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The recipe for a perfect beach holiday should be a pinch of gloriously sun-soaked beaches, a dash of decadence, and just the right amount of remoteness to appeal to the Robinson Crusoe in many a traveller’s heart.

If sun-drenched solitude is high on your agenda, Hyatt Regency Kuantan is a choice place to plot your escape. Perched upon the most popular sandy stretch of Kuantan, the last thing you would expect to find at a beachfront as publicly accessible as Teluk Cempedak is a sense of isolation – and yet, it is what you will be handed with abundance when you are here. There are people but no crowds, buzz but no bustle. It’s Hospitality’s very own ‘STOP’ button, bestowed upon you so that the world can pause long enough for you to enjoy the serenity of a wakeful rest before it all starts turning again. It’s where you come and relish the insane notion that doing nothing is actually doing something, where you can enjoy – mindfully- finishing a book by the pool, or being lulled to sleep by seabreeze, or sitting in lapping waves and letting wet sand wash over you like cold lava.

All the little pleasures of life that seem so simple, and yet, so rare.

HOW DO YOU GET HERE?

If you’re flying internationally, then a straight flight to Kuantan (with a transit via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore) makes most sense. The transit journey takes 1 hour thereabouts; and once you touch down, you’ll have an additional 21km to cover by road before you reach the Teluk Cempedak area, where this gem of an accomodation is located.

However, if you’re hopping over after a short jaunt in Kuala Lumpur, consider taking an inter-city bus instead. It’s only about 3-4hours away on the road – which isn’t that far off from the total amount of time you’ll have to set aside anyway if you were travelling by air. Plus, you’ll be treated to some pretty charming r0adside views that come rugged enough to shake those city stresses off your shoulders (and it’s just a lot less hassle, all in all).

WHAT ARE THE AMENITIES?

Precisely because this is where you’ll find yourself when ‘getting away from it all‘ is at the forefront of your itinerary, you will find yourself, quite literally, situated away from it all when you’re here.

You get some courtesy big names in the vicinity (Subway, Starbucks, KFC, 7-11, McDonalds), as well as a smattering of cafes and non-descript restorans that somehow manage to come across neither closed nor open at the same time – but apart from that, you should expect every non-beach/pool activity to be a field trip in itself out of the area.

It’s not a major inconvenience if you’re not fussed about these things. And besides. between the two pools and beach bar nestled within the confines of the property, you just might not really need much of anything else after all.

WHERE’S THE CROWD?

This is Kuantan, a Malaysian city considerably untouristed all things considered; so the pleasant irony of this question is, there is no crowd.

Long overshadowed by its big-hitting sisters all around (Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang… even Genting & Cameron Highlands), Kuantan’s lack of charm at first glance is a fallacy that’s definitely in its – our– favour. It is little known, and it is less treaded, and it is perfect for the kind of adventures where you get to really unwind and learn to be good to yourself.

WITHIN A SHORT WALK, I CAN FIND…

A warm Sun, a sparkling sea, unspoiled nature and a relatively isolated beachfront that retains a remote tropical charm despite its access to the public.

I say this keeping in mind, of course, that Teluk Cempedak is the main beach of Kuantan. I don’t mean that there are no people; but that considering this is the main beach hangout serving the entire city (and one of the two main beachfronts of the entire state), there are a lot less people than you’d imagine. It is not difficult to find your own little spot and be undisturbed for long stretches of the day.

I SHOULD PROBABLY MENTION THIS…

While a refreshing South China Sea dip remains less than a minute away, the rest of Kuantan, unfortunately, takes a little more time getting to.

I would be remiss not to admit here that the amenities in the Teluk Cempedak area aren’t altogether self-sustaining – at least, not during the time I was there. So whenever you’re thinking of making a run to, say, a supermarket, or even a well-stocked convenience shop; expect them all to be situated at least a 15-20 minute cab ride away.

Download the Grab App – it’s the most popular ride-hailing service in Malaysia and short distance fares won’t count for much.

If you’re hankering for a public transport experience, there is a Rapid Bus (Number 200) that serves the Teluk Cempedak area – it’s something I’ll probably hop on once for the fun of it, but I definitely wouldn’t be counting on it to serve as my main source of transport.

SHOULD YOU STAY AT HYATT REGENCY KUANTAN?

Yes, especially if you really need to unplug and recharge.

Kuantan is a city of idyll; and this is the place to do nothing but walk, read, stare at space, and fall into afternoon naps on a sun lounger amidst the beauty that surrounds. This was a trip I enjoyed above all others this year (and that’s saying alot because Thailand & Turkey’s on that list), and I can’t help but attribute the majority of this extreme satisfaction to my stay at Hyatt. Here, things have their own sense of time and life is mindfully lived; and for most, this will resonate as the pinnacle of slow travelling – with a pretty stunning mainland beach thrown in as bonus on the side.

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Enjoy Hyatt Regency in Kuantan, I know I did.