Pedu Lake Destination Guide
OVERVIEW
Pedu Lake or Ampangan Pedu as known locally, is located
in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. It lies at latitude 6 degrees
15 minutes, longitude 100 degrees 46 minutes at the height
of 59.0 meters above mean sea level. The lake has the characteristics
of a sea with both low tide and high tide. At maximum water
level, the lake is 97.5m deep (320 feet).This man-made lake,
is 75 sq km in area, is surrounded by primary tropical rainforests.
It is part of the catchment area for the Pedu Dam in which
water is stored to irrigate the padi fields on the plains
of Kedah.
Located 90km from the state capital Alor Setar and served
by good roads, it is easily accessible.
The Pedu Lake, located in the midst of the dense rainforest
of Gunung Fakir Terbang and surrounded by an undulating
terrain, this magnificent lake offers a serenity that is
unmatched, a landscape that is beautiful beyond words, and
a refreshingly cool environment. With its peaceful and tranquil
environment, Pedu Lake is an ideal location for unwinding
even under the midday sun.
The lush jungle is home to a large population of wild animals,
which includes elephants, deer, wild boar, leopards, birds,
bats, flying foxes, and not forgetting the different types
of insects. The rich wildlife in Pedu Lake's jungle has
prompted the Kedah Government to designate part of Pedu
Lake and its surrounding areas as a wildlife sanctuary.
This has opened a new dimension in eco-tourism, which is
uniquely special to the Pedu Lake region. Hides and canopy
walks have also been created to enable tourists and nature
lovers to have a taste of adventure in the wilds.
Visitors should also not limit their adventures to daytime
alone. When night falls and silence descends, one can hear
the crackling calls of jungle insects, the occasional hooting
of night owls, and the strange cries of wild animals. It
is a world where the nocturnal animals dominate. Yet the
moon high above the lake and the shimmering surface of the
lake provides such peaceful and romantic feelings.
Pedu Lake has so much more to offer to us. Nature lovers
have the entire jungle at their disposal to discover the
hidden secrets of the tropical forests. Vacationers have
the beauty all to themselves. One can never tire of this
place.
With the surrounding green tropical forests and hills casting
shadows on the lake, the waters shimmer in rich hues of
emerald blue.
You must love the wilderness to really enjoy Pedu.
PLACES OF INTEREST
There are many places of interest to visit and explore and
if you are the adventurous type and would prefer the excursion
trips there are plenty to discover around Pedu Lake District.
There are activities such as bird-watching and observing
wildlife from otters to elephants. You can also test your
skills trekking the Fakir Terbang range, jungle walking
in the night, wall climbing, camping in the wilderness or
tackling the 13-element obstacle course. There are many
other activities organised by the resort.
Perhaps the most adventurous outing is to track wild elephants.
You need to take a 25-minute boat ride from Mutiara Pedu
Lake Golf & Lake Resort to a place called Pongka. A
natural salt lake in the area draws out elephants, deer
and other animals from the jungles. However, their sightings
nowadays are rare. You can see footprints of elephants and
deer during day time. But if you stake out at dusk or night
time, you may be lucky enough to see these animals.
For those interested in jungle trekking, it can be done
by going into the inner depths of the jungle around Pedu
Lake. One can discover and admire its well-protected flora
and fauna. The lush jungle is home to a large population
of wild animals, which includes elephants, deer, wild boar,
leopards, birds, bats, flying foxes, and not forgetting
the different types of insects.
More thrills await if you trek the Fakir Terbang range
where the tallest peak is about 600m high.
Trekking takes between one and three hours. That will take
you deep into the Pedu Forest Reserve. It is very much a
jungle with wildlife, rich fauna and hidden waterfalls.
Here you can marvel at huge species of trees, some more
than 100 years old. The most spectacular tree must surely
be the "tualang". With some standing at more than
50m, the tualang can be said as the tallest in the tropical
jungle.
Tracking the honey bees, usually from December to May,
make interesting jungle excursion. Scientists have been
known to join traditional honey gatherers in Pedu to learn
more about the bees. The sight of the bee hives on the tall
tualang is astounding. The highest number of hives ever
found on tualang trees was 118, and this was recorded in
1991. Watching these honeybees swarming back to their hives
at sundown is a thrilling experience that is too good to
be missed. However, it would be wise to engage in the services
of special guides to go on this bee hunting adventure, as
well as to see the natives in the jungle collecting wild
honey from the honeybees.
Another exciting find in Pedu is an abandoned Japanese
fort, which was built during World War Two. The concrete
fort is tucked in the jungle and it stood like a sore thumb.
It can be found near Bukit Batu Tajam but you need a guide
to show you the exact spot as there is no information board
whatsoever indicating the fort's existence.
There is a Recreational Park situated near the spillway
of Pedu Dam. The same access road to this recreational forest
leads to Pedu Lake Resort. This recreational forest provides
good basic facilities such as parking, suspension bridge,
resting huts and lounge chairs. Besides that, it also provides
a jetty for tourists and fishermen. This recreational forest
is splendid for picnics, swimming and fishing. A wide variety
of flora and fauna of lowland dipterocarp forest could be
found here.
Visitors should also not limit their adventures to daytime
alone. When night falls and silence descends, one can hear
the crackling calls of jungle insects, the occasional hooting
of night owls, and the strange cries of wild animals. It
is a world where the nocturnal animals dominate. Yet the
moon high above the lake and the shimmering surface of the
lake provides such peaceful and romantic feelings. Indeed
Pedu is a sanctuary in the wilderness with its many secrets
and surprises, enticing you to search for more.
HOW TO GET THERE
By air
Guests can fly to Alor Setar Airport where arrangements
for transfer to Pedu Dam can be made.
By road
Take the North-South Expressway. If you travel from the
south, exit at Gurun. This route will take you through scenic
towns and villages like Jeniang, Batu Lima, Sik, Gulau ,
Belantik and Gubir before reaching your destination.
If travelling from the North, including Thailand, Bukit
Kayu Hitam or from Kangar, exit at the Alor Star Utara toll
and proceed to Langar, Pokok Sena, Kuala Nerang and Kampung
Pedu. Kuala Nerang is the nearest town to Pedu, about 50km
or 45 minutes drive through narrow meandering road. The
nearest village is Kampung Pinang, about 30km away.
If you are travelling by road and coming from the East
Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, through the East-West Highway
you have to proceed to Grik, Pengkalan Hulu and Baling or
Kuala Pegang. If you choose Baling, proceed to Weng, Kampung
Batu Belah, Gulau, Belantik and Gubir. If you choose Kuala
Pegang, proceed to Parit Panjang, Batu Lima, Sik, Gulau,
Belantik and Gulau.
Road Distance
From Kuala Lumpur - 500 km - 5 hours
From Penang - 170 km - 2.5 hours
Alor Star Utara Toll - 80 km - 1.5 hours
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