Taman Negara National Park - Ancient Wonder of Nature

Taman Negara. Two words in Bahasa Melayu, the national language of Malaysia and is home to one of the richest and most complex ecosystems in the world, which conjure images of a giant green garden filled with exotic flowers and creatures.

The word 'taman' means both 'park' and 'garden' in Malay while 'negara' means 'nation' - together the translate is simple 'National Park'. Even though there are certainly many other national parks elsewhere in Malaysia. Taman Negara remains the patriarch of them all, with the pedigree to back it up.
As the first and oldest official Protected Area in Malaysia, Taman Negara was originally called King George V National Park. Declared in 1938 by the Sultan of 3 states Kelantan, Pahang 

and Terengganu upon King George's Silver Jubilee and to preserve the land's indigenous nature in perpetuity, it was gazetted separately by each state's Enactments in 1938 - 1939.The park was renamed Taman Negara after the nation gained independence in 1957.

Taman Negara is the largest of all Protected Areas in Peninsular Malaysia with 4,343 sq. km. The Pahang section of the park is the largest at 2,477 sq km, followed by Kelantan's portion at 1.043 sq km and Terengganu's at 853 sq km and indeed one of the oldest rainforest in the entire world with an estimated age of estimated 130 million years. The park is managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Malaysia.

Taman Negara's Highlight's:

The popular activities at Taman Negara National Park are river cruises and jungle trekking. The canopy walk is a must-see and offers a fantastic close up view of activity in the rainforest canopy. Around the Park are observation hides which are another great way to observe the amazing wildlife. These observation hides are simple huts built high above the ground, allow guests to stay overnight to observe animals in their natural habitat. Also available are Cave exploration by boat or by foot.

Places of Interest:

• Mountain Climbing - Gunung Tahan
• Canopy Walk
• Bukit Teresek - Teresek Hill
• Cave Exploration - Spelunking - Caving
• Swimming in Natural Pools and Cataracts
• Rivers and Waterfalls Exploration
• Kayaking - Rafting
• Waterfalls cascades - Lata Berkoh
• Jungle Trekking
• Night Trekking - Night Walk - Night Safari
• Fishing and Angling - Fish feeding
• Observation Hides - Bird Watching
• Wildlife Photography