Rapid Shooting

Just upstream of Kuala Tahan, the Tembeling River flows through a gorge of sandstone conglomerate rocks, giving rise to seven (7) distinct sections of white water rapids. Shooting rapids under the guidance of the skilful boatmen can be one of the highlights of your visit to Taman Negara.
Note that the south-eastern part of the Tembeling River is outside Taman Negara, thus it is meant for development. However, by law, development is forbidden within 50M of the water’s edge.

Canopy Walkway

The Canopy Walkway is the world’s longest 500 metres, strung up to 40 metres high above the forest floor. It was built by the staff of the Department of Wildlife & National Parks. For safety, every inch of it is checked every morning. The ropes have a minimum snapping strength of 5 tons and the steel cables more than 10 tons. The trees are protected with wooden spacers fitted between the bark and the cables and ropes: no nails have been driven into the trees. Every measure has been taken to protect the health of the trees and the visitors.
Regulations while on the Canopy WalkwayTo ensure the safety of visitors while on the canopy walkway, regulations as below are to be followed :-

1. Visitors are advised to be at least five (5) metres away from each other while on the bridge ( walkway ).

2. Only four (4) persons are allowed to be on each bridge at a time.

3. Do not run and sway on the bridge.

4. Do not take any food and drinks while on the canopy walkway.

5. Do not stop at a long period while on the canopy walkway.
6. No smoking on the canopy walkway.

7. Do not carry sharp instruments, e.g. daggers.

8. Do not vandalise or engrave on the trees while on the platform.

9. Do not make noise.

10.You are requested to obey orders from the officer-in-charge.

There are altogether nine (9) bridges and eight (8) platforms along the 500 metres canopy

walkway. The descriptions on each bridge and platform are as follows:-
Bridge 1 is 29 metres long.

Platform 1 (21.6 metres) is on a Tualang Tree and has a view of the Tembeling River. From here you can probably see the orange-yellow flowers of the Phanera vine: the fibres of the stem can be used to make the string used for traditional tops (gasing ). Can you also see epiphytes ? Some trees have peeling bark or very slippery trunks what might be the advantage of this ?

Bridge 2 is newly constructed. Will be updated soon.

Platform 2 is newly constructed. Will be updated soon.

Bridge 3 isnewly constructed. Will be updated soon.

Platform 3 ( 27M / 89 ft the highest ) is on a Keranji Tree, a species with massive buttresses.

Notice the bracket fungi on the branch – and yet another epiphyte growing on the fungi ! Pause a while here to listen for insects .

Bridge 4 is 52 metres long.

Platform 4 ( 19.8 metres ) is on a Keruing Mempelas Tree, a Dipterocarp ( look for winged seeds). Note the other plants ‘ hitching’ aride up this tree.

Bridge 5 is 30 metres long.

Platform 5 ( 5.8 metres ) Another Kempas Tree. You can exit here if you like. (This exit is commonly known as ‘chicken out exit’!)

Bridge 6 ( with ladder ) is 60 metres long.

Platform 6 ( 19.2 metres ) Another Keruing Mempelas. Before leaving the platform, look ahead there is a huge root snaking its way down the tree to the right a strangler fig is now establishing itself. It started from a seed lodged on a branch in bird or animal droppings; eventually it will shade out the host tree, which then will die. By that time, the strangler will be able to stand on its own.

Bridge 7 ( 40 metres ). There is a Meranti Tree ( Shoera sp. ) on your left: tall, straight with fissured bark. There are quite a few Shorea species around here look for the distinctiveseeds. The tree on your right before you get to the next platform is a Berangan. The flower has a very strong smell ( why ? ).

Platform 7 ( 24.6 metres ). Mersawa another Shorea sp. If you look up to the right you will see an example of crown shyness: the canopy of one tree repels the canopy of another and there is a noticeable gap between the leaves of one tree and another. Why ?
See the branches of the nearby tree: they are something hanging below them that looks a bit like a stalagtites. This is a resin called Damar produced by dipterocarps and some other broad-leafed trees. It weeps from the tree after injuryto the bark and hardens into a protective crust, preventing fungal or bacterial infection at the site of the wound.It is used by Meloponinaebees to form the entrance tube to their nests and by people to caulk boats and make high quality varnishes.

Bridge 8 ( 60 metres ). Note the patterns on the bark of the tree to the right: caused by lichens and fungi.

