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Kiti and I have heard so much about Tasik Chini
in Pahang that we decided to make a trip to this
mythical lake. It took us a good one hour in
our four-wheel drive from the royal sleepy town
of Pekan to reach the second largest natural
lake in the country. What greeted us was an
enchanting and serene lake topped with pink
lotuses on the surface.
We boarded one of the motorised boats for a
tour around the lake. As soon as we moved off
from the jetty, the boatman who acted as our
tourist guide fed us with tales and legends of
this mysterious lake.
One of the most famous tales about Tasik
Chini, according to our tourist guide, is of a
magic dragon which lives in the lake. It is
believed to be the guardian of a lost ancient
city lying at the bottom of the lake. Over the
years, this local 'Loch Ness' has allegedly been
sighted by both locals and tourists but to date,
no scientific evidence has been found to prove
its existence.
As our boat glided over the calm waters, we
feasted our eyes on the lush greenery
surrounding the lake and at the same time tried
to pluck a blossom or two of the majestic pink
lotuses.
About twenty minutes into the ride, the
boatman turned off the motor and cast his
fishing line into the water. He told us that the
lake is abundant with a great variety of fish.
And true to his word,
within five minutes of casting his line, he felt
a bite. With a few slight tugs, he reeled in his
prize. It was a toman
weighing around two kilograms. We were told that
anglers from as far as Singapore come to Tasik
Chini on weekends to their favourite fishing
spot. With his catch carefully tucked away in a
concealed container, we continued our cruise,
Our next stop was an
Orang Asli village at the fringe of
the lake.
The boatman drew his boat close to the edge
of the lake and ushered us to alight. We were
greeted by young boys who were grinning from ear
to ear. They guided us around the village of
about ten huts before ending the 'whirlwind
tour' with a visit to their 'showroom'. There
were displays of handmade blowpipes and other
gadgets for hunting. We didn't buy anything
there. With a wave, a smile and a 'thank you',
we made our way back to the boat and our ride
back to the jetty. |
