ENDAU ROMPIN - SELAI
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TOURISM MALAYSIA
Endau Rompin (Selai)
“Beyond The Ordinary”
Selai was officially opened to public in 2003. It is the second gateway to the Endau Rompin Johor, National Park. The park has an area of 48,000 hectare of which 2/3 (29,343 hec) is located at Selai. A scientific expedition was held in 2002, and it was jointly organised by Johor National Park Corporation and Univ. Malaya (UM).
Selai is named after Kampung Selai, an Orang Asli village near the entrance. Bekok, the nearest town to the Park, is about 26 km to Selai. An Orang Asli legend has it that there was once a celestial princesswho possessed the power of innate body heat. When she descended upon Earth, the scorching heat that emanated from her body led to a drought. This caused the mighty river that flowed from Gunung Besar to be reduced to a mere trickle – the size of a strip of rattan – or ‘sehelai rotan’. Hence forever after, the river was called Selai, and the park that was later created there also took this name.
Park’s main attractions
Selai is the land of endless waterfalls. Countless waterfalls - great and small are found inside the park. They are really the jewel of the forest. Some of the well-known waterfalls are Takah Tinggi,Takah Pandan,Takah Berangin,Takah Beringin.
Place of Interest
* Takah Tinggi Waterfall
* Takah Berangin Waterfall
* Takah Pandan Waterfall
* Takah Tempa’ang Waterfall
* Arboretum
* Lubuk Tapah Base Camp
- Lubuk Tapah is the furtherst distance that a vehicle can reach. Visitors can stay in the huts which are located near the riverbank where they are allowed to feed or swim with the fishes in the cool jungle river. The sound of water flowing over rocks is therapeutic and hornbills flying acroos the river during the fruiting season are a glorious sight.
* Lubuk Merekek Camp Site
- Located abiut 500 meters from Lubuk Tapah Base Camp, this campsite has a white sandy ground, which is suitable for picnicking. Here, fishing is only allowed with fishing permit obtained from the Bekok office.
Getting There
From Kuala Lumpur (KL)/ Johor Bahru (JB)/ Singapore (SIN)
Take the North-South Expressway and exit at the Yong Peng north interchange. Head for Chaah, Segamat, about 20 minutes drive away. About 2km after Chaah, take a right turn (follow the road sign) and head towards park office, which is another 10 minutes away.
Follow the road sign and head for Sungai Bantang (7km from Bekok). Go past the turn-off and carry on driving for approximately another 20km. The road will take you through an oil palm estate and past several re-settled Orang Asli villages, about 50 minutes from Bekok and arrive at the park in Lubuk Merekek and Base Camp at Lubuk Tapah. Visitors are allowed to park their vehicle there, guided by the staff members.
Public Transportation
By Train – From KL/JB/ SIN, disembark at Bekok. Here, a pre-booked transport operator will ferry you in the park.
By Express Bus – From KL/JB/ SIN, disembark at Yong Peng, then take a local bus or taxi to Bekok town, where pre-booked transport operator will ferry you into the park.