Believe me, word of mouth is actually a very powerful tool when used in the good way. It was a conversation between two friends that prompted me to visit Bukit Tinggi Bentong, in Pahang, Malaysia. I listened to my friend, then googled the place, and I was totally amazed. I had to go there. What is so unique and glorious about this place? – you will ask. Well, Bukit Tinggi Bentong, popularly known as Colmar Tropicale, Berjaya Hills, is a charming resort set at 2,700 feet above sea level. Designed in village style, it is listed amongst the top popular destination for visitors from around the nation, who go there to unwind with families and friends. One of the reason is surely the cool climate and comfortable atmosphere. Yet, there is more than just a resort to be discovered. Located within a lush tropical rainforest, Bukit Tinggi Bentong was created by Berjaya Hotels and Resorts, built in the year 2000 and modelled after 16th century Colmar town, north-east of Alsace, France. The resort also incorporates architectural designs and elements from ancient surrounding villages of Riquewihr, Turckheim and Kaysersberg. Colmar Tropicale website states that “the realization of this French-themed village derived from the wish list of Malaysia’s fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, who upon his visit to the region of Alsace was so impressed that he inspired Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, to replicate the actual Colmar town in Malaysia“. Being a huge resort in an area of 80 acres, the resort offers quite a wide range of activities and places to visit for either families, groups and honeymooners. Horse riding: For those interested in trying horse ridding, Bukit Tinggi Bentong is exactly what you are looking for. A registered Malaysian and British riding centre, sanctioned by Malaysian Equine Council and managed by a professional international coach as well as experienced horse whisperers, the place has an internationally qualified and professional team. All their horses are constantly trained, properly cared for and kept fit at championship standards. Furthermore, with 16 acres of rolling green hills, valleys, rainforest and open countryside, a horse ridding session there will be a most wonderful and unforgettable experience. Sport Complex: In the sport complex, you can enjoy the facilities provided such as swimming pool, pool table, archery, squash court and gymnasium. Adventure Park: Bukit Tinggi is complete with an adventure park offering activities such as flying fox, paint ball, jungle warfare, high rope obstacle course, canopy walk and rope climbing. Japanese Village: This is one of my favourite places to visit. I like the architecture and relaxing feeling there. The garden was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kaio Ariizumi and built by a team of 22 skilled craftsmen from Japan. It consists of Tea House, Tatami Spa, Botanical Garden, Ryo Zan Tei Japanese Restaurant and Ume Tatami Suite. Do remember not to miss the opportunity to try Japanese traditional clothing, the Kimono. Botanical Garden: At the Botanical Garden, you can see various types of plants and flowers. Bukit Tinggi Bentong also has a golf course, an animal park, various entertainments, an international restaurant and a 6D Motion Ride. ————————————————– I found Bukit Tinggi Bentong to be a wonderful place, nicely decorated and arranged. Weather apart, this place amazed me for its views, activities and places to visit. Sure, you will need to take long walks, but walking is a healthy activity that should be practiced by everyone. By walking you release stress and tension while indulging in the magnificent views. Bukit Tinggi Bentong can be done as a daily visit, yet, to experience the place to its best, book a hotel and stay for the night. Getting there From Kuala Lumpur, you can either: Drive there yourself: Take the Karak Highway to Kuantan and after the Genting Sempah rest area, take the junction on your right to Bukit Tinggi. I drove there, and the trip took me about 45-minutes at a time when traffic was minimal. It was a great adventure, since I love stopping where I fee, especially at shophouses to try the local food. Take a bus: this is also a great option, buses leave from Berjaya Times Square Tickets Bukit Tinggi Bentong is open to public with a charge for adults of RM 13 and children at RM 8. Some facilities and the stay at the resort are charged extra. There are several horse riding packages you can choose from, from a 10 minutes to a 90 minutes ride, with prices for all pockets. At the Japanese Village, trying the Kimono is RM20. The restaurant provides different kind of food at prices to suit every budget. For more information on this wonderful place, I suggest you visit their website at http://www.colmartropicale.com.my  TO BOOK A DISCOUNTED ROOM AT COLMAR TROPICAL, FOLLOW THIS LINK !  

