Get motivated the outdoor way!!

“Motivation is a term that refers to a process that elicits, controls, and sustains certain behaviors. For instance: An individual has not eaten, he or she feels hungry, as a response he or she eats and diminishes feelings of hunger. According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in a basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure, or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting, or a desired object, goal, state of being, ideal, or it may be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, selfishness, morality, or avoiding mortality. Conceptually, motivation should not be confused with either volition or optimism.[1] Motivation is related to, but distinct from, emotion”.

Well that is the term which I fell asleep while reading it! In short, are you looking for something different just to lift up your mood? or perhaps you and your co-worker? Your employees? Your team? Well do something about it. Go out and talk to people, find something interesting or challenging to do, even for a short period of time like weekend or public holidays. Go out of the ordinary. Make that decision, feel the changes and the freshness afterwards. Enjoy the nature.

Fortunately, that’s what we do, we offer some interesting 2 days and 1 night outdoor packages so that we can bring back your mood at work place. Feel happy in life, bring back the motivation to perform and to become a better person. Don’t let your friends decide. You must decide for yourself. Hey, its your life.

Call us at +6010-342-4848 or email us at belum.outdoor@gmail.com and find out what’s going on during our normal workdays which is Saturday and Sunday!

Go Green 2012.

Happy new Year 2012. Lets Go Green!!

This year, let make a pledge to go green. What does it mean?

Going green refers to the adoption of earth-friendly practices that center on conservation efforts, finding alternative fuel sources, using natural resources wisely and, in general, making ecologically responsible decisions. The concept of going green evolves as we gain a better understanding of the impact of our habits and lifestyles on the environment.

Identification

Going green means “pursuing knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles,”. Adopting a green lifestyle is not simply an effort to take better care of the earth for the earth’s sake, but it serves to protect our health and to “sustain natural resources for current and future generations,”.

Several practices are synonymous with going green, including switching to renewable resources, reducing our carbon footprint and embracing sustainability. To better understand going green, you need to understand the “going green” lingo.

Renewable Resources

Renewable resources refer to energy sources such as wind, solar power and hydro power that are continuously replenished. Currently, fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas “provide more than 85 percent of all the energy consumed worldwide. Even though efforts are underway to produce cleaner, more efficient fossil fuels, the green initiative toward renewable energy holds more promise for reducing pollution and conserving natural resources.

Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint refers to “the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide,”. Gases that produce the greenhouse effect include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, which are released as a result of burning fossil fuel. Carbon dioxide occurs naturally at a rate of approximately 0.1 billion tons a year, but industrial activity and forest destruction increases carbon levels to 10 billion tons yearly.

Sustainability

The concept of sustainability, like the idea of going green, is too complex to reduce to a single definition. Go Green initiative suggests that sustainability practices ensure “that our children and grandchildren inherit a tomorrow that is at least as good as today, preferably better.” Sustainable living means using only what you need, taking care of the land, using reusable products and reducing waste. Any action you take to conserve resources in an earth-friendly manner could be considered sustainable.

Considerations

Going green is an individual initiative and a global initiative. You can make small adjustments in your lifestyle that will reduce your carbon footprint, which consequently contributes to the global initiative. You can also participate in large-scale shifts toward greener living by staying abreast of environmental issues that affect your family now and in the future. Each time you make a conscious decision to conserve natural resources, you take another step toward green living.

The Environmental Protection Agency offers tips for going green on its website. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/152375-define-going-green/#ixzz1jFjuHx5g

Source: Science Daily, Go Green Virginia and Arkansas.Gov

Belum Valley Images

Belum Valley Violin Beetle

If you travel up north to Sungai Kejar in Royal Belum, Belum Valley, one of the commonly found insect at the campsite are the Violin beetle. They are ground beetles in the subfamily of Lebiinae from family of Carabidae and order of Coleoptera. They live between layers of bracket fungi. Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan family of beetles, Carabidae, with more than 40,000 species worldwide.

