Club Med Cherating Review: Is This All-Inclusive Resort Worth It?
Is Club Med Cherating Worth It? What to Expect From Your Stay
If you’ve been following my travels for a while, you’ll know that I’m the kind of person who gets excited about $10 hostel beds. All-inclusive resorts aren’t usually where you’d find me.
But it was my friend’s birthday, and I figured it was a good excuse to try something different. We did a bit of research online and found that, at the time, Club Med Cherating was the cheapest Club Med resort in the world.
We also knew it was due for a major renovation soon, so we figured that if we wanted to experience it in its original form, and at that price, this was probably our last chance.
Plus, we really just wanted to stuff our faces with free food. I mean, if we’d already paid for everything upfront, technically it was all free, right?
Right?
We booked a one-night stay because that was about as much money as we were willing to part with without crying.
So, was our first Club Med experience worth the splurge? Here’s what our stay was like, what I enjoyed, and what you should know before considering it for your own holiday.
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Club Med Cherating
For all my fellow peasants who don’t know what Club Med is, allow me to explain.
It’s an international resort brand known for it’s all-inclusive holidays, with accommodation, meals, drinks, activities, and entertainment bundled into one package.
If you travel with children, Club Med also offers age-specific kids’ clubs and childcare services, giving you the chance to enjoy some time to yourself while your children are looked after by trained staff, making new friends and having fun of their own.
Club Med Cherating takes this concept and places it in a distinctly Malaysian setting. Located along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the resort spans 80 hectares of beachfront and tropical rainforest.
It’s also a pretty significant property in Club Med’s history, having opened in 1979 as the brand’s first resort in Asia.
I was naturally overcome with patriotic pride 😏 to learn that this prestigious French conglomerate had chosen my humble country, out of all others.
So, I figured, if I was going to embrace the bougie life and become part of the Club Med crowd, I might as well start right here in Cherating.
❗ Important note: Club Med Cherating is scheduled for a major renovation in October 2026, with reopening planned for the end of 2027.
Getting to Club Med Cherating
Club Med Cherating is located at the 29th Mile of Jalan Kuantan-Kemaman, on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
It’s near Cherating, a coastal destination in Pahang known for its beaches and turtles.
If you’re traveling from Kuala Lumpur, driving takes around three hours, depending on traffic. You can also travel toward Kuantan by bus and arrange onward transportation to the resort.
For travelers arriving by air, Kuantan Airport is approximately 45 minutes from the resort.
We drove from Marang after our Pulau Kapas holiday, making Club Med Cherating a convenient halfway stop before heading back to Kuala Lumpur.
💡 With the upcoming East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), you’ll be able to travel directly from Kuala Lumpur to Cherating by train.
Check-in and first impressions
The check-in process was quite an experience in itself.
When we arrived at the gate, the security guards took our names to cross-check them against the guest list and alert the reception team.
By the time we drove up to the lobby, around four or five staff members were already assembled to welcome us.
Certainly not the kind of welcome we were used to and I have to admit it was rather awkward on our part.
We had to hand over our “luggage”, which unfortunately consisted of two severely weatherworn backpacks, a plastic bag full of wet clothes from our island holiday, and another plastic bag containing fish keropok from Kuala Terengganu.
This was a rather last-minute decision for us, so we didn’t really have time to buy sophisticated suitcases for the occasion.
But it is what it is.
We handed them over, parked the car, and took our sweet time walking back to reception.
Only to find one staff member still standing there the whole time, patiently waiting for us. Eek.
She then escorted us to the reception area, where welcome drinks and wet towels were waiting. Goodness knows we needed them.
We were then given a quick briefing about the resort and what to expect during our stay.
Next came the wristbands, which we were told to keep on at all times.
They also functioned as our room key and wallet, so we could use them for access and purchases around the property.
I noticed that different guests were wearing different-colored wristbands. We later learned that the light blue ones we had were assigned to Club Med first-timers.
So this must be how it feels like to announce to the entire school that you’d just lost your virginity.
After the briefing, we were taken to our room. This doubled as our first proper tour of the resort, because getting there involved walking through what felt like half the property.
I’m not exaggerating when I say the place was enormous, and our room felt like it was at the end of the world.
Our room at Club Med Cherating
Our room came with twin beds and all the standard amenities you’d expect from a resort hotel, including air conditioning, a television, a mini-fridge, a safe, a wardrobe, a desk, and the usual tea- and coffee-making facilities.
The bathroom and toilet were separate from one another, which is quite uncommon in Malaysia, but actually practical when sharing a room, so one person can shower while the other uses the toilet.
There was a small note warning us about monkeys and reminding us to keep the balcony doors and windows locked whenever we left the room.
Apparently the local wildlife have figured out how to open sliding doors if they’re not locked!
The room was comfortable and cozy, although maybe not the most modern or luxurious hotel room we’d seen.
The age of the property was noticeable in the furnishings and overall design, but I didn’t find that particularly surprising given how long the resort had been operating.
What I liked was how the wooden elements and relatively simple interiors complemented the surrounding rainforest.
