A Malaysian Photo And Travel Blog

Enjoy a breezy, quiet and peaceful walk into the jungle. Occasionally, you'll bump into groups of monkeys, migratory birds or even a swarm of butterfly.

I started my journey at 6:30 in the morning. As usual, I took the Sg. Buloh exit to North-South Expressway. It was still pitch black that morning. I was driving at max speed of 110km/hr. But, it seems lots of drivers were speeding beyond the limit. It was scary because the morning was still dark. I was wondering whether the drivers were able to control their vehicles if a puppy strayed into the highway.

I drove for at least one hour; attaining a total distance of 100km before stopping at Tapah’s Rest & Relax. There were loads of people! Most of them were families on vacations. I was searching high and low for an empty seat to enjoy my hot nasi lemak and milo drink. It seems everyone was booking their own table. Even a three family members hog the entire table meant for 6 people. I guess it's the Malaysia Boleh mentality.

After a short break, I drove my car for another one hour and stopped at the nearest R & R. I decided to explore Taiping first. So, I asked around for the nearest exit. The traders advised me to take the Changkat Jering exit. It’s pretty easy driving in Taiping. Lots of signboards. If you lost your way, just park your car at the side of the road and ask for directions. The kampong folks were more than happy to assist you. There is a saying in Malaysia “Malu Bertanya, Sesat Jalan” (Translation: “Scared to Ask, Lost Your Way).

My first destination in Taiping was Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. It is the largest and oldest mangrove forest in Malaysia. The place was gazetted as a forest reserve since 1906. That’s a whooping 103 years of protective status! According to AsiaExplorers.com “Covering an area of more than 40,000 hectares, the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is one of the best managed tract of mangrove forest in the world. 80% of the forest is still used for the production of mangrove woods including Bakau minyak and Bakau kurap, on a sustainable yield basis. Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve forms a crescent strip along the northern coast of Perak state, stretching 51.5km from Kuala Gula to the north to Bagan Panchor to the south, with a maximum width of 13km.”

The place sounds so GREEN and INTERESTING to me! I’ve been to the mangrove reserve in Kuala Selangor Nature Park and I LOVE the lush greeneries over there. So, this Matang reserve must be a great place to explore. The mangrove forest is located on the right side of road (if you’re coming in from Taiping). Look for a huge entrance with a yellow coloured signboard advertising the place as Pusat Eko Pelajaran Hutan Paya Matang (Translation: Eco Education Centre Matang Mangrove Forest). At first, I was not sure whether this is a learning centre or a mangrove forest. So, I parked my car at the ranger's office and went in to enquire. An officer directed me to see a senior ranger. I was given a polite reception. He informed me this is the right place and gave me an informative brochure (downloadable at the bottom of the post).

Upon entry into the forest, I was transported into an unknown GREEN HORIZON. It was breezy, peaceful and quiet. I can hear migratory birds chirping away and the calls of monkeys deep in the forest. Butterflies were everywhere!

The wooden platforms were creatively designed to cut through the forest. The walkways can be curvy, straight or even zigzag on certain stretch. You can always get off from the walkways into the muddy patch for a short detour.

There are lots of informative and illustrative boards explaining the type of mangrove trees, the growing processes and the mangrove ecosystem. The place is SUPER HUGE! I took two and a half hours to explore the entire forest at a moderate pace. At the end of the forest, there are some nice and comfy chalets for rent. I strongly recommend a visit to this place if you are visiting Taiping. A great place to enjoy nature and learn everything about mangrove trees.

The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is located in the Larut Matang District, in Perak, Malaysia. To get there, exit the North-South Expressway at Exit 146 Changkat Jering if you are coming from Kuala Lumpur, and Exit 148 Kamunting/Taiping if you are coming from Penang. Take the road towards Kuala Sepetang (Port Weld). Ask for directions if necessary. The Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve is about 2 km from the pekan of Kuala Sepetang.

District Forest Office Larut & Matang,

Jalan Muzium, 34000 Taiping, Perak Darul Ridzuan.

Tel: 05-8072762/8075324

Fax: 05-8067743

E-mail: phdlm@perak.gov.my

Read these articles before you travel:

Click here to view all places of interests in Taiping:

http://www.asiaexplorers.com/malaysia/taiping_travel_guide.htm