Cape Rachado: The Broken Cape and the Fallen Fortress
The boys have been excited about our next road trip. We did some research and chanced upon an interesting story of the Battle of Cape Rachado that occurred in 1606 at Tanjung Tuan, a cape located next to the town of Port Dickson. This was also Ah Ma's hometown where she grew up in the 1940's, so we decided that it will be meaningful trip of history and heritage.
The boys woke up early in the morning on Day One to get ready. As we planned to write our first blog on this trip, Jared brought his laptop, camera, sketchbook and stationary, along with snacks, magnetic chess board and Nintendo 3DS for the long trip.
We checked into Avillion Port Dickson in good weather after a 4-hour drive, a hotel resort where our rooms were chalets sitting on silts above sea water. It was good idea that we have brought our fishing rods, we could fish from our rooms! Dinner was local seafood at Chardin SeaView Restaurant in Port Dickson. The Butter Crab was rather disappointing, but the Kung Pow Mantis Prawns were great and Gaho finished it before anyone else could - he was to remind us on how delicious it was for the next few days.
With much enthusiasm, we set off to Cape Rachado on Day Two, just a 24-minute drive away from our hotel. Cape Rachado was the supposed site of a naval battle between two European Empires in 15th century. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) dispatched a fleet of eleven ships from Holland in an effort to pry the Portuguese from their strongholds in the East Indies.
Based on what we read on Wikipedia, it was the biggest naval battle in the Malay Archipelago between two naval superpowers of the time. Although the battle ended with a Portuguese victory, the ferocity of the battle itself and the losses sustained by the victor convinced the Sultanate of Johor to provide supplies, support and later on much needed ground forces to the Dutch, forcing a Portuguese capitulation. 130 years of Portuguese supremacy in the region ended with the fall of the city and fortress of Malacca, almost 30 years later, in 1641.
Today, Cape Rachado or "Broken Cape" as named by the Portuguese, is a recreational forest park in modern-day Malaysia. There is limited parking outside the park, and we were lucky to have been there on a Monday morning when the traffic is light. The forest park charges only a minimal fee of 1 RM for adults, and is home to many wild Dusky Leaf monkeys which we saw in our hike toward the Cape Rachado Lighthouse.
The hike to the lighthouse took only 15 minute on a tarmac road. Based on the information we found at the site, the current lighthouse was built in 1860, after the original was destroyed during a battle in the 16th century. It was also believed that Parameswara, the first sultan of Malacca, was buried in this area.
Looking out from the lighthouse was the Strait of Malacca, an important trade route with a long history connecting ships coming from the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
From the lighthouse, we took a right turn into one of the forest trails that was to lead us to Bukit Batu Putih, or "White Rock Hill". The hike to the peak of Bukit Batu Putih took a bit more time through the forest terrain, but the boys did not meet with much difficulty with Jared taking the lead until the final vertical climb to the rocky peak.
Hikers to Bukit Batu Putih is rewarded with a panaromic view of Strait of Malacca, Tanjung Biru, Teluk Kemang and in a distance, the town of Port Dickson.
There was only enough space on the peak for about 10 persons. When we saw another group of hikers arriving, we decided to proceed on our descent. There were many side trails at Cape Rachado leading to other parts of the park, but we decided to make our way out as the soles of Mommy's hiking shoes has come off on the way to the lighthouse.
We went to Port Dickson town for lunch, at a restaurant named Lucky King Bun where it was famously known to serve curry chicken baked in a bread bun. All of us unanimously felt that the curry chicken bun we had previously in Kampar, Perak was much better in both taste and aesthetics. The seafood pot served here was very good though, brimming with fresh seafood - crab, prawns, clams and cuttlefish cooked in delicious curry.
After lunch, we went to the Alive 3D Art Gallery where Jared have been looking forward to it for a long time. Here, we took some really whacky photos.
Fishing at our hotel rooms occupied much of the rest of the day. For the boys, it was a rare exercise of both patience and persistence. After hours of waiting and checking on the rod, we were rewarded with a catfish and two crabs. Not bad for a first attempt.