Platform 8 ( 23.3 metres ). Keladan Tree (Drpobalanops ).

Bridge 9 ( 70 metres ). Note the tree lying on the ground to your left. This was cut because it had died and could have been a danger to the walkway. Then exit.

Welcome To Taman Negara

Taman Negara National park spread out over 4343 sq. km of the formidable Titiwangsa Mountain Range ,one of the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. A sanctuary to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, insects, fish and plants. Home to Malaysia’s friendly aborigines, the Orang Asli. A shy yet gentle race, they continue to live the nomadic way they’ve lived for centuries although fully aware of the country’s fastest-paced progress.
Come discover the living treasure Mother Nature has to offer. Whether it’s shooting thrilling rapids, exploring spectacular caves, tackling a 20-pound fish, scaling up Peninsular Malaysia’s highest mountain, trekking through dense, tricky forest pathways or swimming in crystal clear pools, Malaysia’s National Park is a nature paradise you must experience. An adventure of a lifetime awaits you.
To experience the full glory of the tropical rainforest there is perhaps no better place on earth than Taman Negara (National Park). Legally declared an area for conservation in 1938, the 135 million year old Taman Negara is a haven for the nation’s flora and fauna.
Jungle tracks, campsites and the Taman Negara Resort have all being constructed to blend with the natural surroundings, to be in harmony with the forest. Many structured have been built strictly for the observation and appreciation of the grandeur of the towering forest and its inhabitants.
Having enjoyed protection for almost 60 years a wealth of undisturbed habitats exists for the intrepid explorers to discover. You can take day or night time jungle walks or stay in a hide and maybe catch a glimpse of some of the 250 or so species of fauna that exists within the parks boundaries, from hornbills, pheasants and kingfishers monkeys, gibbons, wildboar, deer, tapir, and maybe even an elephant or tiger. Six observation points have seen set up specifically overlooking salt licks and grassy clearings for the observation of wild, often shy animals. These hides allow the visitor to spend a night away from the resort to observe the nocturnal activities of the animals of the forest. Activities within the Park are primarily nature based, taking full advantage of the many streams, rivers, caves hills and the forest itself. Enjoy a bracing swim in cool waters, a full day’s trek, a boat ride and even a spot of angling should you so desire.
A visit to Taman Negara, however, is not complete until you have done the canopy walk. The world’s longest such walk, it winds over 400 meters in the forest canopy allowing you to view the rich and diverse flora and fauna at the very summit of the forest, 25 meters above the ground.
Orang Asli guides can be engaged for excursions to specific areas in the Park, such as the various caves. A visit to the orang Asli settlement is also worthwhile here.
Accommodation in the Park is at the jungle lodge, chalets and a hostel, all with basic facilities. Superior rooms at Taman Negara Resort are air-conditioned and have private bathrooms.
Campsites and camping equipment are available for hire and restaurants in the Park serve an international cuisine.

About Taman Negara

Taman Negara. Two words in Bahasa Melayu, the national language of Malaysia, which conjure images of a giant green filled with exotic flowers and creatures. The word 'taman' means both 'park' and 'garden' in Malay while 'negara' means 'nation' - together they translate simply as 'National Park'. Even though there are certainly many other national parks elsewhere in Malaysia, Taman Negara remains the patriarch of them all, with the pedigree to back it up.As the fist and oldest official Protected Area in the country, Taman Negara was originally called King George V National Park. Declared in 1938 by the Sultans of 3 states Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu upon King George's Silver Jubilee and to preserve the land's indigenous nature in perpetuity, it was gazetted separately by each state's Enactments in 1938 - 1939. The park was renamed Taman Negara after the nation gained independence in 1957.Taman Negara is the largest of all Protected Area's in Peninsular Malaysia with 4,343 sq km. The Pahang section of the park is the largest at 2,477 sq km, followed by Kelantan's portion at 1,043 sq km and Terengganu's at 853 sq km. the Peninsular's highest peak, Gunung Tahan at 2,187m rises in the Pahang sector of the park.Taman Negara is indeed one of the oldest rainforest in the entire world, estimated at 130 million years old. The abundance and diversity of the nature is phenomenal in Taman Negara, one of the world's most complex and rich ecosystems. A veritable treasure of the planet, it is to be saved for posterity.