Have Perut Will Travel...: KBR Day 2 │ ibis Styles to City One • Syed Bistro!

Leaving Kota Bharu Before Dawn

It was the seventh and final day of our east coast road trip. We woke up before dawn, checked out of the hotel at 6:00am, and loaded our luggage into BiBi. Instead of taking the usual route through Gua Musang, Kuala Lipis, and Raub — a long journey across almost the entire state of Kelantan — we chose a different plan.

We set our course for the Kuala Terengganu Toll Plaza at Kampung Gemuruh, about three hours away. From there, it would be a straight and far more relaxing drive along the highway toward Karak.

The Long Drive Begins

We started driving before sunrise and soon found ourselves on the Kota Bharu–Kuala Terengganu federal route. By a little past eight, we reached the Kuala Terengganu Toll Plaza and stopped for a quick toilet break. We were relieved — the hardest part of the journey was already behind us.

Once the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is completed in 2026, long drives like this will become a thing of the past. Still, recent concerns about cable theft raised by Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd could affect the project’s timeline.

Breakfast and Coffee Stops

Twenty minutes later, we stopped at the Ajil rest area for breakfast:

Roti Goyang (each)
hot Nescafe
Iced Milk Tea

Everything came to RM19 (about USD4/EUR5). We resumed our drive at 9:00am and stopped again at the Paka rest area forty five minutes later because I needed a strong black coffee to stay awake.

At 10:10am, we continued driving and made one more stop at the Gambang rest area to refuel at the Petronas station.

Back in Kuala Lumpur

We reached Kuala Lumpur at 12:15pm — making the total drive just a little over six hours. After navigating city traffic, we arrived at Syed Bistro at 1:00pm and ordered: