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Endau Rompin,
straddling the Johor/Pahang border, is the second
National Park, after Taman Negara. It covers an area of
approximately 80,000 hectares of rich and exotic flora
and fauna, encompassing the watershed of the rivers
Endau and Rompin, from which it derives its name. In
other words, this place is huge.
The entry
point to the park is an Orang Asli (Malaysian
aborigines) village. Although the natives have been
influenced by the modern world, they still practise a
hunting and gathering lifestyle. They are also the
custodians of fascinating myths and legends about the
jungle that have been handed down from one generation to
the next. But apart from exploring this spellbinding
cultural aspect of the park, how can you get your hands
dirty in this giant, timeless Garden of Eden? Easy. You
can camp, hike, fish, canoe, shoot rapids, explore
caves, climb mountains, bird watch and swim in this
amazing national park.
The park is
home to a vast range of species of birds, mammals,
frogs, insects and exotic varieties of orchids, herbs,
medicinal plants and trees. It seems that every time a
scientific expedition returns from Endau - Rompin, they
discover a new species!
In existence
for over 130 million years, this rainforest holds rare
flora and fauna, many of which are not found anywhere
else in the tropics. The most prominent of these unique
species is the Sumatran Rhinoceros. Regular treks
through the jungle will give adventurers sightings of
leaf monkeys, long-tail macaques, white-handed gibbons,
elephants, deer, tapirs and the occasional tiger and
leopard. For adventure lovers and river trekkers, there
are exhilarating rapids and fairly substantial
waterfalls.
To protect
the pristine environment, only limited areas of the park
are open for ecotourism. Entry to the park requires a
special permit from the Johor National Park Corporation.
But the much easier option is to get the permits at the
District Office, which is just next to the Police
Department in Kuala Rompin before reaching the FELDA
Selendang turnoff from Lanjut Beach. Upon entry to this
park, trekkers will be guided by forest rangers to
ensure safety at all times.
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