Kajang - Part One

Long ago there was a Malay and aboriginal settlement named Reko. One day, two friends - one a Malay and one an aborigine, were on their way home on a 'sampan' (small boat) when suddenly there was a heavy rain. The Malay friend said to his aborigine friend, 'Let's "berkajang" ', which means let's take a shade but this was misunderstood by his aborigine friend as 'Let's fight' and so he took out his weapon and killed his Malay friend. The place is now known as Kajang.


"Kajang needs a face lift ! ", said the Selangor state government and I fully support this idea. I think it is high time for the local authority to review the traffic system, upgrade public facilities and improve landscaping.

Personally, I don't know of any interesting places to mention here except for the several waterfalls nearby and the famous Kajang Satay but nowadays the Satay is also being sold at restaurant outlets outside Kajang anyway.


However, if you are happened to be in Kajang, these are some of the sights that you could expect to see.


Traffic is quite chaotic in Kajang




One of the busiest streets. This is in front of Billion Supermarket




The history of Kajang dated back in 1709 when the first settlement in Kajang was established and in 1807, Kajang was founded after the Klang war. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kajang_(Malaysia)




The Hokkien Association Hall, one of the old buildings in Kajang


The murky river that pass through Kajang town



Tree in wall - an interesting sight at an Equestrian club next to Country Heights Kajang



A church located at Jalan Semenyih



Kajang Mosque. Note the neat green paint around the mosque including at road curb and tree trunk.



This is a new park located in Bangi



The origin of Kajang is written on a history plaque in the park




Talking about food, my favourites are the following:

Nasi Lemak: 'Nasi Lemak Kukus' stall next to a Car Wash along Jalan Sungai Kantan.

Chinese meals: Restoran Fook Loy at Kampung Baru Sungai Chua next to a junction turning to SILK highway, Restoran AG Seafood in a Chinese Temple behind Maybank Kajang, Restoran Xi Lai Ton at Sungai Chua

Hokkien fried noodle: A stall in a Chinese template (at Jalan Mendaling) near Maybank Kajang

Rojak: Indian stall beside a Chinese temple (at Jalan Mendaling) near Maybank Kajang

Curry Chee Cheong Fun: Hawker stall in Restoran Tai Kee Food Corner at Sungai Chua.

Roasted Duck/Pork and ChickenRice: Hawker stall in Restoran Tai Kee Food Corner at Sungai Chua.

Satay: Restoran Satay Kajang Hj Samuri next to Kajang Stadium, Restoran Malaysia opposite of Kajang Police Station,

Supper: Restoran Kari Kepala Ikan Cheras at Prima Saujana (near GIANT Kajang)



(1) There are many road side stalls selling Nasi Lemak for breakfast. My favourite is 'Nasi Lemak Kukus' by a stall located next to a Car Wash along Jalan Sungai Kantan. You can enjoy your breakfast there while your car is being washed. The stall is hidden under a tree on the right hand side of the road if you are traveling towards Prima Saujana via Jalan Sungai Kantan




(2) Restoran Fook Loy is located at Kampung Baru Sungai Chua next to a junction turning to SILK highway. I like their Tomyan in Coconut shell, steam fish, and fish fillet fried in spring onion



(3) Restoran Xi Lai Ton is located beside the road to Sungai Chua. It serves the usual Chinese dishes.


(4) Restoran AG Seafood is located in a Chinese Temple (next to a river) behind Maybank Kajang. It serves the usual Chinese dishes.




(5) The Indian stall selling Rojak and Mee Rebus is located beside a Chinese temple (at Jalan Mendaling) near Maybank Kajang. At night, there is a 'Tai Chow' stall selling Hokkien fried noodle in the same temple.




(6) This is a Kajang Satay restaurant operated by a Chinese family. The restaurant is located beside a Shell petrol station opposite of Kajang Police station




(7) There are many satay restaurants in Kajang. Restoran Satay Kajang Hj Samuri is the most popular one. It also has restaurant outlets outside Kajang.




