What to expect at Endau Rompin, Kg Peta

During this recent field trip of mine to Endau Rompin, Kg Peta, I discovered that some visitors do not have any idea on what sort of "adventure holiday" that they have expected to experience in here. They may not even know what attire to wear and pack along. To trek into our rainforest it is advisable to pack along
1. comfortable trekking shoes
2. comfortable outdoor clothing for our humid weather. If you are doing activities such as bird-watching wear dull earth blend tone colours outfit.
3. Medicine for normal illness such as stomach-ache, head-ache. If you are on medication please remember to include them.
4. Hat to shield you from sun
5. Sunscreen lotion.
6. Own toiletries and towel
7. Do not pack any mosquitoes aerosol such as ridsect to protect you from leeches, you may end up having skin infection. Use leech sock instead, it can be purchase from the park office and at visitor complex.
8. Do not wear G-string when trekking, you might have leeches bites in places you do not expect.
9. Some food for you to snack because there are no convenient store at Kg Peta
10. Simple easy to cook food , kitchen utensil if you are not catering food. Food catering would be only possible for 10 pax above.

11. Raincoat and garbage bag to protect your camera in the event of rain

12. Most of all a relax mind and expect to live in simplicity manner. No hand-phone coverage, no TV, no shopping, no newspapers.

To preserve the beauty for this pristine forest, a very important to remember is do not litter not even a cigarettes buds, sweet wrappers. Leave nothing.. take nothing except photographs and your footprints.

If your visit to this park is not booked through the eco-tourism agent. Do make your booking by phone Johor Park at 07-788 2812, or email them at peta_er@yahoo.com. There is no other accommodation other then the park accommodation and at certain days their accommodation are full. If you do not have a suitable off-road vehicle do instruct the park officer to help you to arrange for the 4WD park transfer from kahang to Kg Peta. A to and fro transfer cost RM350 per vehicle. Every visitor are required to register oneself at the Park Office. Their charges are Permit - Rm5 per pax, Insurance RM2 per pax, Accommodation of your choice range from camping ground, dormitory, standard chalet to family chalet.

A 2 hrs 4WD from kahang park office would reach you at Visitor Complex. To have an idea click on the url link http://johorparks.com.my/gallery/?album=1&gallery=1

If your visit this park with the purpose of research or nature study they would arrange you to stay at Nature Education and Research Centre (NERC).

Endau Rompin became a reality with the collaboration and support of the Johor government, the Danish Corporation Environment and Development (DANCED) and Malaysian Nature Society (MNS). Funding for the project is provided by DANCED while MNS is the consultant for the implementation of the NERC. To date Johor National Park Corporation (PTNJ) are the sole operator to take care of this park.

The dormitory at NERC are with section for male and female. The arrangement of bed and cupboard here are tastefully design with a little privacy in mind. Electricity is only available from 7pm till 7am due to it's supply are from generator. If the rate of occupancy does not justify for the running cost of generator the guest would need to move to the staff quarters.

This is how it looks in the staff quarters. I feel very much at home here living in a simple manner. Fan and air-con are not required because the structural design is very airy. Electricity here are power up by solar panel. To conserve energy, high electrical consumable equipments such as rice cooker, computers, iron are not advisable to use here.
Endau Rompin this rainforest is very much alive at night. You would have all sort of insect calls, and even Owl calls.
This is a scene at the dining hall after a heavy rain. There is no pest control administered here, food stuff are advisable to pack in a big plastic container. Please do not use your insect spray here. A squirrel have take some bite on my juicy apple that I pack along. Next come the ants.
This is the trek we took for our birding session.

Might encounter some scene like this as you trek.
This is not meant for accommodation but it is a flood monitoring office. This park is close every December to January during the monsoon season.

After a 5 km walk from NERC finally you would reached Kuala Jasin. Visitor vehicles are allow up to NERC only. If your accommodation are in Kuala Jasin, you are required to board your transport up to Kg Peta orang asli village and then transfer by boat. The transfer fees is another additional of Rm1xx. Along the way you might notice some mammals.

This trail at Kuala Jasin would lead you to the heath forest. Do hire a guide for this trail.

What is Heath Forest
Heath forest is Forest is a type of forest where the soil is too acidic and the soil is extremely nutrient poor. For such forest you can expect to have alot of stunted vegetations and pitcher plants. If want to explore and experience the heath forest, informed the park staff the starting treking point is from Dato Ghani Trail at Kuala Jasin. The park would require visitor to hire a nature guide to venture into this trail.
These are some scene of Sg Jasin.

NO FISHING is allow as this is a national park.

As me and my team mates did not have our meal cater. We pack along bread, instant noodles ,rice and other fresh food that could last without refrigerator. Share with you all this wonderful Signature of Spaghetti meal that my friend cooked. Here are some of the main ingredients. This is the most delicious Spaghetti that I have ever tasted.. thank you...

This is how it looks when serve at the dinning table. Hmmmm....nice.. thank you for cooking this signature spaghetti of yours. Dine at the dining hall at NERC is indeed gives you a romantic atmosphere due to the light bulb use is only 11kw to conserve solar energy. Fridge are not available for visitor. This is an creative meal that you can cook up. My teammate cook omelet with wild ferns. We have fried dace and with some wild ferns as well.

We have anchovies cooked with pumpkin+ brown rice and seaweed + instant cream soup. They are simple and nice. We have orange and organic dragon fruit for dessert. Do takes some effort to plan for food to pack along if not having in mind to have your food cater with the price of RM15 per meal.

BTW the only shop that sell groceries at Kampung Peta, due to the distance from the main road they do stock up instant mee maggie, onions and potatoes that have sprouted, sardine, garlic and eggs only. NO VEGETABLES and MEAT.

If you are interest on insect. There are many insect, creepy crawlies for you to discover here.

Mammals like Long-tailed Macaque, White Handed Gibbon, Spectacles Leaf Monkey, Plaintain Squirrel, Slender Squirrel, Sun Bear, Wild Boar, Black Giant Squirrel, Black Banded Squirrel, giant Gecko are those I could ID here.

This Black Banded Squirrel is not kept in the cage but it went in due to some easy food source.

This green insect I found it at the Toilet.

A millipede

I yet to bump into the Horned Frog that I'm aware that it makes it home here. Instead the park staff let me to have a glimpse of this species of frog. Due to I don't do frogging or reptile watching this is my first encounter with a frog of such species..

If you are thinking to use your vehicle for accommodation instead of the varient choices of accomodation that the park offer and taking a shelter from rain. Please do consider this.

Short Endau Rompin is indeed haven for nature lovers.. ....