Kuala Gula, Perak, MALAYSIA

September 29, 2007


It was another “balik kampong”, going back to our village, for the weekend. It happened to be on a Saturday of the fasting month of Ramadan. I decided to venture out to a place called Kuala Gula.

A fisherman returning home

Kuala Gula is located at the estuary of Kerian River, about 50 km from Taiping. From the old Taiping – Butterworth trunk road turn left at Simpang Empat traffic light. The signboard says Kuala Gula is about 25 km from there.

It was a leisurely drive on flat lands. The area along the road is mostly planted with oil palms. There are Hindu Temples indicating a sizable Hindu community in the oil palm estate. As the road comes closer to the sea, the names like Kampong Lean Seng suggest Kuala Gula is predominantly of Chinese community.
Cockle shells being dried on the road side

The place is pretty much a small, laid back fishing community. I hit a dead end after missing a left turn towards the Kuala Gula Resorts, a chalet type accommodation built at the fringe of the Kerian River. Even the police station operates from one of the houses in the neighbourhood. The resort is Kuala Gula’s main attraction. It was closed for the month.

The chalet at Kuala Gula

Kuala gula is also a bird sanctuary. Across the river from the resort chalets, I could see flocks of birds including eagles hovering above the mangrove forests. At the small jetty by the chalet, there were a few fishing boats moored. Some people came to buy fishes, some fishermen were packing up, calling it a day and some kids were playing inside the sampans.

Fishermen calling it a day

Bakau (mangrove) logs being unloaded at the charcoal factory

On the way back I stopped at a place producing charcoals. There were 2 hut-like factories with 4 to 5 kilns each. I was told by a worker that they belong to 2 different owners.

The logs stacked and ready to be roasted

Producing charcoals from the mangrove logs is a tedious, hot and stuffy job. Each kiln takes about 1 month to complete the job producing about 10 tons charcoals each. The workers just have to make sure to keep the fire burning for the 1 month period. Then, there is a cooling off period for about 10 days before the charcoals are sold off to middlemen at about 80 sen per kilogram.

The kiln at work

The charcoal end products take the shape of the mangrove logs when they are sold. They are then cut and packed for export. The ones sold at the local sundry shops are rejects, so I was told.