Travelogue 15: A Five Billion Star Experience - Sunway Lost World of Tambun

It was a long holiday for Malaysian. Combo of Agong's birthday and Awal Muharram. We decided to try new adventure, glamping. There are few glamping sites in Malaysia among others:

1. Sailor’s Rest - Janda Baik (http://sailorrest.com/)
2. Tadom Hill Resorts - Banting (http://www.tadomhillresorts.com/)
3. Tanah Aina Fahad - Raub (http://www.tanahaina.com/fahad/ )
4. Caravan Serai - Bentong 
5. Canopy Tribes - Kota Tinggi (http://www.canopytribes.com/)
6. Tiarasa Escapes - Bentong (https://www.tiarasaescapes.com/)
7. Tanjung Inn - Cherating (http://www.tanjunginn.com/)
8. Time Capsule Retreat - Sg Lembing (https://www.timecapsuleretreat.com/)
9. Chengal Hill Retreat - Janda Baik 
10. Lost World of Tambun (LWOT) - Ipoh (https://sunwaylostworldoftambun.com/glamping)

Camping and jungle trekking are my thingy. I feel that it's time to introduce the new adventures to the boys. Camping sounds too extreme so I've decided to try something hype, close to camping but it's more comfortable. So Glamping it is! I want something that close to nature, adventure-prone but at the same time we can still sleep on a bed. But why I chose to have my first glamping experience in Tambun? Here are some thoughts that I've gathered via Uncle Google.

1. The foremost concern is the toilet. Considered LWOT is under the management of Sunway (big company, big concern on reputation) they might have cleaner toilet than the rest.
2. We have not been to LWOT
3. LWOT has a big water and amusement theme park for the kids..means less boring. The rest of glamping venue only have river, waterfall (possibility of leptospirosis), lake or beach.
4. Tiarasa Escape looks so good in TV ('Rahsia Hati Perempuan' drama series) but it's quite pricey..so perhaps next time..
5. Variety choices of local food inside the themepark, alas no time wasted to try new food or viral restaurant.
6. Most of review on blogs and tripadvisor sounded great.

Proceed with the booking via agoda (you can also book the ticket from the resort website), the price was RM720 for one night inclusive of the 2 days 2 nights themepark entrance ticket and breakfast for 4 pax. Glamping guests are given special buggy to mobilize to and fro carpark, campsite and area inside the themepark. 

We arrived at 12pm, park at the lobby and the buggy took us to the campsite. The campsite is inside the themepark, in the Lost World of Adventure Park beside Lake Boga in between Hippo and Tiger nest. Hahaha. We came back in one piece though.

The kids like it so much

The tent from the outside

The tent was equipped with one queen bed, two single beds, 2 standfans, small locker cum table, long mirror, cloth hanger, towels, toiletries, power socket and towel rack & bench (outside the tent). It's carpeted with non slip floor mat, have ample space to pray and change cloth The toilet was like 2-3 minutes walking distance, clean as expected. Few tiger plush dolls sighted to keep away the campsite from monkey attack.

The toilet from the outside. 

Imagine, brushing your teeth while looking at the mirror facing the jungle

We started our day in LWOT by taking a flight of stairs to a specially built viewing platform, we came face to face with Juwita the hippo. Kimi had chance to feed the hippo and Hafiey refuse (given the chance but too scared of animals). Together in the Hippo Kingdom were the hyenas, fish and deer. And suddenly we were trap with the hippo as the rain pour was so heavy. Lucky us, there's an air-conditioned underground aquarium as our shed. 

The amusement park is not that amusing..but tiger and friends show was great.

The water park is the major highlights. I love the hot spring water park especially the waterfall..and of course the adventure river, which they claimed as the Malaysia’s longest man-made adventure river. We made a great decision to come to LWOT on Friday before the long holiday, the theme park was not busy at all. No crowd, few rounds of cliff raider and tube racer, we had the pool for us..and even the waterfall!

We had lunch at the one of the restaurant in the theme park. For a theme park meal, the price is not that expensive and you can have Ipoh delicious delicacy inside the park. We liked the curry mee! 

Ipoh Street

At night, the water themepark was alive! So we (especially the kids) mandi sampai pengsan..hahhaha. Our first night, we enjoyed the fireshow and before the park close, we visited the Luminous Forest. The Luminous Forest is avatar looks-alike and come with a story of  the mysterious and mystical Malayana tribe.

Luminous Forest

Our night wasn't end there. We have BBQ at the campsite and it's 10pm at night. I forgot to mention that inside the campsite, there is a spacious hut, a common area for all guest. Hot water, coffee and tea are to be served at the common area. So we had our BBQ at the common area as it was drizzling on that night. Otherwise, we can opt for BBQ just outside our tent. The serving was very big i.e. Chicken wings, lamb, fish, prawn, fried rice, salad, sausages and canned drinks.

BBQ for supper

Getting ready to sleep, to our surprise..it was freezing cold in the tent. We told the staff to just standby a portable air-cond (chargeable at RM100) in case the kids cannot sleep. But in actual, we even feel that we should switch off the stand fan.

Waking up on the next day, the kids were ready for the second day of 'mandi sampai pengsan'. But the crowd was different..its weekend so yeah..the 'mandi sampai pengsan' was not as exciting as day before. Annoyed much with the crowded pool, we decided to enjoy the petting zoo. At the entrance of the Petting Zoo, all visitors have to step on a doormat which contains Dettol and acts as a disinfectant. The sanitizers were everywhere.  The way Sunway built the Petting Zoo was so amazing that you don't even notice you are walking around a big circle in between the limestone lush forest. The limestone forest has made the petting zoo looks so natural as if it is without the glass container or barrier, we will forget that we are even the zoo! From a baby fishes (they called longkang fish), hamster, tarantula, snake to big tapir, ostrich and giraffe, they have it all here. It's like the animals galore..

The superb tribe performance at Lost World Petting Zoo

Done with the animals, it's time for the kids to learn about tin industry. Lost World Tin Valley has a Tin Mining area which is equipped with a life-sized palung (sluice box), an original gravel pump monitor and a large area for the kids to experience “Dulang Washing”(Tin Ore Panning) just like the good old days. We even can enjoy eating like the miner too. The setup of the restaurant and the menu at  Dulang Tea House delivers a dose of nostalgia with time-honoured temptations like roti tumbuk, biskut lutut, telur ayam kampung and roti bakar with chicken curry, for a genuine blast from the past.

Eat like miners!

So what's the verdict? 9/10..Major love to this place..definitely will come back. We had a blast here..from the super cool and convenient glamping site in the middle of the natural forest, the pools and hot springs and fantastic animal zoo which I would nominate it as the BEST in Malaysia thus far. Not to forget the setup of the whole theme park which I can see their effort to preserve the nature and forest..Kudos LWOT!