Spend a few nights at Malaysia’s oldest national park, a haven for nature enthusiasts
and adventure seekers.
After years of failed travel plans, I finally made my way to Taman Negara with my family in February 2020. One might say we were lucky since we narrowly escaped Malaysia’s movement control order that happened a month later. Without knowing that it’ll be our last vacation for the next 2 years, we took a 5-hour shuttle service from Kuala Lumpur to Taman Negara.
Situated in Pahang, the heart of the Malaysian peninsular, Taman Negara is home to a 130 million year old rainforest where diverse flora and fauna thrive – think dusky leaf monkeys, Asian elephants, and long-tailed macaque. It’s also the world’s third oldest rainforest – younger than the Borneo Lowland Rainforest (Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia) and Daintree Rainforest (Australia). With something as majestic as Taman Negara in my backyard, my reasons for visiting were less of a why, but rather when.
As the view out my window changes from skyscrapers to laid-back villages, we arrived at Kuala Tahan jetty at noon. Then, we hopped on the fastest boat ride of my life (1 minute) to Mutiara Taman Negara resort.
Staying at Mutiara Taman Negara
Spending 2 nights at Mutiara Taman Negara resort was a no-brainer for my family. Overlooking Sungai Tembeling and Sungai Tahan, it is the only resort located within Taman Negara. We stayed in a triple sharing chalet complete with air-conditioning, ensuite bathroom, and a private balcony.
Travel tip: For Malaysian and Singaporean residents, I highly recommend getting the 3D2N Kembara Package. The package includes accommodation, half board meals, and the activities you’re about to read below. It’s a limited time offer and starts from RM478 nett per person, as of January 2024. For additional fee, the resort offers a shuttle service from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Tahan jetty and back.
Many visitors come to Taman Negara, literal translation for ‘national park’ in Malay, for many reasons, and these were some highlights from my trip.
Boat ride to Lata Berkoh waterfall
Lata Berkoh is a small waterfall that’s accessible by a 20-minute boat ride from the resort jetty. We took a longtail boat that glides gently along the Tahan river. Then, the boatman dropped us off about 500 meters from the waterfall, so we can enjoy a short and easy hike to the site. Visitors can enjoy a picnic here but swimming is not allowed due to strong currents.
Rapid shooting
A wetter and wilder way to experience the rivers near Taman Negara israpid shooting. Visitors sit on a high-speed long boat that blazes through the seven rapids of Tembeling river: Nusa, Dua, Abai, Teras, Dedari, Panjang, and Terenggan. I made a regretful decision of sitting in the middle of the boat, which left me soaking wet when it was over – but I had the best time ever.
Visit the aboriginal settlement
Taman Negara remains a home to the nomadic Batek tribe. You can take a boat to visit the aboriginal settlement in Jeram Dedari, one of the largest settlement near Tembeling river. During this visit, they demonstrated ways to shoot a blowpipe, an instrument used for animal hunting, and make fire using rattan and meranti leaves. The Batek people spoke fluent Malay, but they’re very shy. It’s always respectful to ask for permission before taking photos of them.
Teresek Hill and Canopy Walk
Our trip ended with a 45-minute hiketoTeresek Hill to admire the panoramic valleys of Gunung Tahan. The hike was largely on boardwalks and wooden staircases. It was an easy hike for anyone with a sedentary lifestyle (like me) but mildly challenging for older parents.
If weather permits, the path back to the headquarters also leads visitors to theCanopy Walk, one of the world’s longest suspension bridge. Sadly, it rained on our way back and visitors weren’t allowed to cross the bridge when it pours. If you’re just as unlucky as we were (but have extra days to spare), you can reschedule your visit to the Canopy Walk to another day.
Cheng Sim 