Dayang Island

Location: Johor

Location Info
Address: Pulau Dayang, Johor, Malaysia

Location

It is located on the west side of Johor Bahru. Dayang Island is actually a part of an island that is made up with itself and four others. They are Pulau Aur, Pulau Lang and finally Pulau Pemanggil.
Overview

Dayang Island is famous for its diving site. Most tourists visit this island for scuba diving and snorkeling experiences. While scuba diving, it is easy for one to see the wildlife under the sea such as whale, sharks and rays. You can perform underwater photography while snorkeling or scuba diving. Diving courses are offered to those who are passionate in learning it or for the beginners before they dive in the crystal clear water of the Dayang Island.

The ideal diving session is normally from the month of February to November. There are many diving spots around for you to choose, according to your preference and standard and some are shallow reef and some are deep rocky depths.Get yourself a room in any Johor hotels or chalets on the island to jumpstart your vacation in Dayang Island. The chalets and resorts on the island are mostly with air conditioned and fine services.
Transport

Drive yourself to Mersing Jetty which is located in Johor Bahru. It will take approximately 3 hours if you are from Singapore. Then, there will be a boat waiting at the jetty to bring you to the island.

 

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Gunung Ledang, Mount Ophir

The legendary beauty of Mount Ophir (Gunung Ledang) has made it one of Johor's most popular attractions for hikers and birdwatchers.
There two known ways of reaching the summit. One is from Sagil, a town in Johor, the other is through Asahan, Melaka. The shorter route is from Asahan. Gunung Ledang ( or Mount Ophir as it is otherwise better known ) is the most visited mountain in Malaysia. It is not peculiar to find people who has climb the mountain more than 10 times.

The reason being, the place is easily accessible and suitable for beginners who wants to feel what mountains in Malaysia are really like. Some groups are using this mountain as a training ground for other challenging venues. The Ledang trail starts from Gunung Ledang resort, near Sagil village is close to the Malacca and Johor border. The other way of reaching the summit is through Asahan trail in Melaka, an easier route. The paved road starts besides the river leading and leads towards a few staircases till an open gate, where the real climbing begins.

If you want to trek up Gunung Ledang, it's about five hours to the summit from the park. Alternatively, one can arrange a 4WD transfer for a quick and easier trip which interestingly, offers an equally beautiful view of the surrounding Sagil area and a breathtaking sight of Gunung Ledang Dam.

Gunung Ledang is believed to have the richest flora species in the world. It has a 50 metres high waterfall with a wide drop of 50 metres. It has icy cool waters charge down upon large boulders, then break into rushing rapids before plugging into the large sandy pool below. This waterfall, discovered some 50 years ago, is name the "PuteriWaterfalls" Over the period it has witnessed thousands of tourists almost every week, picnicking, backpacking or just bathing in the refreshing water of the pool.You'll see giant butterflies, brightly coloured spiders amidst wild tropical flowers of bright yellow, crimson and orange.

Crickets and frogs singing song of the jungle, chirping sounds of birds become the music of this tropical wonderland.The summit was just beyond the boulders. There's a flat ground revealed at the summit of Gunung Ledang at 4187ft. Wide and flat, mystical and lovely. I can get a panoramic view of Segamat and Jementah town of Johor, and the historical Melaka.

According to the legend, the princess was of slim build and medium height and had a stunning beauty. Further, she was also endowed with a sinuous movement, that accentuated every curve of her little body. Men were naturally attracted to her but amongst the many, she was claimed to have spurned was the Sultan of Melaka. The legend tells us, that the princess eventually married one Nakhoda Ragam, a hero whose name unfailingly struck terror into the hearts of those, who had dared to oppose him. ut this hero was later to die at the hands of his princess-wife. Ragam was found of tickling the Princess's ribs and one day, in an uncontrollable burst of reaction. The Princess stabbed her husband in the breast with a needle she was handling. Therefore the Princess returned to Mount Ophir and vowed never to set eyes on another man. Ragam's boat, not long after, was crushed during a storm and legend tells us that the debris of the wreck transformed into the present six islands off Melaka. Height: 1276 meters (Highest in Johor State) Location: Asahan, Melaka Summit temperature: 10-20 degrees Celsius

