Total Driving Distance: 220km Belum-Bujang Valley-Mount Jerai-Yan Total Driving Time: 6 hours
Paddy field with Mount Jerai in Yan district, Kedah.
After the breakfast, we walked around the path in the quiet rainforest. We checked out at noon then continued driving Route 4 to Bujang Valley, arrived there at 2:50pm.
朝食後、ホテル内の熱帯雨林を散歩し、正午にチェックアウト。Kedah州にある遺跡、Bujang Valley に向かうべく、再び魔のRoute 4をひたすら走り抜く。
There are 2 museums in Bujang Valley but only 1 has opened since last year and another is still under renovation.
According to the description of the museum, ”By the 8th century BC, Bujang Valley especially the kingdom which based in Sungai Batu, had grown to become a prominent entrepot in Southeast Asia, conducting trade activities with China, India, West Asia and Europe. The development of Bujang Valley as a trade centre was dependent on the political and economic climate of the world.”
This museum shows especially an international entrepot in the Malay Archipelago, beginning from the 2nd century AD to the 14th century AD.
What made me surprised here was, people in Bujang Valley had technology of iron smelting around 6th B.C.
We got basic history of Bujang Valley, then we walked around the site of ruins. There are 3 ancient hindu or influenced Buddhist monuments built around 7th-13th A.D.
Bendang Dalam TemplePangkalan Bujang TempleBukit Batu Pahat TempleArtifact made from graniteGranite quarry
Next destination is Mount Jerai a height above sea level 1217m. There are vans up to the peak, but we tried to drive ourselves. It’s narrow and sharp curves and has a steep pitch.
At the beginning, I thought it’s easy, but got higher and higher, the curves looks like folding the road. My co-driver looked on the map and advised me what kind of corner is coming next.
We were just like a rally driver and co-driver…, maybe we can be them…!?!?
On the top there is a cafe and rest houses. If you want you can stay over night there.
Mount JeraiHuge HydrangeaLook at the mirror. Folded road at Mount Jerai.
We have to move next destination quickly. It is our friend’s place called Pawana Jerai Resort. The owner Madew san recommended us to reach there before sunset, and we made it just in time!
The resort is facing to the straits of Malacca. They’ve got chalet and camping site. From the balcony, we can see the 3 islands, Pulau Bidan, Pulau Telor and Pulau Songsong.
Nice sea breeze and sound of the wave… It is great place to relax our tired body and mind…
Tomorrow, we are going to explore a desert island, Pulau Songsong~!
Total Driving Distance: 235km Kota Bharu- Belum Total Driving Time: 6 hours 15minutes
8:15am, we headed to Northern-east coast which is the border to Thailand. On the way, we found huge buddha which heights approximately 30m include the building.
To the edge, we droved the unpaved road. From the edge, we can see the colourful building of Thailand. There are abandoned house called Galeri Tengku Anis. It was very very hot and my co-driver checked the weather, she told me ” Google said its temperature feels like 43℃ now.” I was almost fainted….
We passed by popular Budu shop in the Kamupung, Pantai Geting.
Wau MuseumSouvenir Shop Ikan Bilis that fish shop aunty gave us behind the museum.
Back to Kota Bharu town and looked around market, Siti Khadijah. Had a breakfast at Kedai Kopi, and went to the Handicrafts Village.
Kota Bharuの街に戻り、市場Siti Khadijahを覗いたり、食堂で朝食したり。Handicraft Villageにも行ったけれど、ココはもうちょいがんばって欲しいなぁ~というのが正直な感想。
Siti KhadijahKedai Kopi Din TokyoHandicrafts Village
We stopped by Guillemard Bridge which is a single track railway truss bridge, second of the oldest but the longest railway bridge in Malaysia. The bridge was constructed between 1920 and 1924.
Now this site is very well maintained as a park and like a small outdoor museum.
