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Hutan Lipur Lentang |
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It is a pleasant and cool location for family and company outings, picnics and camping, providing not only recreational enjoyment but educational experience as well.
Hutan Lipur Lentang is accessible from the KL – Karak Highway and is about half an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur. To reach this recreational park, take the highway, and about 15km before reaching Bentong town you will find the signboard for the exit to Lentang.
You can take your car inside, after the entrance, and drive up to the food-stalls area, and park at the designated parking areas. The road follows the stream but to find the source of the waters, you will have to trek and walk further up the forested areas.
SIDEBAR
BENTONG
Bentong is a small rustic town, somewhat sleepy compared to the big cities, located about 80 km from Kuala Lumpur (or KL, in short). To KL folks, this town is popular for its delicious durians. In fact, many orchards surround the outskirts of the town.
Despite its rustic appearances, Bentong has its own attractions, and visitors especially from Kuala Lumpur, go there to dip their feet and bathe at the Hot Springs located about 5 km from town.
The Chamang Waterfalls, situated just about 8 km away from Bentong town, is also a very popular family picnic site with its cool and pristine waters, and cascading waterfalls.
END OF SIDE-BAR
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ENJOYING HUTAN LIPUR LENTANG
Well, you can do what you like when you get there.
Of course most visitors will not give up the opportunity to take a dip in the cool waters of the stream, which is normally at knee-deep level for adults.
You can bathe and swim in the water-pools of the cascading waterfalls, and feel your body rejuvenated by the cool and invigorating waters flowing from the natural source upstream.
Nature lovers can go trekking in the forest and observe or take snapshots of butterflies, birds and insects, and also be fascinated by the variety of flora found there. The Raja Brooke butterflies can be found sometimes in groups, especially at the higher areas of the stream.
Hutan Lipur Lentang is a real jungle or forest, with huge and tall timber trees making up its landscape. In fact this forest reserve is a training ground for the Malaysian forestry officers and rangers, and a jungle research station because of the presence of not only local tree species but also pine trees at the mountainsides nearby.
Besides swimming and bathing, you will also find that there are people fishing at the pools near the cascading falls, either using a rod or with a small hand-held fishing net. They are just fishing for fun as I don’t see any catches made.
Special campsites are available, prepared by the park authorities, and you can arrange to stay overnight or longer if you have not finished enjoying nature at the place. The soothing sounds of the jungle and the musical songs of the varieties of wild birds will definitely soothe the mind and spirit.
FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT HUTAN LIPUR LENTANG
The place has food-stalls selling varieties of drinks, snacks and local fried foods and rice. There many table and chairs for enjoying the meals, although there are some who bring the snacks and eat them while lying on the rock boulders! Neat.
There are toilets and bathing facilities there, although I would prefer that they be upgraded and maintained better.
Of course you can pack and bring your own food and drinks. Just lay out the mat, and enjoy your own food with friends and family.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN AT HUTAN LIPUR LENTANG
Please do take care when you’re there. Especially take note of the following:-
- If possible, don’t cross the stream where there are rapids, especially during the monsoon or rainy seasons, as the water may rise very quickly and you may be trapped or swept away.
- Don’t try to run or walk on flat boulders at the ground level (which are quite common there) as they could be very slippery, and you can get seriously hurt.
- When camping in Hutan Lipur Lentang, it is advisable to camp at the higher grounds nearer the mountain range, for the reason that heavy rains may make the water level of the river rise quickly.
- Camping further away from the highway, as was advised by my friend, will also protect you from some known cases of ghost hauntings there. Oh my, but only if you believe it!
The Malays attribute this phenomenon to the area being a walkabout route for the "orang bunyian" or "spiritual people" living in the forest, whereas the Chinese attribute the ghost hauntings to the many lost souls wandering around the place as the location has produced a few accidents due to the rather steep corner of the highway road there.
But whatever they are, they only disturb humans when they are disturbed by humans... can't understand this statement? Oh well... live and let live.
Well, do take heed of the good safety practices, but otherwise enjoy the place.
Whenever you want to get away from the cacophony and "craziness" of the towns and cities, and wish to replenish your body and spirit or soul, then head to Hutan Lipur Lentang near Bentong in the delightful state of Pahang.The air is fresh and greeneries abound, with the sound of moving, cascading waters gently calming the mind, and so then you just feel like you’re together and one with nature.
The place is somewhat like an enriching food for the soul, ridding problems and troubles of the mind.
Relax and enjoy.
As always, from me ...
***SELAMAT DATANG*** I use PICASA to organise all my photos in this website. 
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