Cycle Malaysia Day 16 - Pulau Banding to Tanah Merah

It was a night of total darkness without electricity the generator set has failed again. And it was time to leave Pulau Banding with an awful night by the lake. I waited for my taxi by the main road for the journey ahead.

I requested for a stop at Perhentian Titiwangsa to enjoy the view and took a few pictures before I left the peak of Titiwangsa. Pulau Banding and this place is about 30km away.

At the top of the world at Perhentian Titiwangsa, I just cannot imagine if I were to cycle up here and I was glad that I hired a taxi for this stretch. The scenery was superb.

Even going down hill looks dangerous I requested Shoib to take me further down the hill (about 36km) until Batu Melintung 15km before Jeli.

Shoib dropped me at Batu Melintang where I shall continue my ride to East Coast. Shoib is an ex-soldier lives on his own plot of land near Baling and he has been driving the taxi for many years since he became a civilian and continues to do so to pass his time even though all his children have grown up.

Before Shoib went back to Gerik we took our breakfast at a warong where we stopped.

By the way I was already in the state of Kelantan and I had to change my plan. My original plan was to stay over at Jeli but I decided to proceed further as I have taken a fair bit of assisted ride. 

Gunung Reng is such a beautiful hill and this is seen from the main road itself, as scenic as those mountains seen in China. There is a cave to be explored if you are interested and it is located at Kampong Gunung.

Gosh I was still having  such closeness with the oil tankers.

Jeli here I was but wouldn't be staying here anymore. I was recommended by the food operator at Chalet Terapung to stay at Bukit Bunga. Bukit Bunga is located next to Thailand and it is a more happening place. 

When I reached Bukit Bunga I decided to move on further as it was still early and Tanah Merah became as my final destination for the day.

I met this guy from Estonia and he walks around the world. He told he was walking to Machang while I was cycling to Tanah Merah. My salute to this Estonian.

Batang Merbau, a small town just before Tanah Merah.

Tanah Merah or "Red Land" has a small population of Chinese community and I love seeing the old wooden shops in the town and hope that these wooden structure will be preserved and kept as long as possible.

An old semi detached room at DMawar Resort was my rest place for the night.

I was excited to find this restaurant that serves western food and beer. I always have the impression that beer cannot be sold in the public in Kelantan. The dinner was good and satisfactory.

Day 16 where I cycled for 65km and stayed over at Tanah Merah.

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.