Navigating Taman Negara Pahang’s Treasure Troves for the Ultimate Eco Adventure

As the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia and also home to many forests and nature parks, there is just too much ground to cover throughout Pahang that makes it one of the best places to visit, especially if you consider yourself an ecotourist.

Did you know that Pahang is home to Taman Negara or the National Park, estimated to be over 130 million years old? In 2014, the park was submitted under the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join us as we explore Taman Negara and the breathtaking Tanah Aina and gear up for your next eco adventure!

I wish the photo could carry with it the soft chirpings of the birds and the rhythmic sounds of the rippling water as we cruise down Sungai Tembeling.

“Do you know what Pahang stands for? Premier Adventure Holiday And Nature Getaway!” exclaimed the representative from Tourism Pahang.

I couldn’t agree more. As the largest state in Peninsular Malaysia and also home to many forests and nature parks, there is just too much ground to cover throughout the state that makes it one of the best places to visit, especially if you consider yourself an ecotourist. Fun fact: Taman Negara or the National Park, estimated to be over 130 million years old, was submitted under the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

On the first week of October, I got the opportunity to visit Taman Negara and Tanah Aina in Pahang as part of Tourism Malaysia’s programme to promote eco attractions. As it has been too many years since I last visited Pahang, I was looking forward to this trip to go back to nature. I immediately agreed and packed my bag for the 3D2N trip.

Located just a mere 3 hours bus ride from Putrajaya to our stop in Jerantut, we were then taken to Danz Eco Resort, our accommodation for the night. To get to the resort, we needed to ride the 4 wheel drive from the bus stop. The journey was only a few minutes, but mind you, I must say that holding on to the rail of the roofless 4 wheel drive as it navigated the uneven terrain was already an adventure on its own!

"...opportunity to visit Taman Negara and Tanah Aina in Pahang as part of Tourism Malaysia’s programme to promote eco attractions."

Danz Eco Resort

The idea of camping does worry me a bit, but the resort offers many accommodation types including the Glamping style, which has gained traction especially amongst city folks like me who are just starting to venture into the ‘wilderness’ without having to part with certain essentials.

This was my home for the night. The pyramid-shaped lodgings have two floors that can accommodate up to 4 pax with a toilet in each unit, and we were told that rooms of this type were the latest additions to the resort. Other than these units, the resort has tents, capsule units as well as jungle rooms for you to choose from.

On top of the cosy rooms, what I loved most about Danz Eco Resort was the food and dining experience! We had breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner served under the iconic Tualang tree estimated to be over 300 years old, which made it one of the prominent features at the resort. The dining place was also next to the Sungai Tahan, so while feasting the delicious food, whose ingredients were mostly farmed or procured from the river, we were treated to a beautiful view of nature surrounding us.

Among the dishes that we had the privilege of trying were the Kijang Masak Kicap and Petai! Needless to say, the Ikan Patin Pais Tempoyak stole the show, that one of our teammates had finished 4 servings in one sitting! No wonder it is considered the resort’s specialty and highly demanded by the patrons here!

After we had our lunch, we prepared the food supply to be brought to Kampung Dedari, as part of Tourism Malaysia’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. Along the journey from the resort to Kampung Dedari, we experienced Rapid Shooting, one of the exciting experiences that take you on a boat through a number of rapids where you will definitely get wet!

Visiting the Orang Asli Bateq Settlement

Upon reaching Kampung Dedari, one of the two settlements of Orang Asli in Taman Negara, we were briefed on the Bateq community. It was an enriching session where we learned more about one of the cultures in multiracial and multicultural Malaysia. One of the amazing things we noted was that the Bateq community typically hunts for their own food in the woods. So we were delighted to see a demonstration of the sumpit or blowpipe, a weapon they use to track and trap game in the jungle. Before we leave, we distributed the food supply for the community with the hopes to help ease the burden of the Bateq community, especially during a challenging time like this.

At night we went on a Night Safari on the 4 wheel drive. Although we only spotted a few curious animals up close, the journey was one of a kind, as the 4 wheel drive carried us into the night in search of the reclusive nocturnal animals that are endemic to this part of the region.

Visiting the Kelah Sanctuary

On the next day, we explored Taman Negara further on boats, and made our way to the Kelah Sanctuary. To the uniniatied, Kelah is one of the most sought after lake fishes, which can fetch up to RM200 per kg. The succulent taste is revered amongst anglers and lake fish enthusiasts and we were told that Kelah can only survive in very clean waters, which is probably why it is not as easy to procure. According to Dabang, our nature guide, because Kelah prefers clean waters, their existence can serve as an indication of how clean a lake is. There are an estimated over thousands of Kelah at the sanctuary and stringent rules such as allowing a limited number of licenses to fish there, help ensure their survival.

Hiking Lata Berkoh

Our journey on the boat continued further and we were taken hiking up Lata Berkoh. This trail is not too hard to navigate, and because it didn’t rain the night before, the dry ground made it easier to hike, even for an amateur like me. It was clear why visitors like to hike up Lata Berkoh, we were greeted with a pretty cool view soon after and stopped to snap some photos overlooking the stones and the picturesque waterfalls.

Balancing on the Canopy Walkway

Before we called it quits for the day, we were brought to the Canopy Walkway. Since the hiking was not an ordeal, I made a premature assumption that walking across the canopy would be easy, just like a walk in the park. Little did I know that the real workout was before we got to the canopy, as we had to head up over thousands of stairs to get up to the platform! After some pit stops in between, we finally made it to the top and the view was worth it! As the canopy was tied up and suspended in the air with the support of the strong trees, walking across the canopy was the closest to the feeling of walking on air, with the vantage point from 40 metres above ground.

After lunch, we bade farewell to Mr Rashdan and his staff, the people behind Danz Eco Resort who have shown us the perfect hospitality, a combination of great service and experience packages offered. Our bus took us on a one and a half hours’ journey to the other side of Pahang in Raub, the oft-mentioned Tanah Aina.

Tanah Aina Fahad

True to its reputation, Tanah Aina is the epitome of an oasis in the middle of the jungle. The clean and beautiful resort, surrounded by the thick and luscious jungle makes you feel like you’re a part of the only group that’s left in the world! We were informed that the water and streams surrounding the premises are also sourced from Class 1 river, the cleanest and freshest water source you can find. The following morning, we had the chance to bathe in the cool river after an exhausting but exhilarating hike around the resort as a reward. With the fresh water pumping out of the natural stones like jacuzzis, we each found a comfortable spot to relax our tired muscles and enjoy a dip with a view.

As the saying goes, “all good things come to an end”, so must our trip. Even though we parted with a heavy heart, we did come back feeling refreshed, and with plenty of memories to live by. Something we know for sure, the tour guide was right. Pahang does stand for ‘Premier Adventure Holiday And Nature Getaway’, and this certainly wouldn’t be our last.

Taman Negara