Find the 'Malay' in Malaysia

The only sounds issuing from our group as we stood around a simple warung by the side of the road were contented sighs, as another durian was split open and the big, creamy seeds popped into our mouths.

We were on a driving tour from Kuala Lumpur to the east coast of Malaysia and our senses were to be bombarded by a profusion of succulent, sweet and perfumed tropical fruits and sumptuous spicy food.

Most tourists visit KL, Penang and Melaka, where Chinese and Indian influences are strong. However, there is much to interest the visitor in the three north-eastern states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan where Malay culture is more evident.

After negotiating the daunting motorways out of KL, you hit the highway east to Kuantan, capital of Pahang, beside a green canopy of palm oil and rubber trees. Here, try a tasty meal from a night-time Malay food stall on the promenade beside the muddy Kuantan River or marvel at the ornate grey-tiled State Mosque overlooking the padang.

Heading north, a road runs along the coast, past the up-market beach at Teluk Chempedak. If you take a dip, watch out for strong rips. Much better for lazing around is Cherating; here you have a choice from simple beach huts to Club Med.

Perhaps Pahang's biggest attraction in the central mountainous area is the vast Taman Negara National Park, best reached from KL via Jerantut. From Kuala Tahan, you can take a guided trek into the jungle, and if you're very lucky you may glimpse elephant, tiger or rhino, even the insect-eating rafflesia plant.

Many go on a river boat trip, where snakes, monkeys and birdlife abound. It is well worth spending a few days in the park, but you'll need a permit. Accommodation ranges from a resort, chalets and hostels, to camping.

Terengganu is a huge State, now rich from offshore oil, which extends from prime jungle inland to a long coastline. At Rantau Abang, you may still see nesting leatherback turtles mid-year, but oil spills have reduced the numbers. A few languish in a small aquarium.

If you want to see a little of Malay life, take the winding coastal road through the small towns of Cukai, Kemaman, Dungun and Marang. Fruit stalls line the roadside, piled high with the world's most fabulous fruits.

Stop and savour them. Your nostrils will be filled with the sweet pungent aroma of durian, your tastebuds will explode with the gritty, caramel taste of chiku, the perfumed rumbutan and mangosteen or succulent papaya and sweet pineapples and bananas. And for about 50 cents, you can quench your thirst with a freshly opened young coconut.

Try and strike up a conversation with the vendors. They are often reserved with strangers, but a few words of Malay will go a long way. The women look stunning in brilliantly coloured baju kurung (a knee-length blouse over a long skirt) and tudung covering their hair, while some men wear the Baju Melayu or sarong, batik shirt and black songkok hat.

The fastest way to the capital, Kuala Terengganu, is via the hilly inland road, which also is the best way to get to the man-made Lake Kenyir and various waterfalls inland. KT is now a modern city with many good hotels, occupying a promontory between the Terengganu River and the South China Sea.

If the bustle of markets is for you, head for the Central Market. Here, fish are landed straight from the ocean, chickens are gutted in front of you, the air is thick with exotic spices and your eyes will be dazzled by the vivid colours of fruit and vegetables. Nearby, the 200m Bukit Puteri hill overlooks the biscuit-coloured Maziah Palace and the gleaming white State Mosque, and there's a tiny Chinatown.

The Terengganu State Museum, set in landscaped gardens just out of town, is well worth a visit to view the gorgeous weaving and art.

Continuing north, there are more sleepy towns, with bustling fishing ports at the river estuaries, like Merang and Kuala Besut. These towns are also the jumping-off point to the resort islands of Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian, where accommodation ranges from glitzy resort to backpacker hostel and guests can enjoy snorkelling and diving in the crystal-clear water, as well as good food and a lively nightlife.

Kelantan over the border is perhaps the most "Malay" of all States, but has strong Thai links. Kota Baru, the capital city, sits on the bank of the muddy Kelantan River.

It's rich in Malay culture, with royal palaces, colourful markets, Chinese and Thai temples aplenty and several good museums to bone up on its Thai, Malay and British history. It's also where the Japanese Army stormed ashore on December 8, 1941, before racing down the peninsula to Singapore.

The area is famed for top spinning (gasing uri), martial art (silat), drumming, kite flying and bird-singing competitions in August. Check with the tourist information centre.

And don't forget the food. Malay food is always spicy. Your mouth will tingle with the liberal use of chili, cumin, curry leaves, pandanus, ginger, cardamom, coconut and kaffir lime leaves.

"Must try" dishes include rendang (chunks of beef in a spicy dry sauce), nasi lemak (rice cooked in coconut milk, served with fried chicken and spicy sambals), sambal udang (prawns in spices and belachan), ikan asam (fish in spicy tamarind sauce) and various grilled meats including satay.

Kota Baru is linked to the west coast by the magnificent east-west highway via Tanah Merah and Lake Banding. Initially, the busy, bumpy road passes through rural countryside past small mosques, wooden Malay houses surrounded by fruit gardens and paddy fields.

Then, the road climbs into the mountains and plunges into valleys, a panorama of green hills, karst rock formations, misty valleys and jungle opening up. Signs warning of wild elephants will remind you just how extensive and untouched this vast area of Perak really is; communities of Orang Asli (Malaysia's indigenous people) still live in the jungle.

Jeli seems almost alpine, before you begin a long descent to Gerik. And from there, it's just a few hours on the north-south motorway back to Ipoh and KL, completing an unforgettable road tour of more than 1000km through the Malay heartlands of Malaysia's east coast.

FACT FILE

• The best time to travel along the east coast of Malaysia is between February and November. Visas are not needed for Australian citizens. Currently you'll get around 3 Malaysian ringgit to $1.

• Malaysia Airlines flies to KL daily. Air Asia also flies to KL. From Singapore, there are frequent bus, train and airline connections.

• Car rental is readily available for about $60/day and petrol costs about half that of Perth. Roads are generally excellent, but other drivers can be a challenge.

• Accommodation in the east coast ranges from deluxe for $200/night to basic $20.

• Tasty, cheap Chinese, Malay, Indian and some Western food is found everywhere.