Visit to Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park

Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park (SKHSP) is new to me, but Sungai Klah itself is not. Since it’s inauguration in 2003, I only heard about this place popularity via the news. Sungai Klah brought lots of memories of my old scouting days in secondary school where we used to camp in Lata Bongsu, a small rapids (small waterfall) situated across the road from SKHSP. There was a camping ground that we used to camp and we jungle-trekked at night around the plantation.

Back in my scouting days in the 90’s, Sungai Klah was really rural as the only people that dwell there in that area are FELDA pioneers and Orang Asli (aborigines). Now the road was properly tarmaced up until the foothills of Titiwangsa. We used to trekked on the dirt road from Sungai Klah and Lata Bongsu as the bus only stop and drop passengers in Sungai Klah. It was a long distance but it sure is fun! Lata Bongsu has been fully developed into a full-fledge camping ground for outdoor activities, and the camp was known as Nur Nikman Camp.

Well, talks have been rife about planning a visit here but never materialize. Yen suggested that we might as well go, and my mom tag along after some serious coaxing. The journey from Bidor is not long. The junction leading to Sungkai Klah is right after the junction to the Sungkai plaza toll. Take the turn to the left, and drive through it.

The road leading to the hot spring were scattered with Malay traditional villages as well as Orang Asli settlements. There were plenty of fruit sellers by the road side and the road signs are clear and spot on. Some serious reminders to inform you guys is GPS does not work here as it does not show the actual location of the hot springs. If you insist of relying on the GPS you will end up in a cul de sac behind a village stall! Trust me.

Here is some facts about Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park (SKHSP) or Taman Rekreasi Air Panas (TRAP) Sungai Klah. First of all, this place is a must visit especially if you are a local as this place was carefully managed by FELDA, the leading agency spearheading plantations and agro-tourism industry. This place was inaugurated in December 2003 (mentioned above) with the building cost of over RM6 million. SKHSP is reputed to be one of the best hot spring in Malaysia. The hot spring is located 200 ft. above sea level at the foothill of the biggest mountain range in malaysia, the Titiwangsa Range. You pay a tenner per person, and RM7 for senior citizen.

When you arrive, you will be greeted with 2 parking lots on the left and right side of the park entrance, with an auxiliary police booth on your left. The ticketing office is on your right. Food including raw eggs is not allowed in as you can buy them there from the cafeterias. You need to do some short walk to the first hot pool right after exiting the ticketing office. This is if you are walking to the right side along the public footpath. If you take the left from the ticketing booth, it will lead you to the cold pool where further down the road there is another car park.

During our visit, the cold pool was closed for further refurbishing. We treat our feet and body by soaking in the hot pool. Not many of them around as today was a week day, and the pool is entirely yours. Later in the evening you can see scores of Japanese and local tourists wondering around the park. The area was surrounded by lush greeneries of virgin forest, with plantations complementing the vivid serene view of the mountain range with its clear water streams and rivers around the park.

Another reason you should come here is because of the alternative to modern day spa centres that they provide. Spas have become one of the attractions in many hotels and resorts in this region. Many believed that the natural springs have healing properties that will help to heal and detoxify toxic from your body. Those with stiff muscles, stiff joints, rheumatism, spinal injuries, insomnia and skin related problems should consider soaking themselves here.

Yen registered herself with an Indian massage as her back pain was so severe. It cost 60 bucks for a half hour massage. I accompanied her in with mom just to check if the physiotherapist is really that good. We were ushered to some private rooms behind the registration office. The private rooms are made of rumbia roofs (very flammable if some idiot forgot to diffuse cigbutt). The tiny air-conditioned house can fill in at most 10 person before it was considered packed.

The physiotherapist is a Malayalam lady from Karala, India. She has been here in Malaysia for two years. She speaks simple English and very passionate about her massaging job. As she gently rub Yen’s body in less than 10 minutes, Yen begin to moan but after that, it is all smooth that she even fell asleep! From the testimonial I get, Yen says it is one hell of a good job the massager did. I will definitely have my back and legs ‘repaired’ in my next trip seeing Yen in full ecstasy! Not only me, but mom was tempted as well.

We wondered around not much as most stalls and shops were closed. It was Monday and it is such a pity that this kind of place are only lively in the weekends. Good news for xenophobics, if you hate contact and being a crowded place, this place is good for you during the weekdays!

SKHS has indeed became one of the main tourist destinations in Batang Padang and this is a great news for locals like me. This place was indeed a splashing and exciting getaway for the urbans who appreciate nature’s beauty and a stress-free escapade.

Summary of facilities SKHSP have to offer:

• Swimming Pool (hot)
• Swimming Pool (cold)
• Therapeutic Pool
• Hot Springs & Board Walk
• Egg Boiling Activity
• Water Reflexology Course
• Food Court
• Souvenir Shop
• Traditional Massage
• Family Bath
• Private spa and jaccuzzi
• Campsite & games field
• Muslim prayer room
• Cafeteria

Contact Info:

Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park, 35600 Sungkai, Perak, Malaysia
Tel: +605 441 4493
Fax: +605 438 8760

Kuala Lumpur Sales Office,
Plantation Resorts Sdn Bhd (514497-X) 2nd Floor, Balai Felda, Jalan Gurney 1, 54000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603 2697 9772
Fax: +603 2693 5104
Front Office: 014 6368439
Email: resorts.prsb@felda.net.my
Website: Plantation Resorts

Operating hours: 8am – 10pm daily
Entrance Fee: RM10 (adult), RM7 (senior citizen) and RM6 (child)
Reservation/inquiries:  +605 4414 493 or +603 2698 3833

Enough of the facts, and here’s the pics;

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