Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Cherating River Cruise, Pahang

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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This article first published in The Daily Roar.

Cherating, a quaint little beach town off the coastal side of Pahang, has more to offer than just sea and sand. Instead of the regular swimming, sunbathing and beach walking, we went for a river cruise expedition, courtesy of Hafiz's Cherating Activities. Hafiz, an affable man with strong knowledge on fireflies, also offered fireflies expedition which we went for the night before and were amazed by his skills in "communicating" with these insects. Another must do when in Cherating.

All on board for an adventure

With the strong sunlight brighting up our day, we have a good view of Cherating River and its surrounding mangrove trees along the riverbanks, something we missed out during the fireflies adventure. Our boat guide, which was also the nature expert working under the agency, gave us a thorough tour of the river. He was very informative and always more than happy to share with us his knowledge on the many species of mangrove trees growing in the area.

The boats stopped when the guide saw some animals hiding behind the mangrove trees

He also has a good eyesight for often he was the one pointing out the animals hiding deep in the forest. His hands would raise up and point at the snakes he saw curling up on the tree branches, telling us to look for the yellow stripes on their skins. Often, cameras will be flickering away at the direction the guide pointed at, hoping to capture a good photo of it. Some of the wildlife we saw were mangrove snakes, macaques, blue kingfishers and monitor lizards.

The mangrove trees on both side of the riverbank

All of us were keeping an eye out for some hiding animals

Halfway through the cruise, we chanced upon a Malay uncle, alone in his boat. He was looking through the traps he set this morning before dawn, trying to see if there is any catch for today. Apparently, lady luck herself was feeling rather generous for the uncle has a few crabs inside the basket all tied up, ready to be sold to restaurants around the area.

Uncle showing us his catches of the day

Besides these animals in their natural habitat, the best asset of this cruise has to be Cherating River itself. Growing up in a city, I don't really have a strong connection with nature and it is usually through these expeditions that I get to experience and see with my own eyes the beauty of Mother Earth. This is definitely a trip not to be missed when in Cherating.

Info Box

Hafiz's Cherating Activities,
7/1156, Kg. Cherating Lama, 26080 Kuantan, Pahang.
Open daily from 8 a.m. onwards.
Entrance fee is at RM 25 for adult and RM 15 for child.
For more information, you can go to its website here or call Hafiz at 017-9789256 or 017-9406898.

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Refreshing Springs Resort, Hulu Selangor

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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It was one adventurous stay after another. Our buses were too large to continue to the resort so we have to use the in-house vehicle. But cars, those are fine as I'd seen a few of them passing us by.

We arrived with style

We passed by many durian trees on our left and right, all bearing fruits ready to fall down. Isaac Newton would not have survive to develop the theory of gravity if he was here.

Durian trees are everywhere

Our arrivals were greeted with durian buffet and kedondong juice, another seasonal fruit grown here in this orchard turned recreational resort. Also known as ambarella, this refreshing juice is what you need after the all you can eat durians.

It looks like a peaceful neighbourhood than a resort

There are assorted living quarters here in Refreshing Springs Resort to cater various groups. Studios, chalets and terraces, just to name a few. The one I stayed in was a chalet, fit for a group of 8 persons. The bedrooms are comfortable and spacious, toilets are nothing but clean and enjoyable. Attached in the house are a living room and a kitchenette. It really felt like a home.

2 rooms in a chalet, each for 4 persons

Clean bathroom is what most people ask for

You do not have to worry about recreational activities for there are plenty for you to choose from. If you are into extreme sports, perhaps paintball and wall climbing are more to your tunes.

A round of paintball?

Or wall climbing?

Something more nature related? Well, how about fishing or bird watching? Perhaps you can try their hot spring which is the resort's main selling point.

Fishing pond

Hot spring

Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are all provided by the resort, buffet style. Simple dishes, really, but nonetheless, filling and delicious. After dinner, band performance by their staffs are definitely something to look out for as their musical instruments are all made out of recycled materials.

Guitars made from recycled materials

A soak in the hot spring. A good meal for the night. Durian for dessert. What a perfect way to end the night.

Refreshing Springs Resort is one of the resorts we stayed in during the Hulu Selangor media familiarisation trip organized by M-Mode Berhad, Santai Travel and Tourism Malaysia with supports from Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor.

Info Box

Refreshing Springs Resort Sdn. Bhd.,
PT4049, Gumut Tambahan, Mukim Sungai Gumut, 44100 Kalumpang, Hulu Selangor, Selangor.
Room rate depends on season. For more information, please call Carol (019-3982988) or Grace (019-2401308). You can also refer to their website here.

