Monday, March 26, 2012

Do not stay at Apa Kaba if you dislike friendly, helpful and sincere host.













26 March 2012

Did a short ride to Kuantan and some other roads with Uncle Woo on a DR650 and Sam Leong’s 660 with Hock being pillion on Sam and sometimes, Uncle Woo. This was a very rare occasion where Samantha didn’t join us. So, I could ride Hope Too to feel the actual weight.

It was an early Sunday Ride at 7am. While we rode through Kota Tinggi, we could feel the cool cloud among us, creating a little dew.


Michael Soh went 1 day ahead of us with his girlfriend.

Gambang Resort City is a nice place to bring your kids to enjoy. A few good man like us enjoyed the companionship and laughter of the ride.


4 of us, sharing 1 unit of 2 rooms, a living room and a small kitchen is RM$428.00. Bike parking below the apartment and it is out of our sight.

N 03°42.260’

E103° 02.926’


Buffet breakfast included. Free WIFI at lounge.

27 March 2012

Country road ride: instead of going south back home, we rode some country road and went north, to a famous Indian temple at Maran.


The Sri Marathandavar Thevalaya Temple is 120 years old ad is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Malaysian Hindus.

N03° 42.087’

E102° 39.254’


Road leading to the temple is curve but cool as it is shade with trees. This is the region where it is next to the world oldest tropical rain forest that aged 130 million years.

If you are late, Jerantut will be a good town to stop for lunch and topping up.

Good pork rice lunch at:

N 03° 56.398’

E102° 21.904’

Since we had late breakfast, we rode to the ferry point at Kuala Tembeling, where you would witness tourist with trolley luggage come in buses to be boat over to the resort in Taman Negera. This stop, is one of the very rare places in Malaysia where toilet would cost RM0.50.

N04° 04.304’

E102° 18.531’

The road leading to Kuala Tembeling is a roller coaster ride. Believe it or not, I would rate this road as the most fun road in Malaysia.

Our late lunch at Bentong was simple. Bentong is so much of a typical Chinese dominated town with lots of activities and good food, if you know how to find.

Lunch point:

N03° 31.346’

E101°54.462’

The Karak highway to the east is fun towards Temeloh. We exited Temeloh, got our last fuel served and rode south into a deserted and sharp road. To Teriang, to Bahau, Gemas, Segamat, then Yong Peng. Looking at the map, Temeloh to Bahau looks short but the windy road had given us extra time to play.

2 weeks later, 3rd March, we went for the Gunang Ledang ride with the Storm Riders.

http://singaporedream-rtw.blogspot.com/2012/03/storm-riders-singapore.html

Then, Jannick (pronounced as Ya-Nick), came to Singapore and stayed for us for some days. After he was done, we made a short ride together with Cherie, Richard, Juvena, Samantha and me to Malacca. That was 2 weeks after the Storm Rider’s ride. We took the trunk road from Kulai to Yong Peng, to Labis, Then to Tangkak. The route from Labis to Tangkak was nice. When we reached Tangkak, it was already dark and was raining. We decided to abandon the trunk road plan and rode fast to Malacca where we stayed in the cosy place: Apa Kaba.

3 person in 1 room: rm$54.00 with breakfast included!

Kenny, the owner of Apa Kaba had this idea of homestay and converted part of his property into a guest house cum hostel. He made a little space in the garden where guest could sit at the sofa and read.


In the morning, we will be greeted many times by 3 ducks as these ducks are doing their daily chores.



1) Do not stay at Apa Kaba if you do not want the host to take care of your motorbike.

When we parked our bike and took our shower, while waiting for the taxi to come, he came out with 5 pieces of cardboard and tiles and place them on the seat of the bike, ensuring that his cat will not mistaken that your motorbike seat as a new bed.



2) Do not stay at Apa Kaba if you dislike friendly, helpful and sincere host.


3) Do not stay at Apa Kaba if you love party and drunk people in the guest house during sleeping hour.

4) Do not stay at Apa Kaba if you don’t like nature and the real traditional Malacca house.

5) Do not stay at Apa Kaba if you don’t want special discount if you bring your own tent to camp at the beautiful garden.


Apa Kaba

N02°11.518’

E102°15.234’

We didn’t went to Jonker’s for dinner. Instead, we went to Papa Joe’s. His restaurant was close but he allow us to order from his neighbour and dine at his place. The Portuguese Malaccan seafood dinner was not expensive and fresh!

As usual, chilling around the bar with Joe ended up with so much malt juice. Ask our friends, it is the best beer around the region.

A week later, we left our bike in Singapore and took a ferry to Batam in Indonesia with Gael and Cheryl for a touristy 2 days 1 night trip.

So much things to do!



All photos of Apa Kaba homestay are from Juvena Huang Huilin.

Apa Kaba Guest house
No.28 Kampung Banda Kaba, 75000 Melaka.
+6062838196
+60127981232 mobile
apakaba28@gmail.com

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

2012? Is the year correct?

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this post!! My hubby and I are planning to drive up to the marathandavar temple in June to do some prayers and thanks giving.
We were wondering how we were going to pull it off as we did not not know how to get there. everyone we spoke to told us to follow signs and to ask if we get lost.We were not too keen as we dont speak malay and we did not know that area.
I have been a follower of your blog of very long and today i happened to look in and saw that you have the GPRS coordinates that i have been so looking for all over!!
Now we can go to the temple with complete peace of mind!!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

Meena Ramesh Kumar