SELANGOR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Those on the way to Bangi can consider making a detour to Kampung Sungai Buah. The idyllic Malay village is situated in Dengkil, about 15 minutes away from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The Selangor Economic Planning Unit (Upen) recently named it as one of the best villages in the state. It is easy to see why - the surroundings are so peaceful and pristine.
Village head Ahmad Sanusi Salleh says his home is situated in an area that is still relatively untouched.
"I wake up in the morning to mountains on my left and right. The air is fresh and the environment is clean," he enthuses. "I love the sunset as well as the beautiful lake."
The lake Mr Ahmad Sanusi is referring to - Tasik Idaman (Lake of Dreams) - is the star attraction of the village. The name aptly describes the vast and picturesque lake.
Visitors can have a picnic by the clear waters or do some fishing to while away the time. During my short stop there, the weather is nice and sunny.
Naturally, I decide to capture the Instagram-worthy moments - scenes of the crystal-clear water and rolling hills will surely inspire many shutterbugs.
The option to stay the night is not yet available. However, Mr Ahmad Sanusi says the village is considering setting up homestay accommodations. The village is even trying to develop some cultural experiences such as traditional home cooking and music demonstrations.
During my visit with participants of the Eat.Travel.Write programme, I get to sample some of these experiences.
For a village that traces its roots to Indonesia's Jawa, Badang and Madura communities, Kampung Sungai Buah certainly has plenty of culture to showcase.
The children put up a charming fashion show featuring ethnic costumes from the various communities. Meanwhile, the womenfolk let us in on some age-old recipes such as Tumis Betik (a stir-fry with papaya as the main ingredient) and Rendang Pucuk Ubi (in this variation of the iconic spicy Malaysian dish, tapioca leaves are used in place of meat).
Above all, the hospitality of the villagers is what makes this short trip memorable. Be sure to travel off the beaten path to this charming village to experience some rustic simplicity.
