A Bentong Series
Bentong is a district nestled amongst the mountains and greenery of Western Pahang, Malaysia. It is approximately 80 kilometres northeast of the capital city, Kuala Lumpur, just across the Titiwangsa Mountain range. Visitors can easily reach the town via an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, Bentong is a perfect getaway from bustling city life.
Administratively, the Bentong district covers an area of 1831 square kilometres and includes the towns of Bentong, Genting Highlands, Karak, Telemong, Manchis, Sungai Dua and Bukit Tinggi.
The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is a proposed new standard gauge railway link infrastructure project from Port Klang on the Straits of Malacca to Pengkalan Kubor in the northeast, connecting the East Coast Economic Region states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to one another and to Peninsular Malaysia’s West Coast and Central Region.
Although Bentong is a relatively small town, it has all modern conveniences and amenities draped amidst a backdrop of the past. Many buildings in Bentong are over a century old but they are mostly well-maintained and authentically preserved. This is truly a town where history meets modernity.
In this series of articles, I am going to share with everyone some interesting and useful information about Bentong town. There will be a total of 24 articles focusing on five different themes which are:
- The History of Bentong
- The People of Bentong
- Famous Food
- Places of Interest
- Prospective Bentong
For this maiden article, allow me to expand briefly on each of these five themes which will be covered more extensively in the course of this series.
The History of Bentong
The Chinese Assembly Hall, located in the heart of Bentong Town
This theme will delve into the early development of Bentong Town in the late 19th Century. Briefly, according to an old story, Bentong was previously known as Kapong and was only renamed ‘Bentong’ just before World War I.
In earlier times, Bentong was inhabited by indigenous people and 300 to 400 Chinese workers. Bentong began to flourish when tin ore was discovered in its two main rivers — River Repas and River Perting. Today, Bentong is a multicultural and diverse town which has benefited from its own legacy. The growth of the mining industry in Bentong led to a huge influx of Chinese migrants in the late 19th Century, which in turn contributed a rich and varied cultural tapestry to the town.
The People of Bentong
In this section, I am going to discuss the different people, cultures and traditions that can be found in the dynamic and diversified town of Bentong. Like Malaysia, Bentong comprises of a plethora of ethnic groups which include the Malays, Chinese, Indians and many others. Hence, the district can be described as a cultural melting pot where people of different cultures live side by side in harmony.
Although Bentong is a small town, it is home to various Chinese associations. This is because numerous Chinese clans have been living together for the past few decades. In addition, I will also elaborate further on the community of local indigenous people (“orang asli”) in Bentong.
Famous Foods of Bentong
Bentong ginger
Given Bentong’s relatively small size, it is understandable if people think that the town has little to offer in terms of food and delicacies.
However, if you decide to embark on a food trail within the town, you will soon discover that Bentong is a hidden food gem and a must-visit food mecca in Malaysia.
Most people already know that Bentong is famous for its ginger, soya sauce, pungent Musang King durians and ‘taufu pok’. Nevertheless, Bentong has many more delicacies to offer and I will be introducing them in coming blog posts.
Famous Bentong Taufu Pok
Places of Interest in Bentong
Famous Chamang Waterfalls
For tourists, Bentong is a tropical paradise perfect for adventure junkies and cultural enthusiasts alike. It is a town full of greenery and adventure while not being void of the richness of culture.
Tourists may decide to explore places such as the famous Kechara Forest Retreat, where people can take a break from their hectic city lives and rejuvenate themselves at this beautiful holistic centre.
Do not miss my upcoming blog post where I will provide more information and insights into the key places of interest in Bentong town.
Kechara Forest Retreat
Prospective Bentong
In my last major theme, I am going to elucidate some of the key developments that Bentong will undergo in the near future. Stepping into the 21st century, the rapid expansion of the city of Kuala Lumpur has benefited nearby towns such as Bentong.
With its geographical proximity to the fast-growing capital city of Malaysia, Bentong is very much part of the boom and the town is poised to become a satellite city to the Greater Kuala Lumpur region in the near future.
Conclusion
In the coming weeks, I will touch on each theme mentioned above that are particularly relevant and interesting to the people of Bentong and tourists alike. Stay tuned and get to know Bentong with me!
