouldn't miss is the keropok lekor (traditional fish crackers) cottage industry are in Losong. Some of the most popular keropok lekor stalls in Losong are usually out of stock for the day as these savoury crackers are snapped up by regular customers before noon. Yet another suburb of Kuala Terengganu you might find interesting is Kampung Ladang, where you can still find traditional craftsmen working at making the keris, a traditional curvy-bladed dagger once commonly used by men as a weapon. Everything created by these traditional craftsmen are hand-made, and the keris, sheathed in a variety of beautiful and sometimes expensive hardwood sheaths, fetch a good price as they are usually the focus of collectors from the world over.

Terengganu is a state with a long history of sea trade with vessels from Arab countries, China and the Indonesian archipelago. Once a busy centre of sea trade, Kuala Terengganu has seen more than its equal share of sea-faring vessels from the world over, anchoring in its port to trade silk, spice and ceramics with local merchants and each other. This gave rise to the craft of boat building and repairing in Terengganu, such as those in nearby Pulau Duyong.

Once referred to as the 'Turtle State', Terengganu's Rantau Abang beach some 60km south of Kuala Terengganu, became the centre of attention  between May and September each year, as visitors gather at to watch giant Leatherback turtles clamber ashore to lay eggs. This spot was acknowledged as one of the six in the world where this rare phenomenon occurs. Though sightings of Leatherback turtles have declined over the years, conservation efforts including the establishment of a turtle-hatching centre, is hoped to slowly recover the turtle numbers visiting Terengganu's shores.