Before we end our day in Port Dickson, dinner was MHR Burger, at a local village. The Roti John Special Kambing was probably one of the best we have tasted, as was the spicy chicken wings from a stall next door. It was a 30-minute long queue for the wings, but it was well worth the wait albeit a little spicy for the boys.
We are already looking forward to re-visiting Cape Rachado to explore the rest of the forest trails. For now, we leave you with a video of our little adventure in Port Dickson.
The boys woke up early in the morning on Day One to get ready. As we planned to write our first blog on this trip, Jared brought his laptop, camera, sketchbook and stationary, along with snacks, magnetic chess board and Nintendo 3DS for the long trip.
We checked into Avillion Port Dickson in good weather after a 4-hour drive, a hotel resort where our rooms were chalets sitting on silts above sea water. It was good idea that we have brought our fishing rods, we could fish from our rooms! Dinner was local seafood at Chardin SeaView Restaurant in Port Dickson. The Butter Crab was rather disappointing, but the Kung Pow Mantis Prawns were great and Gaho finished it before anyone else could - he was to remind us on how delicious it was for the next few days.
With much enthusiasm, we set off to Cape Rachado on Day Two, just a 24-minute drive away from our hotel. Cape Rachado was the supposed site of a naval battle between two European Empires in 15th century. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) dispatched a fleet of eleven ships from Holland in an effort to pry the Portuguese from their strongholds in the East Indies.
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| Source: Wikimedia Commons |
Today, Cape Rachado or "Broken Cape" as named by the Portuguese, is a recreational forest park in modern-day Malaysia. There is limited parking outside the park, and we were lucky to have been there on a Monday morning when the traffic is light. The forest park charges only a minimal fee of 1 RM for adults, and is home to many wild Dusky Leaf monkeys which we saw in our hike toward the Cape Rachado Lighthouse.
The hike to the lighthouse took only 15 minute on a tarmac road. Based on the information we found at the site, the current lighthouse was built in 1860, after the original was destroyed during a battle in the 16th century. It was also believed that Parameswara, the first sultan of Malacca, was buried in this area.
Looking out from the lighthouse was the Strait of Malacca, an important trade route with a long history connecting ships coming from the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
From the lighthouse, we took a right turn into one of the forest trails that was to lead us to Bukit Batu Putih, or "White Rock Hill". The hike to the peak of Bukit Batu Putih took a bit more time through the forest terrain, but the boys did not meet with much difficulty with Jared taking the lead until the final vertical climb to the rocky peak.
Hikers to Bukit Batu Putih is rewarded with a panaromic view of Strait of Malacca, Tanjung Biru, Teluk Kemang and in a distance, the town of Port Dickson.
There was only enough space on the peak for about 10 persons. When we saw another group of hikers arriving, we decided to proceed on our descent. There were many side trails at Cape Rachado leading to other parts of the park, but we decided to make our way out as the soles of Mommy's hiking shoes has come off on the way to the lighthouse.
We went to Port Dickson town for lunch, at a restaurant named Lucky King Bun where it was famously known to serve curry chicken baked in a bread bun. All of us unanimously felt that the curry chicken bun we had previously in Kampar, Perak was much better in both taste and aesthetics. The seafood pot served here was very good though, brimming with fresh seafood - crab, prawns, clams and cuttlefish cooked in delicious curry.
After lunch, we went to the Alive 3D Art Gallery where Jared have been looking forward to it for a long time. Here, we took some really whacky photos.
Fishing at our hotel rooms occupied much of the rest of the day. For the boys, it was a rare exercise of both patience and persistence. After hours of waiting and checking on the rod, we were rewarded with a catfish and two crabs. Not bad for a first attempt.
Before we end our day in Port Dickson, dinner was MHR Burger, at a local village. The Roti John Special Kambing was probably one of the best we have tasted, as was the spicy chicken wings from a stall next door. It was a 30-minute long queue for the wings, but it was well worth the wait albeit a little spicy for the boys.
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| MHR Burger |
We are already looking forward to re-visiting Cape Rachado to explore the rest of the forest trails. For now, we leave you with a video of our little adventure in Port Dickson.
Eh good sia
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