Malaysia Road trip - Day 1 (Bentong town - God of Wealth Temple - Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong)

Sometimes the best adventures begin with an unexpected opportunity. When my partner's parents left for Perth for a month, their car was suddenly sitting unused at home. Rather than letting it remain parked in the driveway, he saw it as the perfect chance to finally take the road trip we had been talking about for years.

With 20 days ahead of us and nowhere in particular to rush to, my partner planned a journey from Bentong to Ipoh. This wasn't going to be a trip packed with attractions or a race to cover as many places as possible. Instead, it would be a slow and relaxing road trip focused mainly on food exploration and taking our time along the way. Our plan was simple. Drive, eat, rest, and repeat.

We'll be exploring local favourites, hidden gems, roadside stalls, and family-run eateries, following recommendations wherever they lead us. Between meals, we'll enjoy scenic drives, quiet towns, and the freedom of travelling without a strict schedule. This journey isn't about checking destinations off a list. It's about discovering new flavours, creating memories together, and enjoying the simple pleasure of the open road.

The trip officially started when I picked my partner up from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 12.20pm. The airport's pick-up zone only allows a 10-minute grace period before imposing a RM 100 penalty, so there wasn't much time to linger. Once we were reunited, we hit the road and headed towards Bentong for our first food stop.

We arrived at Thong Kee Kopitiam in Bentong at 2.25 pm. My partner ordered their Signature 1 + 1 Bing with less sugar. The menu listed the drink at RM 2.70, but there was an additional RM0.20 charge for takeaway, which left us wondering why it was applied even though we were dining in.

The drink was smooth and creamy, still pleasantly sweet even though we asked for less sugar, with no bitter aftertaste. We also shared the steamed bread with kaya and butter. The bread was soft with a slight chew, while the generous cubes of butter paired nicely with the kaya. Although Thong Kee has several outlets in the Klang Valley, we were keen to try the original Bentong branch. Overall, it was a pleasant first stop and a satisfying start to our food-focused road trip.

(Total bill - RM 5.50)

Thong Kee Restaurant; Signature 1 + 1 Bing (small) - RM 2.90

 Roti steam with kaya and butter - RM 2.60

Address:

Thong Kee Restaurant

4, Jalan Chui Yin,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

Opening hours: 7am to 4pm

While walking back to the car, I noticed a mural along the nearby wall. It wasn’t something we planned to see, just a small surprise on the way back. The artwork added a bit of character to the quiet streets and felt like a fitting reminder that this trip is really about slowing down and noticing small things along the way.

Bentong Street Art

Bentong street

On the way to our hotel, we made a short detour to Lemang To'ki, just a 4-minute drive from Thong Kee Restaurant. The place was busy and full of life, with a live band performing in a non-air-conditioned space cooled only by fans, giving it a distinctly local and energetic atmosphere. We ordered the ayam bakar, lemang with curry rendang (both chicken and beef), and sambal hitam.

The lemang had a slight hint of saltiness, with a lightly firm exterior and a soft, chewy interior. The rendang chicken was decent, though the beef was just average. The ayam bakar was juicy and fresh, but lacked a strong punch of flavour. The chilli sauce stood out more, with a sweet, sour, and spicy taste that my partner particularly enjoyed. The sambal hitam was slightly spicy and salty, with a strong anchovy flavour, best enjoyed with rice. Besides lemang, they also serve nasi campur and a variety of nasi goreng options.

The lemang here reminded us of the AirAsia in-flight lemang we had during a Raya period some time ago. We preferred that version for its softer, chewier texture and more balanced coconut flavour. Sadly, it was a limited-time offering and is no longer available.

(Total bill - RM 29.50)

Lemang To'ki

Lemang To'ki

Nasi campur

Nasi goreng corner

The ambience at Lemang To'ki

Ayam bakar - RM 8.50

Sambal hitam - RM 11

Lemang with rendang ayam and daging - RM 10

Plain water was self-served and available free of charge throughout the meal

Busking corner

Address:

Lemang To'ki

Batu 2, Jalan Tras,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

Opening hours: 8am to 8pm. Closed on Monday

After our meal at Lemang To'ki, we checked into Tras Mutiara Hotel Bentong around 3.45pm. It was a quick stop to settle in, freshen up, and take a short break before continuing our food hunt for the day. Once we had some rest, we made our way to Tak Ice Cream Corner for something light and refreshing.

