Exploring Kedah Part 2: Bujang Valley Archeological Museum, Ulu Legong Hot Spring, Gunung Jerai and Pulau Bunting Bridge

We have read about history of Kedah though our Sejarah textbook :) Now it's time to explore some of it. And after our daytrip, we manage to book a one night stay at The Regency Jerai Hill Resorts at promotional price. So it's an opportunity for us to visit places of interest nearby.

First stop at Bujang Valley Archaeological Museum (Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum)
All of us have not been to Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum, not even us adults as we didn't have school trips here. With directions from the GPS, we ended up at one of the archaeological sites instead of the museum! That's because I selected the wrong location :P So in the middle of the paddy fields, at the end of the small road, there we were at a locked gate! 爸爸 had to call the museum and was advised to look for the Merbok Balai Polis. We were told the museum is only about 2km from the Merbok Balai Polis, and only one access road. Since we travelled into miles and miles of paddy field, it's time for photo taking as the children have not been "this close" to any paddy fields before. The hill at the background is Gunung Jerai as Lembah Bujang is at the foothill of Gunung Jerai.

Paddy fields

Ok, finally we reached the museum :) The authorities had rebuild the candi's bases on the musuem grounds. Inside the museum the artifacts found are displayed.

The model of Lembah Bujang is interesting

Water from the hills

Candi Pendiat and Candi Bukit Batu Pahat

Candi Bendang Dalam and Candi Pengkalan Bujang

The museum grounds

Ulu Legong Hot Spring
The children cannot wait to go to the next destination. Again we use the GPS. However the hot spring is further away than we ever imagined. By the time we reach it's around 1pm, it's located near Baling. Erm, hot spring bath at noon temperature? Since we had taken the trouble to come all the way, we are definitely going to take a dip. Entrance is RM4 for adults and RM2 for children. There is only another family besides us. No wonder, as the water is hot! In the end, we only go to the children's pool which is the "mildest". Later more and more families came. Some area of the hot spring is still under renovation, there are chalets too. 爸爸 say " Don't ask me to come and stay please!" The water is quite clean. But the children turn a little pinkish after the hot dip due to the warm water dip.

Gunung Jerai
Check-in is very late at The Regency Jerai Hill Resort. Near to 6pm (we arrive around 4pm) as the staff could not handle such an influx of visitors. Folks arriving earlier only check-in 2-3 hours after arriving. Yes, don't ask me to go again :) After waiting for ages, we got our room, which looks like a small chalet from outside. After quick baths, we go for dinner at the Puncak Restaurant. More waiting there and I took some snacks for the children while they wait for dinner. This time around, Gunung Jerai is really misty and we couldn't see much of the view.

A misty night, photos didn't turn out good

Thought we missed the countdown but one of the big families that came brought fireworks. We were already asleep by the time we heard fireworks later at night. Is the hot spring so relaxing that everyone was sound asleep by then? Hot spring, cool mountain.....

Our room is opposite the children's playground. So kind of enjoy yelling to the children to come back from the playground.  Leisurely day as the only itinery planned is Forestry Museum near the Jerai Hill Resort.

Having fun at playground

Forestry Museum at Gunung Jerai

Pulau Bunting Bridge (Jambatan Pulau Bunting)
Have you ever heard of the "bridge that goes nowhere"? Since seeing Pulau Bunting from Gunung Jerai during our last visit, I've done some checking and wanted to show the children the bridge they saw.

Indeed the 1km rickety road from the small town (is it called Yan?) is funny. The rickety bumpity road is just next to a big drainage canal for paddy fields. We can see the sea from this little rickety road. Photos showed so many folks had been fishing from Pulau Bunting Bridge, but it's actually fenced up, though there's a open area where motorbikes and people walking on foot can pass through. There are really many people fishing along the bridge that it appeared on forums for fishing kaki's. Psst... there's even small stalls selling drinks and food at both ends of the bridge.

Pulau Bunting Bridge is 2.8km to Pulau Bunting from mainland. We can see Gunung Jerai from the bridge and also Pulau Bunting in the distance.

And no wonder it's well known among fishing kaki's. As we near Pulau Bunting, we can see fishes from the bridge on the water surface! These are small little fishies. However all along the bridge we saw sea shells (no idea why??) and fishes dried by the sun (probably thrown by the people who were fishing). There were some squids too :) And the children were cooing over the them. Initially I thought of just walking until the arch. It is not halfway through the bridge but more towards Pulau Bunting. 姐姐 is determined to set foot on the little island. No complaints and she walked very fast. But on the way back, complaints about being tired and aching legs came. She is still good and walked all the way and taking rests in between. 弟弟 had to be carried back as he is just too tired to walk.

Some websites say that millions had been spent to build the bridge, and yet the access road is so poor. So much for the adventure of "bridge to nowhere".