(8) There are many hawker stalls here in this restaurant which is located in Sungai Chua. I like the curry chee cheong fun and the roasted duck/ pork and chicken rice. Sungai Chua is also famous for its Spicy hot soup but I have not tried any yet.





(9) This Kari Kepala Ikan Cheras restaurant is very crowded at night. It is located at Prima Saujana (near GIANT Kajang supermarket)



Kajang Road Map - my favourite places are marked with red dot

Sekinchan

I got my X-Trail in Oct 2005 and Sekinchan was my first outing with my new X-Trail

Sekinchan is popular for its vast paddy fields and a leading rice growing area in Malaysia with an output that is higher than the rice producing state of Kedah (dubbed the 'Rice Bowl of Malaysia'). It is also a fishing town popular for its seafood. During mango season, farmers are seen selling the fruit at roadside stalls.

We started our journey in the morning, stopped at Kuala Selangor for a crab-meehoon lunch, drove up to Sekinchan and spent the whole afternoon driving around the town, paddy field and fishing village and then back to Kuala Selangor for a seafood dinner.

To get there, from Kuala Lumpur, we took the Sungai Buloh-Ijok-Kuala Selangor-Sekinchan route. Alternate route is Kuala Lumpur-Klang-Kapar-Kuala Selangor-Sekinchan, which is the route that we took on our way home.































Another side of Sekinchan....fishing village

Mossy Forest Cameron Highlands

Ever thought of being in a spooky forest?

Try Mossy Forest in Cameron Highlands Malaysia

Not much has been publicised about this place and I only came to know about it from a colleague of mine.

The forest, including the trees and the grounds, is misty and fully covered by moss because of the wet climate there and hence giving it a spooky atmosphere just like the world portrayed in the Harry Porter movies.

The forest is located at Gunung Brinchang (Mount Brinchang) (while some called it Gunung Irau (Mount Irau) and I still couldn't figure out which is the right name and how they are related)

It is accessible by road. The forest is just a few walks away from the road and there are steps and wooden walkway that even children will have no problem walking through the forest. The forest is located at the border between the states of Pahang and Perak and I heard from a travel guide that there are markers to mark the borders of the two states but I couldn’t figure out where the markers are.

Driving up to the Mossy Forest is fun and a little adventurous because of the narrow and winding road. You will pass through a panoramic view of tea plantation on both sides of the road, vegetable and strawberry farm at one stretch and some bushy jungle.

To get there, go to Cameron Highlands and take the road to Sungai Palas Boh Tea Plantation (near the Cameron Highlands Equatorial Hotel), turn left before the main gate of the tea plantation and left again shortly after.

So, the next time if you are in Cameron Highlands, go and see it for yourself. It is interesting !

Seremban: Fish Head Noodle

I have heard about a popular fish-head noodle in Seremban for quite some time and on a number of visits to Seremban I have tried but failed to locate it.

Last Sunday, after a family outing to Pedas Hot Spring, my brother Jeffrey took us there for dinner and I find that the fish-head noodle is indeed good. It has no smelly fishy taste in it which is just what I like.

In addition to the Fish Head meehoon, we also have:

• 1 kg of crab fried with Marmite
• 1 kg of crab fried with salted egg
• 1 big chunk of fried pork leg
• Mantis prawn fried with dried chillies
  
• fried vegetable
• mixed vegetable and tofu

We paid RM208 for the meal which I think is quite reasonable for a sumptuous meal of 6 adults and 3 children.

If you are interested, here's the address:
Restoran Sin Yit Sing
No 103, Taman A.S.T
Jalan Labu Lama
70200 Seremban
Negeri Sembilan
Malaysia

Kuala Rompin

If you want to get away from the hustling bustling of city life, then Kuala Rompin is the place to be. I was in Kuala Rompin in May 2008 for a holiday.

The journey…

I’ve heard about this place several years before and had always wanted to go there but was hesitant to go alone as I’ve heard that the road to Kuala Rompin was remote and quiet. The advice was to travel in a company of at least 2 cars for support in case of emergency and so I managed to get a group of 3 families traveling in 3 cars.