The bespoke toiletries were another nice touch. They smelled like generational wealth.
But we didn’t come here to stay in the room all day. We wanted to enjoy the resort and eat as much as we could reasonably manage.
And we did exactly that.
Food at Club Med Cherating
If I had to name the main reason we booked Club Med Cherating, it wasn’t the beach, the rainforest, or even the resort itself.
It was the food.
We both enjoy trying different dishes while traveling, and all-inclusive dining sounded particularly appealing.
We could help ourselves to as many different dishes as we wanted without worrying about the cost.
This includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks too, although of course, some premium liquors might still come at an additional charge.
The buffet restaurant operated at set times, but there were also other dining options available outside those hours.
This meant that even if we missed a buffet session, we didn’t necessarily have to wait until the next one to get something to eat.
Late lunch at Enak Restaurant
Because the buffet lunch had already ended by the time we checked in, we headed to Enak Restaurant for a late lunch instead.
Unlike a conventional buffet, this was a menu-based dining experience, so we had to choose individual dishes from a menu rather than serving ourselves from a spread of food.
The menu was fairly limited, and although a few dishes caught our eye, we eventually settled on two different salads.
We wanted something light and figured we’d save room for dinner. There was no way I was going to show up to the buffet already full.
Buffet dinner
By dinner time, we’d worked up enough of an appetite to justify the food marathon we were about to embark on.
There was a selection of food ranging from Malaysian dishes to Italian, Korean, Japanese, Indian, and of course, French, along with salads, seafood, grilled meats, and desserts.
The moment we saw the buffet spread, all self-control left the building. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, but that certainly wasn’t going to stop us from trying as much as we could.
The best thing was being able to put together our own little tasting menu, sampling a small portion of everything instead of having to commit to just one main course.
Buffet breakfast
The following morning started with another buffet, which is a pretty good way to begin a holiday.
Or any day, really.
The breakfast spread was just as impressive. Apart from the usual options, such as the egg station, breads and pastries, fresh fruits, and yogurt, there was plenty more to choose from.
They had a generous selection of cheeses and cold cuts, local fares like nasi lemak and roti canai, as well as Japanese favorites like natto and miso soup.
And, for anyone with a sweet tooth, there was even Nutella on tap!
Buffet lunch
After checking out on our last day, we still had one very important thing left to do: eat.
This was our goodbye pigout, our final opportunity to eat our body weights in food before leaving the life of luxury behind and returning to our peasant lives.
And what a way to say goodbye. The buffet lunch had just as many selections as the dinner buffet the night before, but with a completely different lineup.
None of the dishes were repeated, so there was plenty of new food to try.
When a hotel restaurant tries to do too many cuisines, there’s always a chance that one or two will turn out mediocre. But that wasn’t the case here.
We may be misers in most other things in life, but we’d like to think we’re fairly well-traveled when it comes to food. And out of everything we sampled at dinner, breakfast and lunch, not a single dish disappointed us.
One of my favorites was the pasta station. We could choose our own pasta, sauce, and ingredients, then watch as the chef prepared everything right in front of us.
Activities and other attractions at Club Med Cherating
One of the things that distinguishes Club Med from a conventional beach hotel is the range of activities available on-site.
You can spend your holiday lounging around, but you can also fill your day with sports, fitness sessions, water activities, and entertainment.
We were only staying for one night, so I quickly realized that we had to be a little strategic about our time. Here are the activities we managed to squeeze in:
Archery
After our late lunch on the first day, we rushed off to try archery.
We had both never tried it before, and I, in particular, am not exactly known for my sporting abilities, so my expectations were fairly low.
Well, despite a few embarrassing shots, archery turned out to be a fun way to do something different without needing any previous experience.
We weren’t just left to figure it out on our own, either.
A coach gave us a quick lesson and showed us how to handle the bow, so it felt more like the real deal than your typical theme park or mall arcade setups.
Sound healing
After archery, we joined a sound healing session, which was another first for both of us.
The instructor had us lie down on yoga mats while she played a bunch of different instruments. I can’t quite describe the sounds, but some of them genuinely sounded like rain falling, a stream flowing, and the rainforest coming alive around us.
It was so relaxing that some participants actually started snoring halfway through. I suppose that’s one way to get your money’s worth out of a wellness session!
Evening entertainment
After dinner, we headed to the resort’s evening show, which featured theatrical performances and a flying trapeze act.
Watching the trapeze show was a highlight because you can find a hotel with a pool and restaurant anywhere, but a circus-style performance is a different experience altogether.
And just when I thought we were done for the day, the evening continued with a Zumba dance party.
I’m not much of a dancer, but by the end of the night, nobody seemed particularly concerned about looking cool. Besides, after all the binge-eating we’d done, we could definitely use the workout.
Swimming pools & pool bars
Club Med Cherating has two swimming pools: the main pool and an adults-only Zen Pool. The latter offers a quieter alternative for guests who want to relax away from the family-oriented areas.
Naturally, we had to visit both and try both pool bars.
