My rainforest adventures in Malaysia

My rainforest adventures is moving!

2009-01-31T20:48:00.001+07:00

Hi everyone! Just to let you know that I will be moving my blog to a new site. The link is as below:

http://www.my-rainforest-adventures.com/

I am still working on the new site but most of the entries on this site has been transferred over. Most new entries will be on this new site.

With the new site going, I hope to be able to share with you more of my rainforest adventures here in Malaysia and the surrounding region!

Cheers,
KEONG

A beautiful morning by the lake…Part2

2009-01-22T19:21:00.004+07:00

As the morning approaches, I lie in my tent wondering how this natural freshwater lake of Malaysia would be like. I did not get much sleep even though I was dead tired from being on the road for hours the previous day . I remembered waking up several times through the night as I re-adjust my body to the uneven ground below me. It was getting colder and colder and my biggest regret was not bringing a sleeping bag. At around 5am, I took a peek outside, only a few feet of visibility and the entire area was enveloped in a shroud of morning fog. I wanted to head out and start exploring but my aching body was unwilling.

An hour or so later, I forced myself up and went about as the sunlight broke through the horizon. The silence all around was (in a way) very deafening. I could hear the crisp of dried leaves crushing on my feet as I made my way to the jetty. The wooden jetty creaked at almost every step I took as it tries to hold my weight (I am NOT light). I did not want to make too much noise in the morning. Hoping to see some wildlife, maybe some unsuspecting birds or even a wild boar would make my day. Reaching the end of the jetty, I sat down quickly and took in the splendor and serenity of the lake.

This picture do no justice to the actual beauty of Lake Bera

Not long after, John emerged from the comfort of his tent and soon joined me at the jetty. We both sat down, munching on some banana chips, taking in the beautiful silence of the lake as the fog retreats…revealing a sight like none I have ever seen before.

Our tents by the lake

The lake, supposing to cover an area of over 6000 hectares seems small from the jetty. The lake is alive with water foliage giving it a rustic yet lively look. Clumps of green bush forms tiny islands scattered all over the island.

Breakfast by the lake could not have been better. Egg omelet and baked beans with bread. A good friend, simple breakfast and a lake to die for, what else can one asks for?

A natural freshwater lake of Malaysia; a journey back in time…Part1

2009-01-21T20:24:00.008+07:00

Joining two enthusiastic friends, I recently visited a tranquil and almost hypnotic inland natural freshwater lake in the state of Pahang. Unlike the man made Tasik Kenyir in Terengganu, my experience at this natural freshwater lake gave me an insight to how life may have been hundred years ago.

We started our journey in the evening. Nature Guide John drove all the way. It was quite a long drive with several stops along the way to get supplies. We were planning to camp out, so canned sardines and instant Maggi noodles would be the order of the day. By the time we got to the town of Temerloh, the sun has set. It’s still a long way to go…so the journey begins.

Many stalls such as this along the way

Fresh fish, acar and salted fishes

On the way through Termeloh, we passed by some stalls selling local produce, which includes salted fish, acar, some kuih and freshwater fishes like Patin and Tilapia (African Mouth Breeders). The fishes are bred in the cages near the river banks. But…huh…were they pricey. A kilo of Tilapia was going at RM14! Same kind of fish, also from fish cages sold at major shopping centers in Klang valley only costs between RM4.50 to RM7.00 a kilo. Perhaps the fishes at Temerloh are tastier but for double the price in big cities, I’ll give it a pass.

Fish cages along the big river in Termerloh

No way I am paying RM14 a kilo for Tilapias!!

I have not been to this lake. John has visited this place once before and driving at night on this lightless road, surrounded by acres of palm oil estate can really be scary. It was pitch dark and the possibilities of running into animals like wild boars and cows is.

We drove slow and did a number of track backs. Missed some turns and some signboards were obviously missing. The directions we got from some of the locals weren’t all that helpful either. It was always the usual ‘not further down…’ or ‘near the fallen tree’. Somehow, we drove on and on and never seem to get to the place we wanted to nor did we come across a single fallen tree. There were fallen trees all over the place!

It took us close to 3 hours from the town of Temerloh to get to our destination. Our local contact has been waiting patiently for us. The last 10km of driving saw u weaving through narrow semi-paved roads in rubber plantations accompanied by the occasional pushbikes whooshing inches away from our car.

Stem and his son Moi have been expecting us. They are some of the friendliest and nicest souls I have ever met in my entire life. They offered us their bed in the simple wooden hut they call home but we had to decline. We brought tents and supplies…plus depriving them of their comfy bed is definitely not a nice thing to do.

After a bit of searching around, we finally found a suitable camp ground. A clearing near a jetty to the lake. It was already 11pm when we started pitching our tents. Our bodies ache and tire from the long drive but the anticipation for what’s in store the following day had our hearts beating. We can’t wait to see this natural freshwater lake of Malaysia.

Completed my Malaysian version of birch bark box; Part 2

2009-01-18T19:07:00.012+07:00

The strips of tree bark that I have soaked overnight have really soften up. This made work so much easier. This would in turn be the cordage I need for sewing the box together.

I started the sewing process by using just a simple stopper knot

Oooops…
I soon came to realize that perhaps this palm leave material is not all that suitable after all. The surface of the material is made up of small lines that make it very susceptible to tear. At this point, I realize that perhaps I should have aligned the lines vertically as opposed to horizontally to avoid tears. Then again doing that means that the tear may follow vertically.

Anyway, I did not want to re-do this. So, what I have come up with is a small strip to act to help reduce the stress that will tear the wall.

The small strip added to reduce stress

The stress is quite significant with the edge eagerly popping away

For the two ends of the box, I used this dried up wood. They are supposed to be used for my bow drill but what the heck  They are not the most ideal pieces around because they have that soft middle core. I decided to use them anyway as this is just my first attempt (experiment).

Shaping the wood pieces to fit the box

To keep the base piece in place, I decided to use the thorns from Boganvila.

As for the lid piece. Since the wood already has a soft inner core, I decided to thread it through and make a loop that will pull the lid off. I did a simple back splice to create the loop. Underneath the lid, the cordage is tied to a piece of stick.

It took me about 2 hours to complete this. It’s a hurried job and not pretty. Obviously there’s lots of room for improvement on this one. Below is the final product. Comments, suggestions are most welcomed.

My Malaysian version of birch bark box; Part 1

2009-01-14T19:45:00.003+07:00

I was inspired by the many posts on BCUK on the little boxes / containers made from birch barks so I decided to try to make a Malaysian version of it.

Of course in the Malaysian jungle, its much easier to just get bamboo for this purpose. But I thought the romance involved (the cutting, shaping, sewing etc) is much more enticing. So, this is my first attempt at it.

I live in KL, so the closest material to the birch bark I can find is this material from palm plant planted along the roads. Not sure what it is called but it could from the Royal Palm gang :P

I took one home, dried it and cut into pieces.

The material curls up once dried

Sox just can’t help but to sniff around when I am doing stuff

The cut up material plus some old, dried up tree barks for cordage

I started by rolling and then tying up the main material to the size that I wanted. Using a steel needle, made some holes for the stitching.

I need some cordage to sew the pieces together. So, I decided to use some of the bark from a tree I collected from the jungle recently. Turns out that they have harden, so into a bucket of water they go.

Some soaked tree bark to be used as cordage

To be continued…

My first attempt at a figure ‘4’ deadfall trap

2009-01-07T20:30:00.010+07:00

This is my first attempt making a figure 4 deadfall trap. The idea has been lingering in my head for quite some time after watching one of Les Stroud’s Survivorman series on Youtube.

Having watched it once done by Les Stroud, I can’t say that I really know what mechanism that really ‘makes’ the trap. All I know for sure is that it looks like a figure 4. I found a few more clips on youtube on the same trap, so…based on my memory, I attempted to make my first set at Sox’s Island.

Unfortunately, me and Meun brought Sox along (after all, it is her island). So, while I try to concentrate on making the trap, my mind was even more pre-occupied with Sox’s endless running exploring the place.

20 minutes into making the trap in the jungle, I had to give up. Me and Meun are just too worried that Sox may wander off, never to be found. Sox we love and not willing to loose.

So, many hours later, while watching TV, I picked up my Carbon Steel Mora and begin carving a set of figure ‘4’ deadfall trap from some leftover processed wood I got a few months back from the hardware shop for a home DIY project.

The pieces of wood and my Mora knife

The wood that I am using isn’t all that easy to work with. They are rather hard. But I was determined and my sharp carbon steel Mora really helped to make work faster and safer. There are 3 main pieces. Two that’s generally of the same length and the other is the longest that makes the horizontal piece of the ‘figure 4’ and is also the trigger for the whole trap. Below are pictures of the trap’s assembly.

Note the batteries at the end of the horizontal piece. Bait goes there

Note that there is a notch made, somewhat in the middle of the horizontal piece. I initially missed this part and scratched my head how to get the whole trap to work. See below for a clearer picture of the ‘notch’. The notch is not too deep though. It helps to make the ‘trap’ extra sensitive.

Don’t forget this notch!

Well, a little bit of fine tuning here and there and I finally manage to test out my deadfall trap. Below is a picture of the set-up.

So…what’s next? I would really like to try this trap out in the jungle. Curios to what kind of jungle animal I may catch. In the videos on Youtube, most uses a big heavy rock with a flat underside (to flatten the catch). Not so easy to find such rocks in the jungle (probably a good chance in Tioman’s jungle), so perhaps improvisation is the modus operandi. I am thinking of building a simple cage of bamboo or wood which is heavy enough to keep the catch inside.

Yup…can’t wait to go back into the jungle to try out my figure ‘4’ deadfall trap. But of course, the next time around, I will be using natural wood from the jungle and not wood from the hardware shop. Can’t wait….

Tree Top Walk of Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Perak.

2009-01-04T16:08:00.010+07:00

I enjoyed my visit to The Tree Top Walk of Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, Perak very much. Though getting there wasn’t easy, I would say that they trip was all worth it. The canopy walk was much more than what I have expected.

Entrance fee is RM10 for an adult and RM6 for children for a 925meters worth of nerve wrecking height among the trees. The structure used for the Tree Top Walk (TTW) in Sg Sedim is built onto the ground. Unlike the canopy walk in Taman Negara that is built between natural trees, this TTW gives me more confidence in terms of stability and built.

The Tree Top Walk in Sedim is built on artificial bases

The designs and built gives me the confidence

Yup…yup…I am afraid of heights. I admit it. The TTW in Sg Sedim is built using really huge metals, with railings and bolts at sizes I have never seen before. I honestly doubt if this is a local ‘Malaysian’ design.

One gotta have the stomach to take in the heights and occasional 'swaying'

A word of advice…go to the toilet and do what you need to do before you get onto the walkway. It’s almost a one kilometer walk and the height may actually make you freeze, so having to answer nature’s call while on the walkway isn’t a situation you want to be in!

