Endau Rompin

Friday, 04 November 2011 12:47 administrator

Explore the wonders of nature in the ancient rainforest. This park straddles parts of the Pahang and Johor borders and both state governments have set up separate state management to manage the 870sq.km area which covers a total of 92,000hectares (roughly one and a half times the size of Singapore). Although on the Pahang side, the area is still retained as a forest reserve and has yet to be cited as a national park it now includes sections of the Labis Forest Reserve, Endau Mas Forest Reserve (Johor), and Lesong Forest Reserve (Pahang). The park protects one of Malaysia's remaining lowland-forested areas and hilltop bogs, which harbours a variety of plant life endemic only to the area. It is also home to the highly endangered Sumatran rhinoceros i.e. Dicerorhinus sumatrensis with an estimated number of only 10 to 25 in the area. It is extremely difficult to spot these retiring animals especially when they are mainly found roaming in watersheds off-

The Endau-Rompin area has a very distinct geological infrastructure. Aeons ago, when the world was young and giant reptiles roamed the land, sea and sky; the earth was an extremely volatile environment. Over millions of years, the divergence and convergence of plate-tectonics pulled away pieces of land that used to exist as one gigantic landmass to what we see as the different continents now. Violent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes were normal occurrences. Geologists theorised that the Endau area suffered what was deemed as 'the most violent type of volcanic convulsion'. Known as the 'ash flow eruption', the tumultuous pressure from within the earth shot gas at speeds of up to 100km/hr through the cracks and fissure created, releasing huge amount of ash into the atmosphere. The intense heat reached a temperature of perhaps 1000 degrees-C. This eruption of gas carried with it, minute crystals of quartz and glass, pumice and larger pieces of rock. The ash-clouds produced a huge volume of ignimbrite deposited on the area possibly over a series of repeated eruptions. Heavier rocks and other particles settled and welded together with the help of the searing heat produced, creating a plateau. It is believed that such deposits could not have formed under water as would with lava eruptions and that the Endau ignimbrite was formed when the region was already above sea level. This may in a way substantiate that life in the rainforests in Malaysia could have began life earlier than the other low lying rainforest countries.

With 26kms of treks meandering through the jungle, visitors can learn to appreciate the complexities of the land and its beginning especially at the rapids on Sungai Endau and on the upper parts of Jeram Upeh Guling where Quartz crystal ignimbrite can be seen on the surface.

Folklore of Buaya Sangkut (The trapped crocodile)

The Orang Hulu (Indigenous people) of the area tells a story of an old crocodile that lived in the pools above the waterfall. One day it floated downriver and got itself trapped between the boulders where its body formed the cascades of the fall. (buaya = crocodile, sangkut = trapped). Another less popular story but entertaining all the same tells of a family who lived by the banks of Sungai Jasin. The father dreamt of his son's death in the jaws of a crocodile that lived in the river. He took it as a warning and with that, moved his family upstream. The recurring dream drove the family further upstream pass the waterfall. True to the premonitions of these dreams, the crocodile had followed them. On climbing the fall, the croc lodged itself between the boulders and the father took this opportune moment to kill it. He made a drum from the leather of the crocodile and hung the drum high in the house. One day as the son was playing below the drum, it fell on him killing him instantly.

How to get there:

Air

A 45-minutes flight is available from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, thereafter via road transportation to the park.

Road

When driving from Kuala Lumpur/Melaka/Johor Bahru take the road to Kuala Rompin. From Kuala Rompin, it is a 50 km journey via Felda Selendang where you will reach the Sungai Kinchin base camp at the Endau Rompin State Park.

Places Of Interest:

Padang Tujuh
Padang Tujuh is an area of bonsai trees.

Sungai Kinchin and Sungai Kemapan
Some of the best fishing spots in Malaysia can be found within the Endau Rompin area. The most popular sites are along the lower reaches of Sungai Kinchin and Sungai Kemapan. The best time for fishing is from the months of February to April and from June to August. Fish caught here are noticeably larger than those caught in rivers elsewhere in Peninsular Malaysia.

Mahkota Waterfalls
Mahkota Waterfalls, which is a cascading 50-meter fall is perfect spot for picnic.

Upih Guling Falls
Upih Guling derives its name from an Orang Asli legend. Upih, an Orang Asli, was about to go for a cockfight. As he was about to cross the river at one end of the waterfall, he saw his fiancée. He slipped upon turning and fell, or "guling" (roll in Malay Language), down the cascading slope and died at the foot of the falls.

Buaya Sangkut Falls
After a long and tiresome trek, one can heave a sigh of relief upon hearing the thunderous roar of the 40m high waterfall. One can take in the breathtaking sight of the calm, tranquil lake and fascinating rock formations.

Kelapa Gading Cave
Kelapa Gading Cave, which is 25 meters high, is situated in the midst of the waterfall.

Activities:

Slide and films on the Park's indigenous flora and fauna are shown at the Interpretive room at 8.45 pm daily
Jungle Trekking
Bird watching
Camping
Fishing
Cave Exploration
Mountain Climbing
Swimming
Night Hide Orang Asli (Aborigines) Settlement
The Rapid Shooting