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Malaysia has plenty of natural
attractions to satisfy even the most discerning of adventure
seekers. More than 50 per cent of its land mass is still
covered in forest cover. And with the South China Sea and
the Indian Ocean lapping its shores, there is an enormous
variety of flora, fauna and marine life to be enjoyed.
Eco-tourism has become a major enterprise in the last decade
and Malaysia's natural attractions have been carefully
developed. Malaysia contains one of the oldest rain forests
in the region and several pristine rain forest areas have
now, been turned into national parks to ensure long-term
conservation of the rich biodiversity of plant, insect and
animal life.
These forests are one of the last bastions of the world's
rarest plants and animals. The Rafflesia, the world's
largest flower and the smallest pygmy squirrel are to be
found here. Several ecosystems exist in the Malaysian
forests ranging from lowland dipterocarp to sub-tropical
montane. There are wetlands, dessert scrub and limestone
vegetation,' amongst many others to check out. The marine
parks off the coastal waters of Peninsular Malaysia and
Sabah and Sarawak are virtually unspoilt havens for those
who want a colourful variety of marine flora and fauna and
clear waters to dive in. There are good diving facilities
and accommodation at most dive sites. With the Indian Ocean
on one side and the South China Sea on the other, the sea
life and underwater environment are remarkably diverse.
NATIONAL PARK
TAMAN NEGARA
Taman Negara the most popular national park in the country,
is a scenic region of forested plateaus, lofty peaks and
green valleys with clean, clear streams in an area covering
4343sq km. The national park ranges in altitude from 120m to
2150m (the summit of Gunung Tahan, the highest mountain in
Peninsular Malaysia). it is traversed by several rivers. Of
these, the Tembeling provides access to the park
headquarters. On the southern edge of the park is Kuala
Tahan, the site of the park's headquarters accessible only
via the Tembeling River. There are several trails for
jungle- trekking and a number of observation hides rear park
headquarters. There are many interesting activities for
visitors to enjoy. In small groups with a guide, the visitor
could go walking the trails to take in the unique flora and
fauna, watch animal life at the hides or arrange a river or
fishing trip.
ATTRACTIONS
Animal Observation
A short walk away
from Park Headquarters are two salt licks. Jenut Tahan and
Jenut Tabing. Further away, within a day's walk or boat
ride, are Jenut Belau and lenut Kumbang. A variety of
animals visit these salt- licks including elephants, wild
buffaloes, tapirs, deer, wild-pigs and tigers. Observation
hides have been built at Jenut Belau and Jenut Kumbang, and
visitors can stay overnight for better chances of spotting
or photographing animals as they visit the salt-licks at
night.
Angling
There are more than
200 species of fish in Taman Negara. A great proportion of
these belong to the carp family. The 'kelah' or Indian
Mahseer may weigh up to twenty pounds. 'Toman' is the Malay
name for the snake- head. Growing up to a length of three
feet, they may weigh as much as 60 pounds.For the avid
fisherman, a camping trip to the upper reaches of Sungai
Kenyam and Sungai Sepia may be preferable. There are fishing
lodges at Lata Berkoh and Kuala Perkai which offer good
catches. Good fishing months are February, March, July and
August.
Bird-Watching Bird
Watchers will find
the visit to Taman Negara enriching. Many of the more than
600 species found in Malaysia are represented at the park.
The best bases for bird-watching are at Kuala Kenyam, Kuala
Terengganu and Kuala Tahan.
Other Pursuits
Butterflies are
abundant, but collecting is not allowed. So enthusiasts are
restricted to cameras and sketch-pads. Rock climbers will
find many outcrops of limestone on which to practice their
skill. Several of these outcrops also contain caves for
those who enjoy spelunking. Some of the caves were used by
aborigines in the past and cave walls still contain their
drawings.
Photography
Taman Negara is a great place for photography and the
unspoilt greens, flora and fauna, animal life and exotic
birds will provide the photographer with a wide range of
subjects. But photographers must be prepared for low-light
conditions, obstructions and uncooperative animal subjects.
A good range of fast and slow films, long lenses and
tripods are required.
