Visit the World's Oldest Rainforest and Walk the World's Longest Canopy Walk

Taman Negara literally means "National Park" in Malay. Yeah, they seriously named a national park, national park! 

Anyway, It's also the world's oldest rainforest and I saw so many bizarre, freaky bugs. One of the Main reasons I went was because it's also home to the World's Longest canopy walk! good, so I could knock out 2 World's most something at once!

this big butterfly or moth was in the vehicle on the way there

To get there I took a bus from Kuala Lumpur to Jerantut, then a shared shuttle to the village outside the park called Kuala Tahan. It has guesthouses and some restaurants but Jerantut is the last chance to use an ATM. Then to get to the national park, you have to go across the river, there's a ferry for 1 RM if I remember correctly.

I went hiking with 3 others that I just had met. We went on a less touristy trail... 

One of the first things I experienced and continued to experience because those little fuckers were Everywhere, was leeches.

killed a blood filled leech

Even though we were always checking ourselves,It was impossible not to get bitten at least once, Everyone did.. Many times.  Some of them are on leaves, many of them are on the ground. They are long, slimy worm-looking demons that stealthily stick to anything as you walk by. A lot of time, we wouldn't even feel them bite. and then when we finally found out, they are already filled with our blood. 

There were so many of those damn leeches in that jungle. And once you pluck it off, you'll keep bleeding for awhile, because their mouths have some type of natural chemical that prevents your blood from clotting so they can fill up.

my blood from a leech

So, We camped out for night there. and had some food in our bags. It also rained quite a bit.

Collecting rain water with leaf funnel.

Malaysia can be a very humid place.. It was the first Asian country I visited and the only other place I had ever experienced that amount of intense sticky, humid heat was Fiji. Even If I sit and don't move at all, I'm still sweating! And I was hiking while carrying a big backpack. It might have been the most I had ever sweated.

All these dark spots are sweat

My Pics keep coming out Blurry!

Ok, that one is better

The next day, we hiked back and went our separate ways. I stayed in the National Park for 1 more day to do the Canopy Walk. 

I walked to the main entrance of the park.. The trail we were hiking on earlier was just a trail in the jungle and less used.  but the trail leading toward the canopy walk was Nice!! It had a wooden track which prevented me from getting any leeches! So, for a change, I really preferred to be on the more beaten track. 

After walking for quite a while, I finally reached the entrance to the canopy and I was excited. Then I was painfully disappointed to learn that it was closed... 

There was a piece of paper on the door that said it was closed on Tuesday and Thursday that week. yes, only that week that I happen to be there. 

Why didn't they put a sign at the entrance or on the trail?? I didn't see one.  No one told me when I paid for my park entrance for that day and I had walked all the way there.

I needed to leave the next day and I don't know if I'll ever have a chance to walk the Worlds longest canopy walk again! I have to do it because it's the World's most "something". I have to do Every World's something at least once!!!

Bwaaaaaahhh!!!

No one was around and the door was locked.. Hmmmm.  

So, I busted the door down with MY MASSIVE DICK!!!! 

Hahaha, just kidding

Actually, there is an opening on the second story of that structure pictured above, although the door was locked, I was able to climb up to get inside.

Disclaimer: I am not recommending anyone to do this.

yes, it swayed

Ok, that Canopy Walk was loong and it got pretty high. I was always looking down to see if any park rangers were around but luckily, there weren't.

Finally, I reached the end and it started to get dark. At the end of that long canopy, there was a small wooden building which I was lucky enough to find just as It started to rain heavily. I went inside and found 2 hammocks on the floor. I tied one of them up and slept in it. Sometime in the night I woke up with a big spider on me, then I flicked it off and went back to asleep..

I woke up super early the next morning and left Taman Negara..

Hmmm, yep.  Well, That's all I got to say about that. Stayed tuned for more Jungle Posts in the future.