Take The Path Less Ordinary

Beyond the sprawling mangrove forest and rice field, romantics will fall in love with the captivating rustic scene that is peppered with swaying palm trees, thatch-roofed huts, and of course, the fabulous array of local good-eats.

It has pristine nature of Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary, the ramshackle charm of Kuala Kurau’s fishing villages and the rice farming culture of Tanjung Piandang. And oh, did we mention the legendary Pantai Ban Pecah beach too? The route has been popular with local historians, photographers and naturalists as its remoteness has immunized the region against mass tourism. Some of the things to watch out for include monkey feeding - yes, wild ones.

This journey is tailormade for anyone who wants to see the “other side” of Malaysia, or for beginners who want to skip the first-timers’ experiences and head straight for the good stuff.

Quick Itinerary Glance

9.00am – Pick up at hotel. Introduction, trip and safety procedures briefings.
10.00am – Visit wood charcoal beehive kiln
11.00am - Visit countryside village temple
12.00noon – Kuala Gula mangrove forest hike, bird watching and hand feed wild swamp monkeys
2.00pm - Seafood lunch at Kuala Gula fishing village
3.00pm – Visit wooden fishing boat making workshop in Tanjung Piandang
4.00pm – 4WD ride along rice fields and make a pitstop at Ban Pecah beach
5.00pm – Return to Ipoh.

Key Detail & Cost

Duration: 1 day, 9am - 5pm, 8 hrs.
Group Size: 2 - 7 people (min. 2 persons)
Season: January - December
Price: RM290 per person valid for Jan-Dec 2010 bookings

This excursion departs from Ipoh, a town some 200km north or 2hrs bus ride from capital Kuala Lumpur. We can pick and drop off at any taxi/bus station or hotel around Ipoh.

Price Includes …

- One fishing village lunch at midday
- English-speaking naturalist guide
- 4×4 transfer to all destinations & activities

Trail tales

Rural belief - The countryside is peppered with ornate and beautiful temples built in the middle-of-nowhere by various races who live in Malaysia.

This gives visitors a good insight of local heritage and culture. Most temples are century old as houses of worship are the first structures to be built when people first populate a particular region. Although the temples are closely guarded, all it takes is a smile to gain entry.

Fish frontier - It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that fish is staple here. To prolong shelf life, locals salt and dry fishes under the tropical sun.

Salting and drying fishes in the tropical heat is a recipe as old as time. Fishes used for preservation are usually those with little commercial value. Shrimp, calamari, squids and other seafood are also subjected to salting when harvest is abundant. This ensure villagers do not run out of food supply when the weather is too stormy for fishing.

Rice and shine - The prettiest rice field sheltered by sea breeze tickled palm trees is found in Ban Pecah. This is one of the rarest place where rice farming land is flanked by the open sea. There is a barrier that separates freshwater rice field from incoming seawater.

In the past, it was believed that a local chieftain broke a promise to take care of his dead brother’s children, resulting the whole village being cursed. A storm broke the barrier and flooding seawater devastated the rice fields. To memorialize the incident, today, locals call the place Ban Pecah, meaning broken bund.

This little pocket of shoreline depicts Malaysian countryside at its best. Locals still live in traditional wooden houses on stilts and work with nature for food and sustenance. Fishermen, paddy farmers and small mom & pop businesses form to heart of the population.

Boat built from memory - Skilled local boat builders construct hardy and storm-tested fishing boats relying on memory, not manuals or blueprints. This age-old tradition is rare. “Everything I practice now was passed on to me by word of mouth”, says the chief carpenter. You got to see it to believe.

Most visitors are amazed with the lack of engineering tools and measuring gadgets in the workshop, considering these handcrafted boats can last up to 30 years.

Beehive kilns - Villagers bake logs in house-size ovens to hyper-dry and turn them into charcoals. Food grilled over charcoal fire is said to smell and taste better. The process take 28 days to complete and kilns are manned 24 hrs to ensure logs don’t catch fire.

Mangrove “bakau” forest - Step into an ecology where land and sea shakes hands. The wildlife here is as unique as the forest. Affected by the daily tidal inundation, primates like the Long-tail macauqe and Dusky-leaf langurs learn how to swim and fish for food. We know a secret trail where these animals use to traverse around in the swamp. Let us lead you there and watch them monkey around in the wild.

Bald but beautiful - The Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea) or Burung Botak Upeh is high on the endangered list. Today, only 5,000 individuals are recorded through out South East Asia and Kuala Gula’s 40,466ha mangrove forest reserve is the only place in Malaysia where the Milky Storks are sighted.

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Trip type - Travellers can expect a day of easy-going walks and ride in our 4×4 vehicle. The field trip is suitable for the young and old as needs for safety and steadfast guidance are kept firmly in mind. Couples, families and friends travelling together will have a good balance between activity and relaxation.

What to bring & wear - Take it easy and dress down in T-shirts, shorts and sandals. Bring a small bag to store personal essentials, water and most importantly a light raincoat. Oh, by the way, brings some fruits or peanuts to feed wild monkeys if you wish.

Eat seafood - Lunch will be enjoyed in a small fishing village restaurant that’s hygienic and only uses locally sourced seafood. Be prepared to give your tastebuds a new perspective with an array of weird - but tasty - fresh catch from the local shoreline.

Other good reads

1. How to reach Ipoh by public transport
2. Get to know Ipoh as a place for holiday stopover between KL and Penang
3. Our list of outdoor trip packages