We ordered the Tak Special, which came with a mix of ingredients including watermelon, longan, red bean, nata de coco, corn, and a scoop of yam-flavoured ice cream. The texture was icy and refreshing, and the sweetness was not overpowering, making it easy to enjoy in the hot weather. The yam ice cream stood out with its earthy flavour. The combination of fruits gave it a familiar feel, somewhat similar to dessert bowls in Ipoh. However, it had fewer fruit varieties compared to the usual “chap kor” style desserts there.

The ice cream melted quite quickly, but that actually made it more enjoyable as everything gradually turned into a chilled, mixed dessert bowl. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a simple yet very satisfying stop after a long day of travel and eating. Next to the shop was Tauhu Auntie Mok, a stall selling tau fu fa, but unfortunately it was already sold out by the time we arrived.

Tak Ice Cream Corner

Tak Special - RM 7

Address:

Tak Ice Cream Corner

89, Jalan Chui Yin,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

Opening hours: Monday to Friday - 11am to 5pm; Saturday & Sunday - 11am to 6pm; closed on Tuesday

Our next stop was Yuan Kie Kopitiam, located just a 1-minute walk (about 68m) from Tak Ice Cream Corner. The place was already quite packed by 5.30pm, but we managed to find the last available table. We ordered a small bowl of wantan mee and an iced water. The noodles were good, with the classic flavour of kon lou mee. The char siu was on the lean side, and the dish was slightly salty overall. However, the noodles were cooked perfectly and had a nice springy texture.

The wantan was also surprisingly good. The skin was soft, and there were no tendons in the filling, which made it much more enjoyable for me, as I usually avoid wantan because of tough skins or unpleasant bits. Unfortunately, the pickled green chillies were soft and slightly mushy, and they did not seem particularly fresh.

 

Sri Subramaniar Alayam (opposite Yuan Kie Kopitiam)

Yuan Kie Kopitiam

Wantan mee (small) - RM 8

Pickled green chillies

Iced water - RM 0.50

Address:
Yuan Kie Kopitiam
57, Jalan Chui Yin,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

Opening hours: 6am to 9pm

Since we still had about 45 minutes before the God of Wealth Temple (Tokong Cai Shen) closed at 7pm, we decided to stop by. The temple was just a 6-minute drive (1.5 km) from Yuan Kie Kopitiam. It was not very crowded when we arrived, and entry was free. We walked around briefly and explored the temple before heading to our next stop.

God of Wealth Temple Bentong

God of Wealth Temple Bentong

God of Wealth Temple Bentong

God of Wealth Temple Bentong

Address:

God of Wealth Temple Bentong

No. 94, Kampung Ulu Perting,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

Opening hours: 7am to 7pm

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong is a park where many people come in the evening to jog, run, and exercise. When we arrived, it was already quite lively with evening activities. Parking was quite limited, so we parked nearby and took a short walk through the park to enjoy the atmosphere before moving on. We then stopped at Shell to refuel before heading to the area around Thong Kee Kopitiam in search of a tau fu fa cart. Unfortunately, it had already closed by the time we arrived.

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Sunset view from Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

Address:

Taman Pinggiran Sungai Marong

No. 30, Bukit Bentong Sungai Marong,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

We had our late dinner at Restaurant Golden Court, which was just a 4-minute walk (about 270 m) from our hotel. We ordered honey BBQ pork with crispy roasted pork belly and spinach soup. The rice was fluffy and served hot. The char siu (BBQ pork) was good, and the roasted pork was also nice, although it had a slight porky taste. The skin was nicely crispy. The spinach soup was flavourful, and both the sweet sauce and chilli sauce paired well with the meat. Overall, the meal was enjoyable, but the best char siu we had so far was at Restaurant Meng Kee Char Siew in Shah Alam.

After dinner, we walked to Family Mart next to our hotel to buy some water before heading back. That wrapped up our day, which included food, short walks, and exploring a few nearby places. The food was decent overall, nothing too special, but the day was simple and enjoyable. We ended it feeling full and tired in a good way.

(Total bill - RM 74.40 including 6% SST)

Restaurant Golden Court

Restaurant ambience

Iced water and warm water - RM 1.60 each

Honey BBQ pork with crispy roasted pork belly - RM 38

Sweet sauce and chili sauce

 Spinach soup - RM 26

Rice - RM 3

Address:

Restaurant Golden Court

Lot 114 Batu 1, Jalan Tras,

28700 Bentong,

Pahang

Opening hours: 11am to 2.30pm / 5.30pm to 10pm