Bracket fungi often grow in semi-circular shapes, looking like shelving growing out of trees or wood. They can be parasitic, saprotrophic, or both. One of the more common genera, Ganoderma, can grow large thick shelves that may contribute to the death of the tree, and then feed off the wood for years after. Their hardiness means they are very resilient and can live for quite a long time, with many species even developing beautiful multi-coloured circles of colour that are actually annual growth rings.

Not so much information available on these Violin Beetles, other than it was found in 1825 and was made as pictures on stamp in several countries. More information of  this Violin Beetle can be found here.

Belum Valley Lantern Bug

Belum Valley is an entomologist’s paradise. One of the commonly found is the Lantern Bug (Lanternaria Candelaria Fulgoridae). The family Fulgoridae is a large group of hemipteran insects, especially abundant and diverse in the tropics, containing over 125 genera worldwide. They are mostly of moderate to large size, many with a superficial resemblance to Lepidoptera due to their brilliant and varied coloration. Various genera and species (especially the genera Fulgora and Laternaria) are sometimes referred to as lantern flies, though they do not emit light.

The head of some species is produced into a hollow process, resembling a snout, which is sometimes inflated and nearly as large as the body of the insect, sometimes elongated, narrow and apically upturned. It was believed, mainly on the authority of Maria Sibylla Merian, that this process, the so-called lantern, was luminous at night. Carl Linnaeus adopted the statement without question and coined a number of specific names, such as laternaria, phosphorea and candelaria to illustrate the supposed fact, and thus aided in promoting a belief which centuries of observations have failed to confirm.

Most common areas where Lantern Bug can be found is surrounding Sungai Enam areas in southern part of Belum Valley.

I am Eco-Friendly

The term “eco-friendly” is used to describe activities which are good for the environment. It is a shortening of “ecologically friendly,” and you may also hear terms like “environmentally friendly” or “green” used to describe similar activities. There are a range of ways in which activities can be eco-friendly, ranging from products which are constructed in an environmentally friendly way to making lifestyle changes which are designed to benefit the environment.

People engage in eco-friendly activities because they are concerned about the health of the environment. Environmental issues were first pushed to the forefront of the collective consciousness in the late 1900s, when people realized that their activities were having a negative impact on the environment. Pollution, rampant use of natural resources, and other activities were questioned in light of information about how these activities hurt the environment, and people began to look into more eco-friendly ways of living and doing business.

Many savvy companies realized that investing in green product development would pay off, and lines of eco-friendly products can be found in many regions of the world today as a result. These products are usually made in factories which are environmentally friendly, such as facilities built from recycled materials which use solar panels for power, and they are made from components which are also good for the environment, like plant-sourced ingredients for soaps, or recycled metal for electronics. Product packaging, advertisements, and other materials may also be eco-friendly.

Strictly speaking, eco-friendly products still have an impact on the environment, but the impact is greatly reduced when compared to conventionally produced products. In some cases, eco-friendly products may even have a positive benefit, depending on how the company does business. Many such products are also aimed at lifestyle changes which benefit the environment, so even if the product itself is not totally neutral, the actions undertaken by the consumer after buying the product are beneficial. For example, eco-friendly light bulbs require energy and resources to make, but they save energy once they are installed in a home.

Products are not the only thing which can be eco-friendly. Activities can also be friendly to the environment, as in the case of things like carpooling, gardening, composting, and recycling. Some people think that eco-friendly products are only the first step, and that people who are really committed to the environment also need to modify their lifestyles, reducing the amount of resources they use by living more efficiently.

Source: WiseGEEK

Moving Around in Perak

Some basic information on getting around in Perak. Getting to tourist spots in Perak can be tricky, however, public transport can be annoying if we don’t plan ahead or no information about it. Here are some tips.

Bus

From KL, go to Pudu Bus Station or Jalan Duta Bus Station to get to major town in Perak (Ipoh, Tanjung Malim, Slim River, Kampar, Bidor, Lumut, Teluk Intan, Bagan Dato, Setiawan, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Lenggong and Gerik).

