Paka To Ipoh Through Kenyir - Simpang Pulai

Got the chance to use the Kenyir - Simpang Pulai route a couple of months back, when on a business trip to Ipoh. Had intended to write an extensive blog about the trip, but since it's already passe, decided just to write the details of the route that could be useful to others who happen to pass through this site.

The details (distances, checkpoints and other pointers) can be found in the Bahasa version of a different posting.

The business to Ipoh was average, but the trip itself was very happening. Made the decision to use the Kenyir - Simpang Pulai road for the first time, and convinced the family to come along. All seven of us. Could've been eight but the eldest daughter was busy with college exams. Heard about the route from friends and relatives. The advantages were shorter and faster route to Ipoh from Terengganu, but with the disadvantages of uncharted and ungazzetted pathway.

The trip was extensively planned. Apart from the words of mouth from those who had been through it, searched the internet for some needed info. The Wikimapia and Google Earth were very helpful, as did several other blog and forum sites. The most helpful was the Bumi Sepi site, thank you very much.

The route was not really a highway, per se. It's a connection of different types of roads to Gua Musang, Lojing and thru' the Cameron Highland approach road until Simpang Pulai, Perak. Even the intended new stretch to reach Gua Musang was closed due to landslides, so had to pass through the oil palm plantation road of Felda Aring before reaching the proper Gua Musang road at Felda Chiku.

After passing through the Gua Musang town, took the road to Kuala Betis for the connection route to Lojing / Cameron Highland, onwards to Simpang Pulai. It was the first time for the whole family, so the views along the road were very pulsating to us. Bought some flowers and plants from the roadside shops on the way back.

One of the most exciting things that we did on the way back was stopping at the Orang Asli stall to buy a hard to find fruit that my wife and I used to eat. We call it buah "ngeker"; it's smaller than a tennis ball, with a thick outer shell and the inside that looks like buah rambai but less soft.

Most part of the Kenyir - Simpang Pulai route was literally uncharted. Latest maps were not available, and both Wikimapia & Google Earth were not updated on the area. Having benefitted from the blogs and forums of the area/route, felt that it would be very value-added for us to detail our journey, with added info not available from existing sites, that could be helpful to anybody who need it.

Again, the Bahasa details in different posting.