Gunung Ledang Resort, Tangkak
Bt, 26 Sagil, 84900 Tangkak,
Johor, Malaysia.
06-977 2888

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Endau Rompin National Park

Endau Rompin National Park is located on the states of Johor and Pahang with an area of over 800 square km. It is believed to be over 250 million-year old and is the second largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia after Taman Negara. This park is one of the most undisturbed lowland dipterocarp forest in Malaysia and using a four-wheel drive to come here is highly recommended as certain stretch of the road can be muddy and difficult to drive. The main river here is the Endau River.
The Johor side was gazetted as a national park in 1993 and the Pahang side in 1988. Due to the limited access to this park, many of the flora and fauna are still in its natural state. There are many well-marked trekking trails that you can explore and getting a guide is compulsory for your own safety. Most of the guides are the "orang asli" (indigeneous people) of the Jakun tribe. They have stayed and live here for a long time.


Flora and Fauna

Look out for the fan palms also known as "Livistona Endauensis". Ferns, pitcher plants, the climbing bamboo ("Rhopa Coblaste") and walking stick palm ("Phychorapis Singaporensis") can also be found here.

The animals that inhabit this forest include the civets, sun bears or honey bears, gibbons, monkeys, Asian Elephants, Sumatran Rhino, tapirs, tigers, wild boars and deer. It will require a lot of patience to spot them in this vast jungle as most of the animals are secretive animals.

Bird watchers will be glad to know that there are an abundance of hornbills, kingfishers, chirping drangos and argus pheasants to name a few.

Video of Endau Rompin National Park




Things To Do

Some of the activities that you can do here include:

Trek to the highest waterfalls, the Buaya Sangkut if you have at least 3 nights here and to Upeh Guling Waterfalls if you only have 2 nights.
Take a swim at Tasik Air Biru.
Trek on various trails and observe the flora and fauna along the way.
Canoeing.
Bird Watching. Remember to bring along a binocular.
White water rafting from Kuala Jasin.
Night Safari.
Malaysian Mahseer Sanctuary
Fishing

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit is from the month of May to Sept.

The park is closed from Nov to Mar due to the monsoon season.


Accommodation

There are chalets and campsites that you can book to stay. Campsites are located at Kuala Jasin, Batu Hampar, Upeh Guling Kuala Marong and Lubuk Merekek. Chalets and dorms are available in Kampung Peta and Selai.

Due to its limited infrastructure, it is better to join package tour as all the camping equipment will be taken care of by the tour operator. Most of the tour operators are based in Mersing, Johor. A typical cost per person for a 3D/2N stay is about RM350 to RM450. This price includes meals and transportation to the park.

It will be advisable to bring along mosquito coils and insects repellent.

Getting Here

If you are coming from Pahang, you will have to travel to Sungai Kinching base camp via Felda Seladang. Travel using a four-wheel drive is recommended.

If you are coming from Johor, you can use the way through the town of Kahang via Kluang. You will reach Kampung Peta, an "orang asli" village. The second way is passing through the town of Bekok near Segamat.

The other way to reach Kampung Peta is by taking a 5 hours to 8 hours boat ride from lower Endau River.


Contacts

Contact Johor National Park Corporation or Pahang Development Authority for more information.

Johor National Park Corporation
JKR 475, Jalan Bukit Timbalan, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Tel : +6 07 223 7471

Pahang Development Authority for Pahang Tenggara (DARA)
Wisma Sultan Ahmad Shah
26700 Muadzam Shah
Pahang
Tel: +6 09 452 2300


Videos

Endau Rompin Selai - Takah Tinggi Waterfalls



Buaya Sangkut Waterfalls

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Pulau Sibu

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Pulau Sibu is a group of islands located off the east coast of the state of Johor. The islands here are not as developed as the more popular destinations such as Redang and Tioman islands. The Sibu archipelago consists of Sibu Besar, Sibu Tengah, Sibu Hujung, Pulau Kukus, Pulau Tinggi, Pulau Mentigi and Pulau Lima. These islands are located 3km to 4km away from the mainland and usually takes 30 minutes by speedboat from Tanjung Leman Jetty.