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Turtles are cute reptiles, and since I love these animals, during my last visit to Kuantan, Pahang province, Malaysia, I stopped at the Cherating Turtle Sanctuary to see how they care of this endangered species. An early research informed me that turtles scientific name is Testudines or Chelonii. Turtles are the oldest ever living reptile group, with the largest specimen of chelonian being the leatherback sea-turtle, or Dermochelys coriacea, a turtle living in either fresh water or sea that can reach 2mt in length and weight over 900kg! Tortoise are turtles that dwell in rivers and fresh water streams, much smaller in size than the sea turtles. Their body is usually covered with shells that develop from their fibs, and that function as a shield. The only things you ever see on their living body are the head and the legs. Even though turtles are cold-blooded, like other reptiles, they lay eggs on earth and breathe air. This unique creature is believed to have night vision and intelligence as they can navigate mazes better than white rats. Their diet is dependent on the environment they live in, and consists mostly of meat and plants. Turtle in Malaysian language is Penyu; there are 4 main species of turtles in my country: the Green-Chelion Mydas, the Hawksbill-Eretmochelys imbricata, the Leatherback-Dermochelys coriacea and the Olive Ridley-Lepidochelys olivacea. Pahang has 5 major landing and nesting areas for these sea turtles: Pantai Chendor, Cherating, Tioman, Sri Buat Island and Rompin Beach. The most common turtle found in these areas is the Green-Chelion Mydas, which usually land on the shore between April and September. But back to my visit now: the Cherating Turtle Sanctuary was established in 1972 on an land plot of 0.33 hectare as a turtle hatchery in an effort to protect this species; it was opened to public in 1998 and it is run by the Department of Fisheries. I immediately felt the center is the perfect place for turtles, being next to the sea and in an area where turtles usually come to lay eggs. The main purpose of this center, apart from being a tourist attraction, is the collection of turtle eggs and the organizing of hatching programs. The hatcheries can be easily seen as they are located near the beach. A turtle’s eggs incubation period is around 50 to 60 days, and the eggs usually hatch at night. In order to prevent baby turtles being killed by other predators, they are immediately released to sea by the center. The period for a turtle to become mature is around 20 to 50 years, and only one in 1000 turtles is believed to live that long. While at the exhibition area, I collected some info from the several boards: I discovered that Cherating turtle sanctuary carries out a few research programs on turtles, as well as educating the public on awareness and on the importance of conserving these species. I was also happy to learn that those caught on capturing turtles are liable to a heavy fine and to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years, or both, under the Fisheries Act. I hope this is effecting in stopping ‘human predators’. Walking around the centre, I saw plenty of turtles in pond, turtles that are part of the center’s hatching program. They look sooooo cute, especially their babies. There are plenty of information boards and other ocean species on display, for the pleasure of the general public, dugongs and species of fish endemic to these waters. Over all, a pleasure time spent at an amazing place! Cherating turtle sanctuary has a souvenir shop and can provide camping facilities for those who want to experience turtle’s hatchlings program. Price range for pitching a tent is around RM30. Cherating turtle sanctuary is open to public from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 5.30 pm, with lunch hours being observed, and 3 hours dedicated to prayer every Friday. Admission is FREE, and donation (in the box provided) is appreciated. To get there, from Kuantan take a bus, a taxi or drive, following directions towards Kemamam/Kuala Terengganu. The sanctuary is located just next to Asia’s First Club Med in Cherating, Pahang, 50 Kilometres from Kuantan city. For more information on Cherating turtle sanctuary, you can email penyuhg@tm.net.my.

