Wonders of Malaysian National Parks

 Malaysia if you want to see and experience the real magic and wonders of wildlife and nature in their natural environment.

 Wildlife and nature-lovers will surely find the parks in Malaysia truly fascinating, especially because of their extensive diversity and amazing spread of tropical fauna and flora in the untouched wild rain-forests, oldest in the world, that evolved over 130 million years ago.

 The state and national parks in Malaysia, including the marine parks, sanctuaries and reserves, are in fact "fenced up" living microcosms depicting the richness and diversity of the wonderful, original flora and fauna species of the country.

Mountains of Malaysia

The highest mountain in Malaysia is Gunung Kinabalu in Sabah. It is also the highest peak in South-east Asia.

The highest in Peninsular Malaysia is Gunung Tahan in Pahang, and it is the fifth highest mountain in Malaysia.

Here are some of the main mountains of Malaysia.

Sabah

1. Gunung Kinabalu - 4093 m
2. Gunung Trusmadi - 2643 m
3. Gunung Tambuyukon - 2580 m
4. Gunung Lotong - 1667 m
5. Gunung Silam - 883 m

Sarawak

1. Gunung Murud - 2422 m
2. Gunung Mulu - 2376 m
3. Tama Abu - 2113 m
4. Bukit Batu - 2092 m
5. Bukit Batu Buli - 2083 m
6. Bukit Batu Lawi - 2046 m
7. Bukit Batu Iran - 2018 m
8. Gunung Penrissen - 1329 m
9. Gunung Santubong - 810 m

Pahang

1. Gunung Tahan - 2187 m
2. Gunung Benom - 2107 m
3. Gunung Berembun - 2075 m
4. Gunung Brinchang - 2032 m
5. Gunung Kechau - 1945 m
6. Gunung Gedong - 1830 m
7. Genting Highlands - 1772 m
8. Gunung Jasar - 1696 m
9. Gunung Reskit - 1666 m
10. Gunung Tangga Lima Belas - 1539 m
11. Gunung Perdah - 1529 m
12. Frasers Hill - 1524 m
13. Cameron Highlands - 1524 m
14. Gunung Pankin - 1463 m
15. Gunung Ulu Bakar - 1391 m
16. Gunung Gagau - 1377 m
17. Gunung Perlis - 1280 m
18. Gunung Irong - 1191 m
19. Gunung Penumpu - 1092 m
20. Gunung Dulang - 1065 m

Johor

1. Gunung Ledang - 1276 m
2. Gunung Belumut - 1010 m

Perak

1. Gunung Korbu - 2183 m
2. Gunung Bubu - 1568 m
3. Bukit Larut - 1448 m

Kelantan

1. Gunung Chamah - 2171 m
2. Gunung Tera - 1556 m
3. Gunung Ayam - 1504 m
4. Gunung Stong - 1422 m
5. Gunung Kambling - 1308 m
6. Gunung Saji - 1284 m
7. Gunung Kob - 1266 m
8. Gunung Cintawasa - 1175 m

Terengganu

1. Gunung Padang - 1314 m
2. Gunung Gajah Terom - 1206 m
3. Gunung Tembat - 964 m

Kedah

1. Gunung Jerai - 1217 m

Penang

1. Bukit Bendera - 821 m

Negeri Sembilan

1. Gunung Angsi - 825 m

Mountain Activities

Mountain climbing

Mountains are of course made to be climbed!

And there are many ways or options to do this, depending on individual preferences and physical abilities and constraints.

For leisure mountain climbers, there are less arduous climbs with well-marked trails at some popular sites in the country, where trips may take several hours to a day to complete.

These are easily accessible to the public and guides are usually not compulsory.

Some of these mountains include Gunung Ledang, Gunung Angsi, Gunung Berembun, Gunung Jerai, and Gunung Brinchang.

But for those imbued with the spirit of adventure and who wants more than a leisurely outing can choose a summit that requires a journey through the wilderness first.

But these excursions may require permits and registrations with the authorities.

For instance, Gunung Gagau (1376m) at Taman Negara is a popular spot for such outing. It is situated right on the boundary of 3 states, that is Pahang, Kelantan and Perak.

And to reach its base, we will need to traverse thick jungle, lake and river and if desired, can even explore a cave or two along the way before reaching the peak. And at the summit of Gunung Gagau we will be rewarded with a great panoramic view of the three states of Malaysia!

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Trekking

For those who are into trekking and discovering diverse and unique natural landscapes, the mountainous areas of Malaysia are really wonderful places to experience.

You will be fascinated to find lush, green tropical rainforest in the lowlands slowly changing to shorter mountain vegetation and shrubs in the higher elevations.

You'll also most probably find cool streams and waterfalls near the bases of the mountains for rest and relaxation when required.

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Rock Climbing

Mountains that have limestone, sandstones crags and granite outcrops and walls are also favorite locations for rock-climbing enthusiasts.

It is a new and a somewhat "rugged and sexy" sport now slowly catching the interests of young athletic Malaysians.

Although lower mountains and hillcrops make for nice rock-climbing sites, Mount Kinabalu and Gunung Mulu also have aspects and sides that are popular for rock-climbing.

MNS Hornbill volunteer programme 2012

MNS Hornbill Volunteer programme for 2012 is back and running for the 5th year!! MNS initiated the first Hornbill Volunteer Programme in 2008 to provide the public with an opportunity to support MNS’ conservation work in monitoring the Plain-pouched Hornbill (PPHB) movements.

