Endau Rompin National Park
From World travel guide
Endau Rompin National Park is in Malaysia.
Contents |
Understand
Endau-Rompin National Park is the 2nd designated National Park of Malaysia. And rightly so, as it contains the world’s oldest rainforest and the volcanic rocks there date 240 million years! It’s name is derived from the two rivers through the park; the Endau river in the south in the state of Johor and the Rompin river in the state of Pahang in the north. It also has some very unique flora and fauna. It has some of Malaysia’s best waterfalls namely Buaya Sangkut, Upeh Guling and Batu Hampar all within 2 hours trek of each other. Also you’ll get a chance to meet the tribal people of Peninsular Malaysia known as Orang Asli. The tribe that inhabits the park is known as Jakun.
A proper trip to see all the major highlights of Endau-Rompin National Park should take 3 days. Of course it’s not hard to spend a week what with the slow pace of life and very calm waters and forests. For the adventurous, you can go there by yourselves. Otherwise, it’s best to stick to the packages offered – the Johor National Parks Corporation organizes the most reasonably priced ones.
History
Landscape
Flora and fauna
Climate
Get in
There are 2 entrances to the Endau-Rompin National Park. You can either enter through Johor or through Pahang. A different entrance would mean a different adventure as the Johor National Parks Corporation manages the Johor portion of the park while the area encompassed by Pahang comes under the Pahang National Parks Corporation. For the purpose of this travelogue, we’ll cover the Johor approach, as it’s the more popular, time saving and easier approach.
If you are driving, it’s better to take a 4WD, as there are no tarred roads for the last 20km of the journey, only mud track. However if you are daring, or ignorant like us, you can take a passenger car. You need to inform the Johor National Parks Corporation at least a week prior to your departure. Whether you are coming from KL, Johor Bahru and Singapore, use the National Highway and exit at Air Itam. Turn right at the exit and drive on for another hour to Kluang. Whatever supplies you need, you better buy them here. From here drive another 40km along the route to Mersing and you’ll reach Kahang. Your last petrol station before the Park is here. 3km from Kahang, there’s a sign on your right. Turn here and this is where your adventure starts. The first 35km is through plantations, a rather uneven and bumpy track in the beginning, followed by tarred roads and finally through flat red earth track. Then began the last 22km through uninhabited lush green forest. This is a mud track with a lot of protruding rocks. Potholes, wooden bridges that don’t allow room for mistakes, and elephant dung. We were doing quite well until it started raining. This is the ultimate test of your driving skills. The writer frequently lost control of the car and it was especially exciting and dangerous when we were going uphill or downhill. We were slaloming for most part. When we finally reached the Park headquarters, it was such a relief that we all made it in one piece. (See pic)
A safer option would be to take a package offered by the Johor National Parks Corporation where they will pick you up ex Johor Bahru, ex Kluang, or ex Kahang. Of course different rates apply depending on your pick-up point.
Fees/Permits
Get around
See
- The Park Headquarters: The office is housed in a large and beautiful wooden structure with 2 levels. It has an excellent library with a collection of books, pictures and samples of plants and animals. One can easily spend half a day there. It has a superb suspension bridge, which spans about 100m over a pond. It also houses a few chalets, a dormitory, a canteen and the staff’s houses.
- Flora and Fauna: The park has some wonderful plants and animals. Just 2 days before our visit, a herd of elephants paid a visit. Hence the elephant dung that we encountered earlier. Occasionally a tiger can be spotted from the Park HQ. And there are some monkeys at the park HQ that provide the morning wake-up call. While hiking, you will come across various plant lives, one of that is a giant fan palm tree, the Livistona Endaunesis which is found only here.
- Boat Ride to Kuala Jasin: The first portion of your trip starts with 45-minute boat ride through very calm waters of Endau river to Kuala Jasin. You board the boat from the Orang Asli settlement of Kampung Peta. The Park HQ provides you with a guide who also doubles as your boatman. The water is clear and superb for drinking. Occasionally you’ll see schools of fishes. For most, you’ll see dense forests on both sides of the river.
- Upeh Guling Waterfalls and the Volcanic Rocks: From Kuala Jasin, it’s a 1-1/2 hour’s trek to reach the first stop, which is at Kuala Marang. On the way, there are a couple of river crossings, one of which is truly exciting during high tide as you really have to hold on to the ropes lest you get carried away by the currents. At Kuala Marang, there is a campsite as well as a huge wooden shelter and toilets. From here, a short 15 minutes away is the Upeh Guling Waterfalls, with a series of whirlpools formed by ancient volcanic rocks – supposed to be the oldest existing landmarks in Malaysia at 240 million years old! The waterfall is rather wide and short but we saw at least 4 levels/cascades. Good place to get a free massage from the falling waters.
- Tasik Air Biru (Blue-Water Lake): 15 minutes east of Upeh Guling is Tasik Air Biru, a freshwater lake that is very calm, too calm. The water looks blue due to reflection of sunlight on the white rounded rocks at the bed of the lake.
- Buaya Sangkut Waterfall: The next journey is to Batu Hampar waterfall that can be reached 40 minutes of walking. A nice waterfall to cool down and take some well needed rest, as the ultimate physical test begins here. From here, you climb a steep Semanggong Hill, which is 2307 feet. Use the rattan rope to assist you in climbing the hill, as the gradient is around 45 degrees. After a backbreaking 3 hours, you will reach the awesome Buaya Sangkut waterfall. It’s truly a sight to behold. This tall and scenic waterfall is your ultimate destination at the Endaqu-Rompin Park. Your guide will probably tell you the legend behind this waterfall.
- The Orang Asli: They live at Kampung Peta, 15 minutes walk from the Park HQ. They lead a very simple life, selling handicrafts and pretty much self-sustained through farming and rearing of chickens. Don’t miss the solar panels that dot their houses, which provide electricity. Also, the well-trained monkey that insists on showing its butt when a visitor approaches.
- The drive up there: There’s nothing like it in Malaysia. It’s even better than Cameron Highlands. At several points, we were pretty sure that our car swerves into a ditch or gets stuck in the mud. Of course all this excitement was probably due to the fact that we were driving a 1.3 liter Proton Wira. In a jeep, I doubt you’ll have as much fun. But we heard the park director mentioning that the route is popular with rally drivers and mountain bikers.
Do
Buy
Handicraft Games – About the only thing on sale there for visitors is the Orang Asli made games from bamboo. These cost RM 2.50 each and bascially tests your IQ in getting a rope entangled between the bamboo without breaking the bamboo.
Eat
There is only one restaurant in the Park’s premises – at Kampung Peta. Our advice is to bring your own food and cooking utensils. The Park provides a free canteen that has a gas stove, piped water as well as some utensils, but these utensils are not well kept. If you are camping, bring a portable gas stove as you are not allowed to start a fire on the ground.
Drink
Sleep
Our recommendation is for you to camp in the Park under the stars. The Park provides camping equipment (at RM 20 per pax) and your guide will help you set up camp. Otherwise, you can stay at the chalet (RM 80; max 2 persons) or at the dorm (RM 20 per person) at the Park HQ. Both the chalet and dorm are comfortable. Of course, the only complaint is the mosquitoes, so you'd better bring your insect repellent along.
Lodging
Camping
Backcountry
Stay safe
Get out
External links
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