Kept on driving to the West. We found a mizium orang asli Jeli. Orang Asli Museum in Gombak explained about Orang Asli whole Malaysia, but here they focus on Jahai tribe. The curator guided us very kindly. We hope to come back again when we got time more….
西に向かって車を走らせているとmizium orang asli jeliの看板が。時間がないというのに、吸い込まれるように入ってしまった。GombakにあるOrang Asli Museumでは、マレーシア全域に暮らすさまざまな部族を紹介しているが、ここではJeliに暮らす Jahai族について知ることができる。キュレーターの方がとても熱心に教えてくださいました。が、なんせ時間がなく、もっともっと聞きたいことがあったのにタイムオーバー。 再訪しなければ!
It was heavy up and down steep Route3, Johor to Kuala Romipn. On the other hand, Route 4 Kota Bharu to Belum is gentle but long steep and short down steep. While I drove Route 4, my eyes or brain got something wrong, I couldn’t see the road conditions properly, weather its going up or down…. Route 4 made me confused. It was tough driving for me with manual car on Route 4… My co-driver advised me, ”Up!”, ”Down!”. Then finally I could drive smoothly…
Before getting dark, we arrived to Belum. Relax and well rest in the rainforest tonight…
Total Driving Distance: 175km Kuala Dungun-Bukit Besi-Kuala Terengganu Total Driving Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Bukit Besi Industrial Heritage
We found hidden gem near from Dungun!!!!! Do you know about Bukit Besi History?
It’s began when some residence found that stones around here were heavier than normal stones…. The news reached to Japanese geologists and they started an ore research in 1916. Then Nippon Mining Company began small scale mining activities here in 1927. After Japan surrendered in World War Ⅱ, the Eastern Mining and Metal Company (EMMCO) started larger scale mining activities until 1971.
You’ll learn more detail at the Muzium Bukit Besi. Then let’s explore this small town which remains a lot of Industrial Heritage!
Nippon Mining Companyが1927年より採掘を開始。終戦後はthe Eastern Mining and Metal Company (EMMCO)が1971年まで鉄鉱石の採掘をしていたとのこと。
Muzium Bukit Besiでは、当時の様子や歴史を知ることができます。基礎知識を得たら、町のあちらこちらに残る産業遺産を巡ろう~! 今までみたことのないマレーシアを発見できましたよ!
Musium Bukit BesiA magnet stick on the Iron Ore. It’s heavy too.
This two-story building was built as temporary storage for Iron Ore. この二階建倉庫では鉄鉱石を一時的に保管。
The stockpiles has 5 tunnels where the ore train wagons wait. この備蓄庫の下部はトンネル状になっていて、鉄鉱石を運ぶワゴンの待機所だった。
To send Iron ore from Iron Ore Plant to the stockpile through this tunnel using a belting system. And the concrete building to wash and process ore stone. 加工場から備蓄庫へ運ぶために使われたトンネル跡。 大きなコンクリートビルの跡地は鉄鉱石の加工場。
Bukit Besi Town & Kolam Renang (Swimming pool for British Club). Bukit Besiの町とイギリスクラブのスイミングプール跡。
Iron Ore miningStorage for ExplosiveKolam Renang
From Dungun, take the route 132, it is very nice view with gentle curve road, you can enjoy your driving. Before leaving from Dungun, don’t forget to visit Terowong Bukit Tebuk built in 1936. It’s used to be a train tunnel to send the Iron Ore to the port.
DungunからBukit Besiへ向かうなら132号線がおすすめ。緩やかなカーブと緑豊かな景色。快適なドライブウェイです。また、Dungunを出発する前にTerowong Bukit Tebukも見学。鉄鉱石を採石場から港に運ぶ列車が通過するために1936年に作られたトンネルです。
We were at Bukit Besi for3hours!!! Today we woke up late and left hotel 12noon, because too tired and overslept. Missed breakfast time so we had coffee and 2 pieces of butter cookie which bought in JB. After that we were crazy about industrial heritage. We didn’t have time for lunch….