Since its launch in 2008, a total of 191 volunteers have come forward to learn about hornbill, science and conservation by participating in real scientific studies. During the programme volunteers will conduct daily flight census data. These data will be stored and analysed to learn more about the hornbill populations and behavior.  This will contribute to the national conservation effort in collecting data.

The Programme is running from the 3rd of August 2012 and run till the 28th September 2012.

popular lake at Malaysia

The following are some of the more popular and bigger lakes in Malaysia, found in the states mentioned, and they are utilized for many different uses :-

• Tasik Bera (Pahang)
• Tasik Chini (Pahang)
• Tasik Ulu Lepar (Pahang)
• Tasik Bintau (Pahang)
• Tasik Chereh (Pahang)
• Tasik Pedu (Kedah)
• Tasik Dayang Bunting (Kedah)
• Tasik Temenggor (Perak)
• Tasik Chenderoh (Perak)
• Taiping Lake Gardens (Perak)
• Tasik Raban (Perak)
• Tasik Bukit Merah (Perak)
• Tasik Banding (Perak)
• Tasik Kenyir (Terengganu)
• Tasik Puteri/Bukit Besi (Terengganu)
• Tasik Melati (Perlis)
• Tasik Timah-Tasoh (Perlis)
• Tasik Putrajaya (Putrajaya)
• Tasik Perdana (Lake Garden) (Kuala Lumpur)
• Tasik Titiwangsa (Kuala Lumpur)
• Klang Gates (Selangor)
• Langat (Selangor)
• Tasik The Mines (Selangor)
• Bukit Pancur, (Pulau Pinang)
• Ayer Keroh (Melaka)
• Loagan Bunut (Sarawak)
• Tasik Biru (Sarawak)
• Ox-bow lakes of Kinabatangan River (Sabah)

Lake of Malaysia

The lakes of Malaysia are of interest not only to sports, casual nature and adventure lovers but also to naturalists, botanists and zoologists.

This is because the lakes (or "tasik" in Malay) happen to be the habitat of a plethora of flora and fauna, with some more species just waiting to be discovered.

The large lakes found in Malaysia include the verdant and placid natural lakes of Tasik Bera and Tasik Chini in Pahang, the amazing ox-bow lakes that swell during the rainy seasons in Sabah and Sarawak, and the Tasik Kenyir, the largest man-made lake in South-east Asia.

While the natural lakes of Malaysia and their surroundings are also homes and livelihood to many indigenous people, there are also many more recreational lakes and lake gardens that are created from past tin-mine pools.

Some lakes were formed when reservoirs and hydro-electric power generators were constructed and several rivers were dammed for the purpose.

In fact, the National Lakes Information Database of Malaysia, compiled by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) list about 90 lakes both natural and man-made, found in Malaysia.

Malaysia Nature Heritage

Mountains

Gunung

                               

The Titiwangsa Range is Peninsular Malaysia's backbone, a vast stretch of hills and mountains that cuts across the center from the north till near the south, providing a blockade to the strong monsoons winds from the east that would easily overwhelm the west during the rainy seasons. Along this long stretch of mountains are many peaks waiting explored; many new wildlife species encompassing snakes, lizards and frogs have been discovered from these mountains. Today, many more flora and fauna species are still waiting to be described and explored from these majestic places.

Weather and Climate at Malaysia

Malaysia has two distinct monsoon seasons, which hit both the Peninsular and Borneo. The North East Monsoon brings heavy rains to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) from October till February. Since this is the strongest wind, the heavy rains will often spill over even to the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia including Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi and Penang. The South West Monsoon from April till August brings rains to west coast, but it is very much mild in nature, and only results in showers and occassional thunder storms. The average temperatures range between 30°C - 35°C during the day and 27°C to 29°C during the night. When it rains heavily, the temperatures drop and can go all the way down to 24°C, especially during the early mornings.

introduction of Malaysia

Nature Malaysia

Southeast Asia

                               

Malaysia is located in the center of Southeast Asia, home to a vast range of tropical rainforest that teems with the wonders of nature. The amazing wildlife species found in this region have long been the fascination of researchers and explorers around the world. Divided into Peninsular Malaysia in the west and Borneo in the east, its natural heritage has been the subject of countless documentaries and continues to yield astounding discoveries today. The great diversity of life that you can only find here is well worth the journey among international tourists, much more so that development has yet to overtake it completely.

A small country that covers a land mass of 329,847 km², the deforestation rate here is one of the highest in the world, with less than 50% of primary rainforest left in Peninsular Malaysia while Borneo much worse. The total population is around 27 million people with a multi-racial society consisting of Indigenous tribes, Chinese, Indians and Malays. The country's political system is determined by an autocratic democracy. Besides nature, shopping is another major lure for conventional tourists to Malaysia. Expansive malls and large shopping complexes are a common sight in the large cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown and Johor Bahru.

To get here, there are several international airports located across the country, depending on where you want to visit; it is easy to book a flight through various aircraft carriers from your country of origin. MAS (Malaysian Airlines) flies to and from various destinations across the world, including Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom (Britain), China, India, Thailand, United States of America and many more. Air Asia is a budget carrier that now flies from various international destinations to Malaysia. Most flights will land or transit in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) but you can usually fly direct to your Malaysian destination of choice if it has an airport, such as Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Kuching (Sarawak).