THE ROYAL BELUM STATE PARK

Going to Belum Forest is just like going back to nature where one can experience all things natural, within the thick forest.

Before one is allowed to enter the forest, one needs to apply for a permit from the government.

So far, I have visited the State Park three times in 2008, 2009 and 2010, being a media familiarisation trip organised by Tourism Malaysia (Perak).

KAMPUNG CHUWEH ORANG ASLI VILLAGE

Even though, all you can view is dense jungles with trees however there is a list of activities one can do, here.

A two-day excursion is sufficient to explore the Orang Asli Settlement, picnic at Sungai Ruok Waterfall, fishing at Lake Temenggor, Sg Nam Base Camp or jungle trekking to spot wildlife species including Rafflesia flowers.

One can also charter a houseboat to travel on the lake to enjoy the scenic lake, spotting elephant from the boat and admire the surrounding greens.

SUNGAI NAM BASE CAMP

For me, I particularly enjoy the visit to Kampung Chuweh, and an opportunity to get close with the Orang Asli residents, here. The partially bared dressed population, are just too keen to show-off their blowpipes skill, or pose a photograph with visitors, at their door step. I am amazed with this Orang Asli Settlement as it is very original compared to those in Cameron Highlands which are more modern in nature.

POSING WITH HAPPY ORANG ASLI CHILDREN

BACKGROUND

The Royal Belum State Park, Perak Malaysia originally gazetted as Belum Forest Reserve in 1971 and subsequently in 2007 it was re-gazetted as a State Park. In 2012, it was also gazetted as Perak State Forestry Enactment as well as National Heritage Site (UNESCO World Heritage Centre).

The State Park is situated on the eastern side of the Western of Peninsular Malaysia whereby 57% of its area is located in the range of 80-300 m above sea level and 41% in the range of 300 – 1,533 m above sea level. There is only one main river system, Sungai River Perak that originates from the Perak – Kelantan border, in addition of smaller rivers namely Sungai Tiang and Sungai Kejar that originates on the east of the State Park. There are more than hundreds of smaller tributaries and streams that feed the Lake Temenggor.

SUNGAI ROUK WATERFALL

This area consists of diverse rock formations of mostly metamorphosed marine sedimentary rocks of Early Silurian-Devonian Age (440 – 400 m.y.) belonging to the Baling Group and the Triassic granites (ca 220 m.y).

Belum Temenggor is dubbed as one of the World's oldest rainforests, existence for over 130 million years.

TEMENGGOR LAKE

The forest covers 290,000 ha of land whereby 146,000 ha of virgin primary forest. The forest is divided into Upper Belum (The Royal Belum State Park) which stretches to the Thai-Malaysian border covering 117,500 ha of jungle and the Lower Belum (Temenggor Forest Reserve) mostly covered by the Temenggor Lake.

AUG 18 – 20, 2009