Okay, let’s be real — this time, we weren’t hiking, but we were rock climbing. There, I said it out loud. Gunung Pulai may look small from afar, but trust me, this mountain is about 95% rock, basically a giant chunk of stone sitting proudly next to another chunk of stone called Gunung Baling in the middle of Baling town. And yeah, climbing it? Way tougher than it looks.
If you’re like me, the kind who’s always craving a panoramic view of the town framed by the sea of Butterworth and the Penang Strait, then you have to do Gunung Pulai for the sunset view. I know, I know, it sounds a bit odd to climb in the afternoon, but curiosity got the best of me. I just had to see the sunset from the Butterworth-Penang side.
I first saw this place on Instagram, posted by my fellow photographer friend.
The view of the flat agricultural landscape during sunrise and sunset from the peak of Bukit Kodiang is gorgeous. A chunk of a giant limestone sits in the middle of acres and acres of paddy fields in Kodiang, Kedah. This small hill is popularly known as Bukit Mok Cun, named after a famous local TV series ‘Mok Cun’.
I have explored the area around Tasik Pedu for more than enough, and yet this is my first time visiting Mong Gajah, another beautiful part of Tasik Pedu.
Mong Gajah is a place with a gorgeous view of nature. If you prefer sleeping at night, wrapped in total darkness while watching thousands of stars (with no light pollution) and waking up facing the waterfront of Pedu Lake, with gorgeous sunset coming out from the mountain range of Banjaran Kedah-Singgora then you would absolutely love this camping spot.
Located up on the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia approximately 5km away from the Malaysia-Thailand border, the lake is easily accessible via a well-maintained road.
The 12km-long lake is part of the dense rainforest of Gunung Fakir Terbang, 6 1/2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur via North-South highway (exit Gurun straight on to Sik then approx 7 km away, turn right to Gulam then left to Durian Burung and proceed to Seri Mahawangsa Pedu Lake jetty).
Surrounded by clean water and serene forest, this is a good place to retreat your soul from the noisy and super busy city life.
I am recommending this place to those who need a short break from the city life.
The only place to stay here in the middle of the lake is at Seri Mahawangsa boathouse, yes on a boathouse parked next to a small island about 15-20 minutes from the jetty.
Seri Mahawangsa boathouse of Tasik Pedu
So, you can choose to sleep on the boathouse or on a treehouse or on a hut or just on a hammock or in a tent, an eco-resort type of stay.
Whatever your choice is the hammock is my best personal choice.
I fancy quietness and this place is easily accessible and quiet.
Tips to enjoy the luxury of lazing around in Tasik Pedu
If you plan to spend your time just lazing around then I want to share a few tips on how to enjoy “the luxury of just lazing around” in Tasik Pedu.
Firstly, listening to the Cicadas orchestra
This group of Cicadas or riang-riang (in Malay) would sing together at some odd times, a few times a day. Their buzzing sound that echoes throughout tree branches in this tiny island in Tasik Pedu (Amir called it the Survival Island) is phenomenal.
Stay quiet.
And you will notice their orchestra performance played as a background song in the island. Their music sounds louder than normal maybe because of the echoes.
Secondly, swimming with the Lampam fish around the boathouse.
Swimming during a hot day is heavenly.
Swimming in a pool or at a river or at a beach is different from swimming in a lake. There is an abundant of fresh clear water around you. Yes, swimming in a deep lake feels different.
During a hot day, the water inside the lake feels colder and warmer at the same time. Very therapeutic.
But please be caution on your safety. I put on my life jacket all the time when I am in the water.
And I was in the water for hours. Canoeing and swimming … just enjoying the sun and the water at the same time.
swimming during mid-day
Thirdly, lazing in your hammock during the mid-day after lunch
Yay! we have a full-time chef at the boathouse. He cooks all the time. Yes! he is a he.
I was well fed all the time. After having my rice with masak lemak ikan baung (fresh water fish in coconut milk) I feel … d r o w s y.
Not much thing to do as it is super hot during mid-day.
Lazing around in my hammock under the tree with all the leaves hanging out is a perfect thing to do. Sleeping … to be precise ☺️.
