Nature: Glamping it up at Janda Baik

It was the year-end holidays, and in line with cuti-cuti Malaysia, we decided to return to Janda Baik in Pahang.

It's just an hour's drive from KL, on not too windy roads, to cool fresh air and natural jungle beauty. We fell in love with it during our last camping trip in 2014.

(Read about our previous rough-it-out fun adventure here.)

5-Star Camping

This time, we decided to level-up and stay at Sailor's Rest, a homestay turned glamping campsite —one of the first, if not the only, in Malaysia.

The campsite layout

Glamping, or "Glamorous Camping", is ideal for those who want to get back-to-nature with all the creature comforts. We took two glamping tents — a 2-bedder and a 4-bedder — which came with beds, plush pillows and quilts, a stand fan, light and power points! It was really five stars by camping standards.

Set against a misty highland backdrop

Spacious and comfy ... definitely how camping was meant to be

But in case you forget you're actually there for camping, there are still insects and bugs and a night-time chorus of frogs to remind you. And being right next to river (the main attraction for us), the sound of running water is a soothing lullaby.

The river at our doorstep

Water lilies in the pond

The imported tents showed signs of wear, mainly due to our tropical climate, so sometimes the zippers got stuck, or rain would leak in, or an inquisitive toddler would poke a hole through. But these were quickly repaired or patched up by the able crew. New tents had just arrived during our stay, so we hope to be able to enjoy them when we next visit.

Toilets are usually the bane of camping, but the 10 bathrooms for the campers are really an experience in themselves. The first thing that hits you when you open the door is how clean it is. Slippers are provided and no external footwear are allowed. There is a rain shower with hot water, and a lovely indoor garden in each stall.

If only all public toilets looked like this

We also rented the bungalow (for the other 2 couples in our group). It's a cozy little place where the owner stays when there are no guests, so it really feels like home. We played board games and had family sharing sessions in the living room. There is one attached bathroom for both rooms.

The cozy bungalow, which houses a maximum of 6

The house boat aka honeymoon suite in the pond

Another option are the modern chalets

Meals are held at the dining area, and the cuisine smacks of home-cooked goodness. Breakfasts included roti bom, nasi lemak, curry chicken, banana fritters and sausages. Dinner was simpler on our first night, but there was a whole BBQ spread on the second night.

The dining area

Dinner overlooking the pond

Staff barbecuing our dinner under the pouring rain

The owner, who is listed as Mr Hashim on the website, is actually a former admiral (hence the name "Sailor's Rest) and a datuk. But he and his wife, Tengku Zanariah, are two of the most down-to-earth and friendly hosts. They genuinely enjoy meeting people, frequenting the dining area to chat with campers — it was like visiting old friends even though we had just met.

The whole campsite is a real labour of love for them, with its stoned pathways, ponds with water lilies and fish, landscaping and carefully planned and maintained spaces that preserve and showcase the natural surroundings.It is hard work to keeping everything going well — for example, every time it rains, the water pipes may get clogged and they have to climb 2 km up the hill to unclog them.

Beautiful and breathtaking

Water Fun

As before, the river was the main highlight of our stay. The kids spent hours there just chilling in the cold waters. Boy learned how to shoot water using his hands and skip stones on the water surface.

Just a'chillin'

One afternoon, after a heavy downpour, the river was muddy and swollen, and the kids were not allowed in, so they sat there in their swim wear, gazing wistfully, waiting for the water to subside. But the steady drizzle into the night meant no swimming for that day. Thankfully, it cleared up by the next morning for more splashing fun.

Memories are made of these

A Valley of Fun

We wanted to go hiking to the waterfall, but with young toddlers and rainy weather, that didn't seem feasible.

So we drove about 10 minutes down to Wawa Fun Valley, by Radiant Retreats. Owned and developed by Tok Wawa and his family, it was a real playground on the hill slopes, full of fruit trees, with a variety of activities for all in the family.

We paid RM25 a head for two hours (it's RM35 for a full day). We started with the obstacle course, then the crazy golf, archery and paintball target practice — we uncovered some hidden talents among our group.

Getting into the swing of things

Crazy golf on the slopes

Target practice

Natural archer

We tried our hand at rubber tapping and bamboo structure making, and ended with some fishing at the catch-and-release pond. The fishing was probably the highlight, with the wriggly worms, the excitement of a catch, and the horror of not knowing how to remove the fish from the end of the line.

Early bird gets the worm?

"I don't want you, I don't want you!" said Baby to fish

Al-fresco in the hills

We stopped by at Nero Bianco, a roadside western food diner, for lunch. It is newly opened and sports striking black and white — the colour of the Pahang flag — as its name suggests.

Can't miss the black+white

It is owned by Chef Zamri, a retired hotel chef, and seems to be a big hit among the residents and visitors to Janda Baik. Service was good and price was reasonable. Definitely worth a try if you are in the area.

A wide and yummy variety to choose from

We'll be back!

It is really nice to see these proprietary establishments coming up in Janda Baik, run with lots of passion, pride and hard work.

It was tough to say goodbye to this slice of heaven on earth, and we hope to make more frequent trips in the near future. Till we meet again ...