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| Ferry service across the river |
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| Riding out for breakfast |
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| Riding out for breakfast |
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| Prawn noodles and kon lou mee |
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| Enjoying breakfast |
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| As The Tower is built close to the Perak River, it is
standing on soft ground. Quantified by an underground stream which soon eroded
its foundations, the tower began tilting sideways 4 years after it’s
inauguration |
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| Ferry service used by locals and farmers to transport produce across the river |
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| We were charged RM1 per person including bike and baggage |
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| Merdeka spirit was still fiery the day after |
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| Marina Island Jetty Complex |
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| Marina Island Jetty Complex |
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| Marina Island Jetty Complex |
Merge Summit Hotel is just 2.5 km away from The Leaning
Tower of Teluk Intan. As the first order of the day was sustenance, we rode
straight to the town center in search of food, riding through the morning
market and alongside the river. The Tower will have to wait!
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| The team waiting patiently at the lobby while VT's bike goes through another transplant |
Arriving too late for Liew Kee’s famous chee cheong fun, we
made a beeline to Seong Fatt coffee shop instead. Seong Fatt’s prawn noodle was drawing a
steady crowd when we were there and we couldn’t complain knowing very well all
the town’s famous chee cheong fun stores are only opened at night; spilling
over to morning, if there are any leftover! Moreover, we were delayed by a tyre
puncture even before the ride began. Somehow, VT’s bike had miraculously
survived the night but all magic was lost at the stroke of midnight!
After breakfast, we began our sightseeing tour of Teluk
Intan. Starting from the riverside jetty, we slowly made our way to Keong
Temple and then, The Leaning Tower.
The riverside scene was a sleepy one, dominated by senior
citizens. Even the boatman who plies his RORO across the river is wrinkled and
old. The night scenes may be livelier, judging by the wide array of hard liquor
displayed by the window of the makeshift stalls!
Striking a conversation with the town’s folks, we found out
to our delight, a connecting dirt route to Lumut! Instantly, we unanimously
voted to change our route but not before taking in the sight of the famous
tower.
The Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan has an equal charm inside
and out. Built in 1885 as a water tower, it once served as a watch tower for
the Japanese Imperial Army during World War 2 before becoming a clock tower and
assuming it’s present day status as a National Heritage. Adopting Chinese
architecture due to the town’s mainly Chinese ethnicity, the tower resembles a
pagoda.
After The Tower, we returned to the riverside and embarked
on our journey across the river. Other than a small shack built for motorcycle
parking which comes with a small stall peddling cigarettes, some sweets and
bottled water, the other side of the riverbank is mainly farmland with a fruit
orchard nearest to the jetty. Beyond are all palm oil estates.
Coming off the jetty, the first 200 meters of the route is on
single lane tarmac. Where the road forks into 2, we followed the boatman’s
instruction, taking the route on the right which only comes with dirt tracks.
Tempted by the left fork which saw a beautiful strip of tarmac, we quickly made
a U-turn but this soon disappeared as well! Forced to make a second U-turn when
the road became overgrown with long weeds, we finally resigned ourselves to
riding on dirt, gravels and pot holes for a whole 7 km!
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| The first 200 meters |
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| Right fork |
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| Left fork leads to an orchard and a dead end ! |
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| Short cut |
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| Wide gravel road near Ladang Sabrang |
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| When the going gets tough...lots of pot holes ahead! |
The route was not entirely remote. There was an estate
worker’s quarters at Ladang Sabrang, close to the river bank. We also passed by
a few motorcyclists along the way.
Arriving at the junction to A18, we were so happy to see a
stall by the roadside. It felt good to be back to civilization. This time, the
landscapes were one of sweeping paddy fields, white cranes and quiet kampung
roads.
The heat was beginning to build up and we were soon hungry.
7 km later, we connected with Federal Route 5 and decided to stop for lunch at
Warung Pak Hamid which specializes in udang galah. The fresh water lobsters can
cost as much as RM22 each, so do be careful what you heap onto your plate!
Feigning a shocked look can help reduce the price tag as what VT found out. He
had assumed, “Dua Dua” meant RM2.20 !!!!
After lunch, our torturous ride began. Federal Route 5 was
undergoing roadworks, in transformation for West Coast Highway. Traffic was
heavy on a long weekend made worse by roadworks. As there were no road
shoulders, we had to tread carefully, fighting for space and weaving around
potholes. We were rattling a lot too as the tarmac was bare and worn.
Our torment went on for 25 km with 2 breaks….
On our first break, we gate crashed in a small government
complex by the junction to Kampung Kayan. We were so hot, we drenched ourselves
with the garden hose by their living quarters.
On our second break, we stopped for tea by a roadside stall
offering pisang goreng and chendol. While the rest of the team trickled in
within minutes, the last 2 persons took forever to arrive…
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| The duo finally arrived! |
Sasee, who had a slow leak on his inner tube was with Mindy!
They tried to pump up the tube but it turned flat after a few kilometers. They
tried a second time and it went flat again short of 1 km from the rendezvous.
Not knowing where he was, we even suggested for him to take a Grab to Marina
Island Jetty Complex to meet us.
Thankfully, Sasee prevailed. Under Jac’s leadership, we drew
up a last minute plan to move the bigger group off to Tua Pek Kong Temple
leaving Mr Tan, Sasee and VT to tube changing. They were allowed a 10 minutes
breather at the temple before the final push to The Marina.
We were targeting the 7 pm ferry. Arriving with ample time
to spare, we made the mistake of buying water and beer. It was totally
unnecessary as the island has a lot of convenience store with competitive
prices.
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| We were all smiles when finally allowed to board |
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| Loading the bikes |
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| Return fare |
When the ferry finally arrived, we were not allowed to
board. It was a long weekend and hoards of tourists were waiting to get off the
island. To help ease the congestion, the ferry returned to the island for a
second trip!
Thus despite the ravings about punctuality, we only got on
the ferry at 7.30 pm. Thankfully, the journey was a mere 10 minutes.
Arriving in Pangkor, we made our way to Chao Seng Seafood
Restaurant. The wait for dinner was almost one hour but the reasonable price
made up for everything. After that, it was time to unwind at our little haven
for the next 2 nights!
Note : There are 2 ferry services for Pangkor. One is via Lumut while the other via Marina Island. Both services will dock at Pangkor Island Jetty. While both fares are the same, Marina Island's ferries are known to sail on time and are not governed by the tide. Travel time via Marina Island is 10 minutes while via Lumut is 30 minutes. Remember to keep your ticket as the RM14 ticket includes your return journey. If you decides to take the Lumut ferry on your return, you can buy a separate ticket at RM7 at Pangkor jetty. This one way ticket is only available on Pangkor's side. Parking at Marina Island is open spaced and well managed by Secure Parking. Rates are on hourly basis and not per day.
Photo credit : KC
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Teluk Intan River Cruise
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Puteri Bayu Beach Resort
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| View of beach taken through the fence. Despite a seaview, chalets are cordoned off from public |