There are signs such as these that helps to identify plants

Its a loooong way down

Height is one thing and although the structures are built on a solid foundation, I still felt the walkway sway at certain span of the bridge. This happens whenever there is a strong wind and also when there are other walking heavily along. Its kind of scary at the beginning but you’ll get used to it after a while. Along the walkway, there are many labels and signs indicating how high you are from the ground. It seriously is very high, some places more than 10 meters.

I am glad I made the road trip to The Tree Top Walk at Sungai Sedim that weekend. I had a great time with my wife, my mom and aunt. Though there are many other things to do there but I think only the Tree Top Walk of Sungai Sedim is worth the while.

Things to do at Sungai Sedim, Kulim

2009-01-01T10:18:00.007+07:00

There’s plenty of things to do at Sungai Sedim. The place itself is actually called Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim, sort of like a recreational park. Like many other hutan lipur around the country, the Sungai Sedim area has been ‘developed’ with basic amenities for visitors. These include parking area (RM2 per entry) public toilets (RM0.30 per entry), camp grounds, hostels etc. All of course comes at a minimal charge.

Sungai Sedim is also a river rafting place

Sg Sedim itself is a popular place for white water paddling. Rafts or kayaks, paddlers can expect to enjoy up to 15km of rapids. Worth noting though that water level can be rather disappointing, especially during dry seasons.

Even underneath the bridge became a picnic spot

When I visited the place in November 2008, the place was packed with weekenders. There were people camping but mostly having family picnics. People came with their families with carloads of supplies of home cooked food, picnic mats, rubber tubes and even sound boxes. The place was alive with mostly locals enjoying their holidays by the river.

There’s also an accommodation facility here. Dormitory style. I stayed here for a night the last time I visited the place. But back then, nothing much was available. We even had to head out to get feed. Now, the place is more organized, with catering and even some team building facilities

Hostel looks well maintained

Scaffolding and metals sheets for an abseil wall...I'll pass

This place is packed with locals. I felt a bit uneasy to be honest walking around this place. There were eyes following us cause we were obviously not locals. Sigh…

Anyway, I wasn’t there for a picnic but for the Tree Top Walk. And that my friends, is a really interesting experience! (next entry)

Click here to find out how to get to Kuala Sedim.

Sox’s Island; A fun day out for a furry friend in Malaysian jungle

2008-12-29T09:47:00.005+07:00

Our effort to turn Christmas day 2008 into Sox’s day out turned out extremely well. At Hulu Yam, not only did we manage to find a spot with no one around (that’s also probably because we arrive VERY early) but we also found a river with a small island on it!

Sox have been very apprehensive about getting into the water so far. She did not even attempt to go near the lake’s water edge on the way here. The island we thought would be perfect to let her off the leash without having her storming off into the jungle.

I carried Sox over onto the island but decided to leave the leash on. Just in case if she pulls that ‘sprint’ dash again, it would (hopefully) be easier for me to pull ‘catch’ her. I let go off the leash and she was on her way exploring the island. Me and Meun were both very happy seeing Sox exploring the island on her own. Sox seems to be enjoying every bit of it and we are like proud parents watching their daughter running around on her own for the very first time.
It wasn’t long before Sox got really comfy with the island. She was running around…round and round, chasing every single thing that caught her attention. It’s like a small kid in a toy shop…amazed with the world around.

Sox chasing and barking at a floating leaf

Sox and I playing chase on the river

We spent like an hour half on that island. Meun and I enjoyed the dip, Sox enjoyed her run around and ‘freedom’ in the bush. Soon, it was time to go back. The long leash came back to affect but Sox didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps she had her fill of freedom for one day. So much so that she fell asleep as soon as we started the journey back home.

Our angel sleeping in the car after a fun day out in the jungle
Meun was right. We had lots of fun with Sox on her first day out in the bush. The trip has also somehow changed Sox’s perception on car rides. The following day as I was finished washing the car, Sox jumped straight right in without having to even coax her with treats. Yeah…Sox had a real fine day out and we’ll definitely plan another trip again.

Sox’s day out in tropical jungle of Malaysia; the journey

2008-12-27T10:06:00.006+07:00

A young Sox
Here’s our little darling...Sox. Sox is a mongrel that somehow decided to make our house her home. I was away in Tioman island when she came to the house. Meun called in a frantically panic yet cute way “Dear...there’s a dog in the house. It won’t go away...it’s so cute”.
We have always wanted a dog and Sox chose us rather than the other way around. Its been close to half a year that Sox has been part of us. She is funny, energetic and full or expression. Though we try to spend as much time as we can with her, walking her around the housing area etc, deep down we know that Sox is a really an adventurer to bone. She’ll sometimes dash out the gate without her leash for a quick run, with me screaming at the top of my lungs for her to stop. She will look back but continue running. Right until she has had enough, she’d probably stop, give me that sorry face that will melt the coldest heart.

Anyway, Meun has been insisting that we have Sox as part of us on one of the jungle trips. Rather than Sox tagging along, it turns out to be us tagging along eventually! We want to make it Sox’s day out as well as an opportunity for her to learn to like car rides. So far, her car rides have not been pleasant as it has only been to the vet only. We want to change that. We don’t want her to associate car rides with sanitized, masked man with syringes and cold stainless steel tables only. Every time we were to start the car and call out her name, she would run away with tail between her legs.

So, we want to bring Sox out to the bush. Where she can roam free (on a VERY long leash), preferably a place with a river to see if she is okay with water. It is not easy to plan a trip in Malaysia for a dog. With a majority of Muslim friends, one has to be sensitive to their religious constraints. So, it took us a while to figure out a place that would be suitable.

Our curious and very ‘keh-po’ Sox

We packed the night before. Our minimum kits, Sox’s provisions, some food and a REALLY long piece of leash. The next morning at 6am on Christmas day and we were already in the car heading towards Hulu Yam area. Yup, it had to be THAT early in the morning to avoid the traffic as well as the public.

It was still pitch dark when we started our day

Along the way, we stopped at a big freshwater lake to give Sox a breather from the car ride. She was ecstatic!

Sox...checking out the surrounding

The quick stop at the lake must have made Sox realize that this car ride is different. We learnt a very important lesson during this ‘short’ stopover. We somehow ‘stupidly’ decided that maybe we can let her off her leash and let her roam free. The instance the leash was off...Sox went on her usual merry-go-round sprint. She even jumped over a big drain onto the road. That really freaked me and Meun out. Thank God there were no vehicles on the road. We finally manage to get her and the leash went on. Phew…

A freaky experience for us but obviously an exhilarating one for Sox. As we continued our journey, she took the front seat, literally.

Sox taking over the driver’s seat!

Well, the rest of the journey to Hulu Yam saw Sox perked up like a Cheetah looking out for its prey. Sox seems to be saying “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?....There yet?” Yeah...we got there eventually...

To be continued...

Getting to the Tree Top Walk, Sungai Sedim in Kulim

2008-12-26T15:56:00.005+07:00

Now…get this. Do you know that the longest tree top walk in the world is in Malaysia? Well, it is and it is situated among the big jungle trees in Sungai Sedim, Kulim Kedah.

The place is called The Tree Top Walk Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim. I am not sure what are the differences between a tree top walk and a canopy walk. I have done the canopy walk in Taman Negara eons ago and the only difference I noticed was that the one in Kulim is built on a permanent structure from the ground up with most of the walkways suspended on these supporting beams. The one in Taman Negara on the other hand is built with most of its walkway suspended from natural trees.

Me and my better half decided to explore this ‘world’s most’ during one of our road trips back to my hometown in Kedah. I couldn’t really remember how to get to the Tree Top Walk in Sungai Sedim although I have visited it two years ago. Back then, it was a work-recee trip, trying to establish a route for an adventure race (which did not happen).

Anyway, from Sg. Petani, we headed on the PLUS highway towards Butterworth. We then turn off onto the Butterworth Kulim Expressway (BKE) highway and drove straight into Kulim. Sungai Sedim is roughly 33km from the town of Kulim.

It was not easy finding this place. Unfortunately, like many other ‘Malaysian’ projects, there was barely enough signboards to get us there. We stopped no less than 3 times to get directions. Anyway, one local told us to head into the Kulim Hi-Tech Park and head on straight. We passed the Hi Tech park and that is only when we saw more signboards pointing the way.

Not many signboards to show the way, so ask around
After the kulim Hi Tech park, it was mostly winding, narrow and ‘remote’ road all the way in. Going in felt like forever.

Drive carefully as there are many of these locals on the side of the roads

There are more signboards within the few kilometers from Sungai Sedim

Closing on to the Sungai Sedim area, I can’t help but notice that the access road was still under repair and construction. 2 years ago when I visited this place, they were already working on the road and the bridge. In November 08, they are still working on it. Imagine the irony of building and completing the world’s longest canopy walk to then only worry about the access roads. Sigh…I sometimes wonder if there was any forward thinking plan in place when they decided to work on this project.

Even this welcome arch is still in works!
Finally, we arrived.

An easy walk in the jungle to a waterfall

2008-12-23T20:35:00.007+07:00

An easy walk in the jungle to a waterfall is a dream come true for me. Unlike the 3 to 4 hours treacherous trek into Perlus waterfall and the hardcore (for me it is) 4WD ride into Tibang falls (I will post this a bit later on), my recent walk in the jungle was pleasantly easy.

I doubt if I would have found this waterfall in Perting, near Bentong without nature guide HappyYen’s help. He has been there several times, so I felt quite confident that we weren’t on a wild goose chase.

We drove my small red tank. The access paved road to Perting waterfall is generally okay. Sedans can make it to the end easy. With the car parked, we trotted into someone’s property and came to the river crossing. Yup, 2 minutes into the walking trail and we were already wadding through knee deep waters. Was I glad I had my Adidas kampung on! It would have been frustrating if I wore my pair of Merrel trail shoes!

After the river crossing, its easy peasy all the way. Gradual climb with well established trail. Oh…a word of caution, plenty of leeches. And leeches are always a good sign of wildlife and just after the river, we stumbled upon these prints. The prints are not fresh but they are still very visible.

Looks like this place is wild boar 'friendly'

Some HUGE print this is! Who could it belong to?
Along the way, HappyYen introduced me to some wild jungle plants. I saw some Senduduk Bulu and Mahang Telinga Gajah. Some sights along the trails: ‘

Fungus on some fallen tree

A very odd 'twist' to this plant

Well, not as interesting as Perlus but then again not as tough either. Under an hour and we are already at the waterfall. But the last 10meters to the waterfall was steep. Really really steep. It would be really difficult to descend if it was raining heavily.

A very steep decent down to the river

The descend felt longer than the entire trail. One slip and you’d probably be gliding all the way down. Not to worry though, there’s plenty of rocks and trees along the way to ‘stop’ you! Cross the river to the other side and walaaah….Perting Waterfall

For a waterfall that’s so easy to access, there’s bound to be a catch. The place was rather littered and there’s a big group camping there. Some guys were perched on the rocks with fishing rods, only to realize later than another group has set-up a net in the river. Well, there go the fishes.

I enjoyed this easy walk in the jungle to Perting waterfall. Its near to KL and is relatively unknown. There seems to be a lot of wildlife and spaces to explore here, so I’ll definitely be back.