These islands are ideal for a time of private holidays and the tourists that come here are mainly from Johor and Singapore. You will be able to enjoy the sunset, the coral reefs, marine life, the sandy beaches and the crystal clear water while holidaying here. These islands were gazetted as a Marine Park in 1993 to prevent the excessive depletion of the marine life here. A conservation fee of about RM5 is charged to all visitors who visited these islands.

Wake up early and enjoy the sunrise at Pulau Sibu Besar.

However, fishing is allowed a two nautical away from these islands.
The best time to visit the islands are during the months from April to September where the sea is calmer.
During the North-Easterly monsoon season from November to March, the sea will be choppy and hence there is not much sea activities that you can do. Some of the resorts will be closed during this time of the year but some will remain open.

Pulau Sibu Besar
This island has a few resorts and is 7km long and 1km wide.It is one of the largest island here. All the resorts have their own generator to cater for the electricity needs.
The most recent luxury resort which was opened in April 2010 is Sari Pacifica Resort and Spa. It has a swimming pool, spa and is in the process of setting up a dive centre. All the rooms have air conditioning, jacuzzi, flat screen television, kettle and electronic safe.
Sea Gypsy Village Resort has its own dive centre, chalets, beach bar and is popular with expatriates. The resort is run by a British.

Sea Gypsy Village chalets at Pulau Sibu Besar. This resort also has a diving centre and is popular with backpackers.

Other resorts are Sibu Coconut Village Resort, Kambau Bay Beach Resort, Rimba Island Resort and Twin Beach Resort.

Here are some of the activities that you can do.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
When snorkeling or scuba diving, look out for the varieties of marine life. A study of these fascinating creatures that we hardly encounter will make our activity more rewarding. Pulau Kukus is uninhabited and is a good location for you to go for 1-2 hours of snorkelling or diving. This island is about 20 minutes by speedboat from Sibu Besar. You can also snorkel near Rimba Island Resort as there are some nice corals here as well.

Snorkeling at Pulau Kukus

You may be able to spot the following fishes.

• Moray Eels
• Blue Spotted Stingrays
• Box Fish
• Nudibranches
• Bat Fish
• Nurse Sharks
• Barracudas
• Black Tip Reef Sharks
• Leopard Sharks
• Sea Horses
• Manta Rays
• Whale Sharks

The crystal clear water at Kukus Island. This is a good place for snorkeling.

Island Hopping and Sunrise Cruise

Ask the resort you are staying to take you island hopping. You may want to take a swim or snorkel. However, some islands such as Kukus Island and Lima Island are not inhabited and do not have any bathing facility. Sunrise cruise will be nice.

Canoeing and Wind Surfing
If you are into canoeing or wind surfing, you will enjoy the windy and clear water here.

Kelong Fishing or Night Fishing
There are dedicated kelongs that are built in the middle of the sea for fishing enthusiasts to stay and fish at the same time. The facility is basic. Ask the resort you are staying to arrange for you to go to the kelongs for an experience. The owner may even allow you to fish for a fee.
If you are seriously into fishing, night fishing can also be arranged. Mackeral, sail fish, groupers, snappers and black marlin are some of the fishes that you may get. However, it may be costly as most of the time you may have to charter the whole boat unless there are other guests who want to go fishing as well.

Jungle Trekking

Sweat it out by doing a hike on the tropical rainforest. Wear a good hiking shoes and you will enjoy the greeneries, quietness and view of the island. Always inform the resort you are staying of your intention to go trekking and they will advise you what to do.

Kampung Duku
Kampung Duku is located in Pulau Sibu Besar and is home to about 200 villagers who have been staying here many years ago. Take a stroll and visit this village. There are some shops that sell basic needs and food stuff. Take your time to unwind and have a drink while you are here. Some resorts still do not have telecommuncation tower nearby, hence your handphone will not work. You will be able to use your handphone at Kampung Duku as there is a simple communication tower here.

Getting Here
Boats to the islands depart from Tanjung Leman Jetty. Most resorts will arrange with their guests on the timing of the boats. When you are doing reservation, ensure that you request for this transfer if it is not included in the room reservation. In addition to the boat transfer, there is a RM4 fee ticket that is charged for the use of the jetty. This cost is usually covered by the resort operator. The duration of the speedboat to the resorts is around 30 to 40 minutes depending on the condition of the sea and the location of the resort.

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