21 November, DENGKIL – Gamuda Land today revealed its placemaking activation to drive it’s 1,530-acre Gamuda Cove township towards being the catalyst of growth in the Southern Klang Valley. A “tree-planting” ceremony was held on site to mark the commencement of its 18-acre rainforest-themed water park which is targeted to open in December 2021.
“What differentiate us from other developers has always been our strong town-making principles. We do not shy away from upfront investment to create value for our customers. Between mindful master-planning and good placemaking, we are creating a hive of tourism activities to drive socio-economic growth in this area. From the recently opened interchange to the 60-acre central park, the laying of 5G infrastructure, the opening of Discovery Park next month and the work commensuration for the water theme park, we are confident that our customers will benefit from the value being generated for Gamuda Cove,” said Aaron Soo, Director of Leisure and Hospitality, Gamuda Land whose extensive experience in the hospitality and leisure industry includes turning around theme parks and hotels in Malaysia and China, uplifting the brands to global acclaim.
With a gross development value (GDV) of RM 20 billion, Gamuda Cove is on track to realise its vision of being a ‘Nature Sanctuary, Smart City’. Its strategic location along ELITE highway, bordering the 7,600-acre Kuala Langat forest reserve and 1,111-acre Paya Indah Wetlands, enables Gamuda Land to capitalise on the natural greenery to entice the annual inflow of 25 million visitors coming in through KLIA and KLIA2 on minutes away.
Gamuda Cove as a Tourism Hub
(i) Gamuda Cove Water Theme Park
This international class water theme park will showcase 18 exhilarating rides, all of which will be first in Malaysia.
“Much thought and research were put in to conceptualise, plan, design and develop the waterpark, poised to open as a top attraction when it is opened. Most of the attractions we have selected will either be the world’s first, Asia’s first or Malaysia’s first, to be built and
operated by Gamuda Land following The Global Association for the Attractions’ (IAAPA) safety standards,” Soo explained.
On top of the exciting rides and slides, the water theme park also features a 300-metre lazy river, twin surf beach pool with private cabanas, simulated surfing and interactive waterplays.
Beyond adrenaline rush, 70 percent of the water theme park area will be dedicated to green spaces filled with tropical trees, shrubs and flora, where sounds of happy people enjoying the slides will be drowned out by the tranquility of lush nature. This concept is in line with Gamuda Land’s ongoing and long-time commitment towards sustainability.
(ii) Discovery Park – opening in December 2019
Located across the road from the water theme park is Discovery Park where entertainment and leisure outlets converge. Two recreational zones namely The Adventure Park and The Hangout Village can be found here.
The Adventure Park is where thrill seekers can enjoy indoor go karting in Blastacars Drift Karts with motorsport and drift-karting technology originating from New Zealand; mountain bike or all-terrain vehicle (ATV); and an aerial climb through adventure rope courses.
The Hangout Village offers the best of Malaysian cuisine and unique leisure experiences ranging from shopping, dining to relaxation. South East Asia’s first Aerobar named Tinjau and ArcHive, a food hall featuring the best of Malaysian cuisine can be found here. Designed and made by Aerophile Group from France, the Aerobar offers the revolutionary concept of “food-tainment” where in each ride fifteen passengers can enjoy their drinks in a 35-meter high flying bar in the sky. Another highlight of Hangout Village is a diving beach pool club where one can dine or have a drink at the poolside or in the pool.
(iii) Eco-tourism at Discovery Wetlands
“Gamuda Land has obtained approval in principle to partner the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources (KATS) and Selangor State Government to jointly manage and operate Paya Indah Wetlands, located adjacent to Gamuda Cove.” Soo announced. “We will conserve, protect and restore the facilities while working closely with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN) as the expert.”
Consisting of 14 interlinked lakes with approximately 43 million litres of water, as well as marshes and lowland tropical forests, Paya Indah Wetlands is home to 142 aquatic plants and animals, 40 types of fish, 225 species of birds, 23 types of mammals as well as 220 types of terrestrial plants and herbs. Some rare species are, among others a two-metre long fish from the Amazon, ducks from Russia and two hippopotamuses from Bostwana.
Soo announced that Paya Indah Wetlands will be rebranded into Discovery Wetlands to revive eco-tourism in this area. Visitors can look forward to new addition of raw and rustic activities such as cycling, fishing, bird watching, horse riding and bamboo trail walking in a natural pristine and wild setting. Hot air balloons will also be set up for those who would love to revel in the aerial view of the beautiful wetlands.
“The leisure and entertainment components are taking shape nicely and we are confident that Gamuda Cove will be the key destination for local and international visitors alike. Ultimately, it is not just about creating quality products for our customers, but also providing a good experience and sustainable value creation to people who will call this place home, a place where they would want to be a part of, grow up and grow old in,” Soo concluded.
In the pipeline to support tourism activities are hotels as well as a regional mall, MICE facilities and offices in the commercial business district (CBD), making Gamuda Cove a truly well-throught of and executed masterplan.