BETONG: FOR GOOD FOOD, CHEAP PRICES & CLEAN COOL MOUNTAIN RELAXATION
Few decades ago, Malaysians would shun going to Betong in
Thailand, a small town just a “stone’s throw” away from the common border. It
was infamously linked to the outlawed Communist insurgents who used the
mountainous jungle terrain nearby the
town as the clandestine enclave to escape the pursuit of Malaysian security
forces. The insurgents engaged in jungle warfare tactics against the security
forces in Malaysian territory. After each confrontation, they would then seep
through the border to the enclave for refuge.
When the insurgents laid down their armed struggle in 1989
and granted amnesty by the Malaysian Government, some chose to be assimilated
into the Thai civilization. Mostly between late 50s and mid 60s in age now,
they are either currently in business or trade as peaceful Thai citizens.
Today, Betong is a popular holiday retreat for Malaysian
Chinese who seek good Chinese and Thai food, and also to relax in a cool, clean
mountain environment not too far from the town – all in very affordable costs.
The Malaysian Ringgit is commonly accepted by all businesses as the alternative
to Thai Baht. Communication is not a problem as the Thai Chinese there are
fluent in Mandarin and the main Chinese dialects. Many local Muslims speak the
Malay lingo. Malaysian Chinese would feel at home although in another country.
In the third week of November, I went with close pals Lim
Buck Kooi and Kok Mun Sum, along with Buck Kooi’s business associates. This was
my second trip to Betong. The first time was slightly more than two years ago,
in July with some other pals for “makan-makan” (food savouring) and feasting
the “king of fruits” – durian (it was durian season then).
In the recent trip, I had the opportunity to stay in the
Winter Flower Garden Resort on highland terrain for the first part of the
three-day itinerary. The average temperature at around 18 to 20 degree was
pristine. Full bloomed flowers spanning the resort set a pleasing mood. The
meals served by the caretakers suited our taste buds well – simple preparations
but yet satisfying, especially the fresh own-grown organic vegetables. Activities
available after dinner were karaoke, mah-jong and card games.
The resort was slightly more than an hour’s drive by mini-bus
from Betong town. I remembered seeing plenty of durians dangling from trees
decked at the sides of the uphill road in my first journey there by MPV in 2011 – which was
like a quick browse through without staying overnight – but this time the trees
were devoid of the fruits because it was off season. I was wondering……..if it
was in season, we could have picked some fruits along the way as there was no
fencing to keep off poachers. Even in my first visit, I did not see anybody
attending to the plots of land although the fruits were in abundance. Probably
the trees are wild, in no man’s land?
A must-visit place which is halfway between Betong and
Winter Flower Garden Resort is the Piyamid Tunnel. The entire site encompasses the former
main operating camp of the Communist insurgents, with dug-out tunnels serving as refuge
hidden in the upper reaches of thick jungle.Visitors can perceive how they
lived and survived.
At the fringe of the town is the Betong Hot Spring in Ban
Charo Parai Village. I soothed my tired
feet in the pool and then joined the other pals to relax
under a tree, sipping a locally concocted herbal wine tonic, fresh coconut
water and tucking in some light food bought from vendors. There is also a
souvenir shop situated at the entry of the site which offers quite a good
range of items at reasonable prices, including comfortable t-shirts in striking
colours and awesome designs sold around 200 to 250 Bahts (equivalent to RM20 –
RM25).
Now, about food……… I strongly recommend the popular Chinese
Tim Sum restaurant (seemed to be the main one in the town) at the corner
of Chayachawalit Road and very nearby Mandarin Hotel - where we stayed according to the second part of the itinerary - for breakfast on the third day. The cuisine available in wide varieties was
indeed satiating. Together with another two friends, the three of us
"gluttonised" ourselves with 14 baskets of the wares. When we settled the bill in
Ringgit, we were really taken aback – RM20, inclusive a pot of Chinese tea for
three persons! We couldn’t believe it at first, so we double-checked with the
owner whether he had made a mistake. We were affirmed that each basket was only
around RM1. Astonishing! The same restaurant served our group excellent dinner on day 2 of the itinerary. Eight large servings for 12 people, and the bill came to only RM280. No fanciful garnishing but the "solid" ingredients exuded the the aroma of each dish.
Overall, food was good and I would say very worthwhile the costs we paid.
If you have never been to Betong and if you are a durian
lover, I recommend you go there during the fruit season in the middle of the
year. Unfortunately, my recent trip was off season. I remembered I paid
RM2 per (good) fruit in my first trip two years ago. Out of curiosity, I
checked it out with a fruit stall holder - whom I recognised as the trader who
sold me organic durians last time - about the current average price this year. He told it was around RM2.50 to RM3 per fruit, depending on the size – still
cheap.
Hotel rates are also comparatively much cheaper than in
Malaysia. For RM80 per night on twin-sharing, you can select one of the prime
hotels.
All in all, my second visit to Betong was equally memorable
as the first. And all in all, it was real money’s worth.
Photos.............
Day 1:
(Duty free outlet at the Malaysian side of the common border as the first visit site in our itinerary.)
Photos.............
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
(Checked out of Mandarin Hotel at lunch hour and headed for home - no photos.)
