16.12.2012 - Today, my friends and I are going to Sungai Klah Hotspring! Well, I did not know the full name initially. She just told me it was Sungkai Hotsprings. I just agreed immediately to the idea of going to a hot spring! I did not even google the place. So not me, because I always researched the places I want to go before I agree.
On this beautiful Sunday, the 9 of us had nice yummy breakfast in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. The food is really nice. We had a small plate of glutinous rice, and yam delicacy. For my own breakfast, I had a bowl of noodles with dumplings that costs RM5.50, and for drinks, well, they have no drinks, but dessert. My dessert was a bowl of glutinuous rice balls that was filled with peanuts which costs RM3.20. The food was really worth the price!
At 8.45am, we started our journey to Sungai Klah Hot Springs. This place is located in the state of Perak. So, it was about an hour drive to Sungkai. We reached there about 10am. I was surprised that it was so easy to find the place with signboards leading the way to FELDA Hotspring. My friend told me that this is a famous hotspring, and true enough, I saw a very well-kept area that has a designated car park, police help to direct the vehicles, tourist bus, and when you see a tourist bus, you know you have to pay to enter. I was surprised to see the ticket fee of an adult costs RM12! For a kid, it costs RM10.
As we approached the carpark, we saw that food, drinks and eggs (well, one always bring raw eggs to any hotspring to boil them and have them eaten) were not allowed into the hotspring. So, we saw families eating in the carpark before entering the hotspring. It was disappointing to not be able to eat inside. Of course, there were food, drinks and eggs sold in the hotspring area, at a slightly-more-than-usual price.
One has the option to walk on the wooden bridge, or take the tram. The walk on the wooden bridge takes about 5 minutes which apparently was a 1km walk. The ride on the tram took less than 2 minutes. Both methods bring us to the hotspring area, but at different entrances. We took the tram to see where it will stop.
And the tram stopped right in front of the entrance of the hotspring. There was a foodstall outside the entrance. I saw the price of an ice-cream bread (i.e. bread with an ice-cream slab in the middle) for RM2. Now, that is expensive!
Walking inside, the first thing I saw was a huge pool with lots of kids! There was a cafe too. There are actually about 3 cafes (I think, or it could be 4) in the hotspring area. So, the huge pool I saw was a mountain spring pool. The water was cooling. There was a big slide for kids to play. I played too! I joined the rest of the kids, and weee, slide down. I did that before I exited the place.
We gave the mountain spring pool a quick look and left for the hotspring. We wanted to boil our eggs. Yeah, we sneaked in some eggs, and titbits inside. I was surprised to see there were families who brought their own food inside the place, and eating happily, with no worries at all. And we thought we were brave to bring titbits. Haha!
There was a stall selling eggs. A basket of 5 small eggs cost RM3. You can see the prices in my photo. Also, they had guidelines on how long to boil the eggs. For hard-boiled eggs, that will take between 6-7 minutes. Yes, it was very much hot to boil that fast. The temperature in the 'boiling eggs' area was between 42 degrees to 80 degrees. So, you only see people soaking their legs in the water. I tried walking in the water, and it was so hot when I touched the stone! I was shrieking - Hot stone, hot stone!! So, after 15 minutes of soaking, I had very red legs from my mid-calves to my feet, and I was sweating too!
So, after 10 minutes, we took our eggs out and I had to use a towel to hold it even after leaving it to cool down for 10 minutes. It was hot. The egg is yummy.
I ventured around the area. Saw a Therapeutic Area. Turns out the therapeutic thing is the stones we walked onto. Painful and hot. I left after walking 15 steps. Haha!
There was a place for private jacuzzi. There were 2 prices - RM120 and RM75 for an hour each. I peeped a bit inside and saw the place was spacious. If I am not mistaken, each jacuzzi can fit about 8 people.
We walked around the park, and passed the 100 degrees hotspring. I could see the steam!
Place to store your things. It is RM3 for one locker.
There was a large hotspring pool. We went in. It was warm, and as we waded further in towards the source of the water, we could feel the difference. I was sweating in the pool. Thank goodness, it was cloudy. There was no sun. The pool was actually shallow at 2.5 feet. I am 166cm, and as I stood, it was at my mid-thighs. I kneel down for the water to reach my shoulders.
The source of the water for the hotspring pool.
Finished with the hotspring, I showered myself with the mountain spring waters that were in the earthenware tank. It was in the hotspring pool area. Definitely need to be used. After soaking myself in the hot waters, I needed the cold water.
There were various hotsprings at various temperatures. I could only handle the one between 35-40 degrees. I tried the one for 40-45 degrees and I was yelping! So, I only soaked my legs which was for less than 5 minutes!
Now, for the mountain spring pool! I told you I did the slides. And here are photos of me as proof! Both times, I slide down right into the waters. I cannot understand how people can just slide down heads up. Submerged in the waters, the taste of the water was cooling and surprisingly, refreshing!
About 2 hours later, we changed our clothes, and was headed back to the cars to get our lunch. There were families eating just outside the hotspring area.
We walked back on the wooden bridge. We could smell eggs along the walk. I am not sure if it was because there were too many eggs being boiled, or does the water smell of eggs?
Back at the carpark, we took out our lunch, and ate at the carpark. Good thing it was not that sunny. For lunch, there was rendang chicken (rendang is a mixture of coconut milk and spices), cucumber, chili paste and watermelon!
And how much I spent - RM60. Excellent day trip!
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