Location: Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu States Map
Area: 4,343 km²
Taman Negara is a national park established in 1938/1939 in the
Titiwangsa range area with the original name King George V
National Park. After independence, it was renamed Taman Negara
meaning "park". country" in Malay. The total area of this
national park is 4,343 km². This national park is famous for
having one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world,
estimated to be up to 130 million years old. The world's oldest
rainforest belongs to the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland,
Australia as it is estimated to be 135 - 180 million years old.
Taman Negara National Park is located in three states:
Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu and is managed according to each
state's own laws. The largest area of the park is located in
Pahang state (2,477 km²), followed by Kelantan (1,043 km²) and
Terengganu (853 km²).
The national park was developed
with the aim of becoming a famous eco-tourism destination in
Malaysia. There are a number of geological and biodiversity
attractions here. Gunung Tahan (Mount Tahan) is the highest
point in Peninsular Malaysia (the Malay Peninsula part of
Malaysia). The peak is a popular climbing destination, which can
be started from Kuala Tahan village or Merapoh town.
The
national park is home to several rare and endangered mammal
species including Malayan Tigers, long-tailed macaques, Malayan
Gaur, Indian elephants; Birds such as Pheasants, Red Junglefowl
and a few species of Proto-Malaysian Chicken. The Tahan River is
protected to preserve the Mahseer fish (in Malay kelah ikan, the
common name for fish species of the genera Tor and
Neolissochilus).
Other attractions found near Kuala Tahan
(the park's headquarters in Pahang) include a canopy walkway,
Gua Telinga (cave system), Lata Berkoh (waterfall). Visitors can
enjoy the pristine landscape of tropical rainforests, watch
birds or go on jungle treks or admire the view on the Tahan
River.
All visitors to the park must have a permit from
the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Malaysia.
Taman Negara National Park covers three states of Peninsular
Malaysia. They are the states of Bagang, Klanthan and Terengganu. All
the three states have enacted separate laws for Taman Negara forest
areas in their state. Pahang State Taman Negara Enactment (Pahang) No. 2
of 1939, Kelantan State Taman Negara Enactment (Kelantan) No. 14 of 1938
and Terengganu State Taman Negara Enactment (Terengganu) No. 6 of 1939
has also been enacted. All these laws are the same.
First Forest:
The forest located in the state of Pahang is called Taman Negara Pahang.
Bagang State has an area of 2,477 square kilometers.
Second Forest:
Located in the state of Klanthan. It is called Taman Negara Kelantan.
The area of Klanthan State is 1,043 square kilometers.
Third Forest:
Located in Terengganu state. It is called Taman Negara Terengganu. The
area of Terengganu state is 853 square kilometers.
In recent times, Taman Negara has become a popular ecotourism
destination in Malaysia. Daman Negara has many fascinating geological
and biological centers. It is also home to Mount Gunong Dagan, the
highest point in Peninsular Malaysia. Trekkers can start treks from Kola
Dagan, Merapo.
Rare mammals
Taman Negara Park is home to
10,000 species of plants, 150,000 species of insects, 25,000 species of
invertebrates, 675 species of birds, 270 species of reptiles, 250
species of freshwater fish and 200 species of mammals. Some of them are
very rare.
Many rare species of mammals and birds have been found
in Taman Negara. Malaysian tiger, crab-eating macaque, Sumatran
rhinoceros, Malayan Gaur, Asian elephant etc. are notable. Some of the
rarest birds include the Great Argus, Red Junglefowl, and the Malayan
Peacock-Pheasant.
Rare Peacock Carps
There is a rare species
of fish in Dagan River called Beli Meen (English: Malaysian Mahseer;
Malay: Ikan Kelah). These are maintained very securely. They are also
called peacock carp. This type of fish is found in the rivers of
Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Asia.
In Taman Negara, hunting,
fishing and damaging vegetation is considered a crime by law. Daman
Negara has its head office in Kola Takan. There is also a Canopy
Walkway, Kua Telinga Cave Tunnel and Latta Peko Waterfall.
Malaya
Railway Company
Anyone wishing to enter Taman Negara must obtain a
permit from the Wildlife and National Parks Department. Taman Negara can
be reached via KTM train service and buses. KTM Those using the bus
service should alight at Gerandut and proceed to Taman Negara.
KTM Means Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). Those traveling to Taman Negara
by bus will need to travel from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur to
Gerandut. It is a three-hour journey. Then, from there you have to go by
boat to Kola Dagan Pattinam. It is a two and a half hour journey.
Taman Negara, home to the world's oldest tropical rainforest, is
home to thousands of wildlife.
Taman Negara is located between the borders of 3 states namely
Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan, each of which has its own area.
National Park Enactment (Pahang) No.2 in 1939 was made for Pahang,
National Park Enactment (Kelantan) No.14 in 1938 for Kelantan, and
National Park Enactment (Terengganu) No.6 in 1939 for Terengganu. All
enactments have the same content.
Pahang National Park is the
largest with an area of 2,477 km², followed by Kelantan National Park
with an area of 1,043 km², and Terengganu National Park with an area of
853 km².
This park has become a famous eco-tourism destination in
Malaysia. There are many geological and biological attractions in this
park. Mount Tahan is the highest point in Peninsular Malaysia located in
National Park, climbers can use Kuala Tahan or Merapoh as the starting
point of the climbing expedition. The National Park has many rare and
endangered mammals such as tigers, tenuks, elephants, deer, wild boars,
hummingbirds, and wildebeest. Sungai Tahan became a habitat for Kelah
Fish, a type of competition fish.
Other attractions can be found
in Kuala Tahan (the main point of Taman Negara in Pahang) including the
canopy walkway, Cave Telinga, and Lata Berkoh. Visitors can enjoy the
beauty of the tropical rainforest, the chirping of birds, or cross the
forest (for example: Tenor Rintis) and the view of the river when
passing Sungai Tahan.
All visitors must obtain permission/permits
from the Department of Wildlife Protection and National Parks before
setting foot in the National Park. There are many hostels and hotels in
this park.
Tourists to the National Park can also choose to
participate in fishing activities, especially in Lata Berkoh and Sungai
Kenyam. There are 300 species of fish mainly from the carp family such
as kelisa fish, kelah fish, and many others found in the rivers of the
National Park. Tourists can also rent boats for fishing and water sports
activities.
Train
The entrance to the National Park is Kuala Tembeling which
is connected to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Kota Bharu (via Tumpat) by
railway. Trains from these stations stop at Tembeling Halt, about half
an hour away from Kuala Tembeling jetty by car.
Boat
The main
entrance to Taman Negara is via Kuala Tembeling where visitors can board
a sampan that departs at 9.00am and 3pm daily (except Fridays when the
boat departs at 2.30pm), on a 3-hour journey to to Kuala Tahan. Mutiara
Taman Negara Resort also provides a speedboat service that only takes 45
minutes to reach Kuala Tahan. This speedboat departs from Kuala
Tembeling at 10.30am and 1.30pm every day. The easiest way to get to
Taman Negara is either through Jerantut on the land trip which takes 3
hours from Kuala Lumpur. If you drive a four-wheel drive vehicle, you
can use the logging road to Kuala Tahan where you need to take a boat
across the Tahan River to enter the National Park.
Buses and
taxis
Taxi service to Jerantut is available from Puduraya Bus Station
in Kuala Lumpur. You can also take a bus to Jerantut which can be found
at Jalan Tun Razak Bus Station in Kuala Lumpur. From Jerantut, you can
take a local bus or taxi to Kuala Tembeling.
The National Park was the subject of the 1998 documentary film, National Park: A Natural Destination produced by Film Negara Malaysia.