Nature Guide HappyYen

2008-12-22T19:04:00.003+07:00

This is nature guide HappyYen. He is one of the most interesting persons I have ever met in the jungle to be honest. Our paths first crossed at Chilling Waterfall in Kuala Kubu Baru. The next time around, we met in the jungles of Ulu Sendat during a bush course. Then there was the trip to the waterfalls in Simpang Pulai and Sungai Nenggiri. He kept on popping up whenever I am heading out into the bush.

So, I recently decided that perhaps I should purposely plan a trip with him. So, off we went to a waterfall in Bentong Pahang on a lazy Sunday morning. I was glad he came along because there is no way I would be able to find the waterfall without him. I guess the trip allowed me the opportunity to know him better as well as to find out why he calls himself HappyYen and the reason behind his obsession with Chilling waterfall and adventure.

HappyYen is probably one of the most outspoken, lively and sociable friends I have come to know. His opinions about life, human relations and everyday things have definitely prompted me to look at things from a different light. A person who really loves his food, this is one Malaysian nature guide who, in a spur of the moment will set off in search of good food, the biggest Chengal tree and even exotic jungle animals!

HappyYen can be contacted at 017-369 7831

A Langkawi resort with jungle animals

2008-12-18T19:58:00.013+07:00

I have stayed in many resorts but this is probably the only Langkawi resort with jungle animals that I have ever stayed in! This resort is really something.

It wasn’t the rooms, the service and not even the food that impressed me. Rather it is the amount of wildlife I saw during my stay in the resort. The animals weren’t in cages. They were roaming around free going about with their usual activities without much care about the people around them.

For a 5 star resort, I would imagine that this place would be sanitized of any animals, let alone wild animals. The first day there, I was out walking and I saw this monitor lizard crossing the road. It didn’t dash off upon seeing me. Instead, it actually allowed me to get just within a few feet to photograph her. The lizard really reminds me of Tioman island where it is also teaming with monitor lizards. For a resort that transports its guests around on minibuses, I am surprised that there is not a single road kill around, especially a monitor lizard.

Nothing special I suppose. Out of no where I heard some noises coming from the roof of one of them chalets. I looked up and I was surprised to see a group of Duskie Leaf Monkeys (Trachypithecus obscurus). Also known as the Spectacle leaf Monkey (obviously!), they are more commonly known by the locals as Lotong. They are cute! And best of all, they just got on with whatever they were doing even with me sending bolts of lights at them to take pics.

There are many Duskie Leaf Monkeys on this resort

I later found out that the resort have rather strict rules when it comes to dealing with the jungle animals that makes their property part of their home. There can be no trapping or killing strictly. No wonder the jungle animals of Langkawi flourishes here.

Oh…that’s not all, besides the common and destructive Macaque, I also manage to spot many squirrels and lizards. This resort is like a wildlife sanctuary!
Having seen the Macaques, Langgors, squirrels, lizards and a monitor lizard, I never imagined that this resort would have anything else to offer. Until I saw this perculiar thing clinging to a tree. It was motionless but it just doesn’t seem to be part of the tree.

A closer look and it turns out to be a Flying Lemur (Cynocephalus Variegatus). I was astounded. I have trekked some jungles and here I am face to face with a Flying Lemur in a 5 star resort in Langkawi! And mind you, the resort was operating on almost full capacity most of the time. I stood there staring at it in amazement.

My friend had to pull me away for lunch. During lunch, I spoke to one of the waiters and he said that the resort has not one but a few resident Flying Lemur. What??!! Not one but a few. I thought this guy was just pulling my leg until the final there, just before check out hour, I saw these on two separate coconut trees.

On a coconut tree just by the pool in broad daylight!

Two Flying Lemur on one coconut tree! A couple perhaps?

In total, I saw 4 different Flying Lemur individuals. 4 individuals on a 5 star resort’s property! What resort is this? Naaa…I am not telling. Suffice to say that it is an expensive 5 star Langkawi hotel and I am not doing free advertisement for them.

Adidas kampung; the ultimate tropical jungle shoe

2008-12-15T19:13:00.009+07:00

Adidas kampung- shoes for the tropical jungle

The Adidas kampung is a popular shoe when it comes to choosing the right shoe for tropical jungle of Malaysia. This cheap yet practical piece of footwear has decorated the feet of Malaysians for generations, especially among rubber tapers and estate workers for as long as the independent of Malaysia perhaps. Its light, fully water resistant and simple design makes it even more attractive among those venturing into a jungle that is constantly wet and humid.

Adidas Kampung is up for anything. They are shoes for jungle hiking. Great footwear for tropical water paddling and they make excellent tropical shoes for river crossing and general camp wear.

There are a number of designs for this rubber shoe. The one characteristic that makes the shoe stands out is the fact that it is wholly made of rubber. Some comes with fake shoelaces (they are actually rubber, part of the shoe itself) and some do come with simple cords.

Why is shoe called Adidas Kampung? Well, there is this one particular model that comes with studded soles. The entire shoe is still made of rubber and the sides are painted with 4 yellow stripes. Because of these stripes and the fact that they are the only ones normal kampung folks can afford as soccer boots…hence the name Adidas Kampung. The name was so popular that it is used to blanket almost all the similar types of rubber shoes available.

Looks familiar? The four yellow stripes that makes an Adidas Kampung

There are a number of reasons why this rubber shoe is the preferred choice by many locals for the tropical jungle. Its construction of being 100% rubber makes it fully water repellent, easy to drain out water and easy to dry. Compare this with any of the boots we can find in the shopping mall, to dry a pair would probably require only some dabbing with a piece of dry cloth! But of course, the rubber wear is by far not a perfect shoe. There are a few things one got to remember when using them.

For jungle use and river crossing, some people would actually recommend making two small holes on the sides of the shoe to help drain out water. Some models already come with ‘holes’ but more often than not, they are sealed tight out from the factory. But it is easy to solve this. Just grab a scissors or a knife and make the holes yourself. Very easy.

Use a sharp knife to make them holes

In the Malaysian jungle, crossing rivers and being drenched by constant rain makes any pair of our normal shoes a nightmare to walk in. The only setback I would say with these rubber shoes are its lack of ankle support and not so durable soles. The shoes are no hi tech bit of gear, they are simple and very basic. Their soft soles mean that they get eroded or eaten in much faster than usual shoes. This is especially when one walks on tarmac.

I have two pairs . One pair I use as my tropical jungle footwear and the other I keep in my motorbike’s storage box. I change into them whenever I travel in the rain to keep my work shoes dry.

Honestly, I don’t think anything beats the Adidas Kampung for light or medium walk in the jungle. For longer expeditions and trips, perhaps the more robust jungle boots would be much more suitable.

Thinking of those Cr*@s sandals? Well, if you can afford them to be thrashed in the jungle, then go ahead. Also, Cr*@s do not give you the traction you need, no matter what they claim. Have seen them worn on tracks, you can see how they ‘slide’ when it rains.

This new pair of Adidas kampung for my wife costs only RM4.80!

But with prices ranging between RM5 and RM10 per pair (yet another reason why they are the best jungle shoe) as compared to the hundreds of ringgit for a pair of Cr*@s, the decision is more than obvious I think.

Where to buy adidas kampung? If you are in KL town, some hardware stalls around Chow Kit or Jln Ipoh sells them. The Pasar Malam opposite Sunway Pyramid every Wednesday nights have them too.
Out of K.L? Head to almost any hardware, sundry or shops selling agriculture products and you are likely to find them. This is especially true with places where there’s many rubber plantations.

So…to summarize:

Pros:

Water-repel, easy to dry.

Cheap…really cheap

Practical (use it to walk, camp use and rivers)

Easy to obtain

Field proven

Almost zero maintenance

Cons:

May not provide the support needed for tough climbs/ treks

Soles wear out pretty fast

Soles are soft, vulnerable to punctures. One can literally feel what’s been stepped on

Shoe may ‘slip’ when descending steep slopes

A Malaysia lake holiday… Kenyir boat house Part 2; Cooking & hygiene

2008-12-08T05:47:00.008+07:00

There is really not a better Malaysia lake holiday than a Kenyir boat house. Ask any Malaysian what’s important when holidaying and I am quite sure food is one of them. On a boat house, you have control over the food you’ll be eating because you can cook them yourself!

You can prepare and cook your meals in the ‘mini’ kitchen on a boathouse. A typical boat house comes with basic cooking area. Do not expect refrigerators, blenders or ovens though. Expect basic stoves, food preparation table, basic utensils etc. Some of the operators provide food catering as part of their services. Consider this if your group is hopeless in cooking! Alternatively, you can stock up your own food supply in an ice box and prepare your own food. However, note that most boat crews are local Malay Muslims. When you choose to prepare your own food, you will be required to share your meals with the crew (as a courtesy as well), so make sure your food is acceptable to their religion and belief. If you plan to bring your own beverages (beer, liquor etc), do inform the operators in advance so as not to offend them. However, getting drunk is not only impolite but is also very dangerous when you are floating on big open waters.

Most Kenyir boathouse kitchens are very basic
Depending on your cooking ability (and loads of creativity), food on a boathouse can be really good. The fresh fish comes from the lake and with some basic ingredients, you and your group can really enjoy some good tasting food.

A great Malaysia lake holiday…good friends & great food!

Everyone digging in
Toilets are available of course. Then again, toilets are most basic with most waste going back into the lake. A complete recycle circle they say. Most are squatting type but I am sure some of the more ‘flashy’ boathouse would come equipped with seat toilets, water heaters etc.

Water supply for the entire boathouse comes from the lake itself. There will be a water pump that fills up the water tank on top of the boathouse, supplying to all water needs. It is therefore best that one boils the water before drinking.

Yet again, most are very basic, squatting types generally. I have to admit that all the boats that I have been on have the wastes going straight back into the lake.

Night time can be very peaceful and extremely dark. Boat houses come equipped with electric generators. However, most operators do not operate their generators throughout the night. Generators are not only noisy but they pollute the air around. Lights out are usually around 11pm. It is wise to bring your own head torches or at least hand torches, just in case you need to get up in the middle of the night to answer nature calls.

To me, Tasik Kenyir is the ultimate Malaysia lake holiday there is. With good company, fishing, good food and hours on a boathouse enjoying the beautiful lake, what more can one ask for?

Holiday on Lake Kenyir boat house Part 1; A Malaysia lake adventure

2008-12-04T18:24:00.005+07:00

A lake holiday in Tasik Kenyir can really be a wonderful experience. What better way to do it than on a boat house! With all the basic comforts of a home, one can really get use to living on a boat house in a lake surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. I would call it the rainforest accommodation on water.

We packed like tonnes of gear, not too mention people

I manage to dig out some pictures of one of my trips to Kenyir somewhat in 2007. It was a trip organized among a bunch of us from the same company. Almost 10 of us, 4 kayaks, a whole load of food and supplies and a beat-up van to bring us there. Oh… not forgetting the fishing rods as well.

