jelai

Jelai is the name of the river flowing from Kuala Medang to Kuala Tahan. At Kuala Tahan, the river join with Tahan river from the national park, to form Sungai Pahang. The river used to be the mean of transport before 1950's. Since then, the transportation shifted to road system and the river no longer function as the lifebolood of transport.

The river passed through some well known town to the local population. If you go north from Kuala Lipis, you will reach a small village of Bukit Betong. It does not seem to mean much now. This used to be the center to collect the taxes for by the British  from the people living on the Jelai River. It also where Dato Indra Purba Jelai lives. He is one of the four Kings Makers of the old Pahang. These four will decide who would be the king of Pahang.
The picture above is the railway bridge across the Jelai River. This is the site of heavy fighting between the invading Japanese army and the British defenders in early 1940s. The bridge was bombed by the retreating British trying to slow down the Japanese.

Further south is the town of Kuala Tahan. This is the starting point for visitors going to Taman Negara. The jetty's view is shown above.

Rafting Festival
Every year Pahang Tourism Board will organise the annual bamboo rafting festival from Kuala Lipis to Pekan.