Fraser's Hill

Fraser's Hill is named after Louis James Fraser, a Scotsman who prospected for gold in Australia but eventually struck tin here instead in the 1890s. Employing Chinese miners to do the hard work for him and earning his keep by operating mule trains down the mountain, Fraser set up opium and gambling dens to increase his profits, which may have had something to do with his subsequent mysterious disappearance. The tin ran out in 1913, but the lush valley within was rediscovered as a colonial hill resort that, thanks to its 1524 m elevation, enjoys considerably cooler temperatures than Kuala Lumpur. By 1922 a road had been cut through the mountains to the valley, which soon sprouted bungalows and even one of Malaya's first golf courses.

Not much has changed since, and Fraser's Hill retains a wonderfully weird mixed-up character, where locals eat curries off banana leaves in a English cottage next to a golf course while the call to prayer sounds from the mosque.

Orientation

Orienting yourself in Fraser's Hill is easy enough: the entrance via the Gap is at the southwest corner of the valley and the "center" as such is at the intersection of Jalan Genting and Jalan Lady Guillemard, with the much-photographed clock tower marking the spot. Most restaurants and shops are clustered here, while the golf course takes up the bottom of the valley and bungalows and swanky residences dot the hills all around.

Get in

By road

Fraser's Hill is located 105 km north of Kuala Lumpur, around 2 hours by car. For a long time, access to Fraser's Hill was possible only via a 8 km one-lane road known as the The Gap, used by uphill and downhill traffic in turns. A new road was completed in 2001, but it has been plagued by repeated landslides, and (as of June 2008) is closed for repairs.

When the Gap is the only option: Traffic control effective 7AM to 7PM. Odd hours for up to Fraser's Hill and even hours for descending traffic.

When the new road is open: All downward traffic uses the new road, while the old Gap road is designated for upward traffic, with no time restrictions round the clock.

For road conditions from Kuala Kubu Bahru (KKB) or Raub to Fraser's Hill, contact the police station in Fraser's Hill +609 3622222.

By taxi

Apart from car, the easiest way is by using taxi from Kuala Lumpur. Normal KL taxis can't do the trip, but you can arrange one from the Puduraya bus station, or call up Selangor Radio Taxi (tel. 03-2936213) or Comfort Taxi (tel. 03-7330495). You can expect to be quoted around RM200 for a one-way transfer, but this can be negotiated down, even more so for a return trip.

By Train

The KTM Kommuter's northern run from Kuala Lumpur now reaches Kuala Kubu Baru as of March 2008. Commuters need to switch trains in Rawang (Platform 2 heads toward Kuala Kubu Baru from Rawang). From Kuala Kubu Baru, contact the locals for transport up to Fraser, they charge RM70 a single journey(another RM70 for the return journey). There are no taxi in the near vincinity

By bus

There is no more bus service to Fraser's Hill whether from Kuala Kubu Bahru or Raub. You will have to catch a taxi from these two places or directly from Kuala Lumpur to get to Fraser's Hill. From Kuala Kubu Bahru, taxis cost about RM60. See the respective pages on how to get there or for connections from there.

Fraser's Hill is famed worldwide as a birdwatching destination, with over 250 species recorded. Winners during the annual Bird Race have spotted as many as 70 species within 24 hours!

• Fraser's Hill Nature Education Centre, Jalan Genting, . On the second floor of the Sports Complex, this WWF-affiliated center has some lacklustre displays about flora and fauna in the area, but the staff are quite helpful and visiting is free (donations welcome).

• Jeriau Waterfalls, 5 km (30 min drive) from the town centre and then a 15-min walk. The falls are 6 meters high and fall into a shallow pool suitable for bathing. The area is equipped with restrooms and shelters for picnics. No public transport.

The top sporting activities on Fraser's Hill are hiking and golf.

Hiking

There are eight signposted trails around Fraser's Hill, although some have been closed at least temporarily after a well-publicized incident in 2005 when three young boys got lost in the jungle. Watch out for leeches.

• Hemmant Trail. An easy 20-minute trail along the north side of the golf course.
• Bishop's Trail. Effectively a continuation of the Hemmant Trail, this is a slightly more challenging half-hour track through the jungle. Slippery when wet.
• Pine Tree Trail. A challenging 6 kilometer trail up and down hills to the eponymous Pine Tree Hill, and you'll have to return the way you came to boot. This is a full-day hike that will take 7-8 hours at a moderate pace.

Golf

• Fraser's Hill Golf and Country Club. 18 holes. Green fees RM100/120 weekdays/weekends. As of April 2007, the access road leading to the course is blocked with a no entry sign, but can still be reached by foot. The entire complex appears abandoned. The last punch card entry discovered inside the guard house was dated November 2006, suggesting that it has been defunct for quite some time.

• Royal Fraser's Hill Golf Club. (All day 9 hole - Walking course) A short but very tight course. Open daily 8AM-7PM, green fees RM30/40 weekdays/weekends (whole day). Carry fee RM10. Golf sets available for rent at the Sports Complex.

Tennis

• With such a delightful climate, Fraser's Hill ought to be perfect for tennis. Unfortunately, the courts have been neglected. Both Pines Resorts and SilverPark have courts, but they have fallen into disrepair. There are two public courts on the Pines Road (next to the Pahang Instana), but they are barely playable. The courts are filthy, so be prepared to discard your balls after a few plays (they turn from yellow to black).