Embracing the lazy moment without guilt. Wahhh … I am happy.
my quiet moment
Fourthly, watching the movement of the light and the clouds from the boathouse.
After a few boat trips circling the lake and enjoying the vast natural landscape surrounding Pedu Lake, a quiet time while watching the sunset is my next lazing thing to do.
Sitting with your loved one while watching the change of colour on the horizon is romantic. Hmm feeling lazy together with your loved one is classically romantic.
It makes me thinking of the Creator that creates all of these beautiful things around us. A moment to just be connected to the Creator and appreciating His greatness.
Feeling blissful to be able to just sensing His existence through the beauty around us is an amazing feeling. Alhamdullilah.
an article I wrote about capturing ambience light in Tasik Pedu
Fifth, hanging out at one of the treehouses at night
There are a few treehouses that you can choose from. And hanging out in my hammock with my favorite book while listening to the sound of the forest at night is cool and peaceful.
Just me and my own world. I would never get tired of this.
Conclusion: All of us need to have a quiet moment with ourselves. To feel comfortable and peaceful being with ourselves. To feel at peace with ourselves.
He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the world ~ Marcus Aurelius
Although I don’t mind being on my own but having a person or two that have the same quiet mind as I am, hanging out with me is always welcome.
“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” – Aaron Rose
I learnt from observing and listening to people around me, therefore most people that I met are my teachers and mentors in their own way. Yup … a bit cliche, I know but well … a lazy middle aged woman like me doesn’t have much time to spend on trials and errors 🙂 .
I have been following Yaman Ibrahim for closed to a year now. Observing and learning from him, a great teacher who loves doing whatever that he is doing. He has that eyes for spotting good lights around him … he called it “Yaman’s Eye”.
By all means … the “good light” in photography yeah peeps. Not that near to death moment light or that spiritual spotlight or that seeking the light aka mysterious haunted light thingy huh.
So, I spent a ‘rich’ 3-days with him and a group of great companion at Pedu lake, Kedah, Malaysia last weekend. We were ‘chasing the light’ around the lake. Good light that can creates a sense of drama to our subject.
Yaman has been working closely with tourism Malaysia for years. He has the experience and opportunity to explore Malaysian culture more than other photographers that I know. Looking at his photos made me longing for the same opportunity to shoot and document my own home culture through my own lens.
Sharing some martial art moves from the boys of Silat Gayung Nusantara Kedah with y’alls. Fyi … I got a lot more interesting shoots around here in Pedu Lake but well, every picture has its own moment.
So, I had my first opportunity to shoot subjects that close to my heart. A traditional action-packed Malaysian Malay martial art. The morning light and the rays were superb.
I was enjoying my moment. The backlight from the morning sun rays were a bliss. There were 10 of us … photographers from various genres. And listening to our camera shutters sound at the highest possible burst rate, at the same exact time … was interestingly comical.
Listening to them (and myself) again and again, commenting and admiring our own photos was hilarious too. Yep … photographers and their egos, right? We were ‘high’ with our own moment, self achievement moment … lol, I am guily as well, it felt pathetic now … as I recalled back the moment he he he
My second favourite spot after the hammock
I had a good time while in here. It was super quiet … no phone coverage, no wifi, no TV … a total disconnected from the noisy life. And, having surrounded by a great companion was a bonus too. The owner of the boathouse is a very talented host. He is the boatman, the cook, the wireman, the karaoke man, the technician, the talent etc. Yaik … talking about him … I still owe him a collection of his portraits.
If I was not holding my camera … I would either chewing on food or daydreaming in the hammock … enjoying my quiet moment, snoozing. My companions were as noisy as always hu hu hu yep! a very cheerful and lively crowd but my mind was at peace … alhamdullilah what matters is the heart … right?
I will repeat this trip again in March 2016. Thinking of spending more time there … like a week of totally disconnected from the world. In Sha Allah …
Bye now
Cheers
MM
p/s … “You wander from room to room … hunting for the diamond necklace … that is already around your neck!” ~ Rumi
MATSUDA MASHIMARU 