It was an oasis of serenity. Calm waters of a deep teal colour meandered around tiny islands of verdant foliage. The lush trees on the islands were mirrored on the lake, which glistened as the golden rays of the sun fell on it. Occasionally, a fish broke the water surface to create ripples. Scattered on the lake were small white boats with anglers fishing, making nary a sound. Save for the euphonic calls of the cicadas and singing of the birds, stillness and quietude abounded. One would not have guessed there was in fact a competition taking place at that very moment.
This is Lake Kenyir, the largest man-made lake in the whole of Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Located about 60 km from Kuala Terengganu, the 200,000-hectare Lake Kenyir (or ‘Tasik Kenyir‘ in Malay) is not only home to some 340 small islands and rich biodiversity, it is also where the heart of the action is for Boat on the Road, an annual fishing competition organised by the State Government of Terengganu, together with Malaysia‘s daily, Berita Harian and television network TV3, in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014.
Since its inception in 2009, Boat on the Road has been growing in stature year on year. It has been attracting increasing participation from professional anglers and hobbyists alike. Through the competition, the Terengganu State Government aims to showcase Lake Kenyir not only as a preferred angling destination, but as an eco-tourism holiday destination. It also hopes to inculcate a healthy lifestyle among locals and visitors through recreational sports such as angling and canoeing.
This year, the three-day-two-night competition took place from 14 to 16 November. A total of 50 four-wheel-drive vehicles from all over Malaysia congregated at Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, on 14 November and departed for Pulau Warisan in Kuala Terengganu. At Pulau Warisan, Boat on the Road 2014 was officially flagged offby Honourable Dato‘ Haji Mohd Jidin Shafee, Chairman for Terengganu State Tourism and Culture Committee, and Datuk Ahmad A. Talib, Group Advisor for Corporate and Social Responsibility, Media Prima Berhad. Amidst great fanfare and good spirits, the convoy set off for Lake Kenyir on a one-hour journey in their vehicles with their boats strapped on top.
Lake Kenyir is widely known as a haven for freshwater fishing among ardent anglers. The vast lake has a water catchment area of 38,000 hectares with more than 300 species of freshwater fish. Some of the fishes that have found their habitat in Lake Kenyir include Kelisa (green arowana), Toman (snakehead), Baung (catfish) and Kalui (giant gourami). It was with good reason that Boat on the Road was held during the monsoon season; the month of November is considered the best time to fish.
Each and every participant strived to catch the biggest fish of the competition. Fishing could begin as early as 6.00 am in the morning and end late in the evening. During the course of the competition, the participants would return periodically to a houseboat, which served as a base station, to get their catch weighed and the details of the catch recorded with the competition officials. For the fishes that were kept alive, they were eventually released back to their natural habitat in a bid to protect the ecosystem.
It was a test of patience and skills at Lake Kenyir. All the 211 participants were hoping to get a slice of the overall cash prizes of RM 75,000 (about SGD 29,000). Eventually, the grand prize of RM 15,000 presented by Honourable Dato‘ Haji Mohd Jidin Shafee went to Team Alucast II, made up of duo Mohd Khairul Anuar Abd Karim and Na‘im Nor Izzat Othman, from Kuala Lumpur.
Mohd Khairul may be average in stature but he had caught the biggest fish of the competition – a barramundi weighing an impressive 7.84 kilograms. It was fourth time lucky for the 32 year-old pyro-technician by day; he has been taking part in Boat on the Road for the past three years. “It had taken me a good 15 minutes to catch the barramundi,“ said Mohd Khairul who got the prized catch on the second day of the competition.”The fish was very fast and strong.”
When asked what he would do with the prize money, the elated winner exclaimed without hesitation, “Buy myself a brand new set of fishing equipment!”
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LAKE KENYIR
Lake Kenyir is more than just a destination for anglers. With nature in abundance, it is also the perfect getaway for nature lovers and eco-tourists. Lake Kenyir boasts a trove of natural wonders such as cascading waterfalls, mysterious limestone caves, exotic wildlife, unspoilt mountains and hilltops.
This sprawling feat of hydro-engineering, located in the North East Malaysian State of Terengganu, owes its inception to the damming of the Kenyir River and the founding of the Sultan Mahmud Power Station in Jenagor in 1985. Upon completion, the water catchments area raises, transforming highlands and hilltops into 340 little islets. Since then the 209,199 square hectares lake has managed to boost the influx of tourism as well as electricity to the region, boasting a number of unique ecological and recreational attractions. Lake Kenyir boasts more than 2,500 species of plants and trees, 1,000 species of birds and 200 species of other animals can be found in the area. Out of 11 species of hornbill found in Malaysia, 9 species has been recorded in the vicinity of Lake Kenyir.
Pengkalan Gawi is the main jetty to her many splendours. Boat services, food stalls, toilet facilities, ample parking space and tourist information centre are available at the jetty. The lush jungles of Tasik Kenyir offer outdoor activities such as jungle trekking, bird watching, cave expeditions, mountain hiking, and mountain biking, angling, jungle camping and night safaris to those adventurous visitors. Tasik Kenyir also offers exciting and thrilling arrays of water-based activities such as kayaking and rafting, among others. There are plenty of floating lodges, houseboats, chalets and an international class resort to fit every budget.
Today, Lake Kenyir offers a wide range of attractions that suit visitors of all ages. Kenyir Island Hopping activity will introduce visitors to unique attractions not found anywhere such as the Herbs Park, Orchid Park, Tropical Park, Butterfly Park as well as the Kelah (Malaysian Mahseer) Fish Sanctuary and the new Kenyir Elephant Village.
HOW TO GET THERE
By Air: Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Air Asia from KLIA2 and Changi Airport in Singapore, Malindo Air and Firefly from Subang Skypark Terminal and You Wings from Medan, Indonesia operate regular flights to Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu, from where you can take a taxi or rent a car for a leisurely self-drive to Lake Kenyir.
By Car: If you are driving from Kuala Lumpur, you can take the Karak Highway to Kuantan and travel through the East Coast Expressway through Bandar Kuala Berang and onwards to Lake Kenyir. Alternatively, you can take the Karak Highway to Kuantan and travel along the scenic coastal road through Kemaman, Dungun, Marang and Kuala Terengganu to Lake Kenyir via Sungai Tong route.
By Bus: A direct bus service, the Tasik Kenyir Express, departs daily at 9.00 pm from Hentian Putra in Kuala Lumpur to Pengkalan Gawi, Lake Kenyir.
This trip was made possible by Terengganu State Tourism. This article is also published on ST Directory Travel.
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ABOUT THE WRITER
A wordsmith by trade and photographer at heart, Kat leaves her footprints around the world and tell stories as seen through her eyes, heart and soul. She can be reached at [email protected].
PHOTOS: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © KAT GOH