6pm, we bought Ikan Bilis Bun and 100 plus at Petrol Station and ate it behind the shade, then droved up to north….
On the way we stopped by Taman Rekreasi Rhu Madu and Marang Wave Breaker. From the map these place has a unique shape. I wanted to see how it looks like. They are so beautiful places.
Arrived to Kuala Terengganu at 8:30pm, quick dinner and Dobi…. Super tired today, but it was very exciting day as well…
Total Driving Distance: 420km JB-Pasir Gudang-Kota Tinggi-Johor Lama-Tanjung Balau-Sungai Rengit-Tanjung Sepang-Mersing-Kuala Rompin Total Driving Time: 9 hours
Taman Rekreasi Bakau
9:34am, we arrived to the restaurant where is the HQ of Kacang Pool stall yesterday. Here, they serve more variety of dishes. We ordered Kacang Pool beef & mutton, Lontong Goreng and Mee Rebus. All of 4 dishes are delicious. Too full from the morning…
We visited Sarang Buaya Pasir Gudang which is a Crocodile Sanctuary for educating the local community. We bought buckets of chicken breast and feed crocodiles. There are 80 over crocodiles here, baby to more than 50 years old. I didn’t know that crocodile can live over 100 years… Everyday they eat live fishes from the pond, that’s why chicken is their special meal for today! At the beginning, I felt a bit scared, but once feed to them I changed my mind. They are so cute~! Staff there are so kind and friendly. They answered everything what we asked.
Not many activities, but you can learn about Malaysian spices of crocodiles. Worth to visit I think.
Crocodile’s food RM5 eachSarang Buaya Pasir GudangJohor Port
Today’s destination is Kuala Rompin… Avoid to use highway, we drove to Kota Tinggi and stopped at Kota Tinggi Museum.
It is very well maintained, recommend it if you want to learn about Johor history. Each of the descriptions with painting, much easier to understand. Exhibited many kind of weapon those days too. Entrance free.
We knew about Laksamana from there, so we visited his tomb too.
そのついでと言ってはなんですが、Kota Tinggi Museumへ。 無料とは思えない、小さいながらも充実。特にジョホールの歴史を知りたい方にはおすすめ。時代時代のエピソードとともに、絵が添えられているので、英語が苦手な私でも理解しやすく、ついつい長居をしてしまいました。
その歴史で登場したLaksamanaという武将のお墓が近くにあるということで墓参りも。
Kota Tinggi MuseumDescription with painting.Laksamana’s tomb
On the way back to the East-Southern point, we stopped at Kota Johor Lama Museum. You’ll see here the natural fortress. Climbed up to the small hill, you’ll imagine how they observed enemies from the Johor River clearly in those days.
マレー半島の東南端へ戻るため、再び東ジョホール州を南下。その道中にあるKota Johor Lama Museumに立ち寄る。
Kota Johor Lama MuseumExcavation SiteNatural fortressJambatan Sungai Johor
It’s almost closing time, we drove quickly to the Museum Nelayan Tanjung Balau. We reached to there at 5:07pm, however it was closed at 5pm…
閉館時間ギリギリ、急いでJimnyを走らせMuseum Nelayan Tanjung Balauへ。5:07pm到着も、5pm閉館。チ~ン。
Museum Nelayan Tanjung BalauTanjung Balau Beach
As I mentioned you just now, our destination today is Kuala Rompin in Pahang. But we needed to get the East-Southern point of Johor.
Quickly but safely we drove to the East-South, then drove up to the north~! Aiya~! What a huge state Johor is…! To Kuala Rompin, 200km to go…!?
Passed Sedili Kechil to Felda Tenggaroh. The road is narrow, up and down.
It was already 8pm, we were in the dark jungle, no lights at all…
We saw Musang and full of many beautiful stars! What an amazing experience!
Finally arrived to Kuala Rompin at 11:15pm.
No time to have lunch and dinner today… We survived with banana cake and butter cookies that yesterday we bought. It is very fluffy, nice finger food for driving.