Monday, March 19, 2012

Belum Eco Resort



Club house at night
The Belum Eco Resort is the dream and passion of the Khong family. They have built a jungle type retreat on “Discovery” island in Lake Temenggor, some distance south of the bridges crossing the lake on the East/West highway.  http://www.belumecoresort.com.my/
This is not a swept up 5 star, gold plated luxury resort. Rather a bush setting, rustic almost camp out type resort. The steep terrain means it really is unable to cater from wheel chair, physically handicapped or the very unfit.


Jetty off E/W highway
Having paid you RM5 a day for car park, Steve or son Tom will meet you at the jetty west side of the eastern bridge on the East West highway from Gerik to Kota Baru. 5deg33’05”N by 101deg20’52”E.


Getting to the resort
It will be fun to see which craft they will pick you up in. Anything from a 2 story massive houseboat to a small runabout or anything in between depending how big your party is.


One of hundreds of faces of Lake Temenggor
As soon as you step on board, you are in serious holiday mood and the rat race is left behind. Enjoy the 40 min trip to Discovery Island and climb ashore via pontoon which will test your balancing skills. Have a welcome party at the club house (coffee, tea, hot and cold water available there at all times) and be allotted you chalet.




Some chalet’s
Most of the chalets are individual “A” frame type with lots of thatch and local materials and each has a semi open air on-suite with shower, toilet and basin off your personal balcony overlooking the lake. To get to the chalet’s requires a bush walk/climb along a flagstone path, which can be a challenge after late night lecture, karaoke or option booze up.


Our hosts
There are heaps of life jackets and to put one on and simple drift around in the water is a delight. But there are windsurfers, kayaks, and sailboats available for competent sailors and always fishing.



Messing about on the water
Also Steve will put on jungle treks to waterfall, visit an Orang Asli settlement or a very serious climb to a lookout on a nearby island. I’m told that if you are exceptionally lucky you might see elephants swimming across to islands, following the old elephant paths from before the dam was built and the lake formed.


That’s steeper than it looks!



Watchtower



Looking north from watchtower
Food is always a special time to sit in the club house overlooking the lake and eating heaps of delicious food, salads, maybe pizza, certainly a superb resort version of steamboat.

Clubhouse balcony



Steamboat
The Khong family have built this by themselves with blood sweat and tears where local tradespeople are few and far between and materials all have to be brought in by boat and carried by hand. Its a real credit to them and a great experience.

4 comments:

  1. Looks great and interesting esp for nature lovers. Chalets and the club house looking great, too.

    Annie

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  2. That looks awesome. I may have to give it a try. It isn't cheap in MYR. What do they mean on their website saying prices in USD for foreigners MYR prices for Malaysian and PR?

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  3. Hi John,
    Not sure, but worth dropping Steve Khong a line to check. Also note I had the wrong web site and is now corrected.
    Phill

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    ReplyDelete