From Ipoh, you can get bus to Lumut (from Medan Kidd), Lenggong/Gerik, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Tanjung Malim and any small town along the bus route. However, the buses coming from KL stop at Medan Gopeng and you have to spend around RM12 to get to Medan Kidd if you’re going around Perak by bus. Around Ipoh, you can get around on Perak Transit. If you are going to Royal Belum, take a bus to Gerik town from Medan Kidd and get a van ride to the jetty at RM10/person. However, if you’re staying at one of the hotel in Banding, you can get the hotel to fetch you in Gerik town.

If you arrive in Gerik early morning (if you take Transnasional or Shamisha Holidays bus from KL), you can stay in the motel around town before getting a van ride to the jetty before you enter Royal Belum.

You can also take buses from Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Lumut, Gerik and Tanjung Malim to any town in Perak.

Train

Train is only from KL main station or KL Sentral. Either you take the normal train to major town in Perak or take the ETS which run from Kl to Ipoh every scheduled hour. If you arrive at the train station, you can walk to Medan Kidd (Perak in state bus station) and take bus ride to major town in Perak. Or you can also walk to taxi stand in Medan Kidd. Taxi that operates in Ipoh do not run on meters, so you can negotiate the price. Make sure you get a good price to your destination.

You can also take train from Butterworth (Penang) and take southbound train to all major towns in Perak.

Flight

Ipoh has an airport. Pulau Pangkor also has an airstrip, only Berjaya Air lands there. Gerik has an airstrip, however, its only for military purposes. Setiawan also have an airstrip, we never seen a single big plane land there. There are plans to open 2nd LCCT in Kerian district, near Bukit Merah.

You can take a flight from Singapore to Ipoh. Checkout the Airasia, Firefly or Malaysia Airlines schedule for detail.

Taxi/Driving

Driving to Perak or any major town in Perak is the best way to get around. Take the PLUS highway from KL, also from Penang through major town like Tanjung Malim, Slim River, Bidor, Tapah, Ipoh, Kuala Kangsa, Taiping and Bukit Gantang. The highway is connected with Lumut/Ipoh Expressway, Baling Kulim Expressway (BKE),East-West Highway to Kelantan but you have to exit in Kuala Kangsar or Sungai Siput from PLUS. All rest areas along the highway provide good directions where you want to go in Perak, good food and souvenirs.

Driving from Kelang (Selangor) or Kuala Selangor wil get you to Teluk Intan and Manjung/Lumut. Its a fun drive through towns on the west coast. Stop by for seafood and delicious Perak style cooking. You can also drive from Bentong/Raub (Pahang) straight to Cameron Highlands and come down to Tapah or Simpang Pulai. The road also directs you to Gua Musang (Kelantan).

From Penang, you can drive through Kulim, Baling and Pengkalan Hulu to gets to Gerik, Ipoh or straight to Kelantan. Likewise from Kelantan.

From Lumut, you can drive through the old roads through Manong, Kuala Kangsar and Lenggong to Gerik or Pengkalan Hulu. Be carefully, driving through the old roads can be dangerous, be aware of pedestrians, motobikers without helmets, animals (cows, goats and buffaloes crossings), sharp turns and edges, low light and narrow.

The best way is, BUY a ROAD MAP before you start your journey to Perak and make sure you know the name of the locations because the local are so friendly, they are willing to help giving us directions. However, without the correct names, they can also get confused.

If you want more info, leave us a message, we will help you with directions.

Cheers – BOA team

Tualang Tree (Koompassia Excelsa)

The Tualang tree is a majestic emergent tree of the Southeast Asia rainforests best know for the disk shaped honeycombs which hang from its horizontal branches. Towering above the canopy the Tualang can reach 250 feet, or the 30 stories in height. These trees can be found growing in the lowland forests of Southern Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, northeastern Sumatra, Borneo, and Palawan. Their habitat is the primary tropical rainforest. They prefer damp locations along rivers, in valleys, and the lower slopes of hills.

