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With about 340 islands which
were once hilltops and highlands. the hilly regions
of Kenyir Lake is a world of untouched virgin tropical
jungle estimated to be millions of years old. There
is no exact estimation of the number of species of
plants and wildlife existing within this vast ecosystem.
Dipterecarpus shrouds the horizon and lowering
trees of the majestic Keruing, Meranti and Kapor
loom above while the exotic wildlife roam freely
below. For research scientists, mature lovers, adventurers
and keen photographers, there is no rival as Kenyir
promises to be a world of discovery.
The Islands
Truly one of the unique facets of Lake Kenyir is
the hundreds of pretty lake islands, 340 islands
approximately, which dot the vast surface of the
lake. Like jewels gleaming in the sun, the islands
offer a panoramic and unique view of Lake Kenyir
unseen anywhere else. When the hills and valleys
are submerged in the water after the construction
of the dams, highlands and hilltops above 138 metres
in height which are not submerged become islands
in Lake Kenyir.
All the islands are named after previous local
rivers rapids before the inundation, or named after
villages or hills of the nearby area. Among the
hundreds of beautiful islands of Kenyir are the
Chergau or Besar, Sah Besar, Sah Kecil, Poh, Tanjung
Ragut, Dalilah and Batu Pipit to name a few.
On Sah Kecil island, some 8km from Pengkalan Gawi,
another curious attraction beckons the visitor.
Medicinal potions and herbal drinks are on offer
here, freshly brewed by half-medicine men, half-researchers,
stationed at the Herb Park. Over 200 species of
medicinal plants and herbs are currently being cultivated
here, including the tongkat ali which is purported
to contain properties which can increase strength
and virility. Over 100 more species of plants has
been tagged for cultivation in the near future.
Other island covers nicely around the lake are
Pulau Bayas, Pulau Sumas, Pulau Jelatang, Pulau
Batu Pipit and many more. Pulau Batu Pipit also
known as Pulau Mahathir named after the Prime Minister.
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Caves
Located in the National Park, Bewah and Taat Caves
are two towering limestone caves that abound with
mysteries and legends. These cave are not only natural
wonders, they are also the sites of archeological
discoveries dating back to Neolithic times. This is
the site where archeologists and historians have uncovered
artifacts such as kitchen utensils, axes and tools.
They are located at the southern end of the lake,
and lie within Taman Negara. Therefore permits have
to be bought in order to enter the Park. Before the
creation of the lake, there were probably several
caves accessible and some were of archaeological importance.
However when the area was flooded, most of the caves
were lost underwater.
You can now explore the Taat Caves
through its two visible entrances while the nearby
Bewah Caves has only one entrance. It is advisable
to bring along torchlight's should you explore Taat
Caves. At Bewah Caves, solar lighting are available.
Gua Bewah is the biggest of the known caves, situated
in Bukit Bewah while Gua Taat is in the hill opposite
Bewah and has two entrances.
Gua Bewah
From the floating jetty, a steep flight of steps lead
up to the big entrance situated 40m above lake level.
The cave is basically one huge chamber. The back section
of the cave is the most interesting containing an
abundance of cave fauna such as crickets, bats and
spiders. There are not many stalagmites or stalactites,
so although the cave is not pretty in that sense,
it is really impressive due to the huge size of the
chamber.
Gua Taat
The main entrance is reached by a wooden step ladder.
The entrance is quite small and low compared to Bewah.
A straight tunnel with a flat roof leads to the back
section, where it meets a small stream.
The passage then swings round to
the left, and there are some nice formations, such
as a "Lion King" shaped stalagmite and an
impressive array of 'sharks' teeth' formations. Light
comes in from the second entrance, but to reach it
entails a belly crawl through a tight squeeze. Gua
Taat was first dug in 1959. Flaked tools from the
Hoabinhian period (14,000-10,000 years ago) were found,
as well as pottery and food remains such as molluscs.
There is a second cave further round, Gua Taat 2,
but it is basically just a long rock shelter. It is
easy to see why Stone Age man used these caves as
temporary refuges - for shelter and protection, and
providing a good view down onto the lower grounds
below.
