On a sweltering day in 1883, an army of dark clouds gathered above Kuala Kubu, a well-known mining town just north of Kuala Lumpur. Like silver bullets from the sky, the raindrops became increasingly heavy, violently hitting the ground while the winds weaved its way through the town without mercy.
The storm ripped open the dam in the area, causing the raging waters to wipe out everything in its path including Kuala Kubu’s District Officer of the time, Sir Cecil Ranking. “You know, people here believe that the floods of 1883 happened because Sir Cecil Ranking killed the white crocodile that lived in the river,” begins Irfan Chen, our local guide and owner of Sarang by The Brook, a resort in Kuala Kubu Baru.
“He was warned not to kill it but when he did, the massive flood broke the dams. That’s why they called that place Ampang Pecah,” continues Chen. The town (then the second biggest in Selangor) was destroyed beyond recognition, forcing its administrators to build a new town nearby, aptly named Kuala Kubu Baru.
OF FORTS AND FALLS
Last month, my friends and I decided that we wanted to make a quick getaway over the weekend to a place which could fulfil two criteria: First, a setting that would be different from the city and second, a place that would not entail us getting caught in the Hari Raya traffic madness.
Kuala Kubu Baru (or KKB as it is affectionately called) is known for its history of being a battleground. Raja Mahadi and Syed Mashor built a kubu (fort) to fight Tengku Kudin’s army during the Selangor Civil War here from 1867 to 1874. In recent times however, KKB is better known as an entry point to the more popular Frasers Hill and home to adventurous, fit hikers. Since we were neither adventurous nor fit, this town never crossed our minds. But the traffic-free old roads, short drive and lure of local food were too hard an option to resist.
As we drive closer to KKB, a different landscape starts to emerge: narrow roads are flanked by large trees and rivers flowing along grassy banks. We pass by large swaths of land, cradled by rolling hills in different hues of blue. In less than an hour, we reach a quaint town, dotted by rows of old shop houses with distinctive colonial facades. If we had any doubt we were in KKB, we just had to look at the signage that read: SUNGAI SELANGOR DAM (6.2 KM).
The Sungai Selangor dam is considered one of KKB’s biggest attractions. Said to be one of the most breathtakingly beautiful dams in the country, it’s the biggest of seven dams in the area. With a large body of water framed by emerald hills, it’s not hard to understand why visitors make a point to park their cars there and take photos.
A NEST FOR REST
“You should see the dam on your way back to KL,” remarks Chen as he welcomes us to Sarang where we’re spending the night. The container-resort sits on 0.4ha of land, nestled at the corner of KKB’s lush forests. The turquoise walls of the container match the colour of the long pool, the resort’s centrepiece.
For years, this former advertising executive-cum-nature lover had been eyeing this spot. “I had a dilemma when I wanted to build the resort. There was an eagle’s nest in the tree over there,” he recalls, pointing to the towering Menggaris tree just behind the property. Chen was worried that he would disrupt the eagle’s environment by building his dream resort there. “I was trying to get a sense of the place and if it was meant to be there, there would be a sign.”
When the day came to decide whether to move forward or find another property, the eagle landed a few feet away from Chen for a brief moment and flew off, away from the nest. “That’s why I called this place Sarang (nest),” he recalls, smiling.
As the sun settles behind this hilly town, the children start to climb out of the pool. Apparently, the smoke signals (and scents) coming from the BBQ pit beside it works wonders on hungry children. Decked in a casual T-shirt and shorts, Chen heads over to our table with a huge rack of lamb. “Here, this is from the shop in town. They grill lamb every day,” he says of Kambing Golek, a well-known haunt among the local foodies.
The grilled lamb alone is a good enough reason to step into KKB again: The meat is cooked so well that it’s practically melting off the bone as we slice through it. I get to see what Chen is raving about when he talks about Kambing Golek’s home-made marinades — they obviously spend a good amount of time on this goat because its flavours gleefully dance on your tongue.
LATE NIGHT DIPS
You know it’s late when all the families start retreating to their container cabins. The genial Chen does his rounds before approaching us to ask whether we’d like to take a dip in KKB’s hot springs. “Now?” We all exclaim in unison as we glance at our watches — it’s already pitch black outside and the temperature has turned chilly at 12.30am.
So of course we change into our swimsuits and hop into Chen’s van. We pass quite a number of British government quarters which look desolate in the dead of night. “What a pity… we have so many colonial houses and buildings left to rot here. We should highlight the rich heritage of this area. KKB is more than just the waterfalls and trekking,” shares Chen, who adds that KKB was once a thriving British outpost.
As we head to the hot springs at this ungodly hour, I’m positive my friends are thinking what a brilliant idea it must be to follow a man we just met into a secluded area. But when we arrive, any doubts we have quickly diminish. “Hey Chen!” two men basking in the warmth of the hot springs call out to him. We’re both relieved and amused — the hot springs is almost like a chill-out, catching-up space for locals it seems. While the men chat about what’s going on in the neighbourhood, we enjoy a good soak in the steaming pool of natural minerals. This is by far the best dip anyone can take in the wee hours of the morning, just as the cool breeze starts to sweep the town.
O’ LITTE TOWN
As the sun comes up, Chen brings us freshly-made nasi lemak, again from another local vendor nearby. It’s unfortunate that most of the shops are closed during Hari Raya, but a few remain open, some of which Chen himself recommends for us to see before we make our trip home. “People here are really nice. So many local things to see and do and people here don’t think twice about helping neighours when needed,” he shares, before proceeding to give us some suggestions on what to see in town.
After feasting on a scrumptious bowl of mee kari from Kedai Makan Lee in town, we’re stopped in our tracks by the sight of a car, adorned with signatures and art. We soon discover that the vehicle belongs to Muhamad Arisman Ismail, a lively chap who sports long, unmistakable dreadlocks. His bundle shop which carries everything from sneakers to Beatles memorabilia just adds another layer of cool to this little town.
“I’ve gone to four countries in this!” he says of the 1983 modified Toyota Corolla which has crossed borders to Thailand, China, Laos and Cambodia. “And never once has it broken down. I’m going to try driving to the Himalayas next year,” he adds enthusiastically.
We may have only been in KKB for a day but this place has so much to offer that we’ll definitely have to come back for more.
Sarang by the Brook
Address: Jalan Seruling 20, 44000 Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor
Kedai Makan Lee
No 6 Jalan Dato Tabal
Kuala Kubu Baru
TEL: 03-6064 1391
Okey Bundle KKB
Lot 21 Jalan Mat Kilau
Kuala Kubu Baru
TEL: 011-1521 7096
Kambing Golek
TEL: 014-573 0274