Tualangs are a member of the legume family, and are related to peas. Their leaves are pinnate with 4-5 leaflets growing alternately along a central rib. They create a bright green, feathery crown. Their seeds are contained within large pods. The trunks have a smooth, silvery bark. The slippery surface discourages sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) from climbing up into the tree to reach the honey combs of the Asian rock bees (Apis dorsata). The bees prefer the Tualang tree because it doesn’t branch until almost 100 feet up. Huge buttresses support the tree at its base and keep the giants from toppling over. The sap is irritating to the skin and produces a rash.

The Tualang tree is common locally but is not an abundant tree. There are no great forests of Tualangs to be found. Instead solitary trees are often found standing alone in open areas because the wood is hard to cut and local people value the Tualang for its honey. A standing Tualang is more valuable for its honey than logged for its timber. The wood is brittle and often splinters when it is cut down. The wood is also incredibly hard and contains silica, making cutting it down a difficult process. With the decline of more accessible hard woods however, Tualangs are being cut down for timber, and are being sold under the name of Mangaris wood. The Tualang is protected under Sarawak’s Wildlife Protection Bill of 1990.

Perhaps, the Tualang trees are best known for the immense parabolic honey combs which hang from the bottom of their branches. The combs can be 6 feet across and can contain as many as 30,000 bees. One Tualang tree can contain more than 100 nests. The world’s largest honey bees, Asian rock bees are 1 inch long and the Tualangs are their preferred tree species because their tremendous height provides them safety from marauders. Except for the human kind.

Local people perform a ritual honey harvest with mixed religious symbolism. Singers chant ancient prayers to cajole, charm and calm the bees. On moonless nights in February and March, honey hunters climb the Tualang trees with smoldering torches, banging them on the branches above the nests. This creates a rain of fire, and as the sparks fall to the ground the awakened and enraged bees take off in pursuit of the embers. The bees become disoriented and remain on the ground until dawn, leaving the nests unprotected for the honey hunters to finish their harvest. About 1,000 pounds of honey can be gathered from one tree.

A Hindu myth connected to the harvest of the honey tells of a handmaiden called Hitam Manis, or “Dark Sweetness”, who fell in love with the son of the reigning Sultan. Although he returned her love, they could not get married because she was a commoner. When the Sultan discovered their love he set out to kill her. As she and some other maidens fled the palace in fear, her heart was pierced by a metal spear. Hitam Manis and her friends turned into bees and flew away into the forest.

Some years later the prince went into the forest and saw giant honey combs high in a Tualang tree. He climbed up the tree, discovering the sweet honey, and called down to his servants for a knife and a bucket. But when they lowered the bucket, they found the body of the prince hacked to pieces. A voice called out from the tree that he had committed a sacrilege by using a metal implement to cut the comb like that which had killed Hitam Manis. Later a “golden shower” made by the bees restored the prince back to life. To this day no metal is used in harvesting the honey as a sign of respect to Hitam Manis. At dusk the bees fly from their nests and defecate en masse, showering the surrounding ground and foliage with a golden rain. The nitrogen-rich bee feces fertilizes the Tualang that hosts the bees, giving it life as it did for the prince.

Source from Blue Planet Biomes

Program Jalinan Budaya Adikarma USM Nov 2011

Seramai 35 peserta daripada unit Kebudayaan dan Kesenian, Universiti Sains Malaysia telah menyertai Program Jalinan Budaya Adikarma 2011 bertempat di Pulau Tali Kail, Tasik Temenggor, Gerik, Perak baru-baru ini. Program tersebut diadakan untuk mendekatkan para peserta dengan budaya Orang Asli terutamanya kesenian tarian “Sewang” yang diwarisi oleh masyarakat Orang Asli Jahai di Kampung Chuweh, Tasik Temenggor, Perak.

