An offbeat seaside destination in West Malaysia is now just a short hop away from the Lion City.
On the boardwalk at Teluk Cempedak outside Kuantan, Malaysia. (Photo: Ajai Arif/Unsplash)
Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary has restarted its regular passenger services to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, providing the only way to visit Pahang’s state capital directly from abroad. Home to around 600,000 residents, Kuantan is the main jumping-off point for explorations of Pekan — a riverside town that serves as the royal seat of Pahang — and nearby white-sand beaches including Cherating, which has a seasonal sea-turtle sanctuary. Airbus A320 aircraft with 180 standard economy seats are being deployed on a thrice-weekly basis, with flights taking about an hour each way. Every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, TR438 will depart Changi at 10:15 a.m. and touch down at Kuantan’s Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport at 11:15 a.m. The return service, TR439, takes off at 11:55 a.m. to reach Singapore at 1 p.m.
Scoot has the distinction of being the sole carrier serving the route, and Kuantan is so far its eighth destination in Malaysia. Originally launched in February 2018 but suspended at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the resumed service shaves nearly two hours off the next fastest option, which includes a stopover at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Apart from Kuantan and Kuala Lumpur, Scoot also flies to Ipoh, Langkawi, and Penang in West Malaysia, as well as Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Miri in Sabah and Sarawak. No less than 56 out of the 71 destinations across the entire Scoot network are currently being served by active flights.
