Interesting Places – Kenyir Travel

Kelah Sanctuary

The Kelah Sanctuary located at Petang River, is about 45 minutes from the jetty. The river has 91 streams flowing into it, mainly from Mount Padang. What makes this sanctuary exciting is the opportunity visitors have to swim and catch the fish by hand as well as have their feet nibbled at by the many species of Kelah fish. Fishing is prohibited here but anglers can trek into the upper reaches of the river to try and catch the Malaysian Golden Mahseer.

Kenyir Elephant Village

This is located at Temelong River and allows visitors to observe wildlife and befriend the rainforest’s largest and most magnificent creature at the Kenyir Elephant Village. Be inspired by the breathtaking view as you enter the elephant village. The entire park looms below a series of hanging bridges and you have to walk across one bridge to another to get to the elephants. Imagine walking among the tree tops, surely an exciting way to be one with nature. When you get down below to the elephant village, look up and be amazed at the journey you just took to get there!

Bewah Cave

Take a 90 minute boat ride from the Gawi Jetty and visit the home of nocturnal animals and insects that inhabit the cave. Bewah Cave is the largest cave with an entrance arching 40 metres above the water level. Many interesting discoveries have been made here by archaeologists including uncovering skeletal remains of prehistoric human and primitive artifacts. Also take the opportunity to behold the stalactites and stalagmites as well as explore the tunnelling chambers of the cave.

Taat Cave

This cave is known for its many secrets of the past. It was once made up of three caves, the lowest being the Tok Bidan Cave which has been long submerged underwater by the creation of the dam. The unique and natural rise and fall of stalactites and stalagmites will awe any visitor. This indeed is the beauty of mother nature.

Mount Gagau

Mount Gagau 1376 meters (4,513 feet) is located adjacent to Taman Negara Terengganu. The mountain is a point of the boundary between the states of Pahang , Terengganu and Kelantan . Mount Gagau have dipterocarp forest hill , forest Route Map and Montane forest . There are lots of flora in the mountains , which have medicinal value. Gagau mountain can be climbed through a national park in Kenyir Lake . 2 hour boat ride from main jetty at Pengkalan Gawi, Tasik Kenyir.

Butterfly Park

Just five minutes away from the Gawi Jetty on Lubuk Geras is the Kenyir Butterfly Park. The park serves as a sanctuary to thousands of species of preserved and live butterflies. Surrounded with lush flowers and greens, the Butterfly Park provides ideal photography opportunities. Some of the rarest species are found here such as the Rajah Brooke and Golden Birdwings. There is also an informative and interactive insect museum which is a replica of the Bewah Cave to enthral the young ones.

Herbal Garden

This is situated on Sah Kecil Island about 10 minutes away from the jetty. Here you will find more than 200 traditional herbal spices that include Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Logifolia), Kacip Fatimah (Labiusa Pumila), Misai Kucing (Orthosiphon Arisatu) and many other herbs with medicinal value. There is an Interpretative Centre with detailed information where visitors can learn more about herbal plants that offer therapeutic and also general healthcare needs. More interestingly, visitors can sample freshly made herbal beverages which are renowned for its medicinal values.

Orchid Garden

Feast your eyes on the abundance of local and international, and exotic hybrids of orchids here. The Orchid Garden can be found at Pulau Hilir Selimbar, Pulau Hulu Selimbar and Pulau Belit. It is about 5 km away from the Gawi Jetty. These three islands are interconnected by hanging bridges. One can easily get ‘lost’ here, as they find and discover about 11,739 orchid plants from more than 700 species! Among the species of interest are Phalaenopsis, Catasandra Fanfare, Oncidium Papillao and Achinhes. The Orchid Garden has been established as a hub for gardening, preservation and research.

Tropical Garden

This is located on two islands; Tekak Besar Island and Sungai Tekak Island. It is an eco tourism research and development centre for various tropical, wild and exotic fruits which are close to extinction in Malaysia. Visitors can even hand pick and eat more than 100 species of fruits from over a thousand seasonal and non-seasonal fruit trees. The rich biodiversity of the Tropical Garden traces its roots back to about three thousand million years. Here you can find the Terengganu Cherry, the Baccaurea Parviflora (Setambun), the Sea Poison Tree (Putat) and the Garcinia Xanthochymus (Asam Kandis) among the 110 species of exotic and wild fruits.

Lasir Waterfall

This is one of the few popular waterfalls around Lake Kenyir, located just 16 km south of Gawi Jetty. The majestic 500 foot waterfall drops gracefully into a multi tiered array of boulders and rocks of foaming white spray. The base of the waterfall is shaded by leafy canopies, an ideal spot to take an afternoon rest.

Saok Waterfall

Saok Waterfall is a mere 15 minute boat ride west of the jetty to Chergau Island, Lake Kenyir’s largest island. Cascading water over rocky terraces and boulders complemented by a flat sandy shore at the base of the waterfall, makes it the perfect picnic spot for families. Be sure to take as many snapshots of this gorgeous place.