Sewang adalah sejenis tarian yang dipersembahkan kepada kedatangan tetamu-tetamu, majlis perkahwinan, kematian ataupun untuk upacara rawatan. Menggunakan bahasa tradisional Jahai, tetamu-tetamu di ajak menari bersama disamping mempelajari cara mainan alat muzik Sewang. Lirik-lirik lagu Sewang ini berdasarkan situasi semasa dan dituturkan mengikut rentak alunan muzik buluh yang dimainkan.

Para peserta juga didedahkan kepada keindahan alam sekitar Tasik Temenggor, lawatan ke tapak bunga Rafflesia, air terjun Sungai Enam dan aktiviti-aktiviti air di sekitar kawasan pulau. Pengalaman yang unik ini juga ditambah dengan program-program “teambuilding” di antara peserta.

Lebih banyak gambar-gambar program ini boleh didapati disini.

28-29 Jan 2012: Basic Photography Course

We are organizing a Basic Photography Course. Learn to use your digital camera / DSLR the right way. Learn about the lighting, settings and many more.

Location: PTTC Building, Meru, Ipoh, Perak

Date: 28 & 29 January 2011

Time: 9AM – 4PM

Price: RM 300/person (early bird before 2-Jan-2012 enjoys RM 200/person)

Seats are limited, only 30 seat available for each class. Our next class is in March 2012. Exact date will be informed later.

For registration please SMS 010-342 4848 or email to belum.outdoor@gmail.com. For detail of the 2 day course, please check our photography section.

Planned Weekend Gateway: Firefly Kg Dew, Taiping, Malaysia. 26-27th Nov 2011.

Planned Weekend Gateway – 26th -27th November 2011.

Firefly Kg Dew + Charcoal Art + Paddy Field + Bukit Jana Waterfall + Seafood Kuala Sepetang, Taiping, Malaysia.

Wonder what to do during this school holidays? How about some learning and fun trip with us?

We are organizing a trip start from Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia to Kg Dew in Kamunting, Taiping to visit the fireflies, do the charcoal art, enjoy the green paddy field, experience catching fresh water eel, dip into cool and refreshing Bukit Jana waterfall and stop by Kuala Sepetang for seafood lunch or mee udang. Hmm.. yummy. We will overnite with the homestays but end time is open to everybody. We meet and greet at Ipoh and drive to Kamunting.

RSVP by SMS to +6010-342 4848 / email: belum.outdoor@gmail.com. Cost is at RM65 (adult) and RM50 (children age 12-18)  (for all activities except the transportation/toll cost and lunch at Kuala Sepetang)

Planned Weekend Gateway : 17-18th December 2011, Suka-Suka Island Retreat

Weekend Gateway – 17th -18th December 2011

Suka-Suka Island Retreat, Lenggong, Perak, Malaysia.

We are planning for a weekend gateway to Suka-Suka Island Retreat, Lenggong, Perak on 17-18th December 2011. The place is so peaceful, you’ll enjoy the scenery, fishing or kayaking on the lake. We love to host our photography session here due its traditional settings. Come enjoy the nature. Drive yourself to the jetty, park at Cita-Cita Village and take a boat ride to the island. Can visit Museum of Archeology, Lata Kekabu and Relaxing / Kayaking / Fishing / Birding / Photography.

RSVP – SMS +6010-342-4848 / email belum.outdoor@gmail.com. RM150/pax.

Day Outing : New Year BBQ, Sunday, 1st Jan 2012 @ Ulu Chepor Recreational Park, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Sunday, 1st January 2012. 11AM.

Ulu Chepor Recreational Park, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

BOA is organizing one BBQ Day Outing on Sunday, 1st January 2012 @ Ulu Chepor Recreational Park, Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. Drive yourself to the park, bring some wet clothes (we are sure you are going to get wet), food, snacks, anything to munch after enjoying the coldness and freshness of the Ulu Chepor river, ground cover etc etc. We will organize games and competition for kids. RSVP (so we can bring enough drinks) – SMS only +6010-342-4848 / email: belum.outdoor@gmail.com.

