Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Fraser Hill - A Cool Resort...


It was a beautiful day the 15th of February 2012. With the hot and humid weather we decided to take a short trip to the highland resort of Fraser Hill north of Kuala Lumpur. We had planned for this short holiday with another couple. I drove the Honda to Wangsa Maju and after picking the couple; a relative drove by means of the DUKE Highway and took the North-South Highway toward the north. Then made a stop at the Sungei Buloh Rest-Area where we had some snack before continuing toward Kuala Kubu Bahru for our trip to the hill resort. 

After the break I drove the Honda slowly through the many small towns along the way toward Kuala Kubu Bahru. From there took a right turn into the road leading toward the resort. All the way the road winds it ways beside rivers and hills of lush forest of various trees. Just a few kilometers away from Kuala Kubu Bharu we saw a large lake, a reservoir for the Selangor Water Supply. As we move on we saw greens of all shades and colors throughout the journey right up to the Gap. 

Just before the Gap a signage on the roadside shows where a British High Commissioner to Malaya was shot dead in 1951 by the MCP during the Emergency. The once famous Rest House on the hill nearby had been left to rot. It is a shame to let such an important historic building to be taken over by the jungle. We made a stop at the small rest-area at the bottom of the hill before going up the eight kilometers one-way road to the town of Fraser Hill. 

The place became cooler as I drove up and eventually arrived at the Shahzan Hotel and found the whole area was cool with a temperature of 20 degree Celsius. We check in to our rooms. Put on our sweaters got down to have our lunch at the Coffeehouse. Just before the food arrived I went out to take a few shots of the many blooming flowers that are planted in front of the hotel. It was really nice to see so many flowers in full blooms with gorgeous colors everywhere outside the hotel. There is a bird-feed in the garden there where foods are left for the birds to feed. I saw a few birds enjoying it meals while we were waiting for our meal to be ready. We enjoyed a Chinese foods lunch and then took a short rest before taking a spin of the town. 

Soon the place was getting dark and the temperature drop to below 20 degree Celsius. We head to the Ye Olde Smokehouse for dinner. It looks like an old English house of another era. Later we found that the house was build in the early twentieth century during the colonial era and now had been converted into a hotel and dining place. We ordered our dinner and then sat in the cozy ambiance of an English country home and enjoy small chat with the others there while waiting for our dinner to be ready. The dinner of western food was splendid. It was one of the memorable dinners in an English setting with the cool comfort of a temperate climate in the tropic. 

We then head back to the hotel but missed the junction and had to take a long detour back to our hotel. Then we sat at the fireplace at the hotel lobby and enjoy some coffee before calling the night off.

Have a nice day.

[Please click  on image to enlarge]

2 comments:

Cheqna said...

Assalamualaikum Pak Idrus,

Lovely place. Few months ago I went up there with some friends for a bird-watching trip. (You saw the birds whilst dining but we had to walk and cricked our necks at the woods..hehe) It was my first time there and good friends made it more memorable.

As it was a day trip, the few hours spent there were not enough..InsyaAllah would like to go again.

Wish you and family a nice day too.

:-)

Pak Idrus said...

Cheqna, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the subject of this posting.

Yes indeed Fraser Hill is a great place to get lost from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is I believe the only town and resort that is still in a pristine condition thus making it a one of a kind holiday resort. And I love it that way.

We have been there many times and found it to be as enchanting as ever. As such we are going to make it our second homes where we would live there from time to time to enjoy the cool atmosphere and nature at its best.

Have a nice day.