Houseboat the best way to explore Kenyir Lake
KUALA BERANG: With 340 islands, 14 waterfalls, rapids, forest reserves and limestone caves, Kenyir Lake is indeed brimming with attractions that would appeal to any nature lover.
The area has experienced rapid development ever since it was taken over by the Terengganu Tengah Development Authority (KETENGAH).
Starting Aug 1, the Kenyir Lake has also been announced as a dutyfree zone, giving it an extra boost as a tourism destination.
A good way to explore all the expansive lake has to offer is by spending a few nights in a houseboat.
KETENGAH invited a group of journalists to the Kenyir Lake in September to get a closer look at the unique vacation destination by spending three days and two nights on a houseboat.
There are 79 houseboats, 79 speedboats and 53 car topper boats licensed for operation in Kenyir Lake.
The largest houseboat here is the Bahtera Kenyir 1. The three-storey houseboat can accommodate 100 passengers at any given time.
The smallest houseboat can accomodate a maximum of 10 passengers but most houseboats have a capacity of between 25 and 30 passengers.
Our group comprising journalists from Bernama, Sinar Harian, Utusan Malaysia, Majalah Santai, Malaysian Namban and Oriental Daily stayed on the ‘Persona Houseboat 2’ (PH2).
It can accommodate up to 30 passengers and its owner, Kamaruddin Razali, also owns another houseboat of roughly the same size.
The 47-year-old said that every houseboat has different features, amenities and rental rates.
Houseboats at the lake typically provides sleeping quarters, a common room, cooking and barbecuing facilities, television and karaoke sets as well as angling equipment.
Boats like the PH2 also have a multipurpose room that can be converted into an activity room, mini theatre as well as meeting room.
Kamaruddin believed that a houseboat was the most efficient way to explore Kenyir Lake for tourists who wanted to get the most out of their vacation.
“We can travel from Pengkalan Gawi (main jetty) to the Saok Waterfall by boat and dock it there. After engaging in water activities there, we can enjoy the evening with a barbecue, by fishing and watching the starry night sky. We will spend the night there.
“Early tomorrow morning we can sail to the Kelah Sanctuary and after lunch we can go to Taman Herba or wherever the passengers wish,” he said.
Among the attractions that can be visited via the houseboat are the Lasir Waterfall, Tropical Garden, Butterfly Garden, the Kenyir Elephant Conservation Village and the Bewah Cave and Taat Cave, both said to be human settlements during the Mesolithic era.
As many of the areas are inaccessible by land, speedboats or houseboats are the most viable alternatives.
Besides being the more adventurous option, travelling by houseboat also seems to be more time and cost-saving as tourists need not make return trips to their landed accommodation.
For avid photographers and videographers, the breath-taking panoramic view along the trip is indeed capture-worthy. If they are lucky, they would even be able to catch eagles skimming along the water to catch fish that have been swimming too close to the surface.
Those who travel via boathouses also gain an additional advantage as boathouse operators are given priority in the issuance of tourist permits into protected areas like forest reserves and the Kelah Sancturary. There are two types of boat rentals offered, depending on whether passengers want to cook the meals themselves or to engage the services of the boathouse staff.