Cameron Highlands

A refreshing cool retreat is the best way to describe Cameron Highlands. Undulating valleys and majestic mountains surround this popular hill station at 1,524m above sea level. A4-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands is the largest hill resort in the country. Sprawling tea plantations, terraced flower gardens, orchards and vegetable farms are common sights due to the cool climate. Brinchang. Stop by the strawberry farms and sample delicious homemade jams. Flower nurseries are a delight to visit while the Agro Technology Park in the main town of Tanah Rata is filled with temperate blooms and herbs. Golfers can tee off at the 18-hole golf course between Tanah Rata and Brinchang town. Fresh fruits and vegetables, potted plants, cacti and souvenirs can be purchased at the markets in Kea Farm and Brinchang.

The fantasy –like Mossy Forest located at the peak of the highlands is a misty wonderland not to be missed! At 2,032m above sea level, the mouth of the forest is accessible by road from The small town of Tapah at the foothills of Cameron Highlands is the gateway to the hill station and can be reached by bus, taxi or train from Kuala Lumpur. From Tapah, regular bus and taxi services are available to Tanah Rata, 60km away. The resort is also accessible via the new highway at Simpang Pulai. If you are driving from Kuala Lumpur, the Simpang Pulai exit is about 45 minutes north of Tapah along the North-South Expressway. Genting Highlands

The fun never stops at this popular tourist attraction, only 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur. Dubbed the ‘City of Entertainment ‘, this resort offers indoor and outdoor theme parks, an 18hole golf course and a casino. Perfect for a family holiday, visitors will also be treated to spectacular magic shows and ice-skating extravaganzas. Enjoy a visit to Snow World where you can ride on the toboggan. For the adventurous, try the Genting Sky Venture, the only free fall skydiving simulator in Asia. Tourists can drive up to the resort or stop at the Genting Skyway Station at Gohtong Jaya, 950 m above sea level, and take a cable car ride to the summit.

Cherating
Cherating, 47km north of Kuantan, is famed as the location of Asia’s first Club Med. Enjoy a host of aquatic thrills such as catamaran sailing, kayaking and windsurfing. The nearby Cherating Village offers an opportunity to watch handicraft demonstrations amidst a rustic and laid-back atmosphere. This charming village offers modest but comfortable accommodations for backpackers. At the Cherating Cultural Complex, visitors can try their hand at kite-flying, top –spinning and batik-painting. Chendor Beach, just minutes away, is a favourite spot to catch sight of the rare Green Turtle nesting.

Teluk Chempedak
Teluk Chempedak, only a few kilometers from Kuantan, is a traditionally popular weekend retreat for its calm waters and beautiful casuarinas-lined coastline. Enjoy sailing, surfing and water skiing or take in the lovely view of the sunrise. Balok

About 15km north of Kuantan is Balok, a vibrant playground for activities such as windsurfing, kite-boarding, sailing and swimming. It also hosts the annual International Windsurfing Regatta and Kuantan Beach Run. Beserah

This quaint fishing village about 10km from Kuantan is the place to watch the seasonal phenomenon of fisherfolk using buffaloes to transport the day’s catch to the market. For a difference, the Beach of Black Sand, just 10km from Kuantan will be a sight to behold, as the black sand glitters under the sun. Its calm waters and seafood stalls make it a popular weekend getaway. Pekan

Located on the banks of the Pahang River 50km south of Kuantan, Pekan is the royal town of Pahang. The Pekan State Museum houses a rich collection of artefacts, priceless antiques including glassware and ceramics as well as exhibits tracing the lineage of the state’s royalty. This town also hosts the final leg of the Pahang River Rafing Expedition, where participants can experience the culture and lifestyle of Pahang’s hinterland. Pulau Keladi Cultural Village

Only 15minutes away from Pekan is the Pulau Keladi Cultural Village. Among the attractions here is the birth place of Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia’s second Prime Minister. At the Pahang Silk Weaving Centre nearby, visitors can watch the intricate art of silk weaving. PULAU TIOMAN

Considered one of the most beautiful islands in the world, Tioman is the largest island of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and the most developed of the volcanic islands that make up the Pahang Marine Parks. This famous island paradise is the largest on the east coast and yet sparsely populated. The island used to be a popular spot with sailing ship, which stopped over for fresh water and supplies. Tioman’s beauty lies in its waterfalls, large tract of jungle and lovely beaches with clear waters teeming with fish and coral formation s. The area north and south of Tekek village on the western coast is fairly well-developed with lovely kampong houses and one major resort known as the Berjaya Tioman resort located not far from the airport. Popular beaches are at the villages of Salang, Tekek and Genting.