I remembered the van struggling up Karak highway. I have never experienced being in a vehicle at full capacity yet doing like 10km/h. I swore one could actually overtake the van on foot. But after an enduring 9 hours (half asleep) drive on the road, we finally made it to the lake…with the van still in one piece…hooray!

Spirits were high. We were all very excited to get away from the office and be able to do anything but work. All 10 of us, plus the kayaks, gears and other stuff goes on the boat house we chartered with ease. There’s a lot of space to spare actually.

This is the boathouse me and my mates actually hired once. Big and comfortable.

There’s also the engine room, the captain’s bridge and the staff cabins. The captain’s bridge of course is not as high-tech as one would expect. They are rather basics, with the huge wheel, a radio and at times a GPS. Yup, the locals know the lake like the back of their hand and they use landmarks to tell the way. Note that most boat houses do not anchor up and sail at night. It is almost impossible to navigate in the pitch dark. Negotiating floating logs, sandbars and even crossing animals in the blanket of darkness is risky business.

With rates ranging from RM800 to RM1500 per nite depending on the ‘frills’ and little comforts that one can afford. This trip, we took a basic Kenyir boathouse. It has an upper deck which is the sleeping area and it fits all of us just fine..

One open sleeping area!

For hygiene purposes, I would suggest that you bring your own sleeping bag, bed sheet etc. The ‘upper’ deck can be rather hot during the daytime (unless the boat is under a big shade) but temperature can drop rather drastically during the night time. In any case, during the day time you ought to be swimming, fishing, paddling and enjoying yourself. Not sleeping!

Bring your own kayak for a paddle!

To be continued...

Tasik Kenyir boat house; Malaysia lake rainforest accommodation

2008-12-01T20:18:00.006+07:00

A Tasik (Malay language for lake) Kenyir boat house is arguably one of the best ways to explore this huge man-made lake. With an area of over 260km2, one would require a mode of transportation that is self sufficient, comfortable and practical to see the most of the lake. What better way to do it on a Tasik Kenyir boat house.

Some boathouse looks rundown but can be very comfortable inside

I have visited Tasik Kenyir several times. Each time I go there (usually for relaxing and fishing), I will engage one of them boat house. They are not super fancy but enough to make my stay relaxing and enjoyable. Imagine a boat house as a moving caravan home on water. They have all the basics you need. This include toilet, sleeping area, cooking area and some even comes with TV lounge.

The boat houses in Kenyir are mostly modified fishing boats. The boats are extended on each side with cylindrical metal pontoons. This not only increase the flooring space but it also increases the stability of the boat tremendously. The best part is that because the lake is fresh water, the metal pontoons do not rust easily. There are no barnacles growing on it, the most you will see is green moss.

There’s ample space around a boathouse for you to relax and absorb the scenery around

With the pontoons in place, there are now more ‘base’ for to build more space on the boat. Platforms are extended to the sides, back and front portion. What follows is then the upper floor, where the ‘accommodation’ blocks are located.

There are no fixed designs for the boats. I have seen many versions of Tasik Kenyir boat house and they varies, perhaps by the creativity of the builder and also the amount of ‘bells & whistles’ the owner/ financier wants to put in. Some Kenyir boat house comes with all the modern facilities like satellite TV, water heaters and even a karaoke set. It all depends on what one’s liking and budget.

The boat houses are normally accompanied by at least two caretakers. They spend most of their time at the captain’s helm and ensuring that everything is in order. Engines are typically very noisy and being diesel engines, they have this very strong smell.

The boat houses don’t travel very fast thanks to its design drag, weight and possibly the engine capacity as well. This I think is a good thing. Fast moving vessels like speedboats create way too much waves/ ripples that they break and corrode the loose soils at the shore line. Over the years, islands gets smaller and shoreline becomes a steep drop, making it very difficult for anyone (or any animal) to land on.

What I like most about the Tasik Kenyir boat house is its ability to travel to almost any part of the lake. It provides the basics necessities while is still and adapts well to the natural surrounding of the lake. The boat house is so flexible that you can probably move it from point A to point B anytime and with ease. It allows me (and my mates) to choose where and how we wanna spend our time on this beautiful and enchanting lake… away from the nosy neighbors and work. Blissful…

Fishing in Tasik Kenyir; A Malaysia lake adventure

2008-11-26T20:58:00.009+07:00

Tasik Kenyir fishing is one activity you would not want to miss in this huge man made lake. It is a Malaysia lake adventure you would not want to miss.

This group is definitely on a fishing trip with all the smaller boats being tugged along

I have done a few fishing trips to Tasik Kenyir. Me and my mates normally hire a boat house and spend about 3 days 2 nights out on the lake fishing and relaxing.

There are plenty of them fishes in the lake

I am not a serious angler myself but the occasional thrill of reeling in the fish is so very satisfying. It makes the 9 hours road drive and few hundred ringgits spent really worth it. I have caught fishes like Lampam (Puntius schwanenfeldii), Baung (Mystus sp), Sunhok or Ketutu, Sebarau (Hampala macrolepidota) and of course the famous Toman (Channa micropeltes). Of many shapes and sizes, some fishes are however very illusive and difficult to catch. Depsite my multiple fishing trips, I have never once caught the famed Kelah or Malaysian Mahseer (Tor tambroides).

Baits used to fish in Tasik Kenyir varies and at times a matter of preference. Different fish prefers different kind of baits of course. You can use artificial lures to attract fishes like Sebarau and Toman but very unlikely for you to land a Lampam or Baung. If you are not sure about which bait to use, ask the locals there. I have used bread, earth worms, insects, fermented palm seeds (Kelah’s favorite), life frogs and even chicken intestines. Catfish loves that kind of stuff.

Since Tasik Kenyir itself is huge, one starts to wonder where to even drop the line. My experience there (and the local guides) tells me that the fishes are normally found around the shallow waters of the lake. Some parts of the lake is 100 feet or more deep. I really wonder if anything can survive in that depth. Most of the good fishing is nearing to the shores or at the river mouths.

Fishing around shallow waters, especially for Tomans

As for myself, I admit that I am not much of an angler. The fishes I caught back when I was a kid seem to be much bigger than even the ones I see at the wet market. Then again, even the wet market seems so much bigger when I was a small 15 year old. And ever notice how the person next to you seems to be reeling in more (and bigger) fishes than you? Well, that is sort of the ‘norm’ when I go fishing. So, my mates know where exactly to position their rods each time.

My good mate Ben beaming with joy with his catch

Then of course there are moments when you just wonder why the other person have such good luck. I witness a guy pulling in a huge Toman once and from that day on, I reckon I am just not born with the ‘fishing luck’.

Look at the size of this Toman compared to my 25 liters Osprey daypack!

Snakes Malaysia; A (too) close encounter with an Ular Kapak Hijau

2008-11-23T19:12:00.005+07:00

I recently had a (really) close encounter with one of Malaysian snakes that is super-poisonous it seems. The irony of it all was that I (nor anyone from the group I was with) realize how potent this snake is. After innocently posting a picture of the snake on this blog, my good bush friend Pak Abu manages to identify it as a Pit Viper. Now Pit Viper s doesn’t sound friendly at all do they?

This is the snake I saw during a trek up to Perlus Waterfall with a group of walkers. It was lying all curled up on small tiny branches just about ankle height off the ground in the middle of the walking path. I was the last person walking in the group when I suddenly saw a few walkers stopping in the middle of the trail, squatting and snapping pictures. There were giggles and laughter…that made me really curious.

Turns out to be a small green snake. Unknowingly, yours sincerely too took the opportunity to take some photos. There were some leaves covering it, so I moved them leaves with a stick I found nearby (this is probably the smartest thing I did that day). I manage to get closer, a couple of inches away to take the picture. As I am writing this, scenes of Austin Stevens (of Animal Planet, NOT the wrestling dude) fooling with poisonous snakes flash through my mind. I am just glad I wasn’t dumb enough to follow his ‘actions’ that day.

Could this be Trimeresurus hageni?

Photos I took and to the waterfall I continued on. I have been to some jungle but never really come across a snake like this. During my childhood when I was growing up in the small town of Baling, Kedah, my dad always shared scary stories about a particular snake called Ular Kapak. He told me that some of the locals call it Ular Kapak Bodoh (Ular-Snake, Kapak- Axe, Bodoh- Stupid). They call it so because it choose to curl up in the middle of walkways, paved roads even and will remain there no matter what. Even if someone or something comes along and it decides to puncture the ‘visitor’ with venom filled fangs, it will still stand its ground and continue curled up at the same spot…as if nothing had happened.

This is especially dangerous for local villagers, especially at nights. Riding bicycles or motorbikes, it is common back then to see riders (and pillions) to raise both their legs high up in the air whenever they see a pile of ‘something’ on the road ahead. Even if it turns out to be just a pile of cow dung. But if it is the Ular Kapak Bodoh, there is a probability that it will strike at you. With legs raised up high, passer by will be spared from the snake’s venomous bite. Thanks to it’s ‘bodoh-ness’ of not edging away, locals will then stop their vehicle, find a piece of long stick or bamboo and finish the snake off. End of another ‘road’ menace they say.

Oops…back to this snake. Thanks to Pak Abu, I think I have managed to track down exactly what it is. It is called the Indonesian Pit Viper or Trimeresurus hageni. Local Malaysians call it Ular Kapak Hijau. This (and any other pit vipers for the matter) is not a snake you want to mess around with. All Pit Vipers species in Malaysia it seems injects the hemotoxic venom that degenerates body tissues and destroys blood cells. They have this diamond shaped head and their venom is so potent that they can kill an adult human.

I wondered that day why this particular snake did not move away… not even an inch despite so many people walking by (it was still there when I started walking back from the waterfall). Probably because it is nocturnal. Perhaps it is the ‘way’ of the Trimeresurus hageni or perhaps it is deep in slumber from a good meal. Or perhaps like Pak Abu said… ‘it has nothing to fear coz it knows for a fact that it can bring you down with just one strike’. I rest my case.

Kota Tinggi Waterfall Resort

2008-11-21T19:02:00.012+07:00

The Kota Tinggi Waterfall Resort is located in the southern peninsula state of Johor. A mere 16km (north-west) from Kota Tinggi and about 60km from Johor Bahru, it is no wonder that this resort is popular among locals and Singaporeans alike.

While the Kota Tinggi waterfall itself is the main attraction at this resort, one can help but notice the presence of ‘Sunway Lagoon theme park’ here. The waterfall and part of its downstream river has been turned into a water park facility complete with artificial water slides.

This reminds me of Sunway Lagoon theme park!

It is no wonder that this resort is getting around 300 visitors per day on a typical weekend. Holiday makers throng this place. Besides the water activities, there are also other facilities built to cater to visitor’s needs. I saw a squash court, a swimming pool, a big hall, a big canteen, rows of stalls and picnic tables.

