Pura Tanjung Sabtu "Where Times Stand Still"

The Pura Balai or Reception Hall of the Rumah Seberang Baruh

Homestay Promotional Room Rate 2009

"Rumah Atas Tol" RM600 sleep 4 persons

The Rumah Atas Tol measuring 22ft x 32ft (700 sq) a split-level floor, the Rumah Ibu, the main house upper level, and a Selasar, lower annex: The Rumah Ibu is divided into two sections, air-conditioned bedroom featuring a wooden platform bed, a stylish simplified courtly wedding dais. The sitting room is furnished with handmade low Chengal coffee table, Thai reclining triangle pillow and TV. A staircase leading to the Selasar or lower floor annex, the sitting room has a mini-library and the Selasar bedroom 10ft x 16ft with two single beds. Adjacent 2 luxurious ensuite bathrooms open to sky with hot & cold water.

"Rumah Sungai Rengas" RM400 single/double sleep 2 persons

Similarly built like the "Rumah Atas Tol", the Selasar or veranda with open balustrade overlooking the private walled tropical bamboo Zen Garden. It is elegantly furnished with beautifully crafted wooden day bed and low coffee table from hard tropical wood the Chengal, Tengku Ismail own design. Is the most relaxing spot for reading either for morning coffee or afternoon tea. The luxurious bathroom is a house by itself with hot & cold water and open terrace with bathtub.

"Rumah Nesan Empat” RM400 single/double sleep 2 persons

This beautifully restored 150 years old house purchased from Kampung Nesan Empat vicinity of Kuala Terengganu is smaller from the two guesthouses with the floor areas of about 300 sq, 11ft x 26ft. The floor area is divided into two sections by sliding Japanese Shoji screen. The Japanese Ryokan style room looks like with two single beds on the floor, instant of freestanding western-style bed. The sitting room is furnished with handcrafted Chengal hardwood low table and Thai reclining triangle pillow and floor cushion.

A new prefabricated wall panel of glass insert, design base from traditional “Dinding Keset Kembung” replaced the missing original wall, and the Japanese sliding screen of woven bamboo is use for privacy and from strong day light, the door lead to a staircase to the lower level an open private wooden terrace, overlooking the garden a perfect place for sunbathing. On the other side of the house is the bathroom with a dip pool which opens to the sky with hot & cold water.

The above quoted prices Include western and local breakfast.

An extra bed RM65 net/night including breakfast
Family Policy: Child 0 - 6 yrs. old sharing parent's bed - Stay free.

Guests Room Amenities:

All rooms air-conditioned
Remote Controlled Colour TV
Tea/coffee Making Facilities
In-Room Refrigerator
Goose Down Pillows
Tropical style open to sky bathroom with Hot & cold water

Special Package "Pura Heritage and Handicraft Tour: 3days/2nights per person RM1,200 and child RM360 (6-12 years)
Breakfast/Morning Coffee/Lunch/Afternoon Tea/Dinner

Day One:

Half-Day: Morning flight airport transfer to Pura Tanjung Sabtu, 1pm traditional Malay lunch,

2.00pm: Heritage Tour covering the Terengganu State Museum, Cristal Mosque Islamic Civilisation Park at Pulau Wan Man, Kampung Losong (Keropok Making Cottage Industry), Kampung China (the old Chinese quarter), Pulau Duyong (Traditional Malay Boat-Making Industry) and Sam Poh Teng (Zheng He) Temple Visit.

8pm traditional dinner at Pura

Day Two: Full-Day Heritage & Handicraft Tour. Travel by native craft "Bot Penambang" to visit Pasar Payang (Kuala Terengganu Wet Market), Bukit Puteri Princess Hill, Istana Maziah, Keris Foundry, "Tembaga" traditional Malay brass makers, Masjid Tengku Tengah Zaharah (Terengganu's landmark floating Mosque), Noor Arfa Batik Cottage Industry & Lunch at a local coffee-shop.

Day Three: Morning breakfast of western also included the famous Terengganu delicious Nasi Dagang: Steam glutinous rice cooked with coconut cream, julienne of ginger, fenugreek and shallot with special tuna curry with tangy fruit star fruit or Belimbing or western breakfast. If your return flight in the late afternoon light lunch is served.

