The level of this ex-mining lake near Kampar, Perak, drops by 3m in the dry season.
The months from May to October are best for adventuring in most parts of Malaysia because the Southwest Monsoon is here.
It is now early August, meaning the prevailing wind is solidly blowing from Sumatra.
The Barisan mountain range in Sumatra is about 1,700km long, and its highest peak stands at 3,800m.
This geological wall catches almost all the clouds blowing from the southern Indian Ocean, forcing them to release their moisture so that by the time the wind gets here, it is dry.
With an underwater camera, photos of aquatic vegetation during the dry season become visible.About the only state that expects regular storms at this time will be Sabah, which can get hit by the tail winds of typhoons pounding the Philippines.
Elsewhere in Malaysia, campers will hardly get caught in a deluge and cook instant noodles in tents for sustenance. Hikers will not have to negotiate muddy trails (and leeches!).
Birdwatchers will find more birds and cyclists need not worry about rain hazards.
ATV (all-terrain vehicle) enthusiasts can rev their engines with gusto without getting covered in mud from head to toe.
Divers, especially on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, can expect calmer seas and clearer waters.
Yes, the Southwest Monsoon, particularly this current middle window between July and September, is a glorious time for outdoor escapades in Malaysia.
With an underwater camera, photos of aquatic vegetation during the dry season become visible.That reminds me, sadly, of the tragic landslide in Pahang last December that took the lives of more than 20 campers, including children.
Being one to embrace the gritty pleasure of roughing it out in the wild, I felt an empathetic pang for the victims.
December is a time of school holidays and university semester breaks.
Many companies close their books in December as early as they can, leaving the rest of the month as a breather.
Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon starts hammering Malaysia.
Winds from the South China Sea, pregnant with moisture, blow towards us and get caught along the Titiwangsa mountain range, emptying their clouds on either side of the mountain range.
Except for a few adventures (like whitewater rafting) that require torrential rain, December (add November, too) is not a time for stuff like camping, fishing expeditions or exploring hills and caves.
The decreased water levels in the lake revealing the hidden beauty of the aquatic vegetation beneath.I humbly submit that this culture of planning for December holidays is a notion borrowed from Western countries with four seasons, when winter strikes and snow makes working difficult if not impossible.
In Malaysia, you instead want to blow away the bulk of your precious annual leave outdoors between July and September.
If watery adventures are up your alley, these are the months when you must not pass up on visits to faraway ex-mining lakes, because as the weather dries, these sorts of places offer memories from experiences that you will cherish for years.
When ex-mining lake levels go down by 1m to 3m in dry weather, a few things happen that benefit us.
Best of all, the receding lake shoreline often creates a gentle, down-sloping beach-like edge at the water to easily launch and land kayaks, paddleboards and boats.
Anyone who has had to get on and off any small watercraft along a sheer edge between the water and land will know how luxurious a gentle slope at the water’s edge is.
Next, the water becomes crystal clear in the shallows. Aquatic vegetation, which is a natural water filter, makes it possible for explorers to view right down to the lake bottom 2m below, and you can even see fish darting about.
One of the sadder things you can see while exploring ex-mining lakes during the dry season is that sight of dead bottom-dwelling fish floating up, such as this Giant Featherback (Belida).The clear water makes aquatic vegetation perform photosynthesis at optimum levels, so they start to flower above and below the water.
In some former mining lakes, the beauty offered by their underwater vegetation during the dry season needs to be seen to be believed.
You really ought to carry a waterproof camera. Then you will have a whale of a time sticking your device below the surface to take photos and videos of underwater scenery that will make your friends jealous.
Finally, the dry season is a time for freshwater anglers to hit ex-mining lakes.
The logic is simple: when the water is low, fish numbers become concentrated in the reduced water volume.
In the rainy season, when ex-mining lakes are so full that they flood low-lying banks, the fish spread far and wide.
Ex-mining lakes, legacies of Malaysia’s tin mining days, abound in Selangor and Perak.
One small warning: cloudless days in ex-mining land can give you heatstroke. Wear sunscreen, a big hat and good sunglasses.
Have access to at least four litres of drinking water per person, which is better with rehydrating salts dissolved in it.