Bewah and Taat Caves beckon anyone
to uncover its mysteries, and it takes approximately
1 1/2 to 2 hours by boat to reach these caves from
Pengkalan Gawi.
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Waterfalls
There are 14 waterfalls found and flow rapidly around
the lake. The most famous are Lasir Waterfall (nearby
Uncle John Resort), Tembat Waterfall (just a minute
to Musang Kenyir Resort) and Saok Waterfall. Saok
Waterfall is situated at the east of Pulau Besar (about
20 minutes boat ride from Gawi Jetty). Whist to the
south (nearby Jenagor Dam) are Lasir, Kenyir and Pertang
River waterfalls
Lasir Waterfalls
One of the many spectacular waterfalls within Lake
Kenyir. Being about 500 feet high, Lasir drops gracefully
into multi-tiered levels of boulders forming sprays
of water. Ponds of water are available at each of
the 5 levels.
Well shaded by the canopy of the
surrounding forest it offers a cold refreshing bath
at the fallsLocated about 16 km to the south of Pengkalan
Gawi. By boat it will take about 30-45 minutes to
reach there. It is also a perfect camping site with
a flat area at the highest level.
Soak Waterfalls
Located on the eastern shore of Besar Island, it is
a 15 - 20 minute boat ride from Gawi. A favourite
spot for picnickers and nature lovers, the fall is
a beautiful sight of cascading water over rock terraces
and boulders. At the ground level, there is a flat
sandy area perfectly sized for a whole family to have
a picnic and for children to have a fun-frolic time.
Tembat Waterfalls
Located at the Tembat River, the waterfall is a beautiful
gradual series of flowing water on boulders and ridges.
Unlike Lasir and Soak, Tembat is actually composed
of five rapids with fast flowing streams to form a
cascading waterfall. It is a very popular spot for
visitors and campers as there is a camping site by
the fall which can accommodate a fairly large group
easily. In addition, there is also a hiking trail
which will enable you to reach the top and from that
vantage point you will be rewarded with a magnificent
view of the waterfall. From Gawi to Tembat, you only
need a 45 to 60 minute boat ride.
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The Hilly Region
The highest peak is Chergau in Pulau Besar or Pulau
Chergau (name after its hill name). It is situated
in the centre of the lake. The highest top hill near
the area of Pengkalan Gawi is Mount Gerdau, which
is estimated as 855m.
Whereas the highest mount in Terengganu
is situated in Kenyir Lake area too, the mountain
is known as Gunung Lawit (1519m). Other mounts in
the listed area are Mount Tembat (964m), Mount Gajah
Terom (1206m), Mount Kachang and Mount Bongsu, a sacred
mount for Orang Asli in this area.
Expeditions to Mount Gagau have been
proven to be an exhilarating experience. Among the
other peaks in Kenyir are the Bongsu, Tembat, Raung,
Kachang, Cergau and Gajah Terom. At present, there
are no facilities on the other peaks except for Mount
Gagau where base camps and hiking trails have been
set-up. Should you decide to venture into these hilly
regions please consult the relevant authorities.
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Kenyir Dam
The history of construction of the dam spanned for
15 years, which is from the planning stage to the
completion of the dam. Actually it was first identified
in 1961 but it proved uneconomic due to the small
demand and the high cost of production. Early 1970’s
the government revived the study and further site
investigations was proceeded.
Even though the original survey for the project was
in1972 the construction was started in 1978 and was
completed in 1985. In 1987 the whole project was officially
opened by his Royal Highness The Sultan of Terengganu
Darul Iman and was named after the baginda Sultan
"Sultan Mahmud Hydro Electric Power Station".
The main project site is located at Kuala Kenyir (about
55km from Kuala Terengganu). The main features of
Kenyir Hydro Electric Project are a rock fill dam
with 400 megawatts of generating plant. During the
construction period, two temporary diversion tunnels
were built for the purpose of diverting the rivers.
The normal capacity of the lake store is 13.6 billion
cubic metres of water. Whereas the deepest point is
145 metres deep. This power station complex building
can produce 100 MW (megawatts) power units which can
be supplied through out Malaysia. Normally the daily
operation operates at a continuous power output of
165 MW and its average annual output is 1600 GWh (Giga
watt hours).
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