Day Outing: Kinta Nature Park / Bird Sanctuary, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia

Saturday, 12th November 2011. 10AM.

Kinta Nature Park / Bird Sanctuary, Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia

BOA is organizing one Day Outing at Kinta Nature Park / Bird Sanctuary located at Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia. Saturday, 12th November 2011. Drive yourself to the park. We will start at 10am and finish at 1pm. Come and join us. Bring your binoculars and cameras. Don’t forget to bring some snacks and drinks. There will be a lot of fun in the sun! – 010-342-4848/belum.outdoor@gmail.com

Royal Belum Activity Map

Map courtesy of Google and information by BOA team.

Contact us for the list of waterfalls and locations of the Rafflesia.

Happy trekking!!

Eco-Adventure Activties @ Royal Belum State Park, Malaysia.

Royal Belum State Park, Perak, Malaysia can be accessed through 4 hrs driving from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia or 3 hrs driving from Penang Island. Visitors require permits to enter the State Park which can be applied 2 weeks prior to arrival. Being 130 million years old, Royal Belum is among the oldest rain forest in the world. It has biodiversity more than any other areas in Malaysia.

Some of the main attraction is Raflesia flowers (species: Azlanii, Cantleyii and Kerrii), Hornbills (10 species), cooling and refreshing waterfalls (Ruok, Kejar, Mes, Semelian, Ko’oi, Belangan, Tiang, Papan, Gen and etc), Salt Licks (estimated at 60 sites altogether), among the accessible site are Sira / Jenut Papan, Sira Rambai, Sira Selantan etc, wildlife (elephant, tiger, gaur, deer, barking deer, mouse deer, snakes, insects, butterflies, fishes, tapir, wild boar, monkeys, squirrels etc).

A common aboriginal or Orang Asli found within Royal Belum is the Jahai Tribe. Locations of their villages are up river in Tiang and Kejar River and remote locations inside the rain forest.

Craft Tourism – An Interesting Cultural Stopover

Cendana Sari, a new craft community developed to promotes craftmanship and interesting craftmakers all over Malaysia is now organizing trips and exhibition on quarterly basis. It is quite interesting to visit the birth place of specific craftmanship other than buying it from shop or dealers, tourist now can try and feel how the craft is made. You can experienced the smooth silky wavering hands when painting the batik by yourself, precision and creativity when carving the the wood or even making the Malaysia traditional kites, the “wau bulan”.

For more details for the craft trips, please contact Hilmi Yusof of Cendana Sari at cendana.sari00@gmail.com or visit http://cendanasari.wordpress.com.

BOA Children’s Fun Program in Perak!

Belum Outdoor Adventure in collaboration with CreativeScience2u.com can now organize several children programs in Perak. The programs are full with fun, colors, hands-on no-stop running around activities which include our little astronaut program, little pilot, little petroleum engineer, little doctors and brainy games. We can organize for schools, organization or just simply check out our program dates in Ipoh, Perak.

Coming soon is our Junior Ranger and Recycle-Recycle-Recycle program for kids and kids at heart. Come join for fun!

So kids, weekend will not be so boring anymore!! Yahoo… For more details, please call 010-342-4848 or simply email belum.outdoor@gmail.com.

Malaysia Dental Tourism?

One will never expect the reason they are coming to Malaysia. It could be fixing your teeth along with shopping in Kuala Lumpur or rafting through level 3 rapids or enjoying the wonderful coral species in Sipadan or just simply sunbathing by the white sandy beach.

One of our friend, Dr Firdaus Hanapiah has just introduced to us, Dental Tourism and its quite fascinating to know that more people are coming just to fix their dental fixtures and enjoying Malaysia hospitality. Congratulations Doc, keep up the good work. You can visit Malaysia Dentist website for more information.

Salam Aidilfitri & Salam Merdeka from Belum Outdoor Adventure

We would like to wish everybody that have supported us all these years. Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Salam Merdeka and happy holidays. Drive safe.

BOA Team