Hotel Review - Teratak Riverview Resort

The journey to Teratak Riverview Resort was an adventure itself. Our buses were too big for the narrow road leading to the resort, leaving us no other option but to board on the lorries and trucks provided by them. For the outsiders, this whole scene definitely looks like smuggling of illegal immigrants, with us all standing at the back of the lorries and trucks. 

Teratak Riverview Resort

Humans and luggage were of little difference

It was a bumpy ride, to say the least. We constantly had to look out for branches and leaves in order not to get hit by them. Didn't I say it is an adventurous journey right from the start?

When we reached the resort, somehow, the air seemed much fresher. Maybe it was, what with the close proximity to the Selangor River and being surrounded by forest. It was definitely refreshing to be away from concrete jungle I'm used to.

Soaking in the river

Hulu Selangor - Pasu Batik in Felda Sungai Tengi

Deep in the unfamiliar part of Selangor, close to the state border shared with Perak, lies an unassuming house of one Puan Seri Rohani. This Malay woman, with her beaming smile, welcomed us into her spacious house and the first thing you will notice is the vast numbers of colourfully clothed potteries on full display.

Pasu batik on display

These potteries are known as pasu batik and Puan Seri Rohani has been in this business for decades. Literally translated as batik vase, this art form is a popular handicraft in Indonesia, especially Bali, and thanks to an artist who came over to this Malay settlement years back to teach the local housewives, Puan Seri Rohani has benefited from this art migration. Now with 5 other ladies working under her tutelage, her name has become synonym with pasu batik.

The first process, gluing the batik on the pot

Add in gold thread for beautification purposes

Frankly speaking, this is my first time coming across this handicraft. The production of one beautiful pasu batik requires nothing much that a labu sayong or clay pot, batik cloth, industrial glue, gold string and maybe lacquer to finish it off. However, it is the works itself that are the tedious part. Complete concentration and precise workmanship are a must to produce this handicraft. Depending on the sizes of the potteries, it takes at least 2 days to fully finish a small one. As for the prices, again, size dictates it with the smallest goes something like RM 75.

The final products

Here's a quick video of one of the workers beginning her making of pasu batik.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Felda Sungai Tengi is one of the few stops of the Hulu Selangor media familiarisation trip organized by M-Mode Berhad, Santai Travel and Tourism Malaysia with supports from Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor. If you want to contact Puan Seri Rohani on pasu batik, call her at 019-5584766 or visit her house. Her housing address is 512, Felda Sungai Tengi, 44010 Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor.

Shah Alam - Arabic Calligraphy at Kompleks Taman Seni Islam Selangor

The young Malay girl was putting the final touch of the sentence, her concentration never once waver even when surrounded by photographers, all aiming to capture this moment at various angles. Her eyes kept looking on the calligraphy writing while her steady hand guiding the utensil along. 

Arabic scripts are first to be written in pencils for checking purposes. Once vetted and approved, the writings are traced in dark ink. If there is any mistakes made with ink, it is either lightly scraped off or a complete do-over. 

Below is a short video of Arabic calligraphy being done.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Kompleks Taman Seni Islam Selangor is the first stop of the Hulu Selangor media familiarisation trip organized by M-Mode Berhad, Santai Travel and Tourism Malaysia with supports from Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor. Located at Persiaran Damai, Seksyen 10, Shah Alam, this complex open daily from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. except on Mondays and public holidays. Do visit Kompleks Taman Seni Islam Selangor you want to find out more about Arabic calligraphy and their programs and galleries or visit their website.

Hulu Selangor - Overview (Media Trip 2013)

I just came back from a media familiarisation trip held from 27 to 29 November 2013 to Hulu Selangor organised my M-Mode Berhad, Santai Travel and Tourism Malaysia with supports from Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor. This is my second adventure with the Sahabat Media Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia and I have to say, it was simply wonderful. While the first was to Cherating, this time around, we went to explore the outskirt of Selangor, near the border to Perak.

If you are looking for natural retreat, Hulu Selangor is the place for you. Throughout these 3 days, we visited jungle and orchard, farm and insect world, garden city and city within a city. In short, we experienced all the best things the district has to offer. More will come for the trip but as the moment, just enjoy the photos.

The art of Jawi writing

Pasu batik, a local souvenir found in Felda Sungai Tengi

This is the view we got to see during our first night

Durian buffet all day long

Kuala Kubu Bharu which I was much fascinated

We ended the day at i-City, Shah Alam

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Cherating - The End (Media Trip 2013)

After 2 awesome days in Cherating, we have to leave the quaint beach town back to the city. After breakfast and a tour around the hotel, we had to start packing and get ready to leave. To end this amazing media familiarisation trip to Cherating 2013, I just share some group photos.

