The Way It Was Rowed

Salam and greeting.

Ever wonder how it's like to cruise through one of Malaysia's unique environment? Furthermore, what if your mode of transport is a kayak and powered only by your own strength and gut. Well, that was how traditionally people travelled here in Kuala Sepetang in the earlier days.

But they didn't use the kayak though. Those days, people used wooden sampan as their main mode of transport at this part of the world. Be it for travel or making their ends meet, the sampan used were really important to them. Use to be paddled through the narrow and wide riverine branches here in the mangroves of Kuala Sepetang, it has thrive the thick jungle once in becoming quite a busy fisherman's village. The sampan then evolves to bigger tongkang. And with the industrial revolution effects, both are taken over by steam-powered boat and later replaced by fossil-powered engines. The sampan or any other paddling mode of transport is a rare opportunity to be seen now.

Thus, in reviving the experience of Kuala Sepetang early days, Taiping Heritage Cult together with GeoMASS of MARA University of Technology Shah Alam have organized a kayak tour recently. Started off with a basic class on kayaking, the participants then proceed to a warm-up session before paddling through the waters of the mangroves.



The four hours energetic but exciting tour flows through the traditional fishermen's villages, the Virgin Jungle Reserves Island, the charcoal factory complex and a stopover at one of the fish encagement.




At the end of the tour, even though it was hectic compared to the boat tour, the satisfaction of being near with the natural surrounding is an unforgettable experience.




If you are interested to experience the kayak tour, do call Mr Wan at 012-3912916 or send your inquiries by email to taipingheritagecult@gmail.com

Rhizophora mucronata or Rhizophora apiculata

Salam and greeting.

If mentioned as the above, not many of us would understand and know what they actually are. Unless you are a biologist or an ecologist doing your research on coastal shores habitats and its surroundings. However, in common English layman terms, both of these terms are known as the mangroves plant.




These weird looking plants are growing vastly in the Matang Mangrove Reserve, covering an area of 40466 hectare. It stretches from Kuala Gula on the northern tip up to Pantai Remis on its southern tip at the coastal shore of Perak state.





In the third part of the Kuala Sepetang boat tour, we will be passing through an island known as the Mangrove's Virgin Jungle Reserve. This island reserve acts as an important part in making Matang Mangrove Reserve as the best managed reserve in the world. It is where the seedlings of the mangrove plants being collected and being planted in other compartments around the whole reserve area.




The overall process of managing each mangrove reserve compartment will take a cycle of 30 years, from it seeds form up to the matured plants being chopped. They are being used in construction works and for the process of making charcoal. After being chopped, the seeds will be replant again for the next cycle to take place.



However, the plants in this island are not being chopped and being let to grow naturally. That is why from afar during the boat tour, their towering heights and huge trunk size are noticeable. The area around this island have been a place for the Sightings of otters, eagles, monkeys, lizards and sometimes dolphin, but it is depending on one's luck to see them.



And apart from having economic values and habitat to some animals, the mangrove reserve has saved the live of all the fishermen including their village from the disastrous 2004 tsunami. The tidal waves were dispersed by the existence of these plants.




Thus, this part of the boat tour will give a deeper understanding and importance of the weird looking Rhizophora mucronata or Rhizophora apiculata...

The Fish Encagement of Kuala Sepetang

Salam and Greeting.

Beyond and not known to most who came to Taiping or Kuala Sepetang is the scenery of the fish rearing encagement or fish farms. These encagements are operated by some of the fishermen who opt for modern method of generating income out of the sea.




Being scattered all around Kuala Sepetang waters from internal estuarine out to the open sea, the fish reared are of salt water species. These reared fish include Grouper (Epinephelus sexfasciatus), Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) and Pomfret (Pampus argenteus)



According to the fishermen who involved in this field, the fishes reared are all being booked by local and overseas restaurant. When it is time to harvest, these fish will normally ends up in high class seafood restaurant menu. So next time when you are having lunch or dinner in some fancy seafood restaurant, the fish may came from Kuala Sepetang. And if you have been on the boat tour, you might have seen this fish in its encagement.




