Pekan, the Town With a Royal Malaysian Touch
By Joha Rahman
Pahang's Royal town of Pekan is located on the bank of the Pahang River, about 50 km south of Kuantan. It is the home of the state's royal family, Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah, one of the nine Sultans in the small country of Malaysia. The town prides itself as it has produced two of the Malaysian Prime Minister, the late Tun Razak and his son, the current Prime Minister Najib Razak.
It is not clear how the town gets her name. According to the local story, the name comes from a species of wild flower, the Pekan flowers, that grew in abundant on the bank of River Pahang. Pekan town is said to have existed since the 17th century, but no exact date can be verified. Several Arab and Chinese travelers had mentioned Pekan in their journals.
Events and Attractions: There are a number of tourist attractions in Pekan. The town is more popular with the local visitors, mainly because the attractions and events are more related hers status as the royal town.
1. Birthday celebration: It is worth to time the visit to coincide with the ruler's official birthday on the 24th of October. On that day, you would be able to witness the annual outburst of culture and traditions. Thousands of visitors from different parts of Pahang will flock to this town to join the celebration. The cultural activities, include the traditional dances, handicraft and traditional games. Early booking of the hotel is required as months before the events the hotel will be sold out.
2. Sultan Abu Bakar Museum: The museum displays important artifacts related to the state's history and the local Malay culture. The extended portion of the museum, built at Pulau Beram, is dedicated to water transportation, personally owned by Sultan Abu Bakar and the late Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tengku Afzan. Water transportation was the main mode of travelling before the road system was built. It showcases many types of boats and rafts from beautifully craved boats to decaying logs. Models of fisherman house and floating hut are also on display.
3. The Royal Palace: You will notice the Ivory Motive on the entrance to the palace. This palace was built in 1965 and currently it is the residence of Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah. It is almost hidden amidst of lush green tropical trees, surrounded by peaceful and clean Malay kampung or village.
Nearby the Royal Pahang Polo Field is a long-established Islamic college, known as Kuliah Sultan Abu Bakar (the Sultan Abu Bakar Kulliyyah). It has produced eminent scholars all over the State of Pahang and Malaysia. Its students consistently further their studies in the esteemed Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.
4. There are a couple of beaches near Pekan. About 15 minutes from the town, on the way to Kuantan, there is Pantai Legenda (Lagenda Beach) complete with golf course. To the south and on the way to Kuala Rompin, you will find the 16th Mile Beach. These beaches are not crowded and naturally unattended. You will be able to enjoy the quite moment to yourself.
5. About one-hour drive from Pekan is Lake Chini (Tasik Cini), it is the largest natural freshwater lake in Malaysia. The facilities includes restaurant, jungle trekking boat rides. You can also visit the Orang Asli (natives) settlements nearby and see their simple traditional life.
6.For golfers, the Royal Pekan Golf Club offers the 18-holes par-72 course plays to 6,506 yds from the blue tees. The First Nine is the shorter of the two nines at 3,210yds and the Second Nine at 3,296yds. The course is flat with minimal water hazards. The fairway is of cow grass. (a kind of Malaysian local grass). Surprising, the food is of acceptable standard.
How to get there: Pekan is accessible either from Kuantan or from Rompin. If you are from Kuala Lumpur, take the East Coast Expressway and exit at the Gambang Interchange. Then, follow the Tun Razak Highway. From Johor, you will have the chance to enjoy scenic coastal drive through the town of Kuala Rompin.
It is not clear how the town gets her name. According to the local story, the name comes from a species of wild flower, the Pekan flowers, that grew in abundant on the bank of River Pahang. Pekan town is said to have existed since the 17th century, but no exact date can be verified. Several Arab and Chinese travelers had mentioned Pekan in their journals.
Events and Attractions: There are a number of tourist attractions in Pekan. The town is more popular with the local visitors, mainly because the attractions and events are more related hers status as the royal town.
1. Birthday celebration: It is worth to time the visit to coincide with the ruler's official birthday on the 24th of October. On that day, you would be able to witness the annual outburst of culture and traditions. Thousands of visitors from different parts of Pahang will flock to this town to join the celebration. The cultural activities, include the traditional dances, handicraft and traditional games. Early booking of the hotel is required as months before the events the hotel will be sold out.
2. Sultan Abu Bakar Museum: The museum displays important artifacts related to the state's history and the local Malay culture. The extended portion of the museum, built at Pulau Beram, is dedicated to water transportation, personally owned by Sultan Abu Bakar and the late Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tengku Afzan. Water transportation was the main mode of travelling before the road system was built. It showcases many types of boats and rafts from beautifully craved boats to decaying logs. Models of fisherman house and floating hut are also on display.
3. The Royal Palace: You will notice the Ivory Motive on the entrance to the palace. This palace was built in 1965 and currently it is the residence of Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah. It is almost hidden amidst of lush green tropical trees, surrounded by peaceful and clean Malay kampung or village.
Nearby the Royal Pahang Polo Field is a long-established Islamic college, known as Kuliah Sultan Abu Bakar (the Sultan Abu Bakar Kulliyyah). It has produced eminent scholars all over the State of Pahang and Malaysia. Its students consistently further their studies in the esteemed Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.
4. There are a couple of beaches near Pekan. About 15 minutes from the town, on the way to Kuantan, there is Pantai Legenda (Lagenda Beach) complete with golf course. To the south and on the way to Kuala Rompin, you will find the 16th Mile Beach. These beaches are not crowded and naturally unattended. You will be able to enjoy the quite moment to yourself.
5. About one-hour drive from Pekan is Lake Chini (Tasik Cini), it is the largest natural freshwater lake in Malaysia. The facilities includes restaurant, jungle trekking boat rides. You can also visit the Orang Asli (natives) settlements nearby and see their simple traditional life.
6.For golfers, the Royal Pekan Golf Club offers the 18-holes par-72 course plays to 6,506 yds from the blue tees. The First Nine is the shorter of the two nines at 3,210yds and the Second Nine at 3,296yds. The course is flat with minimal water hazards. The fairway is of cow grass. (a kind of Malaysian local grass). Surprising, the food is of acceptable standard.
How to get there: Pekan is accessible either from Kuantan or from Rompin. If you are from Kuala Lumpur, take the East Coast Expressway and exit at the Gambang Interchange. Then, follow the Tun Razak Highway. From Johor, you will have the chance to enjoy scenic coastal drive through the town of Kuala Rompin.
A Malaysian who had spent more than 35 years working for an International Airline in various positions. Currently, he maintains a travel blog to promote visitors to Pahang. For further information, please visit http://pahangtour.blogspot.com/
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