Thursday 30 April 2015

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

Felda Residence Hot Springs
35600 Sungkai,
Perak Darul Ridzuan

Tel: +605 4388 801/803

Hello!

Are you planning for a weekend getaway? Felda Residence Hot Springs may be a good choice for you. I was looking for a nice but inexpensive place for a surprise birthday treat earlier this month and remembered this place. A couple years back, a bunch of girlfriends and I booked a villa for a bachelorette party. It was fun so I thought I'd visit again as a couple.

  I first booked online via Agoda and changed my plan a few times as I was considering other places as well. In the end, I phoned the hotel and booked directly. It wasn't hard to get through and the room rate can be cheaper than online too :)


Felda Residence Hot Spring, Sungkai
The deluxe rooms

Booking - Online and phone available. Booking directly with the hotel might help you get the room that is not listed or sold out on partners' sites.

Rate - Fair. RM180/night for deluxe room

Location - Good. The hot spring park is right next door. Tourists will need car as the hotel is in a village about 9km drive from the highway exit.

Dining - FREE breakfast included. Tasty buffet with quite a good selection. Felda IS known for their delicious food y'know. 


Service - Staff was friendly and very helpful. Excellent!

***

Sungkai is just a little over one-hour drive from Damansara. Check-in is from 3 p.m. onwards. We headed out after lunch, took our own sweet time and reached around 4 o'clock in the evening. 

  You can use Waze to get there, in fact I recommend it. If you're not distracted by the cendol pulut stall at the junction near the school, you'll find that you have to go through a village and plantation to get to the hotel. It can be unnerving if it's your first time going.

  When you *finally* find the hotel, drive past the first big building you see. That is not the lobby, that's the convention centre. 

  Check-in was a breeze. Paid and got the room key. Yes key but that's okay. Staff was patient in answering my questions and I even had the front desk girl to help me book massages at the spa.
Note: If you book the villa, you gotta go back to your car and drive out of the compound, turn right at the gate and go towards the hot spring park. The villas are further down the road. 

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Deluxe room

I chose the deluxe room as it was only 2 of us and the walk to breakfast is shorter than if we were to walk from the villa. The 1-room villas are perfect if you want privacy though. They even have private jacuzzi outside the villa. However, I can't confirm if it is as good as the jacuzzi in 3-room villas.

  Now back to the deluxe room. Spacious and well-equipped (if you don't look too closely), it could be cleaner and maintained better. I got room number 1 and the door lock was not exactly broken but we had to figure it out a bit, so that could use a repair. 

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Drinking water, kettle and basic coffee & tea making supply

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Mini bar tucked under the tea/coffee making facilities

Felda Residence Hot Spring, Sungkai


Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Fairly clean bathroom with bathtub and shower

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Iron and ironing board

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Look! Extra pillows

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Hairdryer - not working though :(


Spa Villa

After prayers and all refreshed, we went to the spa for our massages. Yep, closer walk from the deluxe rooms as compared to the villas. But no worries, it isn't that far to walk from the villas. Just walk past the hot springs park. Just be sure to make an appointment before you go over.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

I think they have limited staff so they probably can attend to 2 guests at one time. Do check with the hotel. Use the same phone number as above. They have male masseur so my partner & I chose to separate ways to our separate treatment rooms instead of sharing a couple room. 

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
View near the spa villa


Meranti Coffee House

We had our breakfast here. There are 2 other eateries in the complex- the Cemara Lounge (near the villas) and the Tempayan Cafe in the park. As I've mentioned earlier, the food was delicious. They also serve lunch and dinner for guests who don't want to drive out. Not sure about the price.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Porridge, noodles and the condiments

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Coffee & tea station

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Fried rice, fried kuetiau, sausages and I can't remember...

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Plenty of seats

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Breakfast view

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
My breakfast :)


Now. Malaysia is hot. 
Why would anyone in their right mind would want to go to a hot spring?

Why not?
I mean, don't go at noon when it's sunny la. Early morning and late evening after rain is perfect for a dip in the hot pool. However, one contra about the hot springs park is that unlike many of its contemporary, the place is NOT open at night. It closes at 7 p.m. and that sucks. But hey, if you are at the one of the villas, you can always turn on the jacuzzi!

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Villa with 3 bedrooms' jacuzzi (from the 2012 bachelorette party)
Photo credit: Aina N.


Sungai Klah Hot Spring Park
a.k.a
Taman Rekreasi Air Panas (TRAP) Sungai Klah

From the hotel, guests can walk along the field near the restaurant to get to the back entrance of the hot spring park. Visitors who are not staying in the hotel can just proceed to public carpark and walk or wait for a tram to get to the park.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Female toilets 

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Purchase eggs from a stall nearby and boil them here

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Then enjoy your boiled eggs under one of these gazebos

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
I said park but don't go wild... 

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
this is the highlight for the kids. 

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
And that's about it.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Sorry Garfield can't go in. No Hello Kitty either.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Lockers for hire. I mean rent.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
Get tokens for the lockers here

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
There's the train!
Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
In case you got lost.

Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungkai
My favourite hot pool






Friday 24 April 2015

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula

JS Muara Restoran
Kuala Gula, Perak Darul Ridzuan


The restaurant is in Perak, about 3-hour drive from Damansara. Popular for the soft-shell crab or ketam lembut as known by the locals, there is a place nearby where you can buy fresh crabs. There is also a resort next to it for family members of fishing enthusiasts to "go on holiday" while dad fish from the veranda.

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Photo credit: A. Dali

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
A floating restaurant

     Arrived at 4.40-ish and was told to pick a table- a waitress will come to take our order. One finally arrived after waiting for almost 20 minutes. A couple who arrived past 5pm got their order taken after about 5 minutes. I guess it's all about the timing.

    Not sure what the restaurant was floating on but it was very shaky. Reminded me of sitting on a huge float. Not suitable if you're susceptible to seasickness. Very fun for the kids though. Almost like eating on a bouncy castle.

Note: To get to the restaurant, you'll gotta go on this titi/ramp. No obvious wheelchair access that I could see.

JS Muara Restoran
Looks like floating barrels

Taste - Average
Price - RM32 for 2 pax (2 spicy soft-shell crab, prawn fritters, chicken soup, rice and drinks)
Ambiance - Open air with roof, floating wooden structure with river view

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Photo credit: A. Dali

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Fresh crabs
Photo credit: A. Dali

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Resort next door

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Spicy soft-shell crab <3<3<3

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Prawn fritters <3<3

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Chicken soup <3<3

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula


Apparently smoking is allowed in the restaurant so it can be a bit uncomfortable if you get inconsiderate neighbours.

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Photo credit: A. Dali


JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula
Photo credit: A. Dali

JS Muara Restoran, Kuala Gula


Hopefully you'll have a better luck than I did if you're visiting.

Is it worth a drive from KL? Probably not.

However, if you happen to be nearby you might want to come here for the view. If you're not as fussy as I am :)