Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, Pahang

The National Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah was set up by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in 1989 and is the centre for its Elephant Unit.

The Elephant Unit is tasked to locate, subdue and relocate elephants from areas in the peninsula where their habitats have been encroached by development. To avoid conflict between humans and the elephants, the elephants are moved to wilderness areas more suited for them to live in.

To assist in the task of re-locating wild elephants, the Elephant Unit has a number of trained resident elephants who assist in the task of calming and relocating the wild elephants. The Centre also has a number of orphan baby elephants who are looked after by the staff.

In addition to the translocation activities, the Centre also has a role in raising public awareness of the importance of the conservation of elephants and is open to the public and tourists.

Kuala Gandah is located in the hinterland in the centre of Peninsular Malaysia and it is only possible to get there by private transport. It is approximately 100km away by road from the city of Kuala Lumpur, and there are no buses or trains that go there.

If you are planning to drive there yourself, it is pretty easy to do and not complicated. From Kuala Lumpur you will have to take Route E8, which is more commonly known as the Karak Highway. This is a scenic highway that crosses the Titiwangsa range of mountains over into Pahang state, passing by the road up to Genting Highlands and the Berjaya Hills along the way.

Once over the dividing range at Karak, the highway becomes the East Coast Expressway  or Lebuhraya Pantai Timur; a straight and flat highway that goes all the way to the coast on the eastern side of the peninsula. Follow the highway until you come to the exit to the small town of Lanchang. Take the exit and pay the toll.

Immediately after the toll booths, you will see this signboard:

Go on straight down the road until you come to a T-junction that looks like this:

Do not turn left, as this will take you to the small town of Lanchang. Instead turn right, following the brown coloured signboard indicating Kuala Gandah.

You will shortly see the above signboard on your left, indicating you are on the right track and that Kuala Gandah is 12km away.

After a few kilometres, you will come across an intersection to your left. This road will take you to Raub and Bentong. Ignore it and continue onwards.

 

You will be driving past small kampung (village) houses and man-made fishing ponds along the way. Several of the kampung houses have signs advertising "homestays".

Eventually you will reach another fork in the road after you see this signboard:

Going right will take you to Deerland, a small petting zoo. Instead continue onwards toward the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre.

Eventually you will come to a small Orang Asli (aborigine) settlement and see this Gate and Guard House. This is the entrance to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre.

Drive in and park at the ample car park bays provided. The whole journey from Kuala Lumpur should not take you more than 1 hour and 30 minutes. As this is a government conservation centre and not a commercial enterprise, there are no entrance fees. However donations are always welcome.

Head towards the main administrative building in front. At the reception counter, you will be asked to sign a waiver form, which basically indemnifies the department against accidents should you chose to participate in any activity with the elephants. You will be given a sticker to paste on your shirt, which basically allows you to participate in the bathing with the elephants activity.

 

In the past, when you visited the Sanctuary, you could actually go riding on the elephants. You could actually also ride on the elephants into the river for the bathing activity. Due to complaints by animal rights groups, these as well as the elephant performance activities have since been abolished.

The routine nowadays follow a set schedule. If you arrive in the morning between 10:30 am to 12:00pm, all you can do is to observe the elephants roaming freely within their enclosure.

Most people would chose to arrive at 1pm. There is a video show which explains the objective of the Elephant Sanctuary which runs for about half-an-hour.

The shows run according to the following schedule:

Monday-Thursday : 1st Show (1pm) and 2nd Show (1:30pm)

Saturday,Sunday & Public Holidays: 1st Show (12:30pm),2nd Show (1pm) and 3rd Show (1:30pm)

After the show, you can walk at your leisure over the bridge across the river to the elephant grounds on the other side.

While waiting for the official activities to start at 2:15pm, you can actually buy peanuts, sugarcane or bananas at RM3 to feed the baby elephants who are lined up in pens.

At 2:15pm, the adult elephants are brought in. You can then watch the mahouts ride the elephants down into the adjacent river and bathe the elephants.

This is then followed by a short elephant conservation talk at the interpretive stage where you are introduced to each of the elephants and their background and abilities.

You are then given the opportunity to feed the adult elephants with some of their favourite fruits.

 

Finally, if the river level is not too high on the day of your visit and you have the yellow stickers, you can chose to bathe with the baby elephants in the river.

All in all, Kuala Gandah makes a good day trip out from Kuala Lumpur and can be easily combined with a trip to the nearby Deerland petting zoo.

