Scenic River. Taman Negara, Malaysia

Taman Negara. Two words in Bahasa Melayu, the national language of Malaysia, which conjure images of giant green garden filled with exotic flowers and creatures. The word 'taman' means both 'park' and 'garden' in malay while 'negara' means 'nations'-together they translate simply as '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. Taman Negara is indeed one the oldest rainforests in the entire world, estimated at 130 million years old. The abundance and diversity of nature is phenomenal in Taman Negara, one of the world's most complex and rich ecosystems. A veritable treasure of the planet! But, for me, the best part is to get there! The departure point to the park is the tinny village of Kuala Tembeling. Upon arrival at Kuala Tembeling Jetty, proceed to Wildlife Department counter for Park Entry Permit and Camera License registrations. Then you can buy a boat ticket to Taman Negara from authorized counter. I advice you to have a light lunch while waiting for your boat departure. There are some fruits shops. The boat journey will takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours and NO toilet break!! Make sure you go to the restroom before boarding the boat. After 2 1/2-3 hours scenic river view journey, you get to your last boat stop over. Make sure you left nothing because mostly the boat will return back to Kuala Tembeling. There's no bellman or porter service at the arrival point, so make sure you have proper backpack to carry your luggage. The river banks are made of big stones and we have to pass true difficult path ways from the jetty to land. Probably you have also to "climb-walk-climb-walk" start from the river bank until to the resort pick up point, or even walk direct to chosen resort. Some tips from who already experienced it.