2013年8月29日星期四

Fraser Hill, Pahang, Malaysia

This was an unplanned trip for us… or I should say it’s an accident. We wanted to visit a friend in Raub and we end up lost in Fraser Hill!

Fraser’s Hill is a highland resort destination nestled among the mountains of Pahang, located about 2 hours away from Kuala Lumpur. Locally known as Bukit Fraser, this cooling holiday retreat is popular for its nature activities and cooling climate. Fraser’s Hill has its roots in the 1890s, when the tin ore trade was bustling. After a failed gold mining venture in Australia, Scottish prospector Louis James Fraser arrived to explore the remote Titiwangsa mountains of Pahang.


One day, he came across rich tin ore deposits embedded in several ridgetops, hidden by a thick drape of mossy forest. Opening up a mine, Fraser hired Chinese labourers and used mules to transport tin ore down a steep mountain track (Gap road today) to Raub town for trade. Eventually, Fraser himself moved up the hill and operated several gambling and opium dens for miners to find entertainment after work. Sometime around 1915, he vanished just as the tin deposits dried up and everyone moved away. Fraser's Hill became overgrown as nature reclaimed the mined land while Fraser himself became somewhat of an enigma, as his mysterious disappearance has not been solved till this day. In 1917, the bishop of Singapore rediscovered Fraser's Hill while on a hunt for the man, providing suggestions for the area to be developed into a hill station which was brought to fruition by authorities.

Bukit Fraser has an average altitude of 1,200 meters high but its highest point rises at 1,500 meters at the Telekoms loop. Meanwhile, the base of the Gap road is about 800 meters in height.


Temperatures usually range between 22 - 28°C during the day and 16°C to 20°C at night; with more rain, the environment becomes cold and misty. Ensure you have sufficent clothing if you're susceptible to chill. Also, prepare to get wet and muddy if you plan to junge trek.

Get around
For getting around Fraser's Hill, your own car is the best option. However there is no petrol station up in Fraser's Hill so remember to fill your tank before going uphill. Should you get caught without sufficient petrol in Fraser's Hill, ask the locals and they may sell some petrol to you in 1 litre bottles.

Most distances are, however, walkable if you're not in hurry and don't mind going up/downhill or taking the trails through the jungle.

See

Fraser's Hill is famed worldwide as a birdwatching destination, with over 250 species recorded. Winners during the annual Bird Race have spotted as many as 70 species within 24 hours!

Clock Tower. The central point of Fraser's Hill, this exceedingly British-looking little stone building covered with creeper vines is the most popular place to get your picture taken. The clock tower was designed by Malaysian Landscape Architect Z Jaal and built by the Frasers Hill Development Corporation in 1989.


Jeriau Waterfalls, 5 km (30 min drive) from the town centre and then a 15-min walk. The falls are 6 meters high and fall into a shallow pool suitable for bathing. The area is equipped with restrooms and shelters for picnics.


More pic:

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