Your Patronage Will Help to Preserve Architecture Treasure of Terengganu

Introduction to Pura Tanjung Sabtu

Pura Tanjung Sabtu is located on 14 acres of lawns, gardens, and fruit orchard, a family inheritance once the country retreat of the late H.H. Sultan Zainal Abidin III of Terengganu . It lies on a promontory of slow-moving Nerus river, a tributary of Terengganu river, overhung with luxuriant natural vegetation of bamboo, Rengas trees and Nibong palms. Its name is a combination of the sanskrit word pura which means palace, temple or city, and Tanjung Sabtu is the name of the village where it is located.

Terengganu was once of the least developed East Coast states before oil brought wealth in the early 1970's. Before the trunk road was built in early 1930's, Terengganu was cut off from the west coast of Peninsula Malaya for three months of the years during the monsoon season from November to February "Musim Tutup Kuala". The only transportation then was by boat using sea-route along the coast.

This perhaps helped to perserve its unique cultural tradition and architecture, new found wealth bring in development that in a way contributed to the dereliction of the architectural heritage of Terengganu. The widening of the road and building of commercial building and new housing estates displaced the traditional kampung or village, with it, the supportive of the traditional all-timber Malay houses.

Pura Tanjung Sabtu is built in the style of a rustic yet princely Terengganu palace. It is a major conservation work ensuring the survival of nine (9) endangered 19th century Terengganu Malay timber houses. The houses are elevated about three meters above ground, which both provides air circulation and protects from flooding and stray wildlife. The houses have steep tiered roofs with curved gable ends, the "Peles" constructed from Chengal (Neobalannocarpus Heimii) timber, well known for its durability.

A unique feature of the traditional Malay houses of Terengganu is the absence of nails in their construction. "Pasak" or pegs made from from Naga wood are used instead of nails. Such tecniques are common in the construction of Perahu Besar or Malay sailing junk in Terengganu, a world reowned. Brought together to be preserved for future generation, it has been the work of one man, Tengku Ismail bin Tengku Su. A second cousin to the present H.R.H. the Sultan of Terengganu on the maternal side. Tengku Ismail was inspired firstly through his upbringing in the royal family home of Dalam Kota Istana Maziah, a complex of wooden palaces originally built in the early 18th century by Sultan Mansur Shah I of Terengganu (1726-1793), but greatly enlarged by Sultan Zainal Abidin III (1881-1918) in the early 20th century.

The Balai Perhadapan or audience hall of Sultan Mansur Shah I

His travels abroad to Europe, Thailand, Indonesia and especially Japan were also influential. While working at Malaysia Pavillion during the world exposition 1970, Expo’ 70 Osaka (Japan), Tengku Ismail visited Nijo-Jo Palace built by the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu, in 1603. This traditional Japanese wooden palace deeply impressed him. It was then that he decided that one day he would do everything in his power to preserve the traditional architecture of his home town state.

Visits to Jim Thomson's house, the Suan Parkkard Thai wooden palace in Bangkok, to various palaces and stately homes in Europe further fueled his enthusiasm to embark on his mission. Through his passion and dedicated effort, Tengku Ismail's vision to recapture Terengganu's vanishing architecture heritage has led to the materialisation of his dream - the Pura Tanjung Sabtu.

Pura Tanjung Sabtu is an architectural marvel and unique manifestation of grandeur. Between 1992 and 1996, Tengku Ismail quite literally moved houses and reassembled them at Kampung Tanjung Sabtu. Using the original house-forms of eleven abandoned and dilapidated timber houses between 150 to 200 years old, he rehabilitated them into this centuries-old reincarnation. Wall-panels, pillars, Singhora clay tile and gables from other houses were also salvaged to replace elements that were missing or rotten.

The complex is divided into two wings. Visitors and guests enter through the Balai or main entrance hall, the Rumah Seberang Baroh consisting of an open one-sided wall-panel of "Dinding Kembung Keset" Finely planed boards were fitted vertically and pegged into position by narrow, wooden cover-ribs. Here, a platform extends out as an ideal location for evening entertainment. The Singhora clay tiles and graceful gables for the roof of these houses were retrieved from the dismantled wooden palaces of Dalam Kota Istana Maziah. All the seven houses of the main complex, averaging 20 feet by 30 feet each, are connected by raised wooden walkways. The names given to the houses are those of villages from where they were brought.

Pura Tanjung Sabtu Heavenly View by Google Earth