Perting Dam

Bentong policeman Rashpal Singh (of previous pic) suggested visiting a scenic but remote spot since I was in a 4-wd vehicle. It is accessible via a long and winding dirt road. Surrounded by rolling hills and lush green meadows, this hidden reservoir and dam is indeed picturesque.

There are not many places in this country where one can get so close to a dam. According to the Department of Irrigation & Drainage, the reservoir is 1.05 square kilometres and the catchment area is about 125 square kilometres.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 400, f11, 1/2000 sec.

Perting Dam

Chamang Falls

I asked the friendly Bentong folk what is next best attraction after Kow Po Ice Cream. Everyone recommended another milky thing. The Chamang Falls. So I drove 7 kilometres on a lonely, winding and scenic route. At the end of the road is a beautiful, long, cascading waterfall with a gentle drop of about 100 feet. Hearing its roar alone, is worth the trip.

I was in the Gunung Tahan National Park area recently and had to take a boat for 45 minutes before trekking another 2 hours to see/hear a similar waterfall. Here, I drove right up to the edge of one. It is a drive-in, walk-in waterfall 🙂 There are ample parking lots, toilet facilities and yet strangely; not one soul was around. Maybe it was late on a weekday, maybe not many know about it. It was eerily deserted.

I have been in the jungle all by myself at night and didn’t feel spooked. I felt a little scared here. It was creepy seeing all the man-made structures around and not a single human was to be found. Like a proverbial ghost town.

Photography notes: A 1/2 second exposure was the slowest speed I could attain without a ND or polarising filter. The slow shutter created the creamy, milky look in the fast flowing water. A tripod was required but since I didn’t want to spend too much time for safety reasons, I placed the camera on a rock.

Chamang Falls