ENDAU ROMPIN
ENDAU-ROMPIN NATIONAL PARK This Park on the east coast of
the peninsula, situated between Johor and Pahang encompasses
the watershed of the rivers Endau in Johor and Rompin in
Pahang and comprises some 488sq km of forest. Lush and
relatively' untouched, it is one of the few remaining
lowland dipterocarp forests in the country and the last
refuge of the Sumatran-rhinoceros in Peninsular Malaysia. It
is of major conservation significance due to the diversity
of flora and fauna and animal species found within. Its
rocks and hills have been estimated to be nearly 250
millions years old.
ATTRACTIONS
A great place for nature lovers, there are many activities
that can be pursued such as botany, nature study, bird
watching, photography and jungle trekking. For nature study,
the unusual fauna found here includes the famous fan palm of
the 'Livistona endauensis' variety which is indigenous to
the region. other interesting plants include the climbing
bamboo, and the walking stick palm. There are also many
varieties of toadstools and orchids. The wildlife includes
Tigers, elephants, Sumatran rhinoceros, binturong or bear
cat (Arctictis binturong) and the white handed gibbon, the
only ape species in the region. The forest is also home to
the chirping drongos, hornbills and argus pheasant and to
the Orang Asli of the Jakun tribe to be found at Kampung
Peta near the park entrance.
KINABALU PARK
Towering 4,095.2 metres (13,435 ft) above the mysterious
tropical jungles of North Borneo in Sabah, Malaysia, Mount
Kinabalu is the majestic centerpiece of Kinabalu Park and is
also the highest mountain in South-East Asia. Despite its
intimidating size, Mt. Kinabalu is one of the easiest
mountains in the world to climb. No special skills or
equipment are needed, and each year, thousand of visitors
climb to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu, Low's Peak. Keep in
mind, however, that the ascent is a physically tough and
challenging climb, requiring a minimum of two days to reach
the summit. Because of lack of oxygen in the higher
mountain altitude, those with high blood pressure and weak
hearts are advised not to make the climb.
ATTRACTIONS
Merely being able to climb to the top of Mt. Kinabalu - as
intense as it undeniably is - isn't the only experience that
awaits you, Mt. Kinabalu is a botanical paradise, with an
amazing number of plants, many unique to the area. The Park
Reserve surrounding the mountain provides plenty of nature
trails weaving through the majority of the park area.
Hikers are free to explore the trails on their own and
guided walks are also available.
NIAH NATIONAL PARK AND NIAH
CAVES
Sarawak Niah National Park is made up of 3103 hectares of
forest and limestone. it was originally established to
protect the valuable Niah Caves, made famous by the
discoveries of an early ancient human settlement. The Niah
Caves is a major attraction in this park. one known as the
Great Cave covers an area of I I hectares, or as large as 13
football fields. The caves are also remarkable for the
millions of bats and swiftlets. in the rnid 1950s,
archaeologists discovered the skull of Homo Sapiens who had
lived in the caves some 40,000 years ago. Artifacts and cave
drawings showed that they had their own unique culture and
beliefs and buried their dead by floating them down river in
funeral boats. In the 1900s, the Penans rediscovered the
caves and found the edible bird's nest on the roof of the
caves. Bird's nest are a much prized oriental delicacy.
These nests are still being harvested by nimble men who
clamber up the long, single bamboo poles which extend from
the cave floor to the arch of the roof. The way to the Great
Cave (West Mouth) involves a walk on a raised plank walk
with handrail. The walk covers about 4km and takes 45
minutes to an hour in good weather. There are other trails
in the park and a long house nearby.
GUNUNG MULU NATIONAL PARK
This is Sarawak largest National Park, covering an area of
544sq km. The park contains SarawaICs setond- highest peak,
Gunung Mulu a sandstone outcrop standing at 2376m. There is
also the 1750m Gunung Api, an impressive limestone outcrop.
The park is noted for its diverse vegetation which varies
from peat swamp to limestone and forest terrain, This
national.