National Elephant Conservation Centre (NECC)
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP/PERHILITAN)
Kuala Gandah, 28500 Lanchang
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel: +609-2790391
Fax: +609-2790398

Ana Ikan Bakar Petai, Pahang

Tanjung Lumpur can be roughly translated into english as "the Cape of Mud". Located at the mouth of the Kuantan river, for a long time Tanjung Lumpur was only accessible by boat from the state capital of Kuantan on the opposite bank of the river.

This all changed with the construction of the Abu Bakar bridge; which connected Kuantan and Tanjung Lumpur by road. Tanjung Lumpur, which has always been a traditional Malay fishing village, soon became the place to go for Malay style seafood with the proliferation of malay seafood restaurants.

Malay seafood restaurants are traditionally simple roadside affairs with the main star attraction being the "ikan bakar" or "grilled fish". Tanjung Lumpur is no exception, and being a fishing village, you know that the seafood will be fresh.

The first restaurant you will come across after turning left onto the road facing the sea is Ana Ikan Bakar Petai. The name of the restaurant comes from the house specialty, the "Ikan Bakar Petai" or "Grilled Fish with Stink Beans".

Now if you are unfamiliar with South East Asian cooking, the sound of the word "Stink Bean" is not likely going to make you salivate with hunger! So lets call it by its local name of "Petai" instead.

Petai in its seed pods.

This strange bean grows in long elongated seed pods usually gathered from the wild.  Within the pods are almond shaped green seeds which have a rather and unusual smell which is so pervasive it tends to linger in the mouth and body up to two days after consumption.

Petai after extraction from the pods.

What makes Ana Ikan Bakar Petai different from all the other Ikan Bakar restaurants in Malaysia, is that Ana's grilled fish is grilled in a spicy sambal sauce which is infused with sliced Petai. But more of that later.

That Ana Ikan Bakar Petai is popular is evident from the line of cars that jam up the narrow road in front of the restaurant.

If you go after 7pm, you will likely not be able to find an empty table - such is its popularity. So you will have to mill around and pounce on a table immediately once it is vacated.

After you manage to get a table, take a note of your table number. Then go and select your fish and seafood from the display area out front and tell them how you want it cooked.

Back at your table, wait for the waiter to come by, order your drink and other supplementary dishes. Don't expect five-star service here, the waiters will eventually come by and take your order in a quick brusque manner. There is no menu, just ask the waiter and he will advise you whats available. Or look at the signboard on the wall for guidance.

For starters you can order either the Keropok Lekor, Kerabu Mangga or the Sata. We decided to go for the Kerabu Mangga and the Keropok Lekor.

Kerabu Mangga

Kerabu Mangga is of course a Spicy Mango Salad. The restaurant's version was okay, but not the best we have ever tasted. The mango slices were not thinly sliced and perhaps not crunchy enough, but the peanuts sprinkled on top was good.

Keropok Lekor

Keropok Lekor is a specialty from the state of Terengganu, and is basically fish crackers. Made from ground fish mixed with sago flour and salt, it is kneaded into long doughy rolls, sliced into bite-sized chunks and deep-fried until it is golden brown. There is only one good way to eat Kerepok Lekor, and thats when it is piping hot! And Ana Ikan Bakar Petai does not fail in this respect. The Kerepok Lekor is served hot and is recommended.

Sata

We didn't order the Sata this time, but it sure looked interesting and different from Sata you can find elsewhere. Sata is another traditional dish from Terengganu, and consists of spiced fish meat with grated coconut, ginger, chillies and onions wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on a grill.

Ketam Masak Pedas

We ordered the Ketam Masak Pedas, or Spicy Crab - but it was just average. Not really one of the house specialties perhaps?

Sotong Goreng Tepung

Sotong Goreng Tepung, or Squid fried in batter, was good. The squid was not rubbery and the batter was light and crunchy. Recommended.

Ikan Bakar Petai wrapped in banana leaves

Unwrapped, with petai visible!

The undoubted star of the show was the Ikan Bakar Petai. We ordered the grilled stingray, and the portion was huge. The stingray was wrapped in banana leaves, which we slowly unwrapped. The aroma of the grilled fish as it was unwrapped was intoxicating. The grilled stingray was moist and juicy, infused with a secret spicy sambal sauce with the sliced petai generously mixed in with the sauce. This was undoubtedly one of the best Ikan Bakar we have tasted, if not the best. It was that good!

Ana Ikan Bakar Petai is so popular it has opened up other branches, with one in Bangi, near Kuala Lumpur. But the one in Tanjung Lumpur is the original, and if you are in the area of Kuantan, this is the one you must go to!

