W e & You & A Dog named Benson
Week No. 35
31 August 1999

The best looking Resthouse Bentong Town

Bentong Town could be reached within a short traveling time from Kuala Lumpur. Just a hop across the Main Range, now that the Expressway is fully operational. It is the sort of destination you would be thinking of. Making a day trip. Good motoring outing or a  daytrip for the family, over the weekends.

In the months of June to August, it is durian season time, don't miss this opportunity for the coming years.

 
Bentong town was steadily "upgraded" from an old style country town. Look at this scene- a small modern metropolis. 

This is the approach road going into town after leaving the Expressway, - Ketari district.
 
The main street cutting right through Bentong Town. It was the way to Raub or Gua Musang. 

Though unchanged, the traffic here was usually congested. The narrow old street was sliced and modified as a dual carriageway.

Diversion for local traffic to enter the Bus depot.

 

A simple round trip over 2 mountains

 Deviating from the subject of Bentong. First imagine, Kuala Lumpur is blessed with the benefit of a large valley, plain and high mountains. How have all these terrain helped? For weekends, folks in Kuala Lumpur have choices of many circular trips.

For example, take drive to Bentong over the Genting pass. This trip would take you through 2 beautiful ravines. After the tunnel at the pass, you would be dashing down hill. Just before Bentong, this stretch of Expressway hugs the bank of a river that would eventually form the gigantic Pahang River. 

After leaving Bentong town, the country road stay very close to another branch on the Pahang River, all the way up to Traum. Then comes a change of scene. After taking the junction at Traum to Frasers Hills, it wold be winding with the contour of the mountain sides. This scenic drive would ends at The Gap. Then down a nice cool slope and back into Selangor at Kuala Kubu Baharu. 

You will get to see lots of the country and understand how other like those on Super bikes enjoy their breakfast and lunch! Away from rushes, traffic jams and deadlines.

Waterfall in Bentong

 
If you in Bentong try the "ice-kachang" [whole day] and Cantonese Beef noddle soup in the morning.

I am not in favor of savoring steam food made from illegally caught wildlife.

For activities,  you could check out this waterfall, a kilometer out of town. See Chamang Waterfalls.
Along the "old" Bentong road staying close to the river bank, this is the renovated Hot Spring area. 

There is also a smaller waterfall and picnic area along this stretch of road.

The waterfall however is badly silted most of the time from construction work progressing in Bukit Tinggi.

The Resthouse

What used to be the old and haunted Resthouse along the main road in Ketari? It has been renovated and converted into a community center. 

The state government then allocated another site on top of a small hill for this state-of-the-art building.

 
The site, on the hill overlooking the district police headquarters. 

Take the road in front of the headquarters and continuing uphill on the right. 

The private road leads to this building!

At a introductory price of RM50 for a air-con room, it is a give-away.

Sitting in the patio, the view is that of rolling hills. 

The distant hilltop {covered by clouds} on the top right hand corner is Genting Highlands. 

On a clear day, the complex can be seen.

As the air above and around the Main Range is unpolluted, you can be assured of a beautiful sunset view when the weather at the horizon permits.

 
The Resthouse, the patio and even this drive way look irresistible for a souvenir photograph. 

Every angle you look out to, is jungle!

Walking out of the building and onto the car park. The compound commands an panoramic view of the whole Bentong town and beyond.

It seems so close that one can easily identify the houses and shops of the town. 

Note those patches on the slopes? - activities that are going on among the hills opposite. 
The interior of the building, architecture of the main hall and the stairways leading to the rooms is also another work of art.

The caretakers divulged that this place was frequented by dignitaries 
Food and breakfast is available from a small restaurant

 Here, we were enjoying our cup of coffee in the patio.

Now that we had found such wonderful places, it's only right to think of reasons and ways to enjoy these facilities. 

Karak Town

Most people have heard of "Karak Highway". How does this town "Karak" looks like?

 
This is just an ordinary town with one main street and where the intercity traffic whiz through! 

It was a welcome relief and change from that miles of winding hillside roads.

Years ago, Karak reminded the travelers then, that the worst is over. Or those heading for Gombak, the beginning. It was so bad that in the 60's our Mini-Coopers used this stretch for duels, capitalizing on the narrow hair raising bends. That name "Karak Highway" that altered all these precarious travel, is the sounds of relieve.

Today, all vehicles merely zoomed pass without acknowledging its existence. Curse that traffic lights that hold up traffic for pedestrians who aren't there! 

If you are not in a hurry, the Chinese restaurant, or the stall by the side lane prepare very competitively tasty foods. If you are passing by after dusk, see the rows of birds roosting on the electric wire along the entire length of town! A not-so- common sight.
 
Off course, frequent travelers acknowledge this town as the place for fruits. 

The perennial "Jambu Ayer" at RM8 per kilogram is exorbitantly over priced. 

Vincent needed those to take home as evidence to substantiate his disappearance.

Comes durian or fruit season, both ends of town will be swamped with fruit vendors. 

However, when we talked about Karak as the town with durian plantations or waterfalls, we actually refer to - Telemong, a small village along the road to Kuala Pilah.

 
Karak had being our favorite stopping place. 

At 5.00 am hawkers are out to cater for the rubber tappers who need takeaway. 

We needed to filled our stomachs and be on our way to reach the east coast before dawn!.

Khong's Travel Guide

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