The journey itself is refreshing and relaxing.

In the 30-minute drive from Senawang to Kuala Pilah (if you are using the Kuala Pilah route), one could see several dragon fruit farms along the way and there are farmers selling the fruit at roadside stalls. The journey after Kuala Pilah is then cutting through the Jengka oil palm plantation land, which is probably the biggest oil palm plantation land in Peninsula Malaysia I would imagine.

The journey to Kuala Rompin took about 5 hours including a lunch stop at a Malay restaurant (the only choice available) in Muadzam Shah.

Alternative routes are:

• Kula Lumpur – Karak – Bandar Tun Razak - Muadzam Shah – Kuala Rompin
• Singapore – Johor Bahru – Kota Tinggi - Mersing – Kuala Romping
• Kuantan – Pekan – Kuala Rompin

The Accommodation …

We stayed in Summerset Colonial Hotel, which is located at Leban Chondong about 15 minutes drive north of Kuala Rompin town. I understand that the hotel was opened in Dec 2000. It is an eco-resort hotel located in the midst of Menchali Forest Reserve, which is apparently (from what I’ve read) one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world dates back to 130 million years. It has a nice quiet sandy beach facing the South China Sea. I was told by the hotel staff that sometimes dolphins can be seen from the beach.

I find that the hotel is generally good except for the maintenance which seems to have been neglected to a certain extent. The room is clean but looks old and at some parts of the hotel wings it look creepy. Anyway I don’t think one would set high expectation in a remote place like this. Overall, I would give it a 3-star rating.

I like the location of the hotel, the natural surrounding, the beach and the recreational activities. Sipping coffee and listening to the sound of cricket during breakfast at the Terrace was to me a great way of relaxing here.

Hotel address:

Lot 2547 Kuala Rompin, 26800 Pahang, Malaysia
Tel: +609 4141 888

http://www.summerset.com.my

Sandy beach at Summerset Hotel
Summerset Hotel main entrance		Quiet evening		Sandy beach
Sunrise in the morning		Catch the morning sun		Playing by the beach in the morning

The number of accommodation available in Kuala Rompin is rather limited. The popular ones are:

1. Serai Di Lanjut Rompin (www.seraidilanjut.com.my) – This is another reputable hotel in Kuala Rompin besides the Summerset Hotel. It has a golf course, which is probably the only one in Kuala Rompin. It is located at Kampong Lanjut, which is nearer to the Kuala Rompin town than the Summerset Hotel.
2. Rompin Beach Resort (www.pahangtourism.com.my/accomodation/rbr.html) – It is located near the town; however, the hotel doesn’t look as impressive as Summerset Hotel and Serai Di Lanjut Rompin.
3. A number of budget hotels / chalets are also available, one of which is the Kuala Rompin River Chalet (www.rompinriverchalet.com), which provides boats for hiring for those who are into sports fishing, a popular activity in Kuala Rompin.

The town, Kuala Rompin …

Kuala Rompin is a small, laid back and quiet town. It is a popular spot for sports fishing and a gateway to Tioman Island as well as the Endau-Rompin State Park.

The town is the first stop in Pahang if you are approaching the state from either Johor Bahru or Singapore. It is about 130km south of Kuantan and 280km from Kuala Lumpur.

If you're a seafood lover, you can indulge throughout the year in a local delicacy, the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenberghii) known as "Udang Galah". They are caught fresh from Rompin River, Nenasi River, Anak Endau River and Endau River.

The fishing village nearby …

There is a fishing village called Nenasi located about 10 minutes drive from the Summerset Hotel driving north towards the Pekan direction. It is a small fishing village where the local folks are mostly friendly. There is one Chinese primary school here although majority of the students are non-Chinese. Recently I read in the news that a whale was found dead at the sea nearby and the carcass was brought back to Nenasi and buried there.

Nice and quiet Kampung life in Nenasi
Nenasi fishing village		Chinese restaurant in Nenasi		Peace and quiet
Riding a bicycle in Kampung		Nenasi beach front		Standing on a road

What to do here….

