About Taman Negara

Malaysia’ rainforest adventure

            Taman Negara, or National Park, is one of the world’s finest accessible rainforests. The National Park was established in 1939 and it is centrally located in an isolated part of Peninsular Malaysia. It offers adventurous travelers a rainforest experience of a lifetime. Much of the park is untouched and remains as it has for past 130 million years or so.

            At 4,343 square kilometers, it is by far the largest park in Peninsular Malaysia and one of the world’s oldest and best- preserved rainforests. It is situated in the Tahan Range
and includes the highest peak on Peninsular Malaysia, Mount Tahan at 2,187 metres. Nine- days return walks to the summit are one of the challenges for keen bushwalkers.

            As the park covers parts of three states, namely Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, there are several main points access. The most visited part is Kuala Tahan in Pahan State while Kuala Koh in Kelantan and Lake Kenyir in Terengganu offer wilderness experiences.

            Taman Negara has an impressive list of things to see and experience. The park is still home to the originals inhabitants of the area, the Orang Asli people, some of whom still lead a traditional semi- nomadic lifestyle of farming, fishing and hunting. They are the only people allowed to hunt and forage in the park.

            The flora and fauna species list for the Malaysia is impressive with an estimated 10,000 plants, 150,000 insects, 25,000 invertebrates, 675 birds, 270 reptiles, 250 freshwater fish and 200 mammals. The exciting thing is that scientists are still discovering species every day. Who knows what valuable resources are locked up in this rainforest eco- system just waiting to be discovered?

            Many of these can be found in Taman Negara but visitors need to appreciate that the park is larger and the wildlife is often shy and well camouflaged. One of the main functions of national parks is to provide an undisturbed habitat for plants and animals and that, should visitors be lucky enough to see any native animals, it is a bonus.

            Go to the park with the expectation that animals are difficult to see and that your opportunities of such sightings, are remote. Improve your chances by taking binoculars and if you have the luxury of extending your visit, add a few days to it and spend some time in an isolated hide and let the animals come to you.

            The activities include: crawling through limestone caves, relaxing riverside fishing, shooting the water rapids, adventurous night- time safaris, bird watching, investigating the forest canopy via a suspended walkway high above the rainforest floor or joining a guided walk to isolated parts of the park where few people have ventured before.

            One of the most do activities is to walk on the world's longest suspended canopy walk. The 530 - metre suspension walk is located 40 metres above the forest floor. The view is astonishing and if you are lucky enough you will see animals scurry from branch high up in the canopy. Hearing the distant booming calls of playful gibbons is assured for all visitors.

            At Kuala Tahan, there is a range of accommodation experience available from true wilderness to comfortable resort-styled facilities at Mutiara Taman Negara Resort, adjacent to the Park Headquarters.

            The facilities at the Mutiara Taman Negara are quite sophisticated considering the isolated location. There is a range of hostel, chalet and bungalow accommodation with most of it being constructed of timber so that it blends into the adjoining rainforest. The 108-room Mutiara Taman Negara is perched above the junction of the Tembeling and Tahan Rivers and while it only covers six-hectares, it is quite sprawling. The delightful Malay styled timber chalets are catered to offer comfortable accommodation in a natural setting.

            There are also several hides within the park and these have bunks for comfortable overnight stays. These hides are rustic structures located adjacent to swamps rich in minerals. Many animals living in the park visit these salt licks to obtain minerals to supplement their diets. The animals graze unaware that tourist are hiding and watching their every move.

            While the cooking at the Mutiara Taman Negara Resort doesn't pretend to be cordon blue there appears to be few complaints from the international tourists who devour an extensive array of hearty local and western cuisine in the Seri Mutiara Restaurant.

            A trip to Taman Negara can be as relaxed or as energetic as you like. The facilities in the park provide for the varied requirements of visitors. The chalets were perfect as there were no televisions or phones to disturb my slumber.

            Visit and enjoy Taman Negara as there are few rainforest experiences in the world quite like it. The Mutiara Taman Negara Resort places great emphasis on conversation with the principal message being-leave the park as you found it so that generations of adventurous travelers will be able to appreciate the many wonders of this rainforest wonderland. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but your footprints.

            Mutiara Taman Negara is easily accessible by boat and by road. The journey from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Tembeling by Karak Highwat and newly opened East Coast Expressway via Temerloh Exit and Jerantut town is 200km or 2 ½ hours drive. The boat trip upstream Tembeling River takes another 69km or 2 ½ hours. The resort is also accessible by road via Kampung Kuala Tahan, the journey from Kuala Lumpur is 250km or 3 ½ hours drive.