As for accommodation, I was informed that the Kota Tinggi resort offers accommodation from the basic camping ground to the cozier hotel type rooms

The camping ground

Different types of accommodation facilities to suit different needs

Ample parking space, nice accommodation blocks, a naturally beautiful waterfall complete with water slides, this Kota Tinggi Waterfall resort looks very well maintained operated. The rivers are clean from rubbish and fishes can be seen in deeper pools, I would say that this place is well run and managed despite its location in the midst of the Malaysian jungle.

Do I think it is worth visiting? I would say yes but not on weekends with 300 people around!
Do I want to stay there overnite? Nope…I will take the bush anytime.

Kota Tinggi waterfall in Johor

2008-11-19T18:11:00.006+07:00

Kota Tinggi waterfall is another waterfalls of Malaysia worth visiting. For a place that is so commercialized, the place really isn’t doing all that bad.

Finding the waterfall isn’t difficult. Just head into Kota Tinggi and there are plenty of ‘air terjun’ signboards to guide you all the way. Off the main road towards the falls, the roads becomes narrower and a little bit winding. At one point, I was wondering if we took a wrong turn.

Unlike the Perlus waterfall where one would have to hike for hours to reach the falls, getting to the Kota Tinggi waterfall can be done in the comfort of your motorized vehicle. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by an arch toll booth. Yup…you need to pay an entrance fee to enjoy this waterfall. I can’t really remember how much (my group got in free this time!) but I don’t think if it’s anything more than RM10 per adult person.

The lower Kota Tinggi waterfalls

There are 2 main falls and several small cascades. The first fall is located just towards the end of the main road. To reach the upper falls, one would have to walk about 10 minutes via a specially built walkway. Visitors ought to be careful walking up the walkway as it is rather slippery.

Most walkway are paved, built with handrails but they can still be very slippery

The upper Kota Tinggi waterfalls is much impressive but if off limits for swimming

The upper Kota Tinggi waterfalls is definitely much more impressive than the first one. The walkway will end closest to the falls for visitors to enjoy the cool breeze and beauty of it all. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall however is off limits. Due to safety and conservation reasons perhaps.

A huge net stretched across the river with signs to warn people

The Kota Tinggi waterfall is really nice despite the fact that it is highly commercialized. Perhaps the entry fee and private company running the place is helping the place to stay clean and attractive.

Perlus Waterfall…Final part

2008-11-15T16:40:00.006+07:00

This is the Perlus waterfall. It is a magnificence tropical rainforest rainforest waterfall. For a location that is barely an hour’s drive away from the heart of KL city, I would say that I am impressed…really impressed.

All things come at a price of course. This waterfall takes about 4 hours to walk. For someone who is fit, they can perhaps do it under 3 hours. I would consider this as a moderate trek. Not forgetting the trail was mostly up all the way on bush trail.

The trail’s elevation according to my GPS

The route mapped against GoogleEarth

The above to pictures are put together through the Garmin GPS I have recently invested in. I think they are super cool stuff. Sorry, but at this point, I am still learning how to put the GPS and Google Earth together. For the time being, the above is the best I can manage.

My effort of putting on the leech socks was only partially successful. I still had leech bites but they were all above my waist. Yup...I had one near the waistline, one on the chest and another on my shoulders. I was practically drenched in blood thanks to the blood anticoagulant. As for the leeches, I guess all of us in the group that day had our share of leech bites. They weren’t painful but they do leave a horrible itch that lasts for days.

Everyone enjoyed the waterfall. There were obvious signs of campers on the small flat ground near the waterfall. There’s a fire pit, strung strings and of course rubbish. After some feed, a bit of washing up and dip in the waterfall, we were all refreshed and ready to head back.

I like Perlus waterfall. I don’t really enjoy the waterfall itself but the hike and the amount of things to see is simply awesome. The next time around, I would really like to camp inside there and just to simply enjoy the jungle. In a month of two perhaps?

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (plants) and Part 4 (animals) of my Perlus rainforest waterfall adventure.

Tropical jungle animals of Perlus Waterfall…Part 4

2008-11-13T18:03:00.010+07:00

Compared to the jungle plants of Perlus waterfall, I would have to say that the tropical jungle animals of Perlus waterfall have to be the highlight of this trip. This second visit to Perlus waterfall showcased some of the most amazing tropical animals I have ever seen.

We didn’t have to explore off the trail to see these animals. They were like ‘exposing’ themselves to be seen, wanting to be photographs and appreciated. This is especially true for this particular snake. Not only was it lying low on some small plants but it was also right in the middle of the trail. With so many people walking pass it (some probably had a brush with it), the snake stood its ground and did not move much.

This snake is beautiful!

I was really excited seeing it. A bit scared to get close to it but can’t help it. It is stunningly beautiful. Some of the group did not notice the snake as they headed into the falls. So, I decided to head back first to see if I can find it again. Sure enough, the snake was still there, waiting for its eager audiences.

We saw a predator that day and we also say one of its meals perhaps. This green frog was seen sitting on a leaf, enjoying the peacefulness of the jungle when suddenly there were flashes of bright lights and human chatter around it. Despite all the chaos, the frog didn’t move a bit, allowing everyone a chance to take pictures.

Other usual jungle animals we saw along the way includes some dragonflies, millipedes and ants. Below are some of them pictures.

The giant ants of the jungle

Manage to capture only its ‘rear’ before it flew away

Why do I have this strong feeling that this millipede would stink

Really nice looking dragonfly

Both the frog and the snake especially were a welcome change to my jungle walk experience. It goes to demonstrate how unique and (to a certain extent) how pristine this jungle of Perlus waterfall is. While there is beauty and sign of wildlife abundance in the area, unmistakably there will be certain people who would try to exploit or even hunt them down. Along the trail, I spotted this trap. A ‘enlarged’ version of the common rat trap, this trap looks big enough to fit a small kid.

An animal trap fashioned from the common mouse trap

While the presence of the trap is a sad addition to the jungle, perhaps it is the Orang Asal’s way of life to hunt for jungle animals to feed themselves. Subsistence living through such hunting is perhaps acceptable for as long as the animals are not over hunted and exploited.

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of my Perlus rainforest waterfall adventure.

Tropical jungle plants of Perlus Waterfall…Part 3

2008-11-11T21:30:00.011+07:00

There are a lot of interesting jungle plants on the trail to Perlus waterfall. A botanist will surely have a good time exploring this jungle for its entire flora splendor. Nature guide John Chan pointed out several types of Senduduk besides a variety of other useful plants.

One part of the trek that really stood out is this particular area with loads of bamboo. It’s like walking into a world of bamboo…like the scene from the movie ‘Crouching Tiger, ‘Hidden dragon ’. Bamboo everywhere you look.

It’s interesting to find out why the high concentration on bamboo in this area. Perhaps it is because of the soil and the terrain. As we walk further we come upon an opening with bamboos criss-crossing the entire trail.

The bamboo version of ‘Entrapment’?

Bamboo is probably another one of the most useful plant one can find in the jungle. In a survival situation, bamboo can be used to obtain drinking water, build shelter, start fire and even provide food. The shoots of young bamboo plant is a popular local food, known locally as Rebung.

A Rebung

The following are some interesting jungle plants I manage to capture during the trek.

Not a clue what plant this flower belong to

The shoots of a bamboo

Nice flower

A close-up of the flower

This flower looks like something from an alien movie

Ouch…not something you’d want to hang on to

Symbiosis or parasite?

Okay…okay…the photos are not the best. Hey…I am learning. In any case, there’s simply too many things to just stop and photograph. I doubt if I will ever be able to arrive at Perlus waterfall that way. I reckon it would be even more interesting if I can be with John at the front of the walking party to learn as much from him. Throughout, I was behind…taking on the ‘sweeper’ role as a cover-up to my lack of stamina catching-up with the rest.

Next...Tropical jungle animals of Perlus Waterfall

Perlus waterfall, PART 2

2008-11-10T19:10:00.009+07:00

My leech sock and my boots
This is a continuation to my recent Perlus waterfall trip. After my first trip to Perlus, I realize that I had to take extra gear with me. Leeches are aplenty along the trail to Perlus. They are everywhere. So…leech sock is a must this time. I make do without socks, tucked my pants in and had the leech socks up.

Yup…I have my jungle boots on. It’s the only pair of shoes that will actually give me the support and grip that I need on the trail. The trail is mostly wet, muddy and slippery. Other things I packed extra for this trip was my UHF radio and my GPS. I want to record the route as much as I can.

Cars were parked at local Orang Asal’s house. Sali was not around but his porcupine friend finally decides to show itself. It came out, though I doubt to greet the morning’s visitors, grabbed some fruits and quickly ran back to its hole in the cement walled ‘compound’.

Say cheese Mr Porcupine

Camera shy Mr Porcupine decides to head back into it’s ‘hole’

A bit of briefing to the entire group and a few minutes later, we were already on our way to Perlus waterfall. John, being a nature guide had the whole group interested in plants and the surrounding when he stopped and shared about them.

Nature Guide John Chan sharing some of his knowledge on useful plants

The Senduduk or Melastoma malabathricum is known to be used for the treatment of piles, high blood pressure and diabetes

This useful Senduduk plant also has purplish fruits that can be eaten. A good jungle plant to look for in case of a survival situation.

The fruit of Senduduk can be eaten

The initial part of the trail saw mostly small orchards planted with banana, durians and some local guava. Gradually the trail change it’s look and became more ‘wild’.

The initial part of the trail passes through some orchards

The trail soon became more ‘off road’ and the scenery that surrounds us began to change. The jungle became denser and shouts of ‘leeches!’ began ringing among the group. The terrain too gradually became steeper. All part of a good hike...(to be continued)

Perlus waterfall, PART 1

2008-11-09T07:30:00.014+07:00

Okay…in one of my previous blog entry, I was preparing myself for a hike into Perlus waterfall with Nature Guide John Chan. This is my second time going into Perlus and I am all excited and at the same time a bit scared as we will actually be accompanying a group. My concern weren’t really about safety and group management but more of whether I can catch up with them. My stamina as a 5 days week pencil pusher isn’t exactly something to be proud about.
My ‘first’ experience with Perlus waterfall can be described as exhausting. I remembered upon arriving at the waterfall, I spent at least 20 minutes napping on a rock. Though I am not sure whether it is due to the fatigue of perhaps due to the big packet of nasi lemak I just whacked when I got there. It felt like heaven either way. The rock I choose was in the middle of the river, flat enough for me to lie down comfortably but perhaps a bit short for my height. The sound of cascading water and the cool mist filled breeze is simply awesome. I was in heaven.

I jumped on the opportunity to join John on this trip. Learning from my first experience, I was in a away more prepared this time. I was determined to keep the leeches out this time. I had all my gear packed the night before. As usual, Meun feels that its an overkill but I’d rather bring whatever I need than having to look for alternatives later on. 6 am the following morning, the Vitara is packed up and I am on the way to Hulu Langat.

The landmark and usual meeting point is the mosque of course. We arrived early and straight away dived in for a hearty breakfast (to me at least). At a nearby shop, I manage to buy these fruits. Considered a delicacy, from the same category of Petai and Jering, I give you ‘Buah Kerdas’. In the Klang valley people would refer it to Kerdas but some parts of Kedah would call it ‘Buah Genuak’ (Buah means fruit in Malay language). On wikipedia, seems like the plant has a scientific name of Pithecellobium bubalinu.