Ana Ikan Bakar Petai

Address: Tanjung Lumpur, Kuantan, Pahang.
Tel: +6013-998 9175

Fraser's Hill, Pahang

Fraser’s Hill is named after Louis James Fraser. Having failed in a venture at gold mining in Australia, he migrated in the 1890s to the Malay States to seek his fortune in tin mining. He operated a transport business using mules and bullocks to collect tin ore from miners along the Teras-Kuala Kubu route. Initially, he lived in a bare humble dwelling in Teras, probably because of the relative ease with which provisions and machinery could reach Teras up river from the mouth of the Pahang river. Once the metalled road from Kuala Kubu was completed to the Gap at Semangkok pass, he moved his operations from Teras to the Gap. From the Gap he used a bridle path to go up to the site of actual mines on the hill. Eventually, he built a bungalow up on the hill and lived there. However, the mines did not last long as the ore was quickly depleted and the Chinese miners and farmers mostly moved away. By that time, Bukit Fraser was the recognized name of the hill but Fraser himself had become only a legendary figure, having vanished without a trace into the jungle. In 1917, the Bishop of Singapore and another clergyman on holiday in the Gap rest house trekked up the hill possibly hoping to find the vanished Fraser or the site of his bungalow. On his return to Singapore, he wrote a report to the High Commissioner to suggest that the area was eminently suitable for the development of a hill station. From these humble beginnings, Fraser's Hill was developed as a highland retreat for the european community to get away from the heat and humidity of the lowlands of British Malaya. Today, Fraser's Hill still retains the colonial feel of a hill station, unlike the Cameron Highlands further north which has undergone rapid over-development and land clearing. Being only 100 kilometres or so away from Kuala Lumpur, Fraser's is only a short drive away from the city. The drive up the hill from Kuala Kubu Bahru along narrow winding roads through thick verdant jungle is part of the Fraser's Hill experience. After awhile twisting up the road you will eventually you will reach the Gap at Semangkok Pass. You can choose to press on down to Raub and central Pahang from the Gap or up to Fraser's Hill. An abandoned rest house stands at the Gap; refurbishment work stalled midway for no apparent reason. This used to be the spot where people had to wait, as the 8km road up to Fraser's Hill from here could only allow vehicles to go up or down in single file in one direction. Hence a solution was devised whereby cars could only ascend up the hill from the Gap at odd-numbered hours, and in even-numbered hours cars could only descend down the hill. These days, the construction of a new road now allows cars to continuously go up to the top from the Gap via the old road and down from the hill via the new road. The landslide prone new road is however sometimes closed down indefinitely when the inevitable landslide occurs, resulting in a reversion to the old system of odd and even hours going up and down the hill using the old road. As you reach the top of the winding narrow road, just after the top gate, you will come to an intersection to the right. This short road is called Mager Road after the Engineer responsible for the development of Fraser's Hill. Mager Road leads up the Selangor side of Fraser's Hill and passes the Selangor Sultan's residence as well as the pretty Kingwood, Arundel & Bunge and Richmond bungalows. Richmond Moving straight pass the intersection, you will cross the border into Pahang state and immediately reach the small hamlet of Fraser's Hill, marked by a small clock tower in the middle of a roundabout. Clock Tower The hamlet is so small, with just a couple of stores, a police station, a post office, a dispensary, a couple of hotels and a clubhouse overlooking the 9-hole golf course. Next to the Puncak Inn, is the small Tavern building; these days it houses a restaurant called Scott's Bar & Restaurant. Scott's Bar & Restaurant The Golf Course was designed and built by Frank Hemmant in 1925, and is believed to be the oldest highland golf course in Malaysia. Hemmant's name lives on in the name of the Hemmant Trail, which skirts the boundary of the Golf Course. Frank Hemmant's Golf Course Having looked at the small hamlet, you have the choice of staying at one of the hotels there, either the Puncak Inn or the Shahzan. Elsewhere in the hills, you have also the monstrous Fraser's Silverpark located on the top of the hill overlooking the golf course or the Fraser's Pine Resort down Quarry Road. However if you really want that Highland experience, you have to forget all these big nondescript 3-star hotels and go for the bungalow experience. Colonial Bungalows The Fraser's Hill Development Corporation which runs the Puncak Inn, also operates the following cottages: Cicely (Kuantan) Hollebeke (Cini) Cottage (Bentong) The names in bold are the original names of the bungalows, with the ones in brackets are the new politically correct local names. Highlands Resthouse Holdings Sdn Bhd ("HRH") is the operator of six colonial bungalows: Dacres (Brinchang) Kindersley (Raub) Staff House (Jerantut) Clifford (Jelai) Wray (Temerloh) Parr (Pekan) A Singaporean company Aloha Resorts runs 2 bungalows on the Selangor side of the hill: Richmond Singapore House Private companies own some of the other bungalows. Unfortunately you would have to know someone in those companies in order to book the accommodation and stay: Whittington - Sime Darby Muar Cottage - New Straits Times Muar Cottage High Pines - Boh Plantations Arundel & Bunge - KL Kepong Mallaig - Shell Glen - KTMB Tanglin - MMC If all else fails, there is always the Smokehouse. Ye Olde Smokehouse Scones & Tea Whether or not you chose to stay in The Smokehouse, having afternoon tea there is an essential part of the Fraser's Hill experience. You can chose to have your tea inside the house or weather permitting, on the terrace outside. For your afternoon tea, what else but go for the Cream Tea. A pot of tea, with scones, clotted cream and jam as well as orange cake, chocolate cake and apple pie. As you sit on the terrace sipping your tea, maybe you will be entertained by birdsong from the local birds or even paid a visit by a friendly squirrel. Ye Olde Smokehouse Address: Jalan Jeriau, 49000 Bukit Fraser, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia. Tel: +609-3622226 Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 8 am - 10pm   Trails and Walks The main reason you go to Fraser's Hill is to experience the bracing cool air, to go on leisurely walks as well as possibly more challenging ones. Walking along the asphalt roads are pleasant enough; but before the advent of the roads, bridle paths and trails were the way to get from one point to another. Nowadays most of these trails have fallen into disuse, but can still be walked if you are up to it. Some of the major trails are: Bishop Trail - (1500m) a.k.a.the Fig Trail. Named for the Bishop who was instrumental in the founding of Fraser's Hill as a colonial hill station, this trail connects the Bishop's House (now derelict) to the Cicely and Muar cottages. Rompin Trail - (500m) a.k.a. the Liana Trail. A steep shortcut through the jungle for the Taman Sungai flat dwellers to get to the hamlet in the past. Kindersley Trail - (750m) a.k.a. the Flowers Trail. Connects the Methodist Mission bungalow on top of a hill to the Aubyn corner on Lady Guillemard road. Maxwell Trail - (1800m) a.k.a. the Palms Trail. Named after Sir George Maxwell, the British superintendant of Ulu Pahang. It was under his watch that the development of Fraser's Hill took place. The trail starts at the Cicely and Muar Cottages, before descending down treacherously to the Tamil School (built in 1923, oldest school on the Hill) at the tail-end of Quarry Road. Hemmant Trail - (1000m) a.k.a.the Pitcher Plant Trail. Named after Frank Hemmant, who built the 9-hole Golf Course; this trails skirts along the golf course and was used by the Bishop of the Bishop's House to get to the Hamlet from his house. Abu Suradi Trail - (500m) a.k.a. the Lichen Trail. Named after Abu Suradi, who in 1899, was the first man to obtain a mining lease on the Hill, where the current golf course is. Connects the Maybank lodge down to where the mosque is on Genting road. Mager Trail - (1000m) a.k.a. the Wild Pepper Trail. Named after F.W.Mager, the Engineer who built and transformed Fraser's Hill from an abandoned mining camp to a charming hill station. The trail connects from the Maybank lodge down to a point near the Gap Road upper gate. Pine Tree Trail - (5000m) a.k.a. the Mossy Forest Trail. A physically tough and challenging trail, which connects the Mallaig and High Pines bungalow to the summit of an adjacent peak. Things To Do
Now really? Most people who go to Fraser's Hill do not go there to have action-packed itineraries. If you are really looking for nightlife, shopping, casinos, rides or theme parks, this is seriously NOT the place for you. Fraser's Hill is a place for people to come and relax, curl up with a good book or have real and meaningful conversations with friends or family. You go for short walks and appreciate the cool mountain air and the jungle. You look at the wild orchids and pitcher plants growing on the trails, or you pull out your binoculars and go bird-watching. At the most if you still want to be doing something, you are basically limited to: Jeriau Falls - a waterfall 5 km away from the hamlet, along Jeriau road. A short walk down a path and some steep steps will bring you down to a stream which has been dammed to create a swimming enclosure. If you can stand the icy waters, you can actually go for a swim here. Jeriau Allan's Water - originally built as a reservoir, you can now go on a paddle boat here for RM6 for 15 minutes. Or feed the fish in the lake - there are huge catfish and carp swimming about. If you are lucky, you may even see a turtle pop out its head from the water. Allan's Water Operating Hours Catfish in the Water The Paddock - At this area along Valley Road, you can actually go horse-riding or do a spot of archery. Golf - with a 9-hole golf course, golfing is an option if you really need something to while the time away. The Sports Complex and Golf Club House.