For more interesting information:
- A History of Bentong Town
- Go Bentong! 与菩萨有约
- Cleaning Up Bentong for Malaysia Day | 2016年马来西亚日Gotong Royong活动
- Reaching Out in Bentong | 关注文冬
- Community spirit in Bentong
- Sponsor-A-Tree at KFR!
- 3,000kg of rice for Bentong & YB Dato’ Sri Dr Liow Tiong Lai
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Thank you for this interesting article about Bentong.Bentong is the gateway to the east coast of the Peninsular Malaysia .It has many lovely natural place which we can spend time with family such as Chamang Waterfalls ,Lentang and Bentong Hot Spring.
Visitor should not miss the chance to visit Kechara Forest Retreat where we can take a break from hectic city lives.Information from this article really useful for tourist and visitor of Bentong.
Thank you Lenard Hu for writing and sharing the article for us to know more about Bentong. I am living in Ipoh and I have found out there are many similarities between Ipoh and Bentong but one thing I would like to share with everyone based on what I have observed, that most people in Bentong are friendly and nice to mix with. With the presence of Kechara Forest Retreat in Bentong, there will be more tourists and Buddhist practitioners to walk around in Bentong town as Bentong is indeed a comfortable place to stay surrounded by greeneries and hills. I truly hope there will be more developments coming to Bentong and may Bentong will grow further to become a more popular tourism spot in our country.
Thank you with folded hands,
kin hoe
Thank you for making Bentong much more known to the world. I see many more things happening for Bentong in the coming years.
Thank you Lenard Hu sharing this interesting and useful information about Bentong town.
The natural environments such as Chamang Waterfalls and Kechara Forest Retreat are really nice and peaceful. These places may help us in lessening our stress and heal our body and mind.
Thank you for your comment. I am glad that you find my article interesting and useful. Do follow my upcoming blog post as I will be sharing more useful information about Bentong.
Very keen to read the 24 articles about Bentong from Mr Hu. Bentong is a remarkable town with delicious foods and interesting places to offer. It is not hard to fall in love with Bentong, a mere 60 minutes drive from KL.
Thank you for your support and encouragement. Indeed Bentong is a beautiful place for everyone to visit yet it is not far away from KL (about 60km). Do follow my other post as I will be sharing more information about the town in due course.
Certainly I would love to learn more about Bentong and will stay tuned to get to know Bentong. I must say I love my experiences staying in Kechara Forest Retreat in the early development days and after the completion of stage one development. Kechara Forest Retreat is incredibly amazing place, it is serene, infused with positive healing energy, a perfect getaway from the cities. People must not miss visiting Kechara Forest Retreat in Bentong.
Thank you for your encouragement and support. Certainly from my experience, Kechara Forest Retreat is a place worth visiting as it is set in a serene and green environment. Stay tuned to my upcoming blog posts as I will introduce other attractions which Bentong could offer!!
Good to hear from a local Bentong resident who are up in the small town rich in history. Bentong indeed has flourished and grown with times while preserving it’s old world charm. With Bentong spearheading it’s way to becoming a spiritual township and the promotion of spiritual travelling destination, Kechara Forest Retreat is one of the must go destination to rejuvenate and get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. it is a place where one can find peace within themselves. Looking forward to more tourists and spiritual seekers visiting Kechara Forest Retreat.
Hello William, thank you for your reply. Indeed I agree that Kechara Forest Retreat is one of the must go destination for not only tourists but also Bentong people who are keen to learn more about the centre. Stay tuned to my blog posts as I will uncover more ‘jewels’ including Kechara which the town can offer to tourists.
This series on Bentong town promises to be interesting,especially from someone like Lenard Hu, who is well-travelled and from the perspective of his travels, still sees his hometown Bentong as a gem of a place. Bentong has catapulted into the limelight, with recent developments, like that of the holistic sanctuary nearby , the Kechara Forest Retreat.It has a rich historical past,with a multi-ethnic background of different races living together peacefully and in harmony. It has lovely natural places of interest for tourists like the Chamang waterfalls. Its famous foods are the talk of the town and have been drawing many visitors all this while.
Yes, there is much to look forward to in this series on Bentong. Being close to the metropolitan hub of Kuala Lumpur, augurs well for its future. Bentong is likely to have its own boom and a fast-track growth.
Hello Pastor Han Nee. Thank you for your comment. Indeed although Bentong is a small town but it has a multi-ethnic population living together in peacefully and in harmony. Stay tuned as I will discuss the different Chinese clans, Indigenous ‘Orang Asli’ and many other communities in Bentong in my coming post.?
