Monday May 25, 2009
Jet boat for Kenyir lake
By R.S.N. MURALI
SKIMMING past submerged tree stubs at breakneck speed and navigating through narrow streams on a 40-seater jet boat is a thrilling ride that will be available for all at Kenyir Lake next year.
This Kenyir jet adventure will introduce tourists to South-East Asia’s largest man-made lake and give an adrenaline-pumping experience to gutsy visitors.
It would cater to fearless visitors, Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said told Star Metro after taking a one-day tour of the lake in Hulu Terengganu recently.
Great fascility: View of the jetty leading to Gua Bewah. He said the Terengganu government was in discussions with the jet boat’s manufacturer to fabricate the craft to fit Kenyir’s topology.
“I promise an exciting ride with the jet boat making a 360-degree spin on full throttle,” he said.
Ahmad said the state hoped to lure tourists with this new product.
Apart from the boat, the state has commissioned a consultant to plan a cable-car service at the lake.
Tranquil: View of of Pulau Bayas in Tasik Kenyir. He said the cable car would connect a 500m line from the Pulau Poh jetty to a water theme park, which was a project in the Kenyir development blueprint.
The consultant would study the Environment Impact Assessment before going ahead with the cable-car project, he said.
The state had allocated RM50mil this year for the development of Kenyir Lake, he added.
The allocation would cover the development of five of the 340 islands in the lake, he said.
Floating abode: Visitors enjoying a stay at a boat house on the lake. Ahmad said there were also plans to add attractions at the waterfalls, rapids, rivers, limestone caves and lush rainforests in the area.
He said that ongoing projects at the site included an orchid garden, fruit orchard, bird park and butterfly park.
The state would launch a promotion blitz in Europe to woo tourists, he added.
“The lake, which is home to many types of flowers and plants is a fascinating tourist spot that will sell well in Europe,” he said.
Another target group was fishing enthusiasts, he said.
More than 300 species of freshwater fish were found in Kenyir like the kelah, toman and baung, he added.
Mood for adventure: Tourists walking towards Gua Bewa. Ahmad also focused on the development taking place at Bewah Cave, also known as Gua Tahi Kelawar.
“The cave is not fully explored. It has great value because National Museum archeologists discovered a skeleton of a Neolithic man,” he said.
Visitors could also experience magnificent sights of stalactites and stalagmites at the cave, he said.
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