Buah Kerdas or Genuak

These ones are fresh. Just harvested from the nearby jungle. The inside ‘nuts’ are still green but after a while, they will turn dark brown, almost black. It there is an ‘ulam’ (eaten raw) that stinks...I would say this is the mother of all ulam. Unlike Petai where the aftermath stinking sensation usually occurs after consumoption through piss, the Kerdas make its presences right from the fruit itself.

Despite their smell, they are really wonderful eating. They are really crunchy and rich. The moment you bite onto them, the aroma will already begin to envelop your mouth. Its not really a bad smell once you get used to it. I like it. The locals believe that this fruit will help to cleanse your kidneys. The result? You will smell it permeating from your piss just a few hours later.

To be continued…

Click here to read Part 2, Part 3 (plants), Part 4 (animals) and the final part of my Perlus rainforest waterfall adventure.

Kelah Sanctuary at Kuala Marong, Endau Rompin

2008-11-02T14:46:00.007+07:00

If you ever get the chance to visit Endau Rompin National Park, try to make a detour to the Kuala Marong Kelah sanctuary. This is yet another wonderful place in tropical rainforest Malaysia where you can witness first hand the famed Malaysian Mahseer in its natural habitat.

I visited Kuala Marong during a trip to Endau Rompin organized by the Nature Guide SIG from the Malaysia Nature Society. Kuala Marong was part of the itinerary and its one of the highlights (for me at least) of the whole trip. I rarely miss the chance to see the Kelah, even if they are in fish tanks!

Unlike the Sungai Petang Kelah sanctuary that is rather heavily guarded by park rangers, Kuala Marong seems to be a bit ‘easy’ for people to access to. There were people camping just beside the river when I was there. There were also quite many people trying to ‘swim’ with the fishes.

I get to see them Kelah fishes from a specially built viewing platform. The water was crystal clear and the fishes can be seen gracefully swimming around waiting for food from human visitors. There wasn’t really that many Kelah but they were huge ones. I saw not only the Kelah but also Sebarau, Lampam and Tengas.

The fishes at Kuala Marong

Kuala Marong is a place where two rivers meet. Further down from where the fishes are is a place for visitors to swim. I didn’t hesitate of course. The place was teaming with fishes. No Kelah came near but there were definitely some curios Lampam and Sebarau. Some were even curious enough to nibble my toes! A few of my friends joined me in the water. They had some bread with them, which the fishes gladly ate up. I know it’s not a good thing to be feeding the fishes but sometimes people just can’t help it! Don’t blame them really.

Me and an Orang Asal guide at Kuala Marong

The Kuala Marong Kelah sanctuary is most accessible via the eastern entrance to the park, often referred to as the Kampung Peta way. To enter via this entrance, it is best that you hire 4WD services from the Kahang town nearby. The access road is unpaved and winds through endless oil palm plantations.

NOTE: Read more about my rainforest adventures in Endau Rompin National Park.

Gunung Janing Barat; The fan garden of Endau Rompin National Park

2008-11-01T14:40:00.009+07:00

Gunung Janing Barat (1870 feet) is located in the Endau Rompin National Park in the southern state of Johor. I somehow (and barely) made it up this mountain during a trip with the Malaysian Nature Society’s Nature Guide group.

Conquering Gunung Janing Barat (GJB) was not in itself the objective of our visit to Endau Rompin. We were climbing GJB hoping to catch a glimpse of a few tropical jungle marvels. Among them are the ant plants, the fan palms and the pitcher plants.

I honestly struggled up GJB. It was steep and climbing most of the way. I was huffing and puffing all the way, no thanks to my lack of stamina. The trail was very visible but rather narrow. If you were to stop, you’d have to find a suitable place or otherwise you will be blocking other’s path. Some parts of the trail are rocky and hand line has been put up to help climbers.

It’s a long and rather steep way up

Midway up, there is a resting place with a view overlooking jungle canopy for as far as the eye can see.

Malaysian jungle for as far as the eye can see

The trail begins to plateau a bit towards to peak and I suddenly realize that the jungle around me has somewhat changed. I was in a different world!

There were Fan Palms (Livistona endauensis) everywhere! Some of the leaves are really huge. At some parts, the leaves are dense enough to create like an umbrella canopy, shielding sunlight from hitting the jungle floor, resulting in an amazing display of bright green areas above. This is one amazing Malaysian jungle I have not seen before. What’s more, the Livistona endauensis is endemic to Endau Rompin!

Fan palms or Livistona endauensis

We couldn’t find the ant plant but there were a number of pitcher plants that we saw. They came in all shapes and sizes.

One of ‘em pitcher plants we spotted

I almost stepped on these cute ones

The hike up GJB caught me by surprise but I was glad that I did it. The reward is really up there (if you are interested in appreciating Mother Nature). If you do decide to climb this mountain, a few word of advice.

Bring extra drinking water.

If possible, report yourself to the ranger's station before you start the hike.

Start early so that you are can move at your own pace.

Note that there is strictly no camping along the trail.

Hire a guide for safety reasons.

Bring some food or snack to keep you going.

Happy climbing!

The Malaysian Mahseer Kelah sanctuary at Sungai Petang, Tasik Kenyir

2008-10-30T18:05:00.009+07:00

I am proud to say that I have personally visited the Kelah sanctuary at Sungai Petang in Tasik Kenyir. I was actually in Tasik Kenyir with a retired army Col to do a recee for a potential adventure based project there. With the permission and support from Ketengah, a Terengganu state government agency, we got the opportunity to enter the well guarded Sungai Petang Kelah sanctuary. Compared to my first encounter with the Kelah which was somewhat more destructive, this visit was more ‘friendly’ so to speak.

The Sungai Petang Kelah sanctuary is located rather deep inside the huge Tasik Kenyir lake. To find out more about my adventures at Tasik Kenyir, click on the Kenyir ‘label’ on the right hand side of the page. From the Pengkalan Gawi jetty, one would have to take a speed boat ride to Sungai Petang. It takes about an hour or more to get there. At the rivermouth (Sungai Petang and the lake), there is a ranger’s floating office where visitors are required to register themselves. Note…if you decide to visit this Kelah sanctuary, you are actually required to obtain written permission from the Ketengah office. Ketengah’s office address and contact numbers can be obtained at the bottom of this entry.

The park ranger's floating post

The visitor's log book

After putting your name into the great book of visitors, you will then proceed upstream on a speedboat. Depending on the water level, the boat will stop as soon as the water becomes to shallow for it to go any further. You will then have to walk further upstream to the actual Kelah sanctuary spot. I was lucky that during my visit, the water level was quite high and the boat manages to get quite deep upstream. We only had to walk less than 30 minutes. If the water level is low, treks can often take up to an hour!

Work was on the way to upgrade the walking paths. Some areas were rather narrow and prone to corrosion. So, its good to watch out where you are stepping on.

You can never imagine how exciting and thrilling it is to witness the Sungai Petang Kelah Sanctuary. The moment we arrive at the ‘lubok’, the water was already churning up waves. The guides that brought us in carried with them bags of fish food. With one cast of a handful of fish food, the water immediately turns into a feeding frenzy of thousands of Kelah. And believe me…its by the thousands. The water literally bubbled with the Kelah’s mouth bobbing up and down swallowing gulps of the fish pallets. It’s simply amazing.

The water starts to boil with Kelah

Malaysian Mahseer everywhere! The fishes were so used to human that you can literally pick on up (not too long though) and feed them from your hands. Some of the fish pallets that dropped off from our hands and rolled off the rocks didn’t get the chance to hit the water as there were already some of the Kelah that pushed themselves out from the water trying to get to the pallets! Its simply amazing!

I just couldn't believe my eyes!

However, I was unable to see the really huge Kelah. The guide informed me that the Kelah are very shy fishes and the big ones tend to dwell a little bit deeper away from the humans. Once the Kelah hits a certain size, they will then make it down stream where they will roam the waters of Tasik Kenyir.

Some of us during this trip braved to put our feet at the water edge. Some of the Kelah nibbled on our feet, it was ticklish but the scary thought of a big fish giving us a nasty bite was enough to keep some of us well away from the water.

Me and one of them Malaysian Mahseer

It was magnificent...awesome in fact. I would even go as far as describing it more thrilling than fishing actually. The sight (and sound) of thousands of Kelah churning the water for food pallets is simply incredible. I never imagined such a place existed, what more right in the heart of beautiful Tasik Kenyir lake. I applaud the fact that efforts are already in place to ensure the survival of the Malaysian Mahseer. This Sungai Petang Kelah sanctuary can only be described as a must see place for all nature lovers.

NOTE: To read more about my adventures with the Malaysian Mahseer (Kelah), see ‘Malaysian Mahseer’ under ‘LABELS’ on the right side of this page.

Elephant burial place in tropical rainforest of Kelantan

2008-10-28T18:48:00.006+07:00

Whenever I get to visit the Malaysian jungle, I always prepare myself to see and experience something different. It is a big part of any adventure. Seeing different flora and fauna of different shapes and sizes is all exciting but nothing quite prepared me when I first saw an actual elephant ‘burial’ site in Kelantan.

I would prefer to call in an event rather. I have seen it on TV in far off places like Africa but never thought I’d see it here in Malaysia! It was during a field trip in May 2008 with nature guides John Chan and Yen that I experienced this ‘event’.

None of us planned to see this elephant burial site. The trip was so impromptu that I wasn’t sure if there’s even a plan to begin with. All I know was we are going to some caves in Kelantan and then Taman Negara via the Merapoh entry.

We first arrived in Gua Musang. This is when John got in touch with a local fellow nature guide. After some chatter and over a plate of ‘roti canai’ we were off to Gua Pintu. It is here that we told about the elephant burial site.

The elephant remains near Gua Pintu

This place gives me the goose bumps I lie you not. The sight of these huge bones and other remains is both scary and magnificent at the same time. According to the locals, this particular site has been the burial ground for at least 2 adult elephants.

Most of the remains have either rotted away or being stolen by other animals. The news of this burial ground traveled fast and soon, more and more people came to have a look. As a result, the place gets more ‘intruders’ and some of the elephant remains start to go missing. So, the good local villagers took it upon themselves to protect this special place. They got together, formed a local ‘care taker’ and invested some money in putting up a fence to keep animals (and humans) from disturbing whatever is left of the remains.

A fence was built to stop more of the remains from going missing
This elephant burial site stole the show. I don’t think if there is any other such site in Malaysia that offers this. I related this to the accompanying guide and he told me some parties are suggesting changing the Gua Pintu (Door Cave) name to Gua Gajah Mati (Dead Elephant Cave). The elephant burial site is really awesome but to change a cave’s name just because of that would be rather extreme I reckon.

No one knows exactly how or why the elephants chose that particular place. Perhaps it is the cave. But locals belief that area has long been the chosen place. An ageing jumbo would come to the site when the time is right. It will then lean on one of them trees and slowly slump to its last breath. This was the tree purportedly ‘leaned’ down by the last elephant that lay to rest here.

