"If you expect the worst, you'll never be disappointed..."
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| (Our 4x4 Ford Ranger...) |
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| (Final checks at Sg. Lembing town...) |
Heavy rain over a few days had caused Sungai Lembing town to be cut off from Kuantan since beginning of the week. A few locations were flooded and some stretches along Jalan Kuantan-Sungai Lembing were impassable to all vehicles.
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| (5 rivers and 5 creeks crossings...) |
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| (Keeping a safe distance...) |
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| (Handling steep and rough terrain...) |
Towards end of the week, the weather changed to the better and the route was again accessible. So on the long CNY weekend, with 7 other vehicles we went for a 4x4 camping trip to Gunung Tapis Nature Park in Sungai Lembing.
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| (Dark sky when we arrived at camp site...) |
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| (Setting up tents in the heavy rain...) |
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| (Ample space at the camp site...) |
Sungai Lembing is 42 km northwest of Kuantan, was once the richest town in Pahang known as El Dorado of the East. Until the 1970s, Sungai Lembing was a major producer of underground tin.
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| (Unique tents on top of the 4x4 vehicles...) |
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| (Our beds for 2 nights...) |
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 is housed in an old bungalow once used by the mine manager. The museum houses a collection of mining artifacts.
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| (Taking a dip in the cool, clear stream...) |
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| (Ready to drive back...) |
The town straddles the Sungai Kuantan, and the main street on the right bank is split by an avenue of majestic trees. This serene town is almost deserted nowadays. At the end of the main road, an old wooden building overlooks the field where social activities were held. Nearby is Bukit Panorama, which is a popular place to watch the beautiful sunrise. It takes about an hour to reach the summit.
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| (First batch to leave the camp site...) |
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| (Group photo before the tyres rolled...) |
The 4x4 gang crossed Sungai Kuantan and drove the rough terrain 16 km from Sungai Lembing into the Gunung Tapis Nature Park, where we set up camps for two nights. During the day, some went fishing or hiking, and the more daring and fit would shoot the rapids or hiked to Gunung Tapis, 1,512 m high.
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| (CNY traffic on the wet Karak highway...) |
