UKM "conquers" Ecolife for 2 days...

Colourful Sewang ritual dance

That's the target....a blowpipe demo by a Semai marksman

Yeah, it's delicious! The biggest banana leaf lunch gathering ever held in the basecamp!

Tapioca grilled the Semai way...delicious!

ECOLIFE basecamp saw the biggest congregation of students when 3 busloads of UKM  & UKM's National Permatapintar Centre students held their "Karnival Kampungku Sihat" (My Village is in good health Carnival) a joint programme between UKM's Red Crescent Society and Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (Department of the development of Abroginies).

It also saw the participation of the Health Ministry which held an open clinic, a mobile clinic and an exhibiton on dangerous drugs for the local Semai community.

Open clinic at the basecamp

Even a mobile clinic was set up

The highlight of the 2-day carnival included the participation of UKM's students in the ritual Sewang dance of the Semai tribe, the cooking demo of the Semai dishes, the art of using the blowpipe - a hunting weapon of the Semai , the largest banana leaf lunch gathering ever, a visit to a sprawling banana plantation, a 4WD ride to a Semai village, a visit to a Semai bamboo mansion and the chance to meet and mix with local Semai community.

One for the Album...UKM students with Guest of Honour YB Dato Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail (middle row,seated in white shirt)

Foreign guests from USA, Brunei and Oman with Dr Hj Mohd Arif Hj Ismail (seated centre, in black t-shirt)

UKM students at the opening ceremony in Balai Sri Sewang

The 2-day carnival was officiated by Pahang EXCO (Abrogines Affair & Rural Development) YB Dato' Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, who sportingly made a dash from another function in Cameron Highlands to be with the students.

The carnival, which also saw students and lecturers from Oman, Brunei and the USA was declared closed by Dr Hj Arif Hj Ismail, UKM's Head of the National PERMATApintar Centre on the 2nd day. The students surely had a good time.

Foreign guest trying their hand in preparing rice cooked in bamboo

Friendly Semai kids made the visitors felt welcomed

A visit to the banana plantation

Even a ride in a 4WD is a thrill to the students!

Inside a Semai bamboo house

Ecolife Basecamp: Fishing package

Ecolife Basecamp: Fishing package: Are you into fishing ? We have a great spot for you. A freshwater fishing sanctuary (with permission of course!) 2 and half hour drive f...

Fishing package

Are you into fishing? We have a great spot for you. A freshwater fishing sanctuary (with permission of course!) 2 and half hour drive from K.Lumpur in Pahang. Where you are 99% sure of getting a catch...prawn included! You may fish in the sanctuary area, a fishing pond or book a boat for a fishing expedition. Take your pick. Self-drive package includes all-day fishing licence, lunch, snacks, dinner and boarding, even Sewang. We can tailor it to your needs - even the dates! Package starts at RM120 per pax only. Contact us now...!

Freshwater Prawn (Udang Galah)....the biggest caught weights about 1kg. Worm bait is all you need to land this beauty.

Various fishes can be caught here...Lampam, Baung, Belida, Tilan, etc, etc. Your bait may include worms, cricket, small prawns, chicken bits or palm oil fruit.

An angler's paradise. The scenic, peaceful and bountiful fishing sanctuary. Patience is the key....

Scouts Jamboree at Ecolife Basecamp

The Malaysian Scouts Association held a Jamboree-on-air at the basecamp on 15th Oct where it centered its activities around amateur radio operations with the outside world. A busload of Scouts from Pahang, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur , Civil Defense Corp and officials from the Local Education office based in Kuala Lipis joined the congregation held to mark the world's event.

The Scouts also planted 10 trees each, Meranti and Balau species included, at the basecamp and at the Pos Betau primary school to mark the occasion. The Scouts were also briefed of the development and history of Pos Betau, formerly known as Fort Betau in the 70s.

How about Merdeka rafting...

16-18th Sept are public holidays. If you had enough of the Raya traffic jams, ketupat & lemang, why not get out of the city and sail away in a bamboo raft? And sway the night with Sewang dance? Be with nature. Now's the best time!

Ecolife basecamp wish all Muslims Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri...

Paint a thousand words

Paint from the verandah of the basecamp...and gain immediate local admirers. If you are into art, there's certainly a lot you can draw or paint here, as demonstrated by Halim. So, don't forget your sketchbook or canvas the next time you are here.