The less accessible Juara beach on the eastern side is a backpackers’ stopover with cheaper accommodation. Another favourite with backpackers is at the north end of the beach, where a short trek over a hill leads to Ayer Batang, noted for offshore corals, cheap accommodation and restaurants. There are several other kampungs with excellent beaches and accommodation at Teluk Nipah and Mukut, accessible only by boat. Mukut was one of the locations for the film ‘South Pacific’. Getting There :

Tioman is a two hours by motorboat from Tanjung Gemok in Pahang and can be reached via Mersing in Johor. Berjaya Air operates daily direct flights to Tioman from The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Aiport in Kuala Lumpur, as well as from Singapore. The journey takes about one hour from Kuala Lumpur and 40 minutes from Singapore TEMERLOH

Located about 130 km from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur trunk road, delightful Temerloh is the second largest town in Pahang Darul Makmur. The old name for Temerloh is Kuala Semantan. The change of name from Kuala Semantan to Temerloh was also significant. It was thought that while Kuala Semantan was meant to designate the old area, the town actually covered a bigger area, and not just at the mouth of the riverbank. The name Temerloh was derived from the Malay word “mereloh” meaning “sleep”. It is said that “Temerloh” came about when an Indonesian Minangkabau settler who came to settle at the place noticed an orang asli (aborigine) who slept (“mereloh”) all through the day without a care in the world. Temerloh town sits at the confluence of the Pahang and Semantan Rivers, which is why it is rich with freshwater fish such as Patin (silver catfish), Jelawat, Baung, Tenggalan, Lampam, Belida, Tilapia and Kerai. As the home of the Patin fish, the Temerloh folks have special dishes that bring out the best taste of the fish. Actually, there are three species of patin, based on its breeding, and hence to connoisseurs, there are slight differences in the taste. A patin fish has smooth flesh and when grilled under a firewood, or barbequed and eaten with sambal asam.

Kuala Lipis
Kuala Lipis is located at the confluence of the Lipis and Jelai rivers a population about 84,000. It is about 171 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur and about 235 km from Kuantan. Kuala Lipis was the administrative capital of Pahang for 57 years from 1898 until 27th August 1955, when Kuantan was picked as the new capital. Due to its strategic location, Kuala Lipis, in the old days of the British era, was an influential trading and business center. Minerals such as tin and gold, and products from the surrounding forests were actively traded. Here, as the state capital during the times of the British colonial era, it was the main residential location for British administrators and other British trade and business men in Pahang. If we wander around Kuala Lipis town, we will find a number of legacies left by the British during their time of colonization of the country. We will notice the architecture of the past in some of the old buildings there. Today, this building now functions as the Kuala Lipis Rest House. At the “Sudut Budaya” (cultural corner) of this Rest House, you can see displays of weapons of the past, such as the Malay spears, daggers and keris. Adventures and Pleasure :

It is amazing that Kuala Lipis, despite its quaint setting, has many pleasurable activities for the visitor to do. Here, we can relax our body amidst the clean and soothing comfort of a recreational lake, Empang Jaleh, not too far from town. A popular picnic locality for the town-folks, Empang Jaleh will see some crowd and picnickers during the weekends. Sungai Relau, near Merapoh, is an alternative entry point (there are about 4 entry points) into Taman Negara – Malaysia’s Premier National park- and one of the three embarkation points to Gunung Tahan, the highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia standing at 2,187 meters above sea level. At Sungai Relau is where you can enjoy thrilling and adventurous activities, like kayaking and also cave exploring. You can take a four-day trek along a mountainous jungle trail from Sungai Relau, Merapoh to Gunung Tahan. The trail here to the summit is in fact shorter than the main route from Kuala Tahan, which can take about 9 days for a return trip.

