Old Town White Coffee

Old Town White Coffee is a restaurant which has a number of outlets around Kuantan, most recently opened at Teluk Chempedak beach.

We went with our friends to an outlet located at Jalan Mahkota one morning for breakfast. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and good service.  There is a smoking area outside whilst inside is non-smoking.

Best of all was the price - for 4 people, including drinks, the total bill came to under RM35 - which we thought was very good for the quality of food.

hot chocolate

Ipoh chicken Hor Fun

nasi lemak

English breakfast

BBQ chicken noodles

Sharmayne and Lauren at Old Town White Coffee, Jalan Mahkota

Shahzan Inn, Kuantan - Our stay, September 2012

The Shahzan Inn is a 3-star hotel in the heart of Kuantan town. Located right beside the town football field on Jalan Mahkota, it provides panoramic views of Kuantan ranging from Bukit Ubi to the town centre, Pahang State Mosque, Jalan Teluk Sisek, the Riverfront, Taman Gelora beach and Tanjung Lumpur.

The Shahzan Inn has had a new lick of paint recently and looks great at first sight.

The lobby is no less impressive. It's spacious, has comfortable seating areas, a small fish pond, Tourism Malaysia brochures and a lovely winding staircase which spirals up from the entrance to the next two floors. A chandelier hangs down from the top of the staircase.

First impressions count, which is why I can't be overly critical of the rooms. We were given a room on the 10th floor and we enjoyed wonderful sweeping views of Kuantan. We even watched a couple of football matches on the pitches below.

As far as the room was concerned, it was average at best, but overall satisfactory for a 3-star hotel. Importantly, the bed was comfortable and we had a good sleep despite the air-conditioning being a little loud.

We opened the cupboard door to find the fridge missing, and we had to laugh at the outrageous prices on the list of very mediocre items for sale as souvenirs from the room!

The bathroom was okay, the wooden mirror frame in need of a replacement, and no plug for the sink. The shower did have nice magnetic closing doors which kept the cubicle warm while showering.

The swimming pool is nice but small. Unfortunately for us it was raining in the afternoon, so we didn't use it. I did take Lauren down there for a look around though.

Breakfast in the Coffee House was very good. A variety of tasty food was on offer, and the tables and chairs were beautifully laid out too.

It seems that Shahzan Inn has created a great first impression hotel with a luxurious lobby and Coffee House, but possesses rather average and neglected guest rooms.

Pahang State Mosque, Kuantan at sunrise

Adjacent to the field at Jalan Mahkota sits the Pahang State Mosque. I photographed this great Kuantan sight from the 10th floor of the nearby Shahzan Inn. Although I had to zoom considerably with my little point-and-shoot, I'm quite happy with the images that came out.

What sights do you enjoy photographing in your home town?

Kuantan Old Town

One sunny afternoon I took my Panasonic Lumix DMC-F2 and spent a couple of hours walking around Kuantan Old Town. This is a very old area of Kuantan, with aged buildings and a few pearls amongst the lines of shops covering the roads. I hope you enjoy this photographic tour of the old Kuantan, which I'm glad is still standing today, providing reminders of the past.

Jalan Mahkota, Kuantan

The distinctive building in Kuantan Old Town is still a sight today

A newly built restaurant at bottom with a hotel above

View of the TM building in Kuantan Old Town

A minaret of the Pahang State Mosque rises into the sky nearby

A view of Kompleks Mahkota

The Tourism Malaysia office on Jalan Mahkota. I picked up a number of useful brochures on my visit there.

Perspective shot looking down a row of shops at Kuantan Old Town

Interior of a ladies fabric shop

And another. Can you spot the human face in the picture?

My new friend from India who owns a material and carpet shop

Jalan Teruntum turns on to Jalan Mahkota in Kuantan Old Town

Looking down Jalan Mahkota, Kuantan, the police offices lie on the left of the picture

Footbridge across the main road

A neglected area in Kuantan Old Town

Not sure about the certain 'ambience' of this hotel!

The pigeons gather together outside the carpet shop

Don't look up!

Some other shops at Kuantan Old Town

After a while I found some art shops where local Malaysians are developing their skills in artistry, particularly painting. Here are the pictures:

A delicately beautiful piece depicting Lord Buddha

The people in this art studio were good enough to take pictures with me.

The painter in action

Waving goodbye to two more new friends in Kuantan Old Town

Another painter in an art gallery

Suraya and Kosma hotels opposite the post office, Jalan Mahkota, Kuantan Old Town.

While Kuantan develops and grows with new structures like the Zenith Hotel and East Coast Mall, it is a tasty contrast to still have the old buildings which shaped Kuantan's image.

KUANTAN BLOG TOUR: Onto the final stop of the tour. Anyone like waterfalls?