Kuala Pilah - Sleepy Hollow Left By British

You can't miss this welcome sign on top of a hill if you are coming in from the highway into Kuala Pilah.

KUALA PILAH is one of the many sleepy hollows in Negri Sembilan. Basically it is a valley town, with the main streets dotted with predominantly pre-war buildings.


Ulu Bendul Forest Reserve on the way to Kuala Pilah


One of the many attractions within Ulu Bendul recreational forest.

There is a main street fed by several feeder streets with angled car parking bays. The early settlers of this township were Chinese miners and loggers. This is evident in the Chinese-architecture styled arch dedicated to the first Resident of Negri Sembilan, Martin Lister.


The sleeping hollow caught in its slumber on a Saturday afternoon. Plenty of parking space.

Life in the town is quite slow moving. Except for the quaint architecture, there is not much to see in this transit stop-over town.

However, if you are into exotic food, there is a food square which houses several Chinese eateries serving freshwater turtle soup. At RM8 a bowl, it is quite a steal. The soup, cooked in herbs, and of course turtle meat, is believed to be good for ashmatics.


One of the many turtle soup stalls in town.


But if you are not game for turtle soups, there are also other fare like this run-of-the-mill 'kon lou meen' is also available.

I was told that you can get quite good Minangkabau food at the few Malay restaurants in the town. And they are quite cheap too.

Getting There: Travel South via the Sungai Besi exit till you see the Senawang-Kuala Pilah exit (route 51). Just follow the main traffic and the signs and you won't be lost. Thirty minutes from the toll, the road winds upwards ascending a small mountain known as the Mount Angsi (825m high). You will see the sign KUALA PILAH emblazoned by the hillside. Fifteen minutes away is the Ulu Bendul Recreational Forest and among attractions here, besides the Nature, is a Python Park. Kuala Pilah town is about 20 minutes from here.