Lifestyle
Club Med Cherating Review: A Fun-Filled Holiday for Those Looking For More Than Just Relaxation
If you're looking for a holiday that combines relaxation with a plethora of activities, Club Med Cherating is the perfect destination. Nestled in the heart of Malaysia's east coast, the all-inclusive resort offers a unique blend of adventure and tranquillity, making it the ideal destination for travellers seeking more than just a typical resort experience.
We were recently invited to review the exclusive award-winning resort on a 4D3N holiday to experience everything it has to offer.
What is Club Med?
Club Med SAS, commonly known as Club Med, is a French travel and tourism operator headquartered in Paris that specialises in all-inclusive holidays. It was founded in 1950 by Belgian entrepreneur Gérard Blitz.
The first official Club Med was built in Palinuro, Salerno, Italy. It has since expanded to over 80 destinations worldwide, including Japan, the Maldives, the Bahamas, Malaysia, and more. Each destination offers unique activities such as skiing, sailing, trapeze, and more.
In fact, Club Med Cherating is the brand’s first property in Asia, opening in 1979. The property in Cherating is also one of the largest Club Med resorts in the world, measuring about 80ha, and holds the record for the world’s longest wooden-stilt resort.
Accommodation & facilities
As we drove into the Club Med Cherating compound, we were amazed at the sights of the resort’s lodging, reminiscent of the traditional kampung-styled longhouses.
Everything appeared made of wood, from the long, winding corridors separating each block to the actual rooms. We stayed in one of the Superior Rooms at Block E on the third floor, which was not too far from the main area and roughly a 5-minute walk away.
The room itself is nothing special. It’s a typical room ideal for couples or small families, with a small balcony overlooking the main areas of the resort. The room has a Queen bed, air conditioning, a television, a shower room, and a separate toilet.
During our stay at the resort, we only returned to the room at bedtime or for quick naps between activities or meal times during the day.
Regarding the facilities, as the Cherating resort is pretty old, it’s understandable that some of the facilities and lodging may appear a little outdated, especially in the central part of the resort.
To simply laze about or enjoy a dip in the pool instead of the main pool, we recommend heading to the Pantai Beach area of the resort (a short tram ride away) to either the area around the Zen Pool, which offers some pretty magical views, or the beach itself.
Food & drink
Club Med is famed for its all-inclusivity, which means that the initial rate you pay includes everything during your stay, including dining, drinks, entertainment, and activities.
During your stay at Cherating, you can eat at three different restaurants. The Mutiara, the main restaurant, serves various cuisines in an international buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Meanwhile, Enak is for those who missed any main mealtimes at the Mutiara to grab a quick snack.
The third restaurant is The Rembulan, located on the resort’s southern side. It serves full-course meals, which you must book a day in advance. Unfortunately, we did not experience this as we had forgotten to secure a booking.
In addition to the three eateries, there’s also a food stall in the main lobby where you can get finger food such as pancakes or fresh-cut fruits.
Overall, we mostly enjoyed the food at the Mutiara, which features a wide variety of dishes from various cuisines, such as Japanese, Western, Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Korean.
Our favourite dishes included Hawaiian Braised Lamb, Tuna Tartar and Braised Duck. We were also delighted to find that most of the restaurant's dishes changed daily, so it’s safe to say that you’ll get to try something new every day of your stay there.
Meanwhile, Club Med Cherating also has three bars scattered throughout the resort. The main bar, The Orchid, which closes at midnight, while the two other bars are located in the Pantai Beach section, one at the Zen Pool and the other on the beach.
At these bars, you can order whatever drinks you want from a variety of mocktails, cocktails, coffee, juice, and more. It’s safe to say that you truly won’t ever go hungry or thirsty during your stay here!
Entertainment & activities
In terms of entertainment, there was never truly a dull day during our visit there. Visitors can access the Club Med app to see the schedule of activities and entertainment available daily.
During our stay, we caught an exhilarating Cabaret show performed by many of the employees there called GOs, Gentil Organisateurs, which translates to Nice Organisers. We even watched an adorable talent show where younger guests were encouraged to show off their talents on the stage.
After the night shows, the night would often become a party, with everyone converging around the main bar to dance the night away. There was even a fabulous foam party on our last night!
Besides all the fun shows, what makes Club Med truly special is the list of activities guests can partake in during their stay. From typical sporting activities such as tennis, futsal, and badminton to more extreme sports such as rock climbing, trapeze, and sailing, there’s truly something for everyone.
As I was in my tennis phase, I was delighted to be able to join tennis group classes during my stay. These were indeed a blast, especially since the courts were so well-maintained.
Meanwhile, my partner and I also tried sailing and kayaking at the Pantai Beach area, which was fun and relaxing. Unfortunately, we didn’t muster enough courage to try the trapeze and rock climbing activities. However, we would recommend them to all the adrenaline junkies out there!
Additionally, Club Med Cherating has introduced some new nature-focused offerings for its guests. Called “Journey into the Wild,” the new programmes are designed to “deepen one’s connection to nature” and respond to travel enthusiasts’ desire for more “enriching and experiential getaways.”
The expanded offerings include:
- Nature Quest Programme – a multi-day programme where families embark on a series of 4 challenges, where they can learn outdoor skills (building their water filtration system or recognising first-aid kit elements), rainforest biodiversity, orientation in nature, or the lifecycle of a tree).
- The Wildlife Discovery Trail – an immersive journey through Cherating’s lush rainforest, guided by a nature trail experience designed for both adults and children.
- The Botanist Adventure – a self-guided trail where you’ll be equipped with a booklet and map that reveals the medicinal and ecological importance of the local flora, inviting participants to see the jungle through the eyes of a botanist
- Turtle Scavenger Hunt – inspired by the efforts of local turtle rangers, this fun, family-friendly scavenger hunt simulates the search and rescue of turtle eggs.
- Stargazing Experience – guests are invited to gather around as they’re guided through constellations, lunar landscapes, and the myths of the night sky
- The Insect Hotel – children and adults can maintain and even build mini “bug hotels” using natural, sustainable materials like twigs, bamboo, and leaves.
Service
Although the service at these kinds of resorts is usually exceptional, the service at Club Med Cherating was truly out of this world.
All the staff members were super friendly and helpful, including the ones who greeted us at the entrance upon our arrival, the ones we had dinner with, those who guided us through the activities, and the bartending staff.
We certainly made some friends during our short stay there. Special shoutouts go to Kyon and Fritz for the excellent tennis sessions, Kims and the rest of the bar crew for their out-of-this-world service and Awie, Haziq, Zhen Yu, and Nazmi from the water sports department for simply entertaining us and making our trip such a fun and memorable one.
We hope to see all of you again very soon!
Our verdict
Although most people usually go for vacations at resorts to simply unwind and decompress, we believe that isn’t the experience you should be looking for at Club Med Cherating.
Instead of lazing around in the room or simply in and around the pool, to truly enjoy your time at Club Med Cherating, you genuinely need to embrace all that it has to offer, from the sporting activities to the entertaining shows.
By fully engaging in these diverse experiences, you'll create unforgettable memories and truly appreciate Club Med Cherating's unique charm!
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