Another popular location in the district of Kuala Lipis is Terenggun Recreational Park. Here, you will find that there are four forest reserves, ideal sites for the avid adventurer to trek and learn about the flora of the forest. Moreover, for bird-watching enthusiasts, you will find the place awe-inspiring. Especially when you take the short ascent to Bukit Taching, where you will get to not only observe the variety of birds, but to savor and enjoy nature as it truly is. To those keen spelunkers out there, if you have time for a challenging cave exploration, just head to Bama Cave at Kampung Relong for an awesome and enriching experience. If you know the local stories and tales of Bama Cave, perhaps you might take a pass. And for anyone who prefers fast paced action, perhaps Tasik Burung Mandi Park, just outside town, is the place to head to. This is where the thrills and spills of dirt bike competitions are usually held. Seasoned dirt bikers will definitely enjoy the thrills of bike racing on the sometimes rather muddy trails of raw earth.

Strategically located between the Lipis and Jelis Rivers, the historical town of Kuala Lipis was a bustling trading point in the early days. It was the former capitalcof Pahang of 57years. The colonial buildings here boast neo-classic and eclectic architecture. The Pahang Club House was the first building to be built by the British in this town. It was home to the former British Residents (administrators) of Pahang and now functions as the Kuala Lipis Rest House. The Clifford School was built in 1913 to honour Sir Hugh Clifford, the second British Resident of Pahang. Many of the state’s royalty and leaders were educated in this prestigious school.

CAMERON HIGHLAND

GENTING HIGHLAND

CHERATING

TELUK CHEMPEDAK

BALOK

BESERAH

PEKAN

PULAU KELADI

KUALA LIPIS

PULAU TIOMAN

Located about 130 km from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur trunk road, delightful Temerloh is the second largest town in Pahang Darul Makmur. The old name for Temerloh is Kuala Semantan. The change of name from Kuala Semantan to Temerloh was also significant. It was thought that while Kuala Semantan was meant to designate the old area, the town actually covered a bigger area, and not just at the mouth of the riverbank. The name Temerloh was derived from the Malay word “mereloh” meaning “sleep”. It is said that “Temerloh” came about when an Indonesian Minangkabau settler who came to settle at the place noticed an orang asli (aborigine) who slept (“mereloh”) all through the day without a care in the world. Temerloh town sits at the confluence of the Pahang and Semantan Rivers, which is why it is rich with freshwater fish such as Patin (silver catfish), Jelawat, Baung, Tenggalan, Lampam, Belida, Tilapia and Kerai. As the home of the Patin fish, the Temerloh folks have special dishes that bring out the best taste of the fish.

Actually, there are three species of patin, based on its breeding, and hence to connoisseurs, there are slight differences in the taste. A patin fish has smooth flesh and when grilled under a firewood, or barbequed and eaten with sambal asam. A private company called Genting Highlands Berhad was set up on 27 April 1965, with the late Tan Sri Haji Mohammed Noah bin Omar, Tan Sri Lim successfully obtained approval for the alienation of 12,000 acres (49 km2) and 2,800 acres (11 km2) of land from the Pahang and Selangor State Government respectively between the years 1965 and 1970. An anomaly happened during the obtaining of the land approvals. While the Pahang state government swiftly approved a freehold lease, the Selangor state reluctantly approved a 99-year lease.

As a result, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong met the then Mentri Besar of Selangor, Dato Harun Idris and telling him that a freehold lease will be more feasible than a 99-year lease. Finally, the Selangor state government agreed to grant a freehold lease. On 18 August 1965, a technical and construction team began the herculean task that would take four years to complete the access road from Genting Sempah to the peak of Gunung Ulu Kali. On 31 March 1969, the late YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the company’s pioneer hotel, the then Highlands Hotel, marking the completion of the access road to Genting Highlands Resort. The Prime Minister was impressed that the private sector, without the assistance of the Government, could develop a mountain resort for the enjoyment of all Malaysians.