Got to experience both frenetic activity and natural serenity during trip to the world’s oldest rainforest as well as luxuriate in the comforts of Mutiara Taman Negara Resort.It’s a three-hour boat ride upstream Sungai Tembeling to the resort in Kuala Tahan, Pahang.The park’s headquarters is also there. The vast Taman Negara, once known as King George V Park, occupies swathes of Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu.There are four entry points: from the resort in Kuala Tahan; Merapoh, near Kuala Lipis, Pahang; Kuala Koh, near Gua Musang, Kelantan; and Tanjung Mentong, near Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu. Situated on a six-hectare ground, the resort has various accommodation.Guests can choose from 71 chalets, 14 chalet suites, two bungalows, 16 guesthouses, six dormitories and a camping ground for the adventurous. It encourages guests to be environmentallyconscious by keeping their trash in their rooms for proper disposal by housekeeping staff.
The resort also supports communities living in Taman Negara by hiring some of the locals as guides as well as source for living supplies on their behalf.Guests can indulge in various activities organised by the resort, such as jungletrekking with experienced guides, who will brief you on the pantang larang (dos and don’ts), such as not cursing and making unnecessary noises in the jungles. Those toting equipment like cameras and fishing rods are required to apply for a permit at the park’s headquarters.The teresek trailAlong the Teresek trail, a 2.5km journey to Bukit Teresek, you’ll find several observation towers to spot animals feeding off salt lakes.There are four natural salt lakes and a man-made one created by the colonial British administration. At an observation tower, I saw a herd of samba deer feeding from the manmade salt lake. The lucky ones would be able to spot tigers, elephants, barking deer, wild boars, monkeys, monitor lizards, mouse deer, cobras and otters, among others.
An experienced guide will also tell you in detail about the various sorts of animals, insects and flora found in the jungles. A Pitter bird sleeping with its head tucked under one of its wings, which it does to avoid being recognised by predators. The sighting of the bird is rare and only a few trekkers have spotted it in the past! The birds do not usually make themselves noticeable by the orang asli sleeping alone on tree branches. Also fascinating were the Putat flowers, or one-night flowers, which only bloom for one night before wilting.The Mengkundur tree, which can survive for 1,000 years, is the sort that appeals to tree huggers because of its enormous size and height.At the walkways, suspended above immensely tall trees should be experienced vertigo, almost to the point of breaking into tears when looking down to the ground where it’s pitch-dark in some parts. Looking across the breathtaking landscape of thick forests, mountains, valleys and clear blue skies succeeded in soothing my wracked nerves.At another part of Taman Negara, the Santuari Ikan Kelah Lubuk is where you can feed the protected Masheer fish with bread or specially-produced pallets provided by your guide.
You can also find ikan sebarau, ikan tapah and ikan toman in the waters. An angler had once caught a Masheer fish weighing 8.7kg! (Fishing at the sanctuary requires a permit, however).The orang asli Another attraction worth visiting are the Orang Asli settlements, such as those of the nomadic Orang Batek, along the banks of winding rivers. Living in huts made of dried leaves and wood, the Orang Batek, thought to have originated from Papua New Guinea, are truly the people of the jungle.The chief welcomes visitors by showing them hunting and jungle survival skills, such as using a blowpipe, how to make poisonous darts and extracting trickles of water from tree branches.Visitors are free to ask the chief anything, and he’ll gladly share life-affirming stories such as the way Orang Batek live with only basic necessities and their hunting experiences in the jungles. Back at the resort, unwound by taking a stroll, admiring indigenous trees and the nearby Sungai Tahan, and sharing stories with several guests about our experiences in Taman Negara. The monkeys reacted by angrily pelting our party with half-eaten fruits.
