"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - St. Augustine
Earlier this week, while we were recalling the places we have been, we named a few lakes that we have visited such as Tasek Kenyir, Tasek Temenggor, Tasek Chini, Tasek Bera and Batang Ai in Serawak, among others and decided that this weekend we’ll want to explore Tasek Pedu and other interesting sites in Kedah.
Our journey started right after noon, direct to Alor Star with a fewpit stops at the R&R. The drive was relaxing, with the oldies entertaining us along the way. It was dark when we reached Alor Star and checked-in Hotel Sri Malaysia which is situated next to the football stadium. There was a match and we could hear from our room, the supporters for the home team roared, either celebrating the scores or cursing the near misses. Amidst the noise, we slept like babies till late morning.
Tasek Pedu
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| (View of Tasik Pedu from the highway) |
After breakfast we headed to Tasek Pedu through the Pokok Sena and Kuala Nerang state road. The road is winding and some parts are hilly and steep. Located around 90 km from Alor Star, Tasek Pedu is approximately 5 km from the Malaysian-Thai border.
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| (Beautiful chalets on the island) |
We stopped at a few places along the way for photo shots of the scenic view from the hill top. We were hungry and were planning of having lunch at the resort restaurant overlooking the lake.
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| (A disappoint closure signage) |
But we were disappointed to find out that the Mutiara Pedu Lake Resort, once a premier holiday resort, has closed for business since early of the year! The entrance to the resort was blocked and we were not allowed to enter the resort area.
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| (A serene tranquil ambiance of the lake) |
From far, we took photos of the Kedahan-Thai structured chalets surrounded by the tranquil waters of the man-made Lake. The backdrop is provided by the Pakir Terbang mountain range. Even deserted, nestled between the flora and fauna of the forest and the shoreline of the placid lake, the resort built on two connecting islands is really a magnificent view.
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| (The closed entrance to the lake resort) |
According to the list of attractions on the notice board at the abandoned guard house, Mutiara Pedu Lake Resort was a self-contained resort complete with an 18-hole golf course and an ideal place to retreat into nature. During its prime time, the resort offered special activities such as jungle-trekking, bird watching, camping and nature walks.
Lembah Bujang
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| (Historical archaeological findings) |
From Tasek Pedu, we drove through Sik and exited at Gurun. We detoured to the famous Bujang Valley located at the foothills of Gunung Jerai. In this area here lies the cradle of Kedah’s pre-Islamic civilization. Relics of the richly-cultured Hindu-Buddhist era were found here. We visited the Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum and later visited the ancient temples which are also called candi.
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| (Visiting the Archaeological Museum) |
The area consists of ruins that may date more than 1,500 years old. More than fifty ancient tomb temples, have been unearthed are located in Pengkalan Bayang Merbok. There have been rumors that most of the items from the dig are place in vaults elsewhere because of the importance of the finds.
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| (The historical remains) |
There are indications that many rare and magical items such as the giant throne chair of Raja Bersiung was also found and located somewhere. There were stories of giant Hindu temples, golden chariots and vast cave systems protected by the supernatural.
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| (The chandi restored and displayed) |
After visiting the historical archeological site of Lembah Bujang, we drove towards Yan through the coastal road absorbing the spectacular view of rolling paddy fields and stopped at Air Terjun Titi Hayun, Tangga Kenari and Air Terjun Batu Hampar, out of the many waterfalls at the foot of Gunung Jerai.
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