Jalan-Jalan Bentong

Yes, Bentong.

And why not? We've never really explored this bit of Pahang before, so it was decided that we'd make a day-trip there a couple of weeks ago. 

Googled a bit before the trip and a couple of things caught my eye. The first was a legendary makan place that serves lemang with rendang every single day of the week. Have also seen it on various makan programs before and thought we should finally give it a shot. 

Gents, here is Lemang To'ki! 

And dudes, the place did not disappoint! The lemang and rendang were divine. Alhamdulillah! And the ayam bakar was awesome too. 

The other stop that I had planned to make was to Bentong Gallery. But before that, here's a short version of the history of Bentong:

"Originally known as Kapong, the town at the confluence of Repas and Perting rivers grew into a mining hub after tin was discovered in those waterways. Locals began calling the ridge “Ban Untung” (“profitable ridge”), which eventually evolved into “Bentong” . In the late 19th century, with the arrival of Chinese tin miners and notably Mr. Loke Yew, Bentong transformed into a thriving economic centre. Loke Yew scaled tin mining into a major industry, spurring broader commercial and agricultural activity that shaped the town’s growth . The district was officially administered separately in 1919 and later elevated to municipal status in 2005 ."

What's interesting at Bentong Gallery? Housed in beautifully restored 100‑year‑old shophouses once owned by Loke Yew, it offers a fascinating, free-to-enter journey through the town’s past . It features three thematic halls: 

Hall 1: Chronicles early development—tin mining’s rise under Loke Yew, historic photographs of economic life, and the origin of Bentong’s name. 

Hall 2: Showcases tourism information, with large maps pinpointing town landmarks and nearby attractions. 

Hall 3: Honours the contributions of prominent figures such as Pahang’s Sultans, former MPs, and local industrialists.

Beyond the exhibits, there’s a cozy café (BG Café) to relax with a drink, and BG Store, offering local souvenirs such as Bentong ginger products, soya sauce, and homemade ice‑cream in flavours like Musang King durian or red bean.

Also, dropped by to visit the main masjid here:

And of course when you're in Bentong and it's durian season, kenalah makan sebiji dua to satisfy the craving! 

Heading home, we made a stop for coffee, up on the hills of Janda Baik. Seeing it was a weekday, we basically had the place all to ourselves!

Will we be back? Oh yes, indeed. Insya Allah.

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Dapatkan buku 'Kisah Hidup & Budaya Pop Anak Gen-X' di SINI

Jalan-Jalan Temerloh, Pahang

Know2 dah sampai Temerloh! The Sundays-only Pekan Sehari is definitely a must-visit for everyone lah. It's only our second time here and we love the vibe (and food prices 😁). The random karaoke singers are a mood killer though. Haha!

Jalan-Jalan Kuantan

It's been a while, Kuantan! And here are some of the highlights from our recent trip. Upon reaching our destination, we just had to tapau some of the good stuff first...

We stayed at the Hyatt, an establishment I've always been fond of. I've been here for both work and pleasure, and I can't remember having any complaints whatsoever. Love the rooms, the views, the facilities and, of course, the beach!

And so, we spent a lot of time "healing", as they say these days. After Subuh, we'd be plonked right there by the beach, enjoying the refreshing breeze and spectacular views. Masya Allah, best betul!

And of course, we also dropped by the public beach nearby to buy some snacks and enjoy the family-friendly vibes all around. 

A relatively new must-visit attraction is definitely the Menara Kuantan 188. You can see the whole of Kuantan and beyond here, and we quite enjoyed the whole experience of being up there!

As for food, we basically collected some recommendations from our FB friends, as well googling to find the delectable stops we needed to make. A first time for us was having mee calong at Pak Mat Mee Calong Beserah. It's the fam's type of grub; soupy, comfort food with an authentic suasana kampung to boot. Alhamdulillah

For dinner, we went for Pak Mail Ikan Bakar at Perkampungan Tanjung Lumpur, something google recommended, and we weren't disappointed. I mean, look at the spread!

As for breakfast, we had actually driven to this place recommended by a good friend, but it was closed! So I basically drove around Kuantan town for a bit before stopping here.

And whaddyaknow, it was totally a win for us! Dare I say that they serve one of the best nasi dagang we have ever tasted! And the nasi kerabu wasn't bad either. 

On the way back to KL, I actually drove to Pekan to makan at this unique cafe. (In case you're wondering, yes, it was our first time ever there.)

Supposedly you could dine INSIDE the train cabins but some people had already reserved all the seats that very day. Ah, well. Still, it's a nice place that serves some tasty kampung food. 

And that's all folks! We had a nice and relaxing time, with some cool memories saved in our memories, but not sure when we'll be back : )