Off Road Adventure @ Raub

I join the media group to Raub for the Cuti Cuti 1 Malaysia Sunday Bike Ride with Minister of Tourism on Sunday 8th July 2012. This activity is a monthly program initiated by Ministry of Tourism not only to promote the healthy lifestyle but as a tourism product too. I will post more of this on my BLOG.

Our journey starts on 7th July when we met in front of PWTC before moving on to Raub in two vehicles, a van and an MPV. Our entourage  consists of media personnels from the local newspaper bloggers and freelance writers comprising of 20 people.

Stop at BHP on Karak Highway at 9.30 to see that the petrol station is quite busy with a group of big bikers make a pit stop before continuing their weekend bike ride. At first is was the intention to have breakfast but due to time constrain it was packed and we ate them along the way while moving. We reach Bentong at about 10.25 A.M and stop again at Warung Nur for refreshment at a  stall before entering Bentong Town. While enjoying our breakfast, the biker group that stop at BHP station before, also stop to regroup thenselves not far from us.

Reached Sungai Klau at 12.10 and met our eco-adventure tour operator at Pasar Pagi Sungai Ruan. We will be going for our eco adventure to Lata Berembun a waterfall located about 15 kilometres into the hilly terrains and only accessible on 4WD. It was my first experience to be in this Off road adventure. Frankly when I received the travel itenary, and saw the program to Lata Berembun on 4WD, I thought it was just another ordinary travel on laterite road maybe, and least expected it was a Camel Trophy type journey. BTW the way the degree of challenge might be just about 20% of Camel Trophy. I just presume.

Before moving, our tour operator from Countryview Recreation Park Jeram Besu , Mrs Elly Yong, briefed us on safety measures and what to expect along the journey. We took off in four 4WD Jeeps along Jalan Sungai Chalit, the first few kilometres on surfaced road passing through small pantations and oil palm plantations. Just after the oil palm plantation, the road gets rougher and terrain gets more undulating.

There are three different phases of road that we face, the leisure drive phase, medium to mid range challenge and finally the “hardcore”. The driver of the jeep I am on, told us to brace ourselves, me, a blogger, a reporter and two photographer from Utusan and NST. He told us, “Ini kita mau naik, 4WD panggil hardcore punya.” (we re going to go through the hardcore phase). He really meant it. The track was made out of deep trenches, muddy and slippery. The gradient is about 35-45 degrees and one of the jeep in our group was stuck and had to be towed up. More PHOTO here and HERE.

It was a very good experience for me to feel it in real life, the Off Road 4WD adventure. It was just an imagination to do it when this adventure was made popular by Camel Trophy shown over TV years back.

The journey was a “treacherous” one at least for my experience, who had never done this before. But that does not deter me from joining such adventure again in future. That Lata Berembun outing is my first lesson to Off Road 4WD eco-adventure and in future I will be more mentally prepared. You have to feel it to know what Off road adventure really is.

When we arrive at Lata Berembun we saw groups of 4WD wheelers camped within the vicinity of the waterfall.

Vehicles are not allowed to drive up to the fringe of the waterfall and we have to walk up for about 5 minutes. The lush green Tropical Rainforest is so refreshing and you can feel the fresh air. The “ice” cool water is so tempting that one will regret if do not take a dip in it.

At 4.30 P.M we reached Hotel Jelai where our group will be staying overnight before the program on Sunday. We freshen up before leaving for Temerloh for another event by Tourism Malaysia, the launching of the Seminar Transformasi Homestay Malaysia 2012 by Tourism Malaysia Chief Director, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg, at Desa Murni Homestay, Temerloh

Hotel Jelai is a chain of budget hotels and can also be found in Kuala Lipis and Temerloh. The hotel address is as below:

HOTEL JELAI RAUB SDN BHD

35& 36, Jalan Tan Tiong, Bandar Raub

27600 Raub, pahang Darul Makmur

Tel: +6013- 983 1626 (mobile)

Fax: +609 355 1626

email: jelai_rb@streamyx.com

Note: The hotel has a seminar room for small group seminar too and located at the fringe of Raub town, is not congested.

Facilities: FREE Wi-Fi in room and lobby

Countryview Recreation Park (Jeram Besu) Sdn Bhd. (KPL/LN 3648)

Lot 1937 Jeram Besu Mukim Sega, 27300 Benta, Pahang Darul Makmur.

Email : crpjbesu@tm.net.my , crpjbesu@streamyx.com

Office Telephone : 09 3230230/3230210, Fax : 09 3230200
Mobile Phone     : 019-9880880 (Mr Lee), 019-9880808 (Mrs Lee) 

My Note: Thank you Aida from Tourism Pahang who put my name on their list for this trip and Rayyan Harries for blowing the whistle. Thanks too to Fendy from Tourism Malaysia for taking care of us throughout the journey.