Can it be that a dying elephant leaned on this tree?
I am not sure if the tree part is true or not. But…if I were to describe the place, I would say it’s an eerie place with a peaceful feeling to it. It’s a place that will give you the goose bumps without actually scaring you away. It’s a sad yet magical place for such an astonishingly beautiful land creature to call the resting place.

Kelah; Malaysian Mahseer

2008-10-27T09:55:00.007+07:00

Kelah or also popularly known as the Malaysian Mahseer is undeniably one of the fishes that tops any Malaysian angler or fish hobbyist’s wish list. This I know because when I was first introduced to fishing, people were already telling me stories of this elusive and prized fish.

The name Kelah commands respect and awe each time it is mentioned. For many years of learning to cast the line and tying the right knot for the hooks and sinkers, I imagined this fish to be found only in some great rivers and lakes, not even close to the fish ponds and small rivers that I was familiar with.

I love fishing. Though many of my friends (even my wife) occasionally highlights my ‘lack of patience’, fishing is still very much part of me. When I was in the primary school, off-school hours were mostly worm digging sessions and fishing. I rarely went home empty handed from any fishing trip. Mom would be beaming with her son’s catch and my brother just can’t wait to enjoy them on the dinner table. Fishes that I usually catch includes Tilapia (The African mouth breathers), Lampam, Sia, Baung and of course the vicious Haruan (Snake Head).

The Malaysian Mahseer or Kelah
I encountered my first (from the wild) Kelah during a multiple day trekking trip in Taman Negara. It was sort of like a tour group organized by an adventure company (can’t remember the company name). It was years ago. Eons ago to be exact. Back then I still had my 32 waist and a six packs to show off.

As the group trekked deeper into the tropical rainforest, the jungle suddenly changed. The canopy was so high from the ground and it literally covered the whole sky. The rivers became much narrower, fast flowing but almost crystal clear. It was here that I first come eye to eye with the Malaysian Mahseer.

Yup…our group fished the Malaysian Mahseer out from the Taman Negara rivers that time. I have not a clue that time that what we were doing is illegal. In fact, I didn’t know that there was going to be fishing either. Otherwise I would have brought my rod and reels as well. Though it was not part of the itinerary, obviously some of the guides came prepared with all the necessary baits.

I did not do any fishing (Honest!). In fact I was not even allowed near the river as the presence of humans (as I was told) would scare away the fishes. So, I stood a distance away, waiting to witness the exciting moments. Sure enough, several Malaysian Mahseer Kelah was caught. I can’t help but take picture with one of them fishes. Here’s a scanned picture of me with one of them Kelah.

Yes…it was (and still is) illegal to fish in the National Park but ignorance is blissful I suppose. I believe you are allowed to fish at certain parts of the park only. You’d have to check with park authorities to be sure.

Well, this ‘first’ encounter happened years ago. And since then, I have come to realize how endangered they are and how these fishes remain as part of the Malaysian heritage. These days, I still look out for them when I go fishing but its all catch and release. But more importantly, I have spent some time and effort visiting some of Malaysia’s Kelah sanctuaries to support and also share with people the importance of protecting this magnificent freshwater treasure. I will write more about some of these Kelah sanctuaries soon.

NOTE:To find out more about the Malaysian Mahseer or Kelah sanctuaries, look under the ‘LABEL’ segment on the right side of this page.

Tioman ferry

2008-10-24T19:47:00.009+07:00

Tioman ferry is probably the cheapest way to get into this tropical island paradise. I have been on the ferry a couple of times these past few months and I thought the experience (and information) would be useful to share.

Tioman ferry will depart from the Mersing jetty. If you are traveling by bus, chances are the bus will end at the Mersing bus station. It takes about 20 minutes to walk to the jetty. Alternatively, you can take a taxi but expect to pay nothing more than RM10 (lets all keep it that way!).

There are two Tioman ferry service providers from Mersing. Mersing by the way is the most common departure jetty to Tioman Island. The ferry operators are:

BLUE WATER EXPRESS
Tel: 07-799 4811
Fax: 07-799 5696

FAST FERRY VENTURES
Tel: 07-798 2986
Fax: 07-798 2980

Not exactly a ferry but a speedboat that I once had to take. Very fast but can be very uncomfortable

Prices of ferry tickets are around RM35 on way. You’ll get some discounts if you are a local or you can prove that you work with one of them resorts on the island. The tickets are sold as early as 5am. The ticket sellers try to take advantage of the early passengers that arrives and they will most probably push you to purchase an ‘open’ ticket back as well. It is OKAY to get the tickets from them. The tickets sold by them are valid and costs the same. They probably get some commissions from the actual boat operators. Other ticket counters usually opens at around 630am as the first ferry is usually 7am.
If you plan to head to Tioman Island and thinking about taking the ferry, consider doing the following:

If you plan to head to Tioman Island and thinking about taking the ferry, consider doing the following:

Call up in advance and make your booking. I have personally done my ticket booking with Fast Ferry via Fax and they actually have a record book that records all the bookings. By Malaysian standard, not bad at all I would say.

Call up and find out what are the ferry schedules. The reason I did not display the trip schedule is that on a number of occasions, they increase/ reduce the number of ferry trips due to weather, sea conditions, peak/ low seasons etc.

Purchase the return ticket straight away if you already know the dates that you are heading off. This way, you need not worry about where to get tickets when you are on the island.

Like the ferries that ply the Kuala Kedah – Langkawi and Kuala Perlis-Langkawi routes, the ferries used are all closed up with strong diesel engine smell inside. The air-condition is usually very cold, the seats rather narrow for my big size and in-house TV that is certain to show some pirated movies (if they show any at all).

Most of the island is still covered in thick tropical rainforest jungle Furthermore, the island’s villages are scattered and there is no proper paved roads connecting them. So, almost each village has its own ferry jetty.

One of the many stops the Tioman ferry makes
You MUST know which jetty/ village to get off. To name a few, there is Tekek, Juara, Genting, Paya, ABC and Salang. All these places are on the island itself and the ferry will stop at each village one after the other. Its kind of like a bus making stops at each bus stop to drop/ pick passengers.

NOTE: See where and how to take a bus to Mersing jetty under ‘Label’ section on the right side of the page.

Tioman Island’s Jungle; a world of unexpected surprises

2008-10-23T19:20:00.000+07:00

If anyone asked me, I’d say Tioman Island’s jungle has more to offer than its beaches or diving sites. That…plus the fact that I don’t dive 

Anyway, this tropical island’s jungle really packs a punch. The first time I visited the island was for business and I flew in by Berjaya Air. To date, only Berjaya Air’s special (small) plans can land and take off from the tiny airstrip on the island.

As the plane approaches the island, I couldn’t help but notice the vast greenery that still carpets the island. Besides well known beaches and dirt cheap beers, Tioman is in fact rather contrasting to Langkawi in terms of development (buildings, malls, roads etc). Tioman in a way is rather under-developed. In my books, this is good news. There is only one main road in the main village of Tekek. There is no proper paved road that connects the many villages on the island. The tallest building on the island probably belongs to some resort. There are no petrol stations. Fuel is sold in recycled mineral water bottles. One can literally count the number of cars on in any particular village. No shopping malls. No cinemas. No bowling alley. This place is amazingly ‘preserved’ considering that its one popular holiday destination.

It was a business trip that visit, so I did not have much time or opportunity to venture into the jungle. However, I did manage to convince one of the resort’s staff to give me a first hand tour of an old abandoned jungle trail. The trail used to be part of the resort’s activities but it has been abandoned for quite a while due to safety reasons.

The trail starts somewhat near the marine center of the resort. A flight of steps that later leads into the bush. The jungle is different. Except for the additional markers of arrows and ropes built in when the trail was operational, the jungle looked really pristine. One thing that really stood out about the jungle is the numerous large stones strewn all over the place

The huge rocks seem to be stacked one on top of the other, creating cave like features that required crawling and some maneuvering to pass through. The ‘caves’ we were told are favorite haunting places for snakes, porcupine and bats. One surprising thing we found out was that Tioman island is actually free from wild boars. For an island with a majority of Malay (Muslim) inhabitants, this is rather surprising.

The trail took us about 1 hour to complete. It was a real eye opener that walk. Tioman jungle can only be described as different and mysterious. Probably mysterious enough to entice me for another visit.

NOTE:Find out more about this tropical island of Tioman by scrolling the ‘Label’ section on the right hand side of this page.

Jungle boots; Gear for tropical rainforest

2008-10-20T19:40:00.003+07:00

This is my jungle boots, another one of my gear for tropical rainforest Malaysia. I have tried many types of shoes but have found only two types that are suitable for the Malaysian rainforest jungle and terrain. For easy to medium type of terrain in the Malaysian jungle, you would have got to go with the Adidas Kampung (that’s another story though). But if you are going into the jungle for longer period of time, then the jungle boots may be your best option.

Here I have a pair of boots which I believe to be from the Vietnam War era. I got this from a surplus shoe vendor in K.L. He got it bulk from the States and I believe this particular model has been superseded with newer (and better perhaps) models.

Anyway, for less than RM100, I can’t complain. The boots are almost brand new and were in perfect condition. My pair of jungle boots is size 11.5 and it has a marking ‘RO-SEARCH’ (I have not a clue what this means) engraved on the soles.

I have worn this pair of boots into the Malaysian jungle before. On one particular trip, I walked close to 8 hours in total through rivers, slippery mud and some steep terrain. That and some observations, I have come to the conclusion that they are one of the best boots/ shoes for the Malaysian jungle. Here’s a few reasons why…

Jungle boots are adapted from real life experiences of the people (army) that spent time in the rainforest jungle. Whether it is the American army during the Vietnam war or the British in then the Malaya jungles fighting the guerillas, I am sure the type of gear they come up with is well suited for that environment.

Take for instance the upper cotton canvas. This canvas is heavy duty and is easily water permeable. This makes sense as in the Malaysian jungle, it is wet all the time. You’d either be crossing water ways or walking in the rain. Either way, you are bound to get wet. The single layer canvas is thick and strong; it absorbs water but is also easier to dry than other types of insulated linings found on other shoes/ boots. I believe it will also provide me some protection from snake bites (though I am not looking forward to testing that out).

Compare to some shoes/ boots that claim to be ‘waterproof’. Undeniably, these shoes are well built and I wouldn’t mind a pair myself if I am heading to colder dry environments. But these shoes/ boots if worn in the Malaysian jungle can quickly turn into a ‘flooding’ nightmare. Especially if worn on a long trek. Imagine wading through rivers or when it is pouring buckets. As sure as the shoes are in keeping water out, they too will keep the water INSIDE the shoes from escaping out. One would have to remove the shoe each time and pour out the contents constantly. That would mean many stops in between and higher possibility of damage to the feet.

