TAMAN NEGARA, PAHANG

Straddling the borders of Pahang, Terenggganu and Kelantan, Taman Negara is a totally protected area of 4,343 sq. km. and is home to one of richest and most complex ecosystems in the world."

Straddling the borders of Pahang, Terenggganu and Kelantan, Taman Negara is a totally protected area of 4,343 sq. km., and is home to one of the richest and most complex ecosystems in the world.

A must-try attraction here is the canopy walkway, 30m high and stretching a distance of 500 m. It gives visitors a rare opportunity to view the jungle from above. Throughout the park, there are wildlife observation hides near saltlicks, where animals come to supplement their mineral intake. The best way to see the animals is to stay overnight at the hides.

Anglers can check out Sungai Kenyam and Sungai Sepia. The park is also a premier birdwatching site with over 300 species of birds recorded. The long trek to the top of 2,187m Gunung Tahan, the highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia, may not be for everyone, but can be a rewarding experience. A less strenuous trail is the one to Bukit Teresek (334m), just a few hours' walk from park headquarters.

Along the riverbanks just half an hour's walk from park headquarters, visitors may come across the huts of the indigenous Orang Asli of the Batek tribe. The Batek used to live a nomadic life, but today, many of them have joined the cash economy. Some have become jungle guides while others work as porters, labourers or boatmen (a few have their own motorised sampans).

Getting there

By Rail

Kuala Tembeling is also accessible from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Kota Bharu (via Tumpat) by rail. Trains from these stations stop at Tembeling Halt, about half an hour's drive to the jetty at Kuala Tembeling. Please contact Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd for details on train schedules and fares. The contact number are 03-2267 1200.

By Boat

The staging point for visits to the park is Kuala Tembeling from which a 3 hour boat ride upriver takes you to Kuala Tahan at 9am and 3pm daily, except for fridays when the afternoon departure is at 2:30pm. The boat fare costs RM 19 for a one way trip. Mutiara Taman Negara Resort also operates a speedboat service that take only 45 minutes to reach Kuala Tahan. The speedboat leaves Kuala Tembeling at 10:30am and 1:30pm daily.

The most accessible gateway to Taman Negara is either through Jerantut, a three-hour trip from Kuala Lumpur. If you are driving a four-wheel drive vehicle, you can take the logger trail right up to Kuala Tahan, where you need to take a boat across the Sungai Tahan (Tahan River) to enter the park. If you are relying on public transportation, take a public bus or a taxi from Jerantut town to the Kuala Tembeling Jetty, about 16km north of Jerantut. Buses to Jerantut may be found at the Jalan Tun Razak Bus Station in Kuala Lumpur. From there, hop on a local bus or taxi to Kuala Tembeling. Alternatively, Jerantut bound taxis are available at the Pudu Raya Bus Terminal in Kuala Lumpur. In addition, Kuala Tembeling is also accessible from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Kota Bharu (via Tumpat) by rail. Trains from these stations stop at Tembeling Halt, about half an hour's walk to the jetty. From there, a longboat will take you to Kuala Tahan in about three hours (depending on the water level of the river).