One waterfall in Terengganu to become for women only

Sorry, men, this waterfall is strictly for women.

One of the waterfalls in Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu will be reserved for women only.

And this is to specially cater to women tourists from West Asia, said state Menteri Besar Ahmad Said on Sunday, after launching the month-long Kenyir Festival 2014, which will be on until May 29 at Pengkalan Gawi at the lake.

The people handling boats going to that waterfall and security personnel for the area would be all women too, Malaysia's The Star reported him as saying.

Mr Ahmad said the specially-designated area was one of the Terengganu government's efforts to promote the lake as a unique international tourist attraction.

From September next year, Tasik Kenyir will also be the first duty-free lake in the world.

Mr Ahmad said the government had spent about RM300 million (S$115 million) to develop the lake into a tourism attraction and duty-free area so far.

The Terengganu government is targeting about 500,000 tourists to the largest artificial lake in South-east Asia. The lake is sprawled over 260 sq km and has 340 man-made islands.

Mr Ahmad said several islands in the lake area had been developed and work was now in progress to build the main jetty on Pulau Bayas at a cost of RM70 million.

The projects that have already been completed included providing electricity to the Pulau Bayas duty-free site at a cost of RM33 million.

The construction of a network of shops, facilities for Indah Water Konsortium, a water tank and the Customs complex was about 75 per cent completed.

The island, which covers about 40ha, would also get two jetties, one for passengers and another for cargo.

"We will build a hotel, a water recreation park and a 1,000-bay carpark as Pengkalan Gawi does not have a large space for parking," said Mr Ahmad.

The Kenyir Elephant Village would be managed by the private sector and was due to open to the public on Friday.

The village would feature a suspension bridge, treetop chalets and a perimeter lookout point.

The area would be very attractive with its waterfalls and tourists who stayed in the chalets would get to see the elephants wandering in the area, he said.

"I am confident that Tasik Kenyir can draw the tourists and become a choice tourist destination in the future," he said.

The lake attracted about 400,000 tourists last year.

This article was published on May 6 in The New Paper.

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