Teluk Cempedak, Malaysia
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About Teluk Cempedak
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces E (97°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (277°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 1–5 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 3.4 km out (1 in 345). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 28°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For beginners the best months are usually October and November, with about 4 good days in 7; in January, February and December, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Kuantan, 5.9 km away (about 10 min by car).
Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 31 h 05 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. ORD to SZB, changing at HKG.
See flights ORD → SZB · Skyscanner from about £825 returnAdGetting there. 4 h from the airport to Teluk Cempedak.
Accommodation.
Stay in KuantanAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Kuantan (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Kuantan 10 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 92 places to stay · where Teluk Cempedak stays
Places to stay in Kuantan · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Kuantan · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Kuantan · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Teluk Cempedak on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for intermediates | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 10, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 4kJ | offshorewind from the west-south-west, 5 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 7, too small | 1 ft6 smushy | 4kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft6 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 5 knots | 29°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft6 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the south-west, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the south, 2 knots | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 7, too small | 1 ft5 smushy | 3kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 4 knots | 29°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 7, too small | 1 ft8 ssoft | 8kJ | wind from the south, 2 knots | 29°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 8, too small | 1 ft8 ssoft | 8kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 5, too small | 1 ft7 smushy | 4kJ | wind from the north-east, 2 knots | 28°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to SZB, changing at HKG, then 4h by road. About 31h 05 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to SZB, changing at HKG, then 4h by road. About 31h 05 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,315–£2,565 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to SZB, estimated from distance and season, changing at HKG, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £825–£1,710 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £1,315–£2,565 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Kuantan
- burgermbiraBurger · 0.7 km from the centre
- Kuantan SeafoodSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
- Osaka Takoyaki Sg Soi KuantanJapanese · 0.7 km from the centre
- Zack's Corner Restoren & KateringMalaysian · 0.7 km from the centre
- Akob Patin HouseAsian · 0.9 km from the centre
- Rezeki Gelas BesarThai · 1.3 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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Where to stayAd
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