In turtle sanctuary (via Fadzly)

Cherating - Little Bali (Media Trip 2013)

This trip to Little Bali was an impromptu one. With the end of the theme dinner party, the day was supposed to end as well but we were told that there will be a bus trip to Little Bali, an entertainment outlet we saw the other night while on fireflies cruise, if we were interested. Why not, I thought.

The banner that welcomes you

Little Bali is located along that same stretch of road that we have been frequented to these two days, where Hafiz's Cherating Activities and Limbong Art batik are at. While it looks nothing more than a simple shack along the Cherating River, it is the atmosphere the pub/bar boosts that will truly amaze you. Owned by local artist DJ Shah, Little Bali is the most hippy joint in East Coast.

Everything was still slow before 12

When we arrived, the resident house band was already alive and kicking, jamming tunes that for sure will quicken your heart rate. The singers were dancing to the music while serenading us, a feat I find difficult to do. The dance floor was perpetually empty except for one Malay uncle, twisting and turning to the beats nonstop. That uncle really appreciated music.

They gave an energetic performance that night

The beverages are rather limited with the standard carbonated drinks, fruit juices and hot coffees and teas while local beers and wines for alcoholic ones. Neither cocktails nor mocktails can be seen on the menu.

This uncle seriously can dance

Sway your hip left and right

By the time it hit midnight, the crowd began to expand. This is something quite common, according to the owner, especially on Thursday and Friday nights as the youngsters from Kemaman and Cherating as well as the foreigners from offshore oil plants would come over for a good night. Fridays and Saturdays in the East Coast are what Saturdays and Sundays are for West Coast.

Just look at the crowd after midnight

We just sank into the music and let it took hold of our bodies until we were mentally beaten. It was about 1 a.m. when Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" was serenaded to us as parting gift. Now, that is the way to go out with a bang.

This trip is made possible thanks to the peoples of M-Mode Berhad, Santai Travel, Tourism Malaysia and the Legend Resort Cherating.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Located at the Riverside Chalet, Little Bali opens daily with live band performances from 10 p.m. onwards on every Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Just a 30 minute trip from Kuantan and 15 minutes from Kemaman, Little Bali is the resident fun house along the coastal. For more information, visit their website or you can contact them at 019-9836536 or 013-9836536. You can also leave them an e-mail here.

Cherating - Pirate Theme Dinner (Media Trip 2013)

As mentioned in previous post, The Legend Resort Cherating can organize a theme dinner party for your crowd if you requested for one and on our second day, we did have one ourselves. Our party theme, Pirate!

Welcome to Pirates Night

Beautifully dressed in black

Unfortunately, not many of us came in full on costume, myself included. We just wore a T-shirt, a Pirate themed graphic, given to us by the resort. What to do? I'm not used to attending dinner party with an eye patch and a stuffed parrot on my shoulder. However, some of the friendly staffs did dress up, especially the emcee for the night who obviously had Captain Jack Sparrow as his role model.

Look at the Captain Sparrow look-alike

Pirates on loose

The party was by the beach and it was a definitely a change of environment after having our meals at the Coconut Grove Coffee House for breakfasts, lunches and dinner. The whole set-up was all-black, with polystyrene plates bearing skulls hanging around and miniature treasure boxes on dinner tables. The meal was buffet style as well as BBQ. Our entertainment consisted of the said emcee (he was a hoot!), the 3 Filipino singers and our local celebrity, Iqwal Hafiz. 

Some of the decorations

Fruits and pastries as desserts

Roasted lamb

Needless to say, it was a fun-filled night and after the group photo taking sessions, we were told that there'll be a trip to Little Bali, a local pub, to have a drink or two and enjoy live band performances, if we would like to follow. I was like, of course! 

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Cherating - Half Day Tour (Media Trip 2013)

A restful night was the prescription for the fatigue after the eventful first day and the next day began with new spark of energy. While we can't begin the day with sunrise (it was rather cloudy), at least we had ourselves some wonderful breakfast prepared for us by the Legend Resort Cherating to fuel the day. When everyone was done, off we began with the half-day tour.

Even without a sunrise view, morning by the beach is still beautiful

Hotel Review - The Legend Resort, Cherating

After a tiring first day filled with amazing activities (visiting Turtle Sanctuary, releasing baby turtles back to the open water and going on a fireflies watch), it was high time for a good night rest. Thanks to our gracious host of the Legend Resort Cherating, we all have amazingly restful slumbers throughout our 3 days 2 nights trip in this quaint beach town.

Our Grand Deluxe room

We stayed in the Grand Deluxe room in the newly renovated Cherating Wing. The room is spacious and beautifully decorated with balcony that has access to ocean view. Meanwhile, the bathroom is clean with all the modern necessities made available. The channel selection on the television is rather limited, but, I guess no one comes to the beach town only to hide yourself in the room watching TV.

The view outside of the balcony