The Dusun, Seremban

Important: The Dusun is well off the beaten path and is not a typical boutique hotel! Get detailed arrival instructions and bring food or order well in advance. Credit cards are not accepted so payment can be made through PayPal.

Dining: There is a small menu that is sent to guests upon confirmation of the bookings. Barbeque and traditional Minangkabau sets are available and need to be ordered in advance.

Seremban has a vibrant wet market, Jusco and Tesco supermarkets. They can also provide a list of some excellent restaurants.

Swimming Pool: An infinity pool 40 feet long, surrounded by timber decking, this is a tranquil setting to swim and unravel. Each house is connected to the pool by some gentle walking paths.

Patio: 800 square feet of entertainment patio with a bathroom, a barbeque and a wine cooler under a palm roof and plenty of relaxed seating for family groups or larger parties. It is shaded by huge angsana trees and surrounded by lush gardens.

Special Events, Functions and Parties: Management is pleased to discuss facilitating group functions and parties using the pool and patio.

Getting Around: The Dusun can recommend an English speaking taxi driver for trips to Seremban, Kuala Klawang, Malacca or elsewhere.
They can arrange for a Temuan jungle expert to guide you into the jungle. Price will depend on the number of trekkers.

There are no TVs or air conditioners in this hotel. The Dusun honors the idea of sustainable farming and jungle conservation.

Parking: there is limited parking available.

Pets: may be permitted in certain houses. Please ask prior to booking.

Laundry Service: available for long staying guests.

Activities:
The Batang Penar River starts in the forest reserve and runs down the valley at the foot of the Dusun. There are several swimming spots accessible from the road and some paths into the Orang Asli Reserve.

Jungle Trekking: Within the Reserve, the Batang Penar is a pristine rush of pools and waterfalls. There is a 45 minute trek on a reasonably easy path to a deep swimming pool and some magical waterfalls. Longer treks to those parts of the forest where petai and durian are harvested, or a trek to the mountain peak, can be arranged with Temuan guides. The Temuan are jungle experts and a walk and talk with any elder is a unique window into their world.

Adat Museum: In Kuala Klawang, some 25 kilometers from the Dusun on the Jelebu Road, is a four story museum which illustrates a variety of lifestyles and cultures in Malaysia, including that of the Orang Asli. The drive is scenic and the museum is even-handed and interesting. Visitors who go on Thursday afternoon, can also take in the weekly night market right next door, which has lots of cooked-on-the-spot local food and fresh produce.

Jerang Toi Waterfalls: En route to Kuala Klawang is a pretty series of waterfalls, with a park and picnic tables for visitors.

Serembam Wet Market: Malaysians will be blasé about this site, but foreigners should see and smell it! Hundreds of tiny stalls under one roof sell an amazing range of vegetables, spices, fruit, fish, meat, and soy products. Many stalls are operated by the same family who farm the produce. It is a noisy, vibrant place and everything is super fresh. Open every day except Tuesday.

Local Community & Staff: Temuan, a proto-Malay group of Orang Asli, live in two villages on the western side of the river. This community was resettled out of the jungle during an emergency, and still own durian and petai trees inside the reserve. Nowadays, there are around 50 households and around 350 people, with a high proportion of children and youth. Harvesting the jungle is still a vital part of the Temuan economy and lifestyle, but most families also have some rubber trees, and many adults work for cash in nearby farms or in factories near Seremban. The Orang Asli are happy to be "modern", so long as they can retain their own culture and spiritual identity. Their children go to school in Pantai, although not many go on to secondary level. The Orang Asli reserve is used by every household, but it has never been published, announced, or listed in a gazette, and is periodically under threat. The Temuan knowledge of the rainforest is unparalleled and they are proud to share it with visitors.

Crucial: The Dusun is well off the beaten path and is not a typical boutique hotel! Be sure to get detailed arrival instructions. You need to bring food or order well in advance.