Kuala Lumpur: ATV Adventure Park Kampung Kemensah Part 2

I first tried this ATV Adventure Park in February and made arrangement with my friends to come back to do a slightly harder route. After about 4 months, we finally made it back to Kampung Kemensah for Package C, up to "Sofea Jane Waterfall" (actual name is Kubang Gajah Waterfall, I think). The waterfall got its name "Sofea Jane" waterfall as Malaysian actress Sofea Jane shot a movie scene there in the 90s.The trail took about 1 hour to get in and another 1 hour to get out via ATV.

As per the previous trip, me and my friends met at the ATV Adventure Park at Kampung Kemensah, at about 8.30am. We signed an indemnity form each, to relieve the company of any responsibility should anything happen to us during the ride. Again, they arranged for us to crowd around a demo ATV, and they explained the controls on the ATV. This took about 15 minutes and was a good refresher.

Everyone then grabbed a helmet and headed towards the ATV for a test drive on their circular loop. The crowd that day was huge, there was even a group of 16 people going on the same route as us! Thankfully, our group of 3 pax was grouped with another family of 3, and it was a good comfortable number. 

They even had Owen Wilson as a celebrity guest on the Package E (hardest route) who came around March 2012. I remember seeing an article in the newspaper showing that he did the ATV but I didn't know that it was with this company. After our package C route, my friends and I thought we'd try the Package E, just cause Owen Wilson also experienced it.

Back to our Package C route. The ride started with an uphill climb before heading into the forest. The difference between Package B and Package C was the while both the routes were off road, Package C's routes were not even, not level and has lots of bumps, holes and rocks. My friend estimated that it was about 50% tougher to ride than the Package B route. There were times when the ATV tipped 45 degrees side ways and there a lot of rocky uphills and downhills on route. During the downhill section, you have to grip the brakes VERY tightly -in my experience even if you grip the brakes extremely tightly, the ATV keeps going and going!

However, after trying out the Package B, everyone was a lot more comfortable on the ATVs than their first times.

After about 1 hour we reached the waterfall, we parked our ATV vehicles and we took a 30 minute break to take a picture of the waterfall and relax our arms. They also provided a free mineral water bottle to us which was really great.

The ride back to the basecamp was a lot faster as the guides were more comfortable with our technical ability this time round. I returned to the basecamp satisfied but a little tired from gripping the brakes tightly. Bathrooms, a shallow dipping pool, and a washing pipe was available at the basecamp for public use. They also sold some soda drinks for all the participants.

All in all, I will probably return again with the same group of friends to do Package E, but will give a rest before trying it again. I think we have had enough of ATV for a while - we might be back but we'll give it a few months.

For instructions on how to get there please refer to this post.

Attraction Website:
http://www.atvadventurepark.com/

Kuala Lumpur: Sheraton Imperial Hotel

I was here on business travel attending a conference at the hotel - so I got the room at a corporate rate. I stayed on the Starwood Preferred Guest Floor in the Deluxe Twin Room on the 29th floor.

About the Room - The room was very luxurious with a very good view of the city, plush beds and carpeting and nice gold trimmings on the bath tubs. The tub actually had the shower handle on the ledge of the tub, so you can hold it instead of way on top as per usual. I thought that was pretty cool! They provided shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, body gel and also, get this, mouthwash! Although I have to warn that the shampoo is quite drying and left my hair very dry the following day.

The room also had a walk-in closet, a large safe (big enough for my laptop), complete with an ironing board and iron. It saves you the trouble of getting your laundry done or calling for an iron. The selection of tea and coffees was also good - Nescafe, Nescafe Decaf, White Coffee Twinnings brand Chamomile, English Breakfast and Green Tea anyone? The TV had satelite channels as well such as Star World, Star Movies, National Geographic, MTV, and some news channels (BBC/CNN, I think).

I also really liked the gym - it was very high end with individual TVs and sounds for EACH equipment. They also had a machine Ive never seen before - something like a mix between a cross trainer and a skiing machine. They provide towels, drinking water and had large gym balls, free weights and weight machines. It is open 24/7, and you need to use your hotel card to access it. From 10pm to 6am, you need to register at the counter to access the gym. They also provide headphones to plug into each machine if you did not have one at hand.

Food - I will comment on the Essence buffet first - I would say that the selection and food here is better than most hotels in KL. Their satay is always a hit with me and their ice creams and fruit sherberts are also good. I was not a fan of their Chinese restaurant though - Celestial Court. I am most definitely not a foodie, hence you don't see many food reviews here, but the food at Celestial Court fell short of my expectations. Their roast duck was not crispy and tasted the same as any other restaurant out of KL. Breakfast was OK - with the usual selection of asian and western breakfasts. I tried the congee (rice porridge) and muesli and it was ok.

I did not try their pool but their staff has been quite nice, polite and friendly throughout. Im a KL-ite but I appreciate the location of the hotel right next to the LRT and Monorail lines. Overall Im happy with the hotel as the company paid for it but as a traveler myself Im not really into luxury hotels. If you have the money and prefer luxury hotels, this is a great place.

Kuala Lumpur: ATV Adventure Park Kampung Kemensah

As part of my Malaysia Truly Asia campaign (learning explore my own country and city), I rounded up a couple of friends to go for an ATV ride in the forest near Kampung Kemensah. I've tried riding an ATV once in Cambodia near Siem Reap and it was one of the most memorable experiences I can remember. So undoubtedly I was excited to go on this ATV trip - through the jungle and to the waterfall, nonetheless.

I took Package B (details provided in the website below) , which included a 1-1.5 hours ATV ride through the jungle to reach a small waterfall before taking the same route home. It was a good route, started with a 20 minute practice at their very small practice route which included downhill and uphill practice session...then down a very steep slope out of the office/premises and into the jungle. The route was quite interesting - combined uphill climbs, tracks about 5 feet wide and 1 rickety bridge. The waterfall was clean but small, but the highlight was certainly the ride, rather than the destination.



The organisation of the tour was good - they had a mobile number printed on the website. A 50% deposit was required for the booking. They started with a briefing on using the ATV and provided mineral water during the stop at the waterfall..

The machines were functional and reasonably new, in working condition. Sorry I can't provide more pictures for the tour, as they all have my friends faces in it, but we are signing up for Package C soon, and I will be sure to upload more pictures then.

All in all I recommend this ATV trail for those who enjoy ATVs, who likes the jungle. For tourists who are familiar with using an ATV I would suggest a long trail, such as Package C or D described in the website below.

Read my adventure on Package C here, ridden on June 2012.

Directions to the ATV Adventure Park
From MRRII, exist Zoo Neagara. Drive all the way in, approximately 4.8km. DO NOT take any right or left turns. You will pass thru Kampung Kemensah and many small houses along the way. Be careful as some part of the road is narrow. Upon reaching a T-junction (fishing pond on left) , drive straight, up the hill for another 1.2km before reaching the park.

Attraction Website:
http://www.atvadventurepark.com/