We were out paddling our kayaks and canoes on Perak river when we chance upon an area covered with lotus. It was a rather hidden spot, shallow and mystical. While we saw some of the flowers blooming, many had withered away and some dying.

I have always associated [...]]]>

We paddled through a lagoon covered in lotus

We were out paddling our kayaks and canoes on Perak river when we chance upon an area covered with lotus. It was a rather hidden spot, shallow and mystical. While we saw some of the flowers blooming, many had withered away and some dying.

I have always associated lotus with Lake Chini and I never imagined I’d come across this lagoon of lotus while paddling along Sungai Perak. Just after a river bend, we snaked into this small channel with lotus covering both sides.

Our friend Jim and his family admiring the lotus

Its a thrilling experience. We paddled gently, exploring and coming closer to this beautiful plant.

One of the flowers we managed to get close to

There weren’t many flowers blooming that day. I’d imagine this place would be a paradise if all the flowers were blooming. Everyone was busy taking photos and Meun was simply captivated by its beauty.

Meun stood on her kayak to try take that perfect shot

Nadir too took many pictures I reckon- Pic by Meun

And of course the seed pod of the lotus is good eating. I found one but decided against harvesting them. There weren’t many around, probably eaten by the wild buffaloes or harvested by locals to be sold at nearby markets.

One of the seed pods I manage to photograph

As we were about to continue our paddle along Sungai Perak, my kayak created tiny ripples that swept over some of the lotus . Some leaves went down under while some fought back and revived itself. Water droplets danced on the pads finding its balance to get off the green surface to rejoin the river. I wondered if I can make myself water repellent like so. That would come in handy when the rain pours!

Dancing water?

The lotus lagoon is a special place in my books now. It may not be as magnificant as the one at Lake Chini but it reveals itself in a serene and mysterious way. Its like a hidden place to be discovered only by those who can appreciate its beauty. A beautiful place indeed and we will be back to pay you another visit soon…that’s for sure.

More on our kayak trip to Sungai Perak:

• Yau Kee Chicken at Kampar
• Paddling along Sungai Perak & beyond
• Tasting the fresh water kepah clams
• Wild water buffalo on Sungai Perak

We were told that we may come across wild animals as we paddled down Sungai Perak. We were hoping to see elephants (there has been sightings at some areas along Sungai Perak), we were however greeted by a heard of wild water buffalos. Wild water buffalos along Sungai Perak, who [...]]]>

Wild buffalos along Sungai Perak

We were told that we may come across wild animals as we paddled down Sungai Perak. We were hoping to see elephants (there has been sightings at some areas along Sungai Perak), we were however greeted by a heard of wild water buffalos. Wild water buffalos along Sungai Perak, who would have thought!

As we approached a particular sandy river bank, under the shade of some trees were some black figures. From far, I thought they were big boulders or rocks. But as we got closer, it was obvious that they were a buffalos. We thought perhaps they belong to local kampung folks but realise none of them had any collars or markings on. Best still, Jim took a look at his printed google earth map and announced that the piece of sandy bar we were staring at is actually an island. No herder in his right mind would drive his buffalos across a river to an island for grazing I reckon.

We paddled passed our new found friends. We did not want to get too close to them or even to startle them. They may launch towards us. Who knows. One of them looks like the alpha bull and its huge horns is enough to tell us its best to stay away.

It wasn’t until later in the day, on our paddle back that we chance upon them again. The weather was turning, the cloud was dark and rain drops starting to dance on the water surface. We weren’t in any danger but the prospect of getting caught in the rain vs a warm cup of milo back at camp is an obvious decision. Around a bend and our paths cross again. This time, the entire buffalo herd is in the water. Not sure if they were just taking a dip of trying to cross over to the other riverbank but their huge heads and horns can be seen clearly.

Meun had her camera in a diving case and took some good shots of them in the water.

The heads and horns of the water buffalos bobbing on the water surface- Pic by Meun

Well, the buffalos were obviously in the water, bloking our paths. We got closer and it did not take long for them to notice our striking yellow, red kayaks. Colors that local villagers would tell you NOT to wear near buffalos! The herd started to move faster.

