Tasik Biru, a former abandoned gold mine in Bau town, is being transformed into a resort while its surrounding area will be developed into a resort city.
Roxy Tasik Biru Resort City in the making
Tasik Biru, a former abandoned gold mine in Bau town, some 35 km from Kuching City, is being transformed into a resort while its surrounding area will be developed into a resort city.
A man with a vision and a property developer who dares to dream big for the future of his beloved home town, Bau, Lee Chin Teck, managing director of Tecktonic and Sons Holdings Sdn Bhd, is undertaking the project which many see as infeasible.
He is ambitious to turn Tasik Biru into what he called Roxy Tasik Biru Resort City. (Roxy is the brand name of his chain of hotels)
At present, the lake has been given a facelift with facilities which include a new food court named as the Tasik Biru Food Village, which will replace the old food court built decades ago.
A children’s playground is also added next to the company’s sales office.
A floating bridge, the first of its kind, has been installed, while waiting for a new bridge to be completed, to enable visitors to walk across the lake to the other side where the chalets are located.
Eight chalets have been constructed, four on land while four are floating chalets, believed to be the first of such kind in the state.
Next to the floating chalets is a swimming pool, which is partitioned from the lake’s water using floating materials, to enable in-house guests to take a safer swim.
A café known as Roxy Rock Café is built around a natural rock garden by the lakeside.
Boat ride service is available at RM10 per adult and RM5 per child for one round trip around the lake, which also takes visitors to view a mini waterfall at the eastern end of the lake.
Pedal boats are also available for rent at RM10 per person for a 30-minute ride. Each can carry up to four people.
To enjoy the experience of walking on the floating bridge, the charge is RM10 per adult, with two cans of complimentary soft drinks, while children are charged RM5 per person with one can of soft drink.
The drinks can be redeemed at the Roxy Rock Café on the other side of the lake, near the chalets.
There are platforms where visitors can sit by the lakeside while enjoying their soft drinks under the cool breeze and admiring the nice and calm scenery and greenery of the surrounding.
A fountain has also been installed in the lake, adding extra attraction to the scenery.
Visitors can also feed fish, which are plenty in the lake, which is an indication that the lake water is no longer containing high levels of arsenic.
“Test Report from a chemical science consultant firm shows that the level of arsenic is now within the acceptable limit for water activities. That was my first consideration before taking up the project,” explained Lee.
More facilities including water sports are being planned.
“Visitors are seen coming to the resort from near and far everyday and large crowds can be seen, especially on Sundays and public holidays,” said the resort manager Lincy Tohet.
First phrase of the project
She is hopeful that the resort will attract more visitors with the addition of more facilities.
She is pleased that the resort will provide more job opportunities for the people in Bau, when construction work for the project starts later.
Lee is happy to note that businesses for the operators of eateries in Bau town have improved considerably as more visitors and tourists are coming to Tasik Biru lately.
Besides the resort facilities, the first phrase of the development project for the Tasik Biru Resort City, which is to commence later this year, will be the construction of 26 double-storey shophouses, apartments, Lepapa Supermarket, Roxy Hotel and the Silver Hair Programme (home for the aged). Construction will be carried out in stages on both sides of the eastern part of the lake.
A bridge across the narrowest part of the lake with a dual carriageway will be constructed to enable vehicles to be driven to the other side of the lake.
A hiking track will be constructed to enable visitors to climb up the hill by the lake side where there is an ancient Chinese temple, built by the former gold mining company on the summit of the hill.
The temple will also be renovated. A hiking track will be added around the lake to the western end, where a restaurant will be constructed.
A chair lift will also be constructed across the lake to bring visitors right up to the temple.
The second phrase will include detached houses, semi-detached houses and double-storey terrace houses.
Also in the planning are the Gold Mining Museum, water theme park, detached bungalows and factory outlets. The projects are expected to start in 2024.
