In central peninsular Malaysia, Taman Negara is the world's oldest rain forest at 130 million years old. The jungle town is unbelievably relaxed, and the hiking is amazing. The jungle is home to tigers, elephants, lizards, monkeys, various cats and many other fascinating animals. If you are lucky and patient, you can see them. In Tamara Negara, get a trail map. It will show you the distances to the various hides and campgrounds. With a tent, you can camp in the woods for 1 Malaysian ringet per night per person (less than $0.30 US), and for 2 ringet, you can stay in a hide, a wooden shelter next to a salt lick. Since most animals are active at night, camping is the best way to see them.
The town knows that the jungle trek is popular and offers necessary supplies for rent, such as a tent hiking boots, sleeping mat, and cooking stove. Cross the river from the town and register your itinerary at the ranger station. With a map and enough water, you are free to trek as far as you can; the park has hundreds of kilometers of trails. If you are particularly inclined and insane, you can hire a guide to lead you on a 7 day trek, and spend a week hauling around your food, supplies and water purification tablets (won't your friends be jealous?), and (hopefully) seeing wonders of nature most people will never see. On a 2 day trek, three of us saw peacocks, a couple lizards and interesting butterflies. We also heard a couple other creatures going through our garbage at night. If I go back I will do a longer trek.
The town offers guided tours as well. In the animal night trek, passengers ride in a jeep as a guide shines a powerful light in the trees to make the animals freeze. Our tour saw a snake, an ocelot, owls, and flying squirrels. I still recommend the trek over the jeep. River boat tours are relaxed but expensive.
For accommodations, you can sleep in a dorm bed in the town for 10 ringet, or pitch a tent for 2 ringet. Across the river, the park-owned accommodations are posher and more western. Eat your delicious lunch and dinner on a river boat for about 3-5 US dollars. The internet café serves fruit shakes that hit the spot after a sweaty jungle trek. The biggest downside, however, is that this Muslim town only serves beer at the resort for too much money. Still, if you love nature and easy living, and can go with little beer and internet, you will love Taman Negara.
The town knows that the jungle trek is popular and offers necessary supplies for rent, such as a tent hiking boots, sleeping mat, and cooking stove. Cross the river from the town and register your itinerary at the ranger station. With a map and enough water, you are free to trek as far as you can; the park has hundreds of kilometers of trails. If you are particularly inclined and insane, you can hire a guide to lead you on a 7 day trek, and spend a week hauling around your food, supplies and water purification tablets (won't your friends be jealous?), and (hopefully) seeing wonders of nature most people will never see. On a 2 day trek, three of us saw peacocks, a couple lizards and interesting butterflies. We also heard a couple other creatures going through our garbage at night. If I go back I will do a longer trek.
The town offers guided tours as well. In the animal night trek, passengers ride in a jeep as a guide shines a powerful light in the trees to make the animals freeze. Our tour saw a snake, an ocelot, owls, and flying squirrels. I still recommend the trek over the jeep. River boat tours are relaxed but expensive.For accommodations, you can sleep in a dorm bed in the town for 10 ringet, or pitch a tent for 2 ringet. Across the river, the park-owned accommodations are posher and more western. Eat your delicious lunch and dinner on a river boat for about 3-5 US dollars. The internet café serves fruit shakes that hit the spot after a sweaty jungle trek. The biggest downside, however, is that this Muslim town only serves beer at the resort for too much money. Still, if you love nature and easy living, and can go with little beer and internet, you will love Taman Negara.