Dear Lenard,
I have gain some new knowledge from your write up. Such as Bentong original name is Kapong. I wonder do you have the information why the name change to Bentong. Bentong although see is a small down, but here have a lot hidden treasure.
Thank you for this articles. Hope to read more about Bentong
Yours sincerely
Freon
Thank you Freon for your question. There is actually no consensus as to why the name changes from “Kapong” to “Bentong” but I am able to share a version of story on this matter. According to old local folklore, as Kapong developed into a focal point of attention for tin mining, tin miners constructed a ridge known as ‘Ban’for maximising ore mining production. The locals named the Ban as ‘Ban Untung’ (profitable ridge). Subsequently, the word ‘Ban Untung’ became more famously known than “Kapong” by people. Over time, ‘Ban Untung’ became Bentong and that’s one of the story on the origin of the name. Do follow my upcoming blogposts as I will be sharing more valuable information about the town. ?
Thats a really good story.
Thank you Lenard for sharing your view about Bentong. It is always interesting for me to learn about the history and background about an old town. Although it has developed so much now but I am sure there are a lot of hidden interesting story to share. I really look forward to reading more of the 24 series of article about Bentong. I hope more people would learn and know about this town instead of just concentrating on the food section which is usually the main interest of many.
Thank you Lin Mun for your comment. I am glad that you are looking forward to read my series of articles about Bentong in the future. I will definitely do my best to share with you and other readers the hidden gems which Bentong could offer.
This promises to be an interesting blog. Looking forward to his posts.
Bentong is indeed a very interesting and complex little town. There is so much diversity, I think it will take the writer many blog post to do it justice. Especially looking forward to his impression of Kechara Forest Retreat.
Thank you Fong for your comment. I will do my best to share more information about Bentong in the future. I am also especially looking forward to write about Kechara and other attractions in Bentong too.
Previously, I am not familiar with Bentong and just passby on my journey to Kuala Lumpur. Now I getting familiar with Bentong town because I travel to Bentong to attend monthly Dorje Shugden Puja in Kechara Forest Retreat.
I like Bentong’s foods so much especially the foods in Kampong Perting. Bentong town has many historical building still well preserved.
Do visit Kechara Forest Retreat to find a tranquility and see a greenery surroundings to calm your minds. http://www.retreat.kechara.com
Thanks Lenard to share Bentong history to us.
Jason
Hello Jason,thank you for your comment. I am glad that you enjoy the food and the cultural buildings around the town. Stay tuned as I will share some personal impression and information about the famous food and buildings of the town in my blog series.
Thank you Lenard for this wonderful and interesting write up about Bentong. With it’s famous ginger, beautiful Chamang waterfall and last but not least our beautiful and peaceful place to find inner peace and getaway from a stressful work life, Kechara Forest Retreat. It’s great to know more about Bentong, Thank you very much Rinpoche for founding a beautiful place for everyone to do retreat and find peace??
Thank you Anne for your comment and encouragement!! I will certainly do my best and share with all my readers the beauty and jewels of Bentong in my coming blog series. Stay tuned!!
Bentong is the gateway to the east coast of the Peninsular Malaysia. Yes Bentong is a fast growing town and in no time will be upgrading to a city in no time. With so many development projects going on and with the famous Musang King durian been known to many durian lovers especially China, Singapore to name a few. A town famous for it home grown ginger, durians , food and delicacies, and Bean curd Puff ( Tau Fo Pok ). Lastly Bentong is where the largest DorJe Shugden Statue and largest meditation retreat centre is. With people from all walks of life coming to see it , pay homage and do retreat that will leave the mind ,body rejuvenated and inspired.
A trip to this lush green scenery in Bentong are idea for the adventurous tourist as well as tropical fruits galore..The coming construction of a rail will flourish tourism in Bentong and the area surrounding it. The town offers an interesting mix of green tourism, eco – tourism, traditional gourmet and outdoor activities for locals and tourist.
Thank you Lenard Hu for sharing these article ,so as more and more people coming to Bentong and know about Kechara Forest Retreat too.
Thank you for your comment. Stay tuned to my blog series as I will touch on the famous food of Bentong including Tau Fu Pok in my later post.?Thank you for your support!