The Cherengin Hills Convention & Spa Resort is strategically-located within beautiful tropical surroundings in the heart of Janda Baik in Bentong, Pahang. The opportunity to be there was due to a work-related event recently.
Getting there
The road to Janda Baik is hilly and steep, and not to mention the magnificent panorama that comes together with it. I wish I could take a few snaps of the view, but as I felt slightly dizzy on the way uphill, I tried to relax and refrained from activities that require focusing, such as taking photographs. The hill journey felt long, but in reality it's only very short.
Front building of the Cherengin Hills Convention & Spa Resort
At the lobby, facing the one of the blocks that houses the convention rooms
The open-air lounge at the lobby... it's cozy but I dare not sit too long as the plush sofa made me feel like falling asleep
The swimming pools
A dip in the pool
For many children and even adults, one of the most attractive parts of any hotel or resort would be the swimming pools. I do not know exactly the depth of each pool, but based on personal estimation - water level up to my neck, the adult's pool must be at least 1.4 meter deep.
The pools are normally filled with people in the mid-morning between 9 am to 12 noon. Size-wise, I think that both pools are huge enough for the size of the resort. Unlike most swimming pools elsewhere that have strong chlorine smell, the ones here don't. Instead, the water is salty like sea water. The floor of the pool may feel slippery for some, so for non-swimmers like me who merely depend on walking to survive in the pool, please walk carefully.
Speaking of the pools, we had some activities there. There's a trust-related game where group members are to catch an individual member who's supposed to dive backward into the pool (taking turn, one by one) , ensuring that this person does not get into the water. A number of us fell into the water to a small extent.
Morning view from one side of the room on the 2nd floor
Inside the room. This one belongs to the smallest category of room called Superior Room. Larger rooms are available and recommended for families.
The room and facilities
Each room has individual air-conditioning units, so guests are free to adjust the temperature according to their preferences. One of the window panels can be opened if you like some fresh air to flow in or just to take a nice view of the scenery. The room was clean too.
Basic toiletries such as shampoo, body wash, soap, shower cap and sanitary bag are provided in the room. Two pieces of towel and a piece of floor towel are in as well. More stuff are provided for Deluxe Rooms and above. A few units of irons and ironing boards are placed outside the rooms. Free wi-fi services are available at the lobby and convention rooms.
Afternoon view from the center of the room window
Dream Valley, which is basically a farm and mini zoo with many rabbits and a few other small animals
One of the rabbits at Dream Valley. The rabbits are surprisingly not afraid of people.
Gelugor Garden Cafe past dinner time. It's an open-air coffee house.
The coffee house
Gelugor Garden Cafe serves buffet meals. A la carte meals either at the Cafe or for room service are available on request. Most of the dishes served are local cuisines with a bit of western servings. Tastiness is subjective, but overall, I was happy with most of the food served. Gotta take care not to over-eat, so portion control is very important.
Cat at the cafe
View of Kampung Cherengin from the resort
Spa of greenery
One of the questions that came into picture upon touring around the resort was that "Is there a spa?" Despite "Spa" being part of the name Cherengin Hills Convention & Spa Resort, there isn't one there. However, the tranquil surrounding should be as good as a spa in providing relaxation to its guests.
The check-in and check-out processes were efficient as they're quite fast. The staff whom I've encountered so far were polite and helpful.
Climate-wise, Janda Baik is not as cold as Genting Highlands but it's cooler than the ordinary low land. Phone line reception is good on the hill. The Cherengin Hills resort is a good place for team building programmes and physical activities, or simply for a short and relaxing break at a village within a lush greenery. It's ideal for folks who prefer quiet holidays away from shopping malls, busy streets and concrete jungles.
If you were to ask me whether I'll return to Cherengin or any other part of Janda Baik, well it depends mainly on one factor. Initially, I was skeptical if I would enjoy it because I had an idea there isn't much to see other than tropical rain forest. But once I was there, I soon fell in love with the place. One thing for sure, if I were to make a future visit, I should get some Novomin first in order not to risk having a rough trip uphill and down.
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