Tasik Chini, Pahang, Malaysia February 10, 2007

When out-of-town visitors come to stay long enough, my Kuantan friends usually take them on a day-trip to Tasik (Lake) Chini, located southwest of Kuantan about two hours’ drive. The lake is actually a series of about 12 lakes linked together by various channels, full of vegetation. We hired a boat for about RM50 ($15.00CAD) which took us on a leisurely trip across the lake, through the jungle (note the huge vines and the rope bridge across the channel) and over to visit the native people (Orang Asli) in their settlement. They are the Jakun people, a tribe of the Melayu Asli origin, and believe that the lake is home to a Loch Ness-type monster called Naga Seri Gumum.

















The lake was covered in little tiny pink flowers, notice how colourful it looks! We found out that the best time to visit in during the months of June to September, when the water is covered in lotus blooms!


















































One of the tribe members showed us how to use a blowgun, still traditionally used in hunting today, complete with poison dart tip! Notice the fine carving on the handcrafted pipes they had for sale (about RM100 or $31CAD).

Orang Asli mother and child