Turtle-watching season begins 

Chendor Beach

About 10 kilometres from Cherating is the famous Chendor Beach. Here, from early July to September, you can watch green turtles or occasionally giant leatherback turtles toil ashore to lay eggs. It's a ritual worth experiendng. Besides the turtles, Chendor Beach offers some fine bathing spots.

Its irresistible appeal also lies in the peace and seclusion you will enjoy at this resort.

THE Turtle Sanctuary and Information Centre in Chendor Beach near Kuantan is the right place for turtle lovers over the next few months.

This is because the nesting period for turtles is from April to early September.
Lucky visitors may get the chance to watch mostly green turtles toiling ashore to lay eggs.

Statistics showed that the number of green turtles landing in Pahang has increased over the past three years.

As far as sightings of the species is concerned, there were 160 in 2005, 260 in 2006 and 307 in 2007.

The green turtle is actually olive-brown in colour but is named after the colour of its fat.
It grows over lm in carapace (dorsal section of the exoskeleton or shell) length and weighs between 135kg and 170kg.

It is almost exclusively vegetarian and feeds on sea grasses, algae and occasionally sponges, and lays between 80 and 150 eggs per nest.

Siblings Michael Siva, eight, and Daniel, seven, were among the early birds who got their parents to take them to watch the turtles. "I love animals. Not just turtles but all kinds of creatures. I adore them and managed to get my parents to allow me to skip school to be here," he said while taking a look at dayold turtles at the sanctuary.

Michael said he would come back soon with his parents to stay overnight and watch the turtles lay eggs on the shore at night.

The siblings then left the premises with a heavy heart, but not before dropping a contribution in a donation box at the sanctuary.

Both boys pledged not to eat turtle eggs or throw rubbish into the sea in order to minimise pollution and save the turtles.

The sanctuary, set up in 1997 on a 0.33ha site, is managed by the Fisheries Department with the state's co-operation.

Among its objectives are to protect turtles from threats, abuse and extinction and carry out turtle-hatchery programmes, conservation and research.

Visiting hours are from 9am to 5.30pm and 8pm to 6am (Tuesday to Sunday) while on Friday thehours are from 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5.30pm.
The centre is closed on Mondays.

For more information, call 09-581 9087 or send e-mail to penyuphg@tm.net.my.

How to get there
Chendor beach, situated near the border of Pahang and Terengganu states, north of Cherating. Chendor is located next to Cherating and the beach is actually a natural extension of the Cherating beach.

Turtle sanctuary in Chendor

By Road : Chedor is accessible from the Kuantan to Kemaman road, about 45 minutes drive from Kuantan.

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Turtle on Chendor Beach

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