Before we went, my hubby heard and read some reviews about Cherating, stating that it was old and rundown. Since we had a good experience at Club Med Bintan, I told him let’s explore with an open heart. I noticed that they have revamped the rooms and are doing upgrading works at Club Med Cherating.
About Club Med Cherating and Transport
If you have not heard about Club Med, it’s a family-friendly resort with all food, drinks (including alcohol), kids’ clubs, and activities all included.
Club Med Cherating opened in 1979, making it the largest Club Med resort in the world and also the first Club Med to open in Asia. So, by 2024, it’s already 45 years old! One can’t expect a completely new Club Med look, but considering its age, I would say the resort is very well kept. We can also see some upgrading works going on.
The distance to Club Med Cherating from Singapore is about a 5-6 hour drive. Alternatively, you can choose to take a flight from Singapore to Kuantan airport (about 1 hour), and from the airport, you can opt for a transfer or take a Grab to Club Med Cherating (about a 45-minute ride).
If you choose to drive to Club Med Cherating and want to make your trip less stressful, avoid traffic jams, and more enjoyable, you can choose to stop over at Yong Peng (can view my IGS) to enjoy local attractions.
Club Med Bintan Rooms
Compared to Club Med Bintan, the rooms at Club Med Cherating are a bit smaller and older, but there are fewer stairs to climb. Because both Bintan and Cherating are Asian resorts, bear in mind that insects are common. As long as you don’t open your balcony door, it will be fine.
Club Med Cherating Activities
Mini Club & Teens Club
All Club Med resorts have mini and teens clubs; the only difference lies in the types of activities they provide and the setup of the area. Similarly, for children aged 4 to 23 months, there will be additional charges if you wish to enroll them in the Baby Club.
The schedule for the club is about the same: drop them off at 8:30 am, pick them up at 4:30 pm. If the kids want, they can have dinner with their GO and friends at 6:45 pm, and the next pick-up will be around 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, depending on the activities of the day.
In the teens club, as usual, teenagers are allowed to move in and out freely. Parents just need to sign consent for swimming and water play. For children aged 8-10 years old, you have the option to allow them to move in and out of the club freely.
Adults / Family Activities
All Club Med resorts offer basic activities such as kayaking, sailing, indoor exercise, aqua gym, etc., especially for those sun and beach resorts. Therefore, I will focus solely on what Cherating has to provide. You can see the full list of inclusive activities at Club Med Cherating on their website. They also offer paid activities, but honestly, the inclusive activities are more than enough for you to spend your days at Club Med.
Because Cherating is very large, activities like sailing, rock climbing, kayaking, Natural walk and the Zen pool require guests to take a train ride to the private beach. The train operates at half-hour intervals and the ride takes about 5 minutes. Walking is also possible, which takes about 10-15 minutes. If you prefer not to take the train ride, walking is a good option as it’s actually quite refreshing and allows you to enjoy some natural scenery.
Activities at Club Med Cherating do not require advance booking; they operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and you just need to arrive 30 minutes before the closing time. If you go during the timing when the mini/teens club are having their activities, priority will be given to them. That’s why, compared to Club Med Bintan, I feel I have more time and flexibility to participate in activities at Cherating.
Rock Climbing
I would say this will be my favorite activity among all. Even though the staff said the afternoon sun is better, I feel no difference. Rock climbing is only available for those above 11 years old.
Remember to bring sports wear if you want to do rock climbing.
Complimentary Photoshoot
One bonus thing about Club Med Cherating is the complimentary photoshoot! Each family enjoys one complimentary photoshoot with one free printout. The photoshoot needs to be pre-booked in advance and takes about 30 minutes. They have fixed locations – the entrance, lobby, poolside, and beach view.
Even though some of the poses he asked us to do seemed funny, the results turned out very well! Since I did the photoshoot together with my friend, we shared the photo cost, unlimited for RM399. There are other options for RM199 and RM299 (if I remember correctly).
Tips: We did our shoot in the morning but it will be better to take the shoot in the morning, before your hair get wet and frizzy from the weather and the activities you have done in the morning.
P.S. You can choose to do the shoot with your kids, but because we booked it quite last minute, and the shoot timing is from 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm, bringing out the kids during the activities is a bit tough.
Club Med Cherating Food
Club Med Cherating and Bintan are about the same, offering three dining places and a bar area for free-flow drinks and snacks. Food is all-inclusive, and they ensure you will not feel hungry as there is always food available from 7:15 am to 10:45 pm.
In between meal time, they have push cart – Malaysia Chiak, servings local small snacks and fruits.
The main dining area, which is the buffet place – The Mutiara. Actually, I prefer the food in Cherating more because they offer more seafood here, or maybe I’m lucky that their menu for those few days happened to be seafood menu.
Another dining option, The Rembulan, unfortunately, due to timing (to pick up the kids) and the need for taking the train ride, we didn’t manage to have our meal there, so I can’t provide much feedback. However, if you can, it’s worth trying. They do serve premium food which you can top up for.
As for The Enak, I only had one meal on my arrival. I felt the food was so-so. I ordered nasi goreng, but the fried rice was cold. After that, I didn’t go back, but it’s a good option if you miss your main buffet meal or want to have supper, as they close at 10:45 pm.
Club Med Cherating Night Life
Club Med nightlife is basically the same, with night shows performed by Club Med GO at 9 pm. After the night show, there will be a party, and the theme changes every day. You can check the theme on the Club Med app and bring your outfit accordingly.
This time, my two girls stayed back to enjoy the night party – their first “safe” clubbing experience – while we went back with the two young ones because they were too tired! I heard from my girls that one of the nights they had a limbo party and they won themselves a small Club Med bracelet.
The night party ends at 11 pm, and the bar closes at 12 midnight. There’s no need to worry about the noise level because the rooms are located away from the main lobby.
Conclusion & Tips
Even though Club Med Cherating is very old, but I would say it maintain quite well for a more than 40 years old resorts. I prefer the spacious of Cherating and it seems less crowded due to the big and spacious area.
Sharing tips before you go over!
- Make sure to pack extra swimwear. Every day involves water play and activities. Just in case your swimwear doesn’t dry in time, you won’t want to put on wet swimwear again.
- Repellent and sunscreen. No need for me to explain! I didn’t spray repellent much for myself but I’m surprised Cherating I didn’t really get any bites.
- Bring along some sand toys and water toys. The beach is really clean! If your kids aren’t interested in the clubs, you can take them to the beach for some fun.
- If you’re sending your child to the club, make sure to bring a small bag. You’ll need it to pack their hat, swimwear, repellent, sunscreen, and even some spare clothes. Don’t forget a wet bag for their wet swimwear too.
- For yourself, bring a big bag. If you are joining the activities, you can wear sportswear to start your day, bring along extra clothes, swimwear, and sandals. This way, there’s no need for you to walk back and forth to your room, which is quite a distance.
- Before your trip, be sure to download the Club Med app. This way, you can see what activities are available during your stay. It will help you pack your clothes and shoes based on the activities you want to join.
- For more details and sharing of my trip, you can watch my IGS highlights!
Check out the difference between Club Med Bintan and Club Med Cherating!
Have A Say