The Acacia Retreat : A Hidden Gem In Bentong

Living in Kuala Lumpur can be kind of frustrating for a number of reasons. The ever changing weather, nasty air pollution, horrendous traffic jams, the deafening noises one hears right after waking up and of course not forgetting those that makes a turn on the road without giving a signal. A perfect recipe for a dull and short life.

However, a trip down to The Acacia Retreat last week seems to have been the cure. This hidden gem which has been operating since August 2016 is located in the jungles of Bentong, Pahang and is only a one half hour drive from the city to the location. It was not that hard to find as well. You've got to exit the highway onto a dirt road right before the exit to Sungai Dua. Waze was of tremendous help in finding the place otherwise we would definitely have missed the dirt road.

Upon arrival it is clear that the place is well maintained. Almost to the point of it being micro managed. The grasses were neatly cut and plants were perfectly trimmed. There were mud and gravel on the front door and yet the floor was squeaky clean. The first impression we got was that the resort is one with nature. It was evident that the whole area and the surrounding structures were a fusion of wood, metal, earth and water. It was designed with purpose. It had Balance. 

Water

Earth

Wood and Metal

Balance
(Credits to Acacia website)

The resort staff and crew were awesome. Apparently we hit a snag on our online reservation. Lucky for us we were informed of the problem beforehand and it was settled with ease in under 5 minutes upon our arrival. A plus point given to the hotel manager and the front desk crew for their excellence in communication. The whole team seems to have a firm grasp on the problems at hand despite the receptionist only started working there for 3 months. Kudos. 

Even the kitchen crew was at their best despite being under staffed during peak season and swamped with an event from an SME bank that night. Luckily a waiter politely ushered us to a Japanese style dinner table and delivered our orders in less than 10 minutes while the kitchen is serving a full house. Drinks that night were on the house for the inconvenience caused by the on going event. Who would say No to bottomless orange juice?

Even the green plants covering the whole restaurant was real. 

Breakfast buffet

If you are too lazy to make the 20 minutes drive down to the nearest town (which is either Bentong or Karak) and did not bring any extra munchies for your stay then have no fear! The food served on site was good and reasonably priced for a resort with an assortment of menu ranging from local to western cuisines. Although for the time being we would advise against putting the same high hopes on their breakfast buffet. On certain days the breakfast buffet is a bit stale sprinkled with a dash of disappointment. 

We were informed that guests could also have a go at the local fruits if requested. We saw some guests devouring durian and rambutans by the bucketload. In Malaysia, we call that 'Makan Sampai Lebam'.

Dinner for two!

The rooms were nice and cosy. The resort offers Bachelor Pads, Wood Shelter, Red Brickade, Secret Garden, The Mansion and a few more. They even have these small cottages built into the small hill on site which they dub The Smurf Village and perfect for couples. Although at first glance the cabins resemble Hobbit holes except for the small silver plaque that says Smurf Village.

There were also the Metal Hubs which are vintage decommissioned buses that have been converted into small cabins for guests but we heard they were still under construction. Ever wanted to try living in a bus like a rock band on tour? There you have it.

We saw some guests whipping out their fishing rods and started fishing in the main lake outside their cabin balconies. Since the lake looks murky with mud we're guessing the only thing they are pulling out of that lake would be a mud monster. If you're feeling a bit more adventurous you could rent the ATV's and bicycles provided at the front desk. There's also jungle trekking and rock climbing activities if you're up to it.

In short, our 3 days and 2 nights stay at the Acacia was the perfect quiet getaway we needed and we recommend the resort to those looking for good food, a serene atmosphere and a peaceful night's sleep.

The Acacia Retreat

Website : http://www.theacacia.my/

Email : enquiry@theacacia.my

Tel. : 010-826 3579 | 010-820 3579

How It All Started..

I never liked coffee.

In fact, I hated coffee. The only person who drinks coffee in my family is my father. I never understood how and why some people love coffee. How can people love drinking a cup black liquid that is bitter? That was the question that kept on playing in my mind each time i see someone drinking coffee. Why?

The only other person besides my father who is also a coffee drinker is my fiancee. Although he drinks coffee on several occasions, he knew of my dislike for anything that is bitter in taste and he never encouraged me to try drinking coffee. The closest thing to coffee which i drank was Nescafe, which he knew and always ordered for me whenever we are at a mamak or cafe.

What really got me into coffee was actually the benefits of drinking coffee.

I remember my kickboxing trainer once told me that to lose weight, drinking coffee is the way to do it. I hesitated at first, but when i heard from my fiancee's mother saying the exact same thing i figured i'd give it a try.

I have to be honest, the taste sucked when i tried it the first time. It tasted like drinking liquid tar. But as the Malay saying goes.."Tak kenal maka tak cinta" (you wont love something unless you get to know about it first). Over time, i have grown accustomed and started to love the many tastes of coffee beans. My fiancee always joked about my new found love for coffee, which he always joked around by saying "Once you go black, you never go back".

Another reason was the coffee arts. Those cute, tiny little things they drew on beverages.

I saw a photo on Instagram of a cappuchino with a coffee art on it. It really looked cute, so i Googled pictures of coffee arts. That then led to me searching for videos on YouTube as to how coffee art was made. It opened a whole new world to me.. (literally..)

One thing led to another and here i am writing this entry. A newbie in the world of coffee. I will be posting pictures and write reviews as i embark on this journey of mine.

Let the adventure begin!

Writing at Seven Cups