1. Sports fishing is a popular activity here but since I am not into fishing so I didn’t do fishing here
2. Canoeing and Kayaking in a Lotus pond at Summerset Hotel
3. Nature walking in a small forest and peat swam at Summerset Hotel
4. Off-road Buggy riding through a small forest nearby at the Summerset Hotel
5. Mountain biking at the Summerset Hotel
6. Golf at Serai Di Lanjut
7. Fire-flies at Rompin River or rivers nearby; however, to me nothing beats the Kampung Kuantan fireflies at Kuala Selangor 10 years ago
8. Watch sun rises and sunset
9. Relaxing by the beach
10. Do nothing – drink coffee and enjoy the quiet and laid-back Kampung life
11. Enjoy fresh seafood

Beautiful Lotus		The family		My wife and mother-in-law
Kayaking on Lotus pond				Canoeing at wetland
Me and my daughters before Buggy ride		Nature walking		Somebody fishing by the beach

Where to eat and what is good ….

1. Seafood dinner at the following restaurants:

• Chinese seafood restaurant (can’t remember the name of the restaurant). The food is good and cheap but the cooking is a bit slow; however, it’s worth the waiting.

Location: I didn’t take down the address. It is located at the sea-side of Pantai Hiburan (!? I think). I was told there is only one Chinese restaurant in town so the local people will be able to help with the direction if you ask around.

• Rompin River Seafood at Rompin River Chalet. The food is good but slightly pricy compared to the one at Pantai Hiburan.

Address: Kampung Kelebur, Depan Rumah Murah Sg Puteri, 26800 Kuala Rompin, Pahang. Tel: 609-412 0259. www.rompinriverchalet.com

2. Nasi Lemak with Udang Galah for breakfast

Location: Medan Selera next to a T-junction at Leban Chondong, which is located between Kuala Rompin and Summerset Hotel. If you come from Muadzam Shah, you will see the Medan Selera on the left hand side of the T-Junction at Leban Chondong. There are several stalls at the Medan Selera and most of them sell the same type of food i.e. Nasi Lemak, fried noodle, fried meehon etc. The Udang Galah are of different sizes and so the price goes according to the size.

3. Home-cook meal at Nenasi fishing village. There is only one Chinese restaurant (a house-cum-restaurant) in Nenasi. The lady owner is friendly and she cooks nice home-cook food. The waiting time can be quite long so it is best to get the contact number of the restaurant and makes prior reservation. We have two lunches at this place.

HOLIDAY ITINERARY

Day 1	Meet at Senawang Toll - 10:300am Take the Senawang-Kuala Pilah-Muadzam Shah route to Kuala Rompin - enjoy the serenity of the country view, fruit farms and oil palm plantation along the way Lunch at a Malay restaurant in Muadzam Shah Check in at Summerset Hotel (ETA 2:30pm) Team activity and games at the beach - 5pm Sea-food dinner at a local Chinese restaurant in Kuala Rompin Watch the glittering lights of fireflies at the Rompin River Have a good night sleep
Day 2	Watch the sun rises and enjoy a relaxing morning by the beach – 6:30am Breakfast Canoeing and Kayaking at a Lotus pond in the hotel compound Lunch at a local Chinese restaurant in Nenasi fishing village Drive around Kampung and fishing village Off-road Buggy riding through a small forest at Summerset Hotel Return to hotel and enjoy sunset by the beach Sea-food dinner at Rompin River Seafood restaurant Children activity Have a good night sleep
Day 3	Watch the sun rises and enjoy a relaxing morning by the beach – 6:30am Breakfast Nature walking in a small forest in the hotel compound Check-out of Hotel Lunch at a local Chinese restaurant in Nenasi fishing village Drive home using the Kuala Rompin - Pekan – Kuantan – Kuala Lumpur route

Accommodation at Summerset Colonial Hotel @ RM240 per night per room inclusive of breakfast for 2 persons