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Souvenirs are gifts from places you have been. I am one of those people who, when they travel, the first thing that come to mind is buying something for families and friends. Something for a remembrance of the trip you had the luck to take. During my short visit to Kuantan, I did find lots of souvenirs and bought some of them for my beloved family. The must-buy items in the Kuantan souvenir range are Keropok Lekor and Batiks, items that in Malaysia are mostly found in the east coast. You sure know what batiks are, but, do you know Keropok Lekor? Let me tell you: Keropok Lekor is the famous Malaysian fish crackers, a popular snack that usually can be found in Terengganu. Lekor in Terengganu language means roll, and people sometimes call it fish sausage. Keropok Lekor is made out of fish pounded into a paste together with vegetables, sago flour and seasoned with salt and sugar. These ingredients are mixed and then fried. There are two types of Keropok Lekor: Lekor Goreng and Lekor Keping.  Lekor Goreng is shaped into sausage-size and is quite chewy, while Lekor Keping is shaped into slices and has a crispier texture, since it is dried under the hot sun. These snacks are often eaten together with a chilly sauce. Pahang is the place where Keropok Lekor is made, so I took the opportunity and bought two big packets of these delicacies to bring back home. I chose the Lekor Keping since it is the one that can keep longer. It is also the most expensive of the two: while Lekor Goreng, which I bought to be eaten during the journey (and it was sooooo nice and yummy), cost me RM 3 only, for the Lekor Keping I spent RM 13 – though the price depends on the ingredients used. Keropok Lekor stalls can be found along the way from Balok to Cherating. As I continued my journey, I did not miss the opportunity to stop at the Natural Batik Village to buy a batik cloth for my family. Natural Batik Village is located at Balok, Pahang, 14.5 Kilometres away from Kuantan city. Let me share with you a little about the history of Batiks. Batik describes a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to a whole cloth. A tradition of making batik is found in various Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, and Philippines, though the batik of Indonesia is the most well-known. Batiks are both art and craft and are well known due to their creative motion and designs. When we talk about Batiks in Malaysia, Terengganu and the Malaysian east coast including Pahang are the places to be. At the Natural Batik Village there are plenty of things to see and do, apart from buying Batiks and related products like htas, coasters, t-shirts, sarongs, scarfs, hats, handbags and more. There are skilled workers and a spokesperson who will explain the process of Batik-making. For more information about Natural Batik Village, click on http://naturalbatik.com.my Hope you have enjoyed this article about Keropok Lekor and Batiks. Needless to say, my family loved the presents!

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Are you in Kuantan area, Pahang province, Malaysia? Are you sweating, feeling hot and want to jump in cool water? Well, Sungai Pandan waterfall is the best options for you. Also known as Panching waterfall, this waterfall is situated deep in the forest, past the small town, the army camp and the quarry area. Considered to be the Malaysia’s most beautiful waterfall, Sungai Pandan waterfall is a popular picnic and recreational area for the Kuantan local community. It consists of beautiful cascading rapids from the hill down to the giant rocks, culminating in large pool, which makes it attractive and ideal from swimming.  Sungai Pandan waterfall is really suitable for everyone, especially for those with families as they can enjoy the cool water splashing and it is safe for kids too thanks to the shallow depth of water – just at knee level – so kids can safely play around the area. Sungai Pandan is part of a Forest Reservation Area called Hutan Lipur Sungai Pandan, encompassing an area of about 25 hectares. Its forest is gazetted as an untouched treasure to preserve and conserve, home to several species of tropical trees, animals and insects. For activities, Sungai Pandan waterfall is ideal for picnic, outing and camping, hanging out with families, friends and colleagues. I suggest taking advantage of the rest huts and barbecue grill areas for your deserved breaks. For those who want to explore nature, head for a walk along the jungle trails: reach the top of the fall, and follow the course of the gentle stream to a suspension bridge, location suitable for picture-taking of the whole waterfalls area. I must remind you not to climb the rocks to the waterfalls as the stones are steep, slippery, sharp and potentially dangerous. Besides, you are also reminded to read the safety information provided at the entrance for your own safety. Like other places, Sungai Pandan waterfall is also equipped with a few amenities which include a parking lot, changing rooms, toilets and a gift and souvenir shops. Furthermore, you should not worry about food as there are catering stalls in the vicinity, though you are welcome to carry your own food along with you. For me, Sungai Pandan waterfall is a great place to cool down, to release and to free the mind from the tensions of everyday life. Make sure you bring a towel and some changing clothes so you do not miss out on the opportunity to swim near this amazing waterfall. Pampered yourself in crystal clear Sungai Pandan waterfall. Sungai Pandan waterfall is 25 kilometres from Kuantan town, which takes about 30 minutes by transport. Self-drive and taxi are available. Entrance fee is reasonable at RM 2 for adult and RM 1 for children. It is open to public from 7 am to 6 pm. For more information about directions and ticketing, contact info@pandanwaterfall.com or browse http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g298296-d5074281-Reviews-Sungai_Pandan_Waterfall-Kuantan_Kuantan_District_Pahang.html Asian Itinerary stayed at Le Village Beach Resort

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