Weekend Escapade - Water Cruise

For the suite I booked, I received a free coupon for the Mines South Lake Tour. If i were to buy the tickets, it's gonna cost me RM22 for adult and RM17 for children. Well, I guess I'm lucky then ! The coupons are not only for me but for 6 persons max.

Leaving the jetty

The story started a hundred years ago, when a Chinese immigrant Chan Wing came to Malaysia and discovered tin ore in a site abandoned by Europeans earlier. This became the largest tin mine in the world. Mining in the area left a gaping hole 2 kilometres long and a kilometre wide, and 200 meters deep. Gradually rain water began to fill the crevice and thus was the humble beginning of the two great lakes you can see today.


There are two main lakes in the Mines Resort City and this posed a slight problem to the engineers linking the whole lake together through the water transport system. Both lakes were at different height levels. To be precise: 7 meters. Thus was developed the unique water lock. The North lake is 7 meters lower than the South Lake.

Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew's bungalow - owner of the Mines Resort

Both lakes are connected via a 1054 meter canal. The entire system took 1 1/2 years to build at a cost of RM 15 million. It takes 7 minutes to discharge or refill water and the volume is the lock is 61600 gallons altogether.



The water taxis departed daily from the grand canal which is in the middle of the shopping centre. Ticket for the cruise can be bought at the counter. There are a few types of cruises available such as the Sunset Dining Cruise, Massage Cruise and Sightseeing Cruise to name a few. The one I took falls into the Sighseeing Cruise category.


The South Lake Tour is a 20 minutes tour around the smaller part of the lake. The cruise would just go around the lake, showing the not-so great views along the way. Honestly, I felt so relieved I dont pay a singel cents for it. Otherwise I would be cursing hard. There's nothing much to be appreciated as far as the views are concerned. RM22 for a ride is plain rubbish. I just cant figure out where does that RM22 goes to....unless they have a celebrity as the boat driver rather than just a regular Bangladeshi man.

This one belongs to Tan Sri Abdul Kadir

As far as this Mines South Lake Tour is concerned, it would be a big no-no. Not sure of other cruises though, since they are more costly. I just hope they'll make the cruise worth the money people paid for.