Well, whatever it is, here's the video for you to enjoy...


If you are interested or need additional information, do call Mr Wan at 016-5084708 or 012-3912916 or send your inquiries by email to taipingheritagecult@gmail.com

Fishermen's Village at Kuala Sepetang...

Salam and Greeting.

Other than being part of Malaysia's history mentioned at All Aboard!! The First Train In Malaysia Had Departed Here..., Kuala Sepetang is a town with lots of fishing villages. And because of that, most of its residents are involved direct or indirectly in fisheries related activities.




If you passed Kuala Sepetang town from its landed side, the fisheries related activities exist seems to be invisible. Thus, with the boat tour you will be given an opportunity to see the other side of Kuala Sepetang. You might be surprised on how busy these residents can be in their day to day fisheries activities.

And here, we present to you the Boat Tour Part II: The Fishermen's Village at Kuala Sepetang...



If you are interested or need additional information, do call Mr Wan at 016-5084708 or 012-3912916 or send your inquiries by email to taipingheritagecult@gmail.com

The Boat Tour in Port Weld Has Started...

Salam And Greeting.

The boat tour in Port Weld has started. It was a bit slow but we do believe some how people just need more time to know and excited about it.

We have mentioned about it in Boat Ride at Kuala Sepetang and Here is the Boat Ride. So, here we want to put some details on what is being covered during each boat tour.

For a start, you need to go to the Forest Department Jetty at the Matang Mangrove Reserve. If you are coming from Taiping or Simpang, just follow the road heading towards Kuala Sepetang or Port Weld. The entrance road to the jetty is just before the Kuala Sepetang town where it is inside the Forestry Deparment Complex.

The boat tour operates from 10AM to 5PM and currently on weekends only. Each tour ride will spend about an hour time. During the tour, visitors will cruise through these following places:

The Fishermen's Village


The Fish Rearing Encagement


The Virgin Jungle Reserve


The Charcoal Factory


For all the places mentioned and the fun and experinece on the boat tour will cost you RM15 for adults and RM10 for children, where minimum per trip must consist of at least 4 adults or RM60.

And here we present to you the first part of the tour to enjoy...


If you are interested or need additional information, do call Mr Wan at 016-5084708 or 012-3912916 or send your inquiries by email to taipingheritagecult@gmail.com

Here is the boat ride...

Salam and Greetings.

We have mentioned about the boat ride in Kuala Sepetang before this. Since the service will officially starts this 2nd of August, we would just like to share a video of the boat ride as shown below…




If you need any details you can email taipingheritagecult@gmail.com or call Mr. Wan at 016-5084708 or 012-3912916.

Boat Ride at Kuala Sepetang...

Salam and Greetings.

Boat ride at Kuala Sepetang?? We’ve thought you’ll ask that. Well, there is such thing going to happen and we will let you know when and where.

However, firstly let us start with a bit of what and where Kuala Sepetang is and what may interest you to go there. Kuala Sepetang or Port Weld is an adjacent small town located about 13km west of Taiping. If one to study Malaysia’a history, this small town was in the lime light when it housed one of the railway stations for Malaysia’s first railway track between Taiping and Port Weld way back in 1885 (yet again, another one of Malaysia’s first institution available in Taiping) .

Most of the residents here work as fisherman or some how or another involve in the fisheries industry. So you won’t be a surprised to see and smell something fishy here.

Well known for it well managed mangrove reserves (we will blog about it once we capture some pictures), it also offers some interesting scenery and things that makes you wonder how nature’s ability to adapt to its surrounding changes.

We have gone for a boat ride tour and here what have been installed for you to enjoy…









If these pictures excite you and you would like to experience the real tour, we have got to know that the operators will make the service available hourly on weekends starting 2nd of August 2008 with affordable price. Do contact us if you need any details.