BAKO NATIONAL PARK
The Bako National Park in west Sarawak, is a small park of
26sq km located at the mouth of the Bako River. Known for
variety and contrasts in its natural scenery, it has
secluded coves, rocky headlands and sandstone cliffs. There
are sea arches and sea stacks at the base of cliffs which
have been weathered by wave action. The park also contains
seven ecosystems ranging from mixed dipterocarp forests of
the lowlands to desert-Iike of the plateau.
ATTRACTIONS
This is the place to view the proboscis monkeys, and the
silver langur. Other animals include the leopard cats and
giant lizards and a great variety of birds. The park has
lovely beach areas and many trails. There is good hostel
accommodation and a restaurant.
MARINE PARK
PULAU PAYAR MARINE PARK
Located in the
north of the Straits of Melaka, off Kuala Kedah and about 19
nautical miles south of Langkawi and 40 nautical miles north
of Penang, this marine park encompasses the island of Pulau
Payar, Pulau Segantang, Pulau Lembu and Pulau Kaca. The
first marine park to be established off the West Coast of
Peninsular Malaysia, it is a sanctuary to many endangered
species of marine life. The best time to visit the park is
from Febuary until November, although it can be visited all
year around.
PULAU REDANG
Dotting the South China Sea about 45 km of the long
Terengganu coastline, Pulau Redang and its neighbouring
island were officially declared a marine park in 1991. The
marine park consists of nine islands: Pulau Redang, Pulau
Pinang, Pulau Lima, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Lang Tengah,
Pulau Perhentian Besar,Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Susu
Dara and Pulau Kapas.
PULAU TIOMAN
Pulau Tioman measuring about 38km long and 19km wide, is
the largest of a volcanic group of 64 island off the coast
of Pahang. The island is famous for its corals and rich
marine life and offers challenging dive sites with
visibility up to about 33m. At Salang Beach, you can
virtually snorkel to the coral gardens of sea fans and sea
anemones surrounded by damsel and cardinal fish. Shallow
reefs at the nearby island of Pulau Tulai and Pulau Renggis
are also good for scuba diving and snorkeling. There are
underwater caves at Pulau Chebeh and beautiful reefs at the
uninhabited Pulau Sepoi and Pulau Labas which are about an
hour’s boat ride from Tioman.
PULAULAYANG LAYANG
Located 165 nautical miles north-west of Kota Kinabalu in
the South China Sea, the oceanic atoll of Layang-Layang
rises almost 200 meters from the sea bed. Measuring 1.2 km
long and 200 meters wide, the oval-shaped island’s
fascinating marine seascapes, diverse coral and reef fish,
including its pelagic life make it an alluring dive site for
experienced divers. The island is also a sanctuary for
thousands of migratory birds.
PULAU MABUL AND KAPALAI
Located off Sabah’s south-west in the Celebes Sea and
accessible through Semporna, the island of Mabul is a
continuation of the Borneo land mass unlike the Sipadan
atoll, its world reknowned neighbour. The palm-tree covered
island is noted for its microfauna and some rarely-sighted
marine species like actopus, turtles and scorpion fish. The
shallow waters around the island ensure the absence of large
predators and makes the area an easy dive. There are two
fine resorts on Mabul, The 40-room Sipadan-Mabul Resort
situated inland under palm trees.
LABUAN
At the north of Brunei Bay off Sabah and facing the South
China Sea is the island of Labuan an international offshore
financial centre, the Malaysia’s only deep-water anchorage.
An important maritime city and port, it is also a commercial
and recreational centre for the off-shore oil rigs located
nearby. It is a federal Territory administered directly
from Kuala Lumpur.
TUANKU ABDUL RAHMAN NATIONAL
PARK
This park covers five islands off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah and
an area od about 4929sq.km.The main attractions are coral
reefs and beaches. There are reefs around all the islands of
the park and some are exposed at low tide. Park headquarters
is on Pulau Manukan, the second-largest island which has
chalets for accommodation. Pulau Gaya, the largest island
has 10km of shoreline ranging from fine sandy beaches to
mudflats with mangrove and sandstone clifs. There is a
resthouse on Pulau Mamutik while Pulau Sapi has good beaches
and walking trails. There is a regular boat service to the
park from Kota Kinabalu. |
