My husband and I were pleasantly surprised by our visit to this man-made lake and hope that this article serves as a guide to those who would like to visit this place in the future.Lake Kenyir is located in the state of Terengganu. Originally an area of hilltops and highlands which was then converted to a dam in 1985, Lake Kenyir now consists of 340 islands, 14 waterfalls and numerous rivers. It is interesting to note that the lake is slightly larger than our neighbouring country, Singapore. It is also the largest man-made lake in South East Asia. Currently, Lake Kenyir serves as a reservoir as well as a power station. The lake also serves as another gateway to Taman Negara.
From Kuala Lumpur, you may opt for public transportation such as the bus or taxi service, self-drive or fly from either LCCT (with AirAsia) or Subang airport (with FireFly). Do look out for promotions offered by these companies as it will save you both time and money. From the Sultan Mahmud airport in Kuala Terengganu, you can book a taxi which will take you directly to the lake. The journey from the airport to Lake Kenyir is about an hour’s drive (RM 90 one way).
My hu
sband and I stayed in Lake Kenyir Resort and Spa as they were having a promotion at that time. The friendly and accommodating staff greeted us when we arrived at the lobby and immediately checked us in into our room. The view from our balcony was spectacular. We even chanced upon a hornbill perched up on a tree, feasting on berries. What a great way to welcome us!
We started to unpack and headed straight for the first itinerary on our list, the lake cruise (RM 40/person). The cruise was a very relaxing experience and before we knew it, we have arrived at the Herbal Island, situated about a 20-minute boat ride from our resort. Our tour guide showed us some of the local herbs found in
this part of the island and guided us to a small hut where some of these local herbs were brewed for sampling. We tried the popular Tongkat Ali and Kacip Fatimah which are traditionally used by both men and women for general health and well-being. The guide also boasted that if one were to drink Tongkat Ali every day, it will ward off mosquitoes as the blood is too bitter for their taste! You can even buy a packet or two of these herbs as souvenirs for family members and friends back home.
After visiting the Herbal Island, we proceeded to our next destination, the Saok waterfall. The Saok waterfall is one of the many waterfalls found in Lake Kenyir. It is an ideal spot for picnics and photography sessions. The rapid current cascading from the top boulders to the bottom of the waterfall was a mesmerising sight to behold. The deafening sound of the waterfall was also therapeutic as it quickly erased all our worries and stress.
After visiting the Saok waterfall, we went back to our boat and headed back to the resort. At the resort, we took the opportunity to walk around the vast premise. There are many fruit trees planted at the resort such as the ciku tree, Starfruit tree and many more. There are also animals such as deers and various free-flying birds to keep us occupied for the rest of the day. As the resort is located far away from the town, food are only available at the restaurant in the resort itself (alternatively, you can travel out of the resort to smaller towns or to the nearest jetty for food). We retired early on the first day, sitting at our balcony while enjoying a cup of tea before calling it a day.
On the second day, after a hearty breakfast, we rented a canoe and went on a kayaking adventure (RM 15/hour). The deep waters were nerve-wrecking at first but after a few minutes, we slowly got a hang of it. The serene atmosphere and the calm waters were reassuring and before we knew it, we were back on shore again. For the more adventurous people, activities such as caving can be considered. Some of the well-known caves in this part of the region are the Taat and Bewah caves.
Lake kenyir is also famous for its big fresh water fishes such as Ikan Lampan, Ikan Toman, Ikan Baung, Ikan Kelisa and many more. With that in mind, we wanted to try our luck at fishing (RM 25/fishing rod). The guide handed us a bowl of earth worms and showed us how to make bait using these worms. After a short introductory course, we were out on our own. According to the guide, the best time to go fishing is in the late evenings (5pm to 7pm) and even showed us some of the popular fishing spots located at the resort. I managed to catch a small Ikan Patung and Ikan Baung. My husband and I decided to release the fishes back to the lake as we did not have the heart to kill them. The feeling of catching a fish was exhilarating as I have never fished in my life before.
Another great activity to do in Lake kenyir is bird-watching. Throughout our stay, we managed to catch glimpses of some of these exotic birds. There are a few species of hornbills in Lake Kenyir and we were fortunate enough to photograph the Great hornbills and the Oriental Pied hornbills in the wild. They normally hang out in pairs and feed on berries and oil palm kernels throughout the day before retiring into the night. Various species of smaller birds such as kingfishers, parrots and robins were also spotted. Bird-watching tours could also be arranged by the resort staff at a reasonable price (RM 50/person).
In a nutshell, our trip to Lake Kenyir had been a memorable experience full of little surprises, from the friendly and knowledgeable staff, to the flora and fauna found in this region of Terengganu. This not-so-commercialised tourist attraction is worth the visit and we highly recommend it for honey-mooners, holiday-makers and families with young children.