My jungle boot’s soles have this peculiar design that is rather common these days with other military boots. I once wore this jungle boot on a trip to a waterfall with a couple of friends. The trail was rather steep and it was muddy because of the rain. My friends slipped and fell no less than 5 times each, partially because of the shoes they were wearing. I am happy to say that on that trip, I was the only one with a clean bum at the end of the day!

In the Malaysian rainforest jungle, you will get wet. That is a fact. There is no point trying to fight that. You’d better off being prepared (mentally and physically) for it. That is why I feel that this jungle boot best suits the Malaysian rainforest jungle. This pair of boots comes with bits and pieces that are already made for the wet conditions. The water draining holes at the sides of the boots is a good example. These holes serve as ‘outlets’ to allow both water and air to pass through…both ways. Crossing water bodies with this boot means water gets in and later drains through these holes.

In addition to that, the holes also allows for the needed ventilation. The air circulation I think (though as minimal as they may be) helps to ‘air’ the feet. God knows my feet need them!

Ah…the part I like (or am amazed) most about this boots is the inside soles. It’s a sole that’s made of plastic netting, works like a strainer. There’s layers of them with the sides all burnt and sealed together. Here’s a picture of them insoles.

According to wikipedia, these soles are “…ventilating insoles made of fused layers of Saran plastic screen, first invented in 1942”. Am not all that sure if it’s the same one but they sure are cool. Have a close up look a t the insoles. I took the picture below against the bright sky. Can literally see through them.

Well, this insole definitely does not absorb water. Unlike the conventional insole. Also, one side is rather rough and the other side is smooth. The rough side actually presses against the inside of the boots, creating a friction that stops my feet from sliding front and back.
The downside? Without a pair of socks, stepping barefoot onto this ‘Saran’ insoles isn’t the most comfortable. They give this ‘needle’ sensation that really keeps you on your feet (perhaps that’s what they are designed to do!).

To summarize (based on my personal experience)...This may not be the most comfortable shoes/ boots for the feet to walk on but they are built to suit the environment. Perhaps there are newer designs/ models available that are built with better comforts. But compared to the typical designer looking shoes you’d find in the market that claims to be ‘outdoor’ worthy, this pair of jungle boots doesn’t slip, helps keep them leeches out and are damn practical!

Just one word to describe this pair of jungle boots I think...awesome.

Leech Socks; Gear for tropical rainforest

2008-10-20T19:33:00.000+07:00

I have recently added the leech socks into my tropical rainforest gear kit. After years of sharing my blood with the jungle leeches, I suddenly come to realize that all the blood that I lost plus the itch scratching that I have endured is simply plain unnecessary. Or perhaps I have grown beyond the years of being ‘gung-ho’ and have become more of a ‘softie’ person…favoring to avoid the scaring bits and possibilities of infections.

The leech socks are actually not all that technical or special actually. The one that I have is made of plain beige colored cotton with a drawstring at the top. I have used it on several occasions and have found them to be quite effective. The only down side of it is that it tends to slip down as the drawstring sometimes comes undone. This can be easily rectified I suppose, using a bungee cord or stretch band instead of a string. Below is my leech socks.

Leech socks

There are better looking leech socks for sale definitely. Some are made of polyester material with already sewn in elastic calf bands. These will of course cost more but if you are heading into the bush often, they are perhaps the better choice. Mine costs me only RM15 when I bought it last year in Endau Rompin.

Yes, they are so simple that I reckon anyone can make a set themselves as long as they have a sewing machine. All you need is to actually find a suitable material that is comfortable to wear with your shoes and the weaving of the material is tight enough to keep the leeches out. Add a drawstring or better still an elastic band and you are all set.

Gear for rainforest waterfall; Jeram Perlus.

2008-10-20T19:25:00.002+07:00

I reckon I have to come up with a list of gear for tropical rainforest waterfall Jeram Perlus trip this coming Sunday, 26th October 2008. The last time I was at Jeram Perlus, I befriended a couple of leeches, loads of thorns and a huge jungle tick.

Compare the size of the tick to my lense cap!

It has been raining these past few weeks. If the jungle is wet, my blood sucking friends will be crawling all over the place and walking isn’t gonna be easy either as the trail is mostly slippery mud and soil. These ‘challenges’ will be there to greet me for sure.

So, perhaps I should be gearing up to be more prepared for what’s to come. The leech socks with my long pants all tucked in will hopefully keep the leeches out. A small pack of tobacco in hand will unwillingly force the leech off me (if they somehow manage to get on).

My shoes of choice this time would still be my jungle boots. Have not much chance to put it into good use. A few more wears and I should have it broken in. Something I need to do in preparation for long hikes in the future.

New toys I am putting into this Jeram Perlus trip is my new Garmin GPS Map 76CSx and my (not new) Yaesu VX170 VHF radio. Since this will be a trip with John, we may put the radio into good use for communicating between the walking party.

Other gears would be my standard lot. My minimum kit and my Macpac Tekapo 45+ standard pack.

Rainforest waterfall Perlus, second visit on 26 Oct 2008

2008-10-19T19:46:00.002+07:00

John...my nature guide friend just invited me to join him and a group to a rainforest waterfall this coming Sunday, 26th October 08. Doesn't seem like a bad idea. It will be the Deepavali weekend so, I still have the day after to recuperate. The waterfall is called Perlus or Jeram (waterfall in Malays) Perlus. Its located in the Hulu Langat area, known also as Pangsoon, just a bit more than an hour's drive from K.L.

I have been to the waterfall Perlus before. Perhaps a month or two ago. With a couple of friends (including John). It's some hike. Not the easiest I would say. But the waterfall was all worth it. Have a look at the pic.

The picture ain't all that good. I know. But it really is a beautiful waterfall. As long as there's not too many people, otherwise it would be really crowded. This trek isn't all that easy for a couple of reasons. First, it's up and up all the way, with very slippery trail. And if its raining season (like now), I reckon the place will be teaming with leeches by now. Have a look at the 'invasion' the first time I was there.

Yup...those socks did not manage to keep them out.
After all this, I think I will be better prepared the next time around. I will put a list of 'precautions' next.

Cheers,

Parang Ilang Kayan from Sarawak

2008-10-17T19:05:00.002+07:00

A month back, my friend John visited the interior of Sarawak in the region of Baram and came back with him several ‘souvenirs’ to share with. He was kind enough to give me a bag of Baram rice. Baram rice is well known as a fragrant rice, farmed organically.

The other item John brought back was the Parang Ilang Kayan. ‘Parang’ is a Malay word that has generally been used to describe a cutting tool perhaps equivalent to the machete. Kayan is one of the many ethnic group of the Dayaks living in Borneo and they are known to be fierce warriors and head hunters. I did a bit of research on the Kayans but there seems to be rather conflicting statements from one source to the other.

Anyway, this entry is about this Parang that John brought back. I can’t help it, so I bought one piece from him. First look, it looks like any ordinary Parang. But a closer examination reveals some interesting stuff.

First of all, I will have to state here that this ‘parang’ is obviously mass produced. It is either for tourist souvenirs or for mass local distribution for everyday use. After a close inspection and the fact that I paid only less than RM100 for it, I reckon it is mass produced for local use. I would expect to pay a few hundred ringgits if it was a private item belonging to a Kayan.

According to some websites, the ‘parang’ that is used by the Kayans are Parang Ilang. It seems that the Ilangs are designed and made to be easily withdrawn from the sheath and the blade itself is made sort of ‘hollow’ on one side to ease it’s sinking (slicing) through limbs or wood. Menacing isn’t it.

I am no blade experts but there were a few things that really caught my attention when I examine the blade further. The sheath was made entirely of wood and jungle produce. The splicing (& plates) and ending of the material used to tie the sheath together is nice. I would like to learn the splices/ plating for sure. Below is a close-up of some parts of the sheath.

A close up of the Parang Ilang's sheath

The other side of the sheath

Can anyone teach me how to do this
There is also the handle. Nothing fancy here. It feels nice and it gives a good grip. Some of the Ilangs I saw up for bids on ebay have heavily decorated handles. Mostly with carvings. Those of course are either very expensive or (on the extreme side) special ‘made’ for sale to the RICH & famous.

Now for the blade. This of course is the most interesting part. The blade is probably the most interesting part of the overall Parang. The total length of the blade is roughly 39.5cm with the widest part about 4cm. See pictures below:

The concave side of the blade

The 'hollow' side of the Parang Ilang
The Parang Ilang curves on the back bone towards the end of the blade. The end of the blade is sharp and one can only guess what it is used for. But notice the difference between the surface of the blade on the left picture compared to the right picture? Well, the reason for this is actually due to the blade’s somewhat hollow characteristics on one side (in the left picture). The other side (right picture) is somewhat concave, making it polish-able. So…the view of the Ilang from the front would look something like below:

Concave on one side, hollow on the other
This design it seems helps to make ‘slicing’ easier for the user. Yikes...

If you are a right hander and facing a tree trunk, swinging the Parang Ilang into the tree from a cutting angle would definitely get you a nice deep cut as the ‘curve’ side of the blade would help angle the blade inwards towards the tree. This is perhaps the purpose of the design. However, if you are still holding the Ilang with your right hand and attempt a ‘swing’ at the tree trunk from your left side, there may be a possibility that the blade bounces off the tree. The concave side may ‘push’ your blade away from the tree. Hmm…this would be rather dangerous, especially when used in the hands of an inexperience bushman (like me!). The blade may bounce off and hit my body or any other object standing nearby. That’s a scary thought.

Overall, I (personally) think this Parang Ilang is a great piece of blade. I like the shape, the hand work and of course the blade. However, being a novice parang user, I am not all that confident if this blade is suitable for me to use in the bush.

The sharp pointy end and the concave blade is just too risky for someone who is still struggling with a 3 inch fix blade. Like what Ray Mears said in his Bushcraft book, "The Parang is the most dangerous cutting tool used in bushcraft." Can't agree more. This one good looking Parang Ilang will (at this moment) stay in my pile of knife collection.

Why blog?

2008-10-16T19:04:00.000+07:00

The leeches, mosquitoes, creepy crawlies, snakes and occasional humongous ticks...what is there to not like about the Malaysian tropical rainforest? Well, compared to having pretend that you enjoy work in the office, I'd rather be eaten alive by the leeches actually.

I have always seen the jungle and the great outdoors as a place for me to escape the daily routine everyday life. Its a place where I can be far from people (especially the office crowd) and be with myself and mates that matters. Savor the immensity of the rainforest, breath in the fresh air and relax in the peaceful natural surrounding.

I am by no means a six pack adventure hunk that races through the jungle, abseil waterfalls and runs back after all that. I am far from that. In fact, I am the opposite of all that! I prefer to take my own time to walk (partially cause I am not fit :P ), smell the roses as I walk and hopefully be able to find a nice place to set-up camp and relax. It is the peacefulness of the jungle that keeps calling me back. And I do try to do exactly that whenever I have the chance.

So...this blog is dedicated to all my jungle adventures. Rather than have pictures all burnt in a CD kept in a folder, I thought perhaps it would be a much cooler idea to share it with the world. So...welcome to my world!

Myself and Alex at Chilling Waterfall