Cycle Malaysia Day 15 - Gerik to Pulau Banding

Day 15 was a challenging day as I will be cycling up to Pulau Banding but I told it's doable with a small wheeler. I had my breakfast at Tai Chong Seafood Restaurant and had an opportunity to check with the owner on the route to Pulau Banding.

Cantonese fried noodle in the morning is rare and I had it here. It was good and sufficient to provide me energy to go up to Pulau Banding. Many a time people are fascinated when I tell them that I am cycling around peninsula with my small bicycle.

Pulau Banding is along this route it is only 42km away from Gerik with nearly 30km up hill and 12km down hill to the destination.

East - West Highway (Route 4) sometime refer as Gerik - Jeli highway, the road is narrow at most stretches and pedal by pedal I scale the climb.

At about 9km away from Gerik town there is a Shell petrol station where I took a toilet break. I don't know how lost my sunglasses here bye bye to it. It is back to the quiet highway with intermittent fast cars and huge lorries passing by, these can be scary when they are close to you. Indeed it is dangerous.

As I took the gradient I always make sure that I am always alert, I could differentiate between the sound of cars and lorries. My riding pattern was virtually on the white line most of the time and that was that kind of space I have whenever a big truck is coming from behind me.

There are breathable space like this at some part on uphill for vehicles to overtake. But it's back to square one if both of the lanes are being used at the same time and I am back on the white line.

As I got higher and higher I get to enjoy the scenic view feeling at top of the world but sometime it is too quiet and it is can be scary.

Rolling down hill was nice and refreshing. The moment I could see the sight of Lake Temenggor I was relieved and feeling safe at last. Malaysian Army Insurgency War Memorial located just before Lake Temenggor Bridge. This memorial was erected on 5 June 2009 to commemorate 116 soldiers who died during the communist insurgency from 1968 to 1989. The armoured vehicle at this memorial is a V-150 Commando armoured car of the Malaysian Army which was used during the insurgency.

The bridge to Pulau Banding.

Belum Forest Resort is a premium resort has one of the remaining virgin forest in Malaysia and it is located in Pulau Banding.

My lunch at a warong in a research centre before crossing over to Pulau Banding with a good view of the Lake Temenggor.

Jetty of Royal Belum,  Pulau Banding Public Jetty.

It was a Monday these floating chalets were seen at the side of the lake and some were carrying out their maintenance work. It will fun to hire one of these boats out into the lake with a group of friends and spend the night out in the nowhere surrounded by water. 

I was told of this budget lodging by the side of the lake. Yong Lim and his friends used to stay here during their fishing days.

Name of the place is Mohamad Shah Isa Resort, it is a floating resort which I had made a earlier reservation just to avoid having problem finding a place to stay when I arrive. GPS : 5.549044, 101.352829.

Chalet Terapung - Room for let , how often to you get to stay on a floating chalet.

I got mine for RM90 per night, no air-cond, only "kipas" wall fan and wifi was weak. On the bright side it has a beautiful scenery and it's something extraordinary.

Next to the chalet there is a fish feeding farm.

Catfish (ikan baung) from the feeding farm.

Ikan Sebarau

I had my meals at this place itself and there boat riding adventure available here too.

The condition of the room with some simple and basic needs.

The attached bathroom on timber board floor.

The room with minimal number of power plugs a wall fan and a window at the passage way. The electric supply is by generator set and during my stay I encountered two long blackouts one during the night. It was a total darkness fortunately I had a torchlight with me.

A view from the reception and restaurant area where the rooms are located.

An evening view from the verendah where I was staying.

Day 15 - 42km from Gerik town to Pulau Banding.

Cycle Malaysia Day 14 - Kulim to Gerik

Hotel Zin is a clean and comfortable place to stay, today I wouldn't be doing any long haul riding and Sum Yee will be fetching me to Gerik.

We had our breakfast was at Ria Foodcourt at Jalan Tunku Ibrahim and talked a lot about our past since the time we left our school. 

Upon arrival at Gerik Sum Yee went into one of the residential areas to sell frozen freshwater fish. I did not know there is such market in Gerik. Next time I know where to get freshwater fish.

Restoran Lung Gi (formerly known as Chau Y) is one of the few shops that you can try the common dishes of freshwater fish. This one is located at Jalan Baling - Kuala Kangsar GPS: 5.436006, 101.129411

Sum Yee is familiar with Gerik and he comes to this place quite often. He ordered a steamed putin fish, curry wild boar and a belacan paku veggie.

Thank you so much for everything my old buddy hope we will meet again.

After checking into the hotel I explored the town of Gerik with my bicycle. Gerik is also known as a Rest Town because if its location next to East - West Highway and the links to Kedah and Penang. One of the Chinese temples seen in the town.

The graffiti at the wall of UMNO building.

None of these places I am going to visit in this tour so I would be passing by this place tomorrow.

Din the Taximan agreed to arrange a transport for me from Pulau Banding to Perhentian Titiwangsa.

At the taxi stand I inquired on the fare from Pulau Banding to Perhentian Titiwangsa and it was RM100.

The town is seems to be fairly quiet and dull. The traffic was light.

A church on the main road of the town.

Hotel Sri Bintang is located at fringe of Gerik GPS : 5.440503, 101.132198 I stayed here for the night and I like the room be being on the ground floor. Tomorrow is a day I have a fear of going to Pulau Banding.