The herd making its way out of the water

We waited a good 5 minutes to watch the buffalos exit the water. Both a safety precaution as well as trying to witness this rare sight. With the buffalos out of the water, we continued our paddle back to where we started.

So much fun to paddle in the rain!- Pic by Meun

Back at camp, we met with some of the locals and inquired about them water buffalos. They confirmed that they were wild herds. Some many years back, a major flood upstream swept a few herds downstream. The buffalos roam the surrounding areas. There has been no reported incidences or issues with them buffalos. Will I be able to see the water buffalos again the next time around? I donno…but it sure was exciting seeing wild water buffalos along Sungai Perak.


More on our kayak trip to Sungai Perak:

• Yau Kee Chicken at Kampar
• Paddling along Sungai Perak & beyond
• Tasting the fresh water kepah clams
• Lotus lagoon along Sungai Perak

Beautiful river of Malaysia

Driving through Belukar Bukit, we saw a tiny unpaved access road to the side and decided to explore it. We didn’t [...]]]> There is a river, very close to the Belukar Bukit park near Kuala Berang that has left me mesmerized. The truth is, I have been thinking a lot about this place.

Beautiful river of Malaysia

Driving through Belukar Bukit, we saw a tiny unpaved access road to the side and decided to explore it. We didn’t get far as the road seems to come to an abrupt end. Leaving our vehicle, we decided to do some exploration on foot

I would describe this place as nothing short of heavenly. Having visited quite a number of rivers, this is probably one of the best looking rivers I have ever seen. We followed a very faint path and made our way through the heavily dense undergrowth. There were signs everywhere of wild boars. Earth has been disturbed and dug out for worms, a common trait of this jungle animal. In the state of Terengganu where the majority population is Malay Muslim, the wild boar population is generally higher than other states and sightings are more common.

Lower part of the river

As we walked further into the jungle with the river as our hand ‘rail’, we were overwhelmed by a sense of awe from the beauty of the place. The calm and almost crystal clear water is a sight to behold. It’s peacefulness and serenity has a calming yet exciting feeling. The entire place is like a can of Pringles chips. Once pop, you just can’t stop!

After walking about 20 minutes, we stumbled upon elephant dung. This is a pleasant surprise considering that we are not really far from civilization. We saw not one but several ‘pile’ of them jumbo droppings.

From our 'big friends' of the jungle

Okay, with only fishing rods and our kits low on food, we decided that it is time to head back to the car and continue our journey back home. This place we agreed has a lot of ‘exploring’ potential and would definitely be worth another trip.

I have this river marked on my GPS. The next time around, we will be more ‘ready’ to head in and explore this hidden treasure of Terengganu.

There’s plenty of things to do at Sungai Sedim. The place itself is actually called Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, sort of like a recreational park. Like many other hutan lipur around the country, the Sungai Sedim area has been ‘developed’ with basic amenities for visitors. These include parking area (RM2 per entry) public toilets (RM0.30 [...]]]>

There’s plenty of things to do at Sungai Sedim. The place itself is actually called Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, sort of like a recreational park. Like many other hutan lipur around the country, the Sungai Sedim area has been ‘developed’ with basic amenities for visitors. These include parking area (RM2 per entry) public toilets (RM0.30 per entry), camp grounds, hostels etc. All of course comes at a minimal charge.

Sg Sedim itself is a popular place for white water paddling. Rafts or kayaks, paddlers can expect to enjoy up to 15km of rapids. Worth noting though that water level can be rather disappointing, especially during dry seasons.

When I visited the place in November 2008, the place was packed with weekenders. There were people camping but mostly having family picnics. People came with their families with carloads of supplies of home cooked food, picnic mats, rubber tubes and even sound boxes. The place was alive with mostly locals enjoying their holidays by the river.

There’s also an accommodation facility here. Dormitory style. I stayed here for a night the last time I visited the place. But back then, nothing much was available. We even had to head out to get feed. Now, the place is more organized, with catering and even some team building facilities

This place is packed with locals. I felt a bit uneasy to be honest walking around this place. There were eyes following us cause we were obviously not locals. Sigh…

Anyway, I wasn’t there for a picnic but for the Tree Top Walk. And that my friends, is a really interesting experience! (next entry)

Click here to find out how to get to Kuala Sedim.