We were determined to make the most of our stay, so we treated “lazing by the pool” as another activity to tick off our already packed itinerary.
When you’re trying to squeeze everything into a one-night stay, even doing nothing requires careful scheduling.
The Zen Pool is tucked away near a more secluded beach, accessible via a short walk through a forested area or a buggy ride.
This means you can actually see the beach from the pool area.
The bar here has a more limited menu than the one at the main pool, but I think that’s a fair trade-off for the peace and quiet.
The beach and surrounding rainforest
Club Med Cherating has two beaches. The first one is closer to the main resort, making it easier to access on foot.
However, it isn’t particularly suitable for swimming because of the presence of black tar along the shoreline.
The second beach is near the Zen Pool and requires a buggy ride to get to. This is where you’ll find more of the beach activities, including stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), kayaking, and beach volleyball.
There’s also a small beach bar where you can grab a drink while taking a break from the activities.
We tried stand-up paddleboarding here in the morning. I had done it before, so this wasn’t entirely new to me.
It was, however, my friend’s first time on a board.
And I have to say, watching someone experience the learning curve for the first time can be just as entertaining as doing the activity yourself.
Sailing was another activity available at the beach, although it depends heavily on the wind and sea conditions.
Unfortunately, the conditions weren’t suitable during our visit, so we didn’t get to try it.
Beyond the beaches, the resort is surrounded by a large stretch of tropical rainforest.
We didn’t get to explore much of it during our short stay, but there were several nature-related activities available, including guided hiking tours, botanical walks, and even turtle awareness workshops.
We unfortunately missed these because there was only so much we could fit into our schedule.
Complimentary photoshoot
Before leaving, we also took advantage of a complimentary photoshoot offered during our stay.
The photographer took us around some of the resort’s prettiest spots, and afterward, we were able to choose one photograph to take home for free, with the option to purchase more if we wanted to.
I thought this was a nice extra, especially for special occasions like honeymoons, bachelorette parties, and birthdays.
What to pack for Club Med Cherating
- Walking shoes: Comfortable shoes for getting around the large resort, especially if your room is far from the main facilities.
- Sports shoes: Bring a pair if you plan to join fitness classes or participate in activities that require them.
- Something nice for the photoshoot: Pack an outfit you feel good in for your complimentary resort photoshoot.
- Themed outfit: Check with the resort ahead of time for any themed dinners or evening events so you can dress up if you feel like joining in.
- Swimwear: You’ll want this for the swimming pools and water activities.
- Sun protection: Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat or cap for spending time outdoors.
- Mosquito repellent: Useful when you’re surrounded by tropical rainforest.
- Comfortable casual clothes: Pack lightweight, breathable outfits for lounging around and exploring the resort.
- Sandals or flip-flops: Handy for walking between your room, pool, and beach.
- A small day bag: Useful for carrying your essentials when heading to activities or the beach.
And if you forget something, don’t worry too much. Chances are you can pick it up at the resort shop.
Additional tips for staying at Club Med Cherating
👉 Read the daily activity schedule. With so many things happening around the resort, it’s easy to miss an activity if you don’t plan ahead.
👉 Make time for the evening show. The entertainment is worth leaving room in your schedule for.
👉 Don’t overplan. This is easier said than done, but while it’s tempting to squeeze every activity into your stay, leave some time to relax.
👉 Check the reopening date and current facilities. The resort will close in October 2026 for renovation, with reopening planned for the end of 2027. Confirm the actual reopening date and the available facilities directly with Club Med Malaysia before booking.
Is staying at Club Med Cherating worth it?
One of the things that makes Club Med Cherating distinctive is its setting, where the coastline meets tropical rainforest, so you get to experience both.
However, I should point out that while Cherating is perfectly fine if you’re looking for a quick beach fix, it wouldn’t be my first choice if beautiful beaches are your main priority. Malaysia has plenty of beaches I’d rank higher.
💡 The east coast is also affected by the year-end monsoon, so check the seasonal conditions and forecast before booking if good weather is important to you.
On the plus side, Cherating is quieter than popular tourist destinations like Phuket, Langkawi, or Bali. It’s a good choice if you prefer a laid-back coastal town and a more local feel.
In terms of the financial value, it really depends on how you travel.
If you’re the kind of person who spends most of the day outside the resort, eats one small meal a day, doesn’t drink, and doesn’t participate in any activities, a conventional hotel may work out cheaper.
💡 Note that “all-inclusive” doesn’t mean that absolutely everything on the property is free. Some things could also cost extra, including spa treatments, childcare services, excursions, and selected specialty experiences.
Final thoughts
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my first Club Med experience in Cherating.
As someone who usually travels on a budget, spending money on an all-inclusive resort was a total departure from my usual style.
The food was a major highlight, but I also enjoyed all the activities we managed to squeeze into our schedule.
It was nice not having to plan every little detail or worry about each individual cost when everything had been paid for upfront.
I’m glad we decided to splurge for my friend’s birthday and I came away understanding why some people return to Club Med year after year.
Just don’t expect me to give up my cheap guesthouses anytime soon.
