Row, row, row your boat in this week’s SNAPSHOT… Our Ecomama spent a day with her kids on Tasik Chini (Chini lake), a two hour’s drive
What is Tasik Chini?
Tasik Chini is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is a natural lake in the state of Pahang. At the lake, you can do guided boat tours for 30 or 60 minutes. The landscape is stunning, and the slow boat ride very relaxing. Our guide also entertained the kids with a legend about a mythical monster that is believed to guard the lake.
On the way back to the jetty, the boatman took us through an almost hidden arch of river rushes, to Kampung Cendahan, where a small local indigenous community (orang asli) live, on the banks of Tasik Chini. At the village, we learnt about their culture and lifestyle. We also saw some handicraft items such as woodcarvings, combs and blowpipes handmade from bamboo (the kids loved this). It’s all for sale and it is a good way to help this local community.
Why is it good?
Although it’s not listed anywhere as a tourist attraction, we found the boat trip extremely beautiful. The blooming water lilies and lotus flowers at the surface of the lake, surrounded by tropical rainforest trees on both sides, are worth the long trip from KL. We went in September, and we were told that the best period to visit is from July to September, as the surface of the lake is covered with hundreds of beautiful pink and white lotus flowers in all different sizes. This trip is great for families with older or younger kids, couples or groups of friends.
What to bring:
– Hats and sunblock in case of sunny weather
– Water bottles
– Mosquito repellent (although we didn’t notice any mosquitos)
– Comfortable walking shoes. Avoid flip-flops or sandals; it can be very muddy in the village when it rains.
We were not given a life jacket at first, and we had to insist on it. As the boat goes really slow, they claim it’s not necessary, but especially with younger kids, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Where is it?
Tasik Chini is almost a 3 hour drive from KL, but just to see the blooming water lilies and lotus flowers at the surface of the lake, surrounded by tropical rainforest trees on both sides, was already worth the long trip from Kl.
4 Responses
Hi, may I get the contact of the guide and how much does it cost to hire the guide?
Hi! Unfortunately I don’t have the contact of the guide, because at the moment you arrive at the ticket counter and choose the duration of your boat hide they assign you a guide. The prices start from RM60 (for a 30 min ride). At the time we chose an 1 hour and a half hide in a boat for 4 people and we paid RM90. It was really worth it.
from KL where to take the boat ride to tasik chini?
You have to drive to Chini in Pahang where you can get the boat. It’s a long drive, but worth the trip. 🙂