My Riding Universe: Ride and Camp to Kampung Bukit Mat Daling, Pahang

Kampung Bukit Mat Daling is a traditional malay village settled in the area of headwaters of Tembeling river, near Pahang – Terengganu border. It is growingly becoming a popular destination for adventure riders as the road leading from Kuala Tahan to this village is entering its 2^nd phase of construction as the first phase to Kampung Pagi is almost completed.

The original plan is enter this village through Kuala Tahan and exit through Sungai Tekai and Tekam Utara through logging road as shown below.

However when we reached Mat Daling and asked a few locals about this plan, they advised against using that exit route since it is rarely used by the locals and with many unmarked junctions that can be dangerous to a first-timer like us without a solid backup. So we use the same route getting in and out of Mat Daling last weekend.

I have discussed the possibilities of doing this route with Syahril almost a year ago but haven’t initially agreed on a date. Only after riding to Pos Kuala Mu earlier this year, the urge has become more and more real and despite a few date setbacks we have finally fixed the ride.

We converge at BHP Karak on Saturday morning around 7.30am and the weather is hazy and foggy.

The morning ride is covered with fog and probably haze

We reached Jerantut around 9.45am and refilled before departing to Kuala Tahan through Felda Padang Piol.

This area had a good tarmac with nice bends.

We had a breakfast at this roadside eatery and Syahril had a roti canai GST.

Kedai Kome @ My Place at Kuala Tahan - ask for Roti Canai GST

It is almost 11.00am when we entered this road.

Camera check!

Halfway through Kampung Pagi, this unfinished road section has big, loose gravel and we had to reduce our tire pressure to ride through it.

The construction of the road is active when we passed through.

When completed, it could be one of the most beautiful road in Peninsular Malaysia.

We stopped by Bukit Botak and chatted with this Bangladeshi worker that is trying to get phone signal under this small shade.

The day is very hot and humid and we have to stop several times to take some water and rest.

There are small sections of the road with mud and I fell two times in less than 2km.

After about 3 hours, we have finally reached Kampung Bukit Mat Daling and stopped by a grocery shop. It is here that we found a refrigerator filled with iced-drinks and it felt totally out of this world!

Catching my breath, felt like having heat stroke!

We found a campsite by the river, about 1km ahead of the grocery shop. Here is the coordinate.

Syahril had a major leg-cramp just as we are going to set up tent, so he went for a natural therapy session.

From 5.30pm untill 6.30pm we heard loud thunder from the sky around us. Heavy rain could washed out our camp site..

However we are so blessed that night, with no rain until the next morning despite the continuous loud thundering in the sky above.

On the menu for dinner is meat curry with tomatoes, spicy squid (all fresh from can) and coffee.

Chef Syahril at work

Later that night we chat and chill watching campfire. The sounds of river streaming and fauna around us filled the night. Syahril was reluctant to sing despite a few requests made..

Around 11.00pm we retrieve to our tent and called it a day.

At 3.00am I heard loud water splashing and footsteps around our tent. A couple of buffalo herds crossed the river, making loud water splash in the process. I really thought that it is wild boar charging into our tent. Loud snoring filled the tent nonetheless.

The next morning, we had instant nasi lemak for breakfast