Sungai Lembing

Sungai Lembing is a tin mining town 42 km northwest of Kuantan in Pahang, Malaysia. Lembing is Malay for spear, and "sungai" means river. Per local legend, the local ruler saw a vision of a spear in the nearby river and thus named his town after this vision.

Until the 1970s, Sungai Lembing was a major producer of underground tin. Sungai Lembing town developed in the 1880's when the British set up the tin mining industry, although the history of mining in this area extends much further back. From 1891, the Pahang Consolidated Company Limited, (PCCL), which was under British control, had a 77-year lease to mine the area. PCCL managed the mine from 1906 until its liquidation in 1986 when world tin prices collapsed.

The pit mines were closed in 1986 due to high operational costs and low yields, but during their heyday they were among the largest and deepest in the world. The total tunnel length is 322 km, with a depth of between 610 m and 700 m. A museum highlighting the tin mining industry was opened in 2003. The museum is housed in an old bungalow once used by the mine manager. The museum houses a collection of mining artifacts.

Today the town of Sg Lembing is in decline although it was once the richest town in Pahang, known as El Dorado of the East. In the 1940's about 1400 people worked in the mine. Today many of the wooden shoplots are closed and people are moving away. The town straddles the river, and the main street on the right bank is split by an avenue of majestic trees. At the end, an old wooden building overlooks the padang where games of cricket and other social activities were held.

Nearby Sungai Lembing is Bukit Panorama, which is a popular place to watch the sunrise. 16 km from Sg. Lembing is Gunung Tapis Nature Park, where one can camp, fish, and shoot the rapids. Gunung Tapis itself is 1,512 m high. On the way to Sg. Lembing at the hamlet of Pancing is Gua Charas, a temple cave that is a popular tourist destination, also Sungai Pandan Waterfall, which is 29 km from Kuantan.

Gunung Tahan(2187m)

Gunung Tahan is the highest mountain in West Malaysia located in the state of Pahang. It is also the most beautiful mountain that I have been to in West Malaysia. In climbing Gunung Tahan, one can see the gradual change in vegetation from the humid tropical rainforest to the stunned bushes up till waist level at the summit. Traveling from Sungei Relau to Kuala Tahan, we get to pass by many varied terrain, from monotonous ascends, to climbs that requires the help of fix ropes, not to mention the many river crossings that one have to made throughout the trek. The trail is very clean thanks to the strict park regulations which requires all things that is to be brought up the mountain to be inspected and recorded, to be checked again at the end of the climb.

Personally, I recommend ascending the mountain from Sungei Relau route and descending via Kuala Tahan. This way, we get the best of both worlds. Sungai Relau is approximately 7km from the small town of Merapoh, which is at the halfway point along the main road from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The nearest towns are Gua Musang (30km) and Kuala Lipis (100km). The “traditional” route to summit Gunung Tahan is via Kuala Tahan and back down the same route, however, with the new route from Sungei Relau, it only takes 2 days to reach the summit instead of 3.5 days from the traditional route. The route from Sungei Relau is also easier in the sense that there is less descending compared to Kuala Tahan route on the way to the summit. Nearer to the summit, the view is breathtaking. We also get to camp meters from the summit, giving us a chance to catch the sunrise at the summit. After we have reached Kuala Tahan at the end of the climb, which is also where Taman Negara is located, we can spend a few days relaxing in the National Park.

Climbing Gunung Tahan as the name suggest, is not easy. “Tahan” means “Endure” in malay. It usually takes a reasonably fit trekker 2 days to ascend from Sungei Relau and 3 days to descend to Kuala Tahan. Good fitness will ensure that the trek is more enjoyable. Mental strength is also required as one will have to trek in wet socks for almost everyday and the demoralizing terrain especially on the traditional route where there is a lot ups and downs. Near to the summit, the trail gets very muddy and soggy. There is virtually no way of avoiding them. Along the lower reaches of the traditional trail, bees are very common at the campsites but they are really quite harmless. Leeches, there are lots of them. So be prepared to lose some blood.

Lake Chini (Tasik Chini)

Lake Chini or Tasik Chini, about 100 kilometers from Kuantan, with an area 12,565 acres of lush tropical wilderness, is Malaysia's second largest natural lake.

Situated on the right bank of the Pahang river, This magical lake is endowed with an endless and captivating scenic beauty and vast tranquil environment and at the same time conceals a mystery lurking beneath its calm waters.

The enchanting lake, actually a series of 12 inter-connecting water bodies referred to as 'Laut'(sea) by the locals, is a generous treasure trove of nature heritage. The area is richly endowed with biological resources where 138 species of territorial flora and some 300 species of non aquatic vertebrates have been found. The water system is also home to a numerous aquatic vegetation and 144 species of freshwater fish.

The mysterious Tasik Chini is Malaysia's answer to Loch Ness. Legend has it that the lake was the site of an ancient Khmer city, now completely submerged and guarded by mystical monsters.

Lake Chini is located in Chini Town at Pahang.

By Road : Access to the lake is by road to Kampung Belimbing, about 100 kilometers, south west of Kuantan and then on by boat through the winding Chini river. Alternatively, one can go by road via Segamat Highway through the new town of Chini, and then continue traveling for 15 minutes through palm oil estate roads to the lake.

Things to do :

	Fishing
	Bird Wacthing
	Jungle trekking

	Visiting Orang Asli settlement
	Canoeing