One common perception among people in general about eco-escapades is that it is rather extreme and not suitable for families or young children. For most, if you are to go on a holiday or a getaway with families or young children, you need to go somewhere lavish and cozy.

I beg to differ. Going for eco-escapades and getting up close and personal with nature is just the thing that you need when you are living in the modern world and leashed with gadgets on daily basis. It gives you the perfect opportunity to put away your gadgets and whatnot and bond with your loved ones, gadget-free.

Many would argue that going for outdoor adventure is not exactly safe, but I assure you that it is safer than you think, when done right.

New year is usually rather slow paced and unproductive for me and my family, but we kicked off 2016 differently. Unlike the previous years where we had slow and mundane start to the new year, this year we kicked it off with a short 3D2N getaway to Taman Negara (National Park) in Pahang with our media friends and their respective families.

Taman Negara is located in Jerantut, Pahang and is well known for it’s well preserved flora and fauna and is offering a full blown eco-escapade experience to outdoor activity lovers where you can opt to trek the jungle, explore a cave, cruise the river with a boat or even visit the indegenious settlement.

Getting to Taman Negara can be quite tricky for tourists as there is no direct express or intercity transport to Taman Negara. You can get to Taman Negara by driving or by bus from any cities or towns in Malaysia. The most common route is via Jerantut, the nearest town to Taman Negara or via the only river route available, which is Sungai Tembeling by taking a boat from Kuala Tembeling jetty.

After about 1 hour of bus ride, you will reach Kuala Tahan, Taman Negara. The bus stop is located at the central part of Kampung Kuala Tahan. Most of the resorts, guest house, chalets and hostels in Kuala Tahan are located within the walking distance from the bus stop. But some resorts would require a short boat ride before you can reach the place. Do check you resort’s exact location prior to arrival.

Among popular cities or towns in Malaysia where you can depart by bus to Taman Negara are: –

Jerantut
Kuala Lumpur
Kota Bharu
Mersing (Jetty to Pulau Tioman)
Kuala Rompin (Jetty to Pulau Tioman)
Penang
Kuala Perlis (Jetty to Pulau Langkawi)
Malacca

The public bus services is the cheapest way to get to Taman Negara, but if you want a full blown experience, I would recommend you to ride a boat from Kuala Tembeling to Taman Negara. The boat ride will take about 3 hours before you can reach Taman Negara.

My family and I had a blast during our 3D2N adventure in Taman Negara. I will be sharing and elaborating our experience in detail in future posts but here’s sharing the chronicles of our experiences during our little escapade:

1. Boatride to Taman Negara

2. Jungle nightwalk and animal watching at Tahan Hide

3. 4×4 off-roading trip

4. Midnight fishing

5. Batik painting at Kuala Tahan

6. Canopy walk

7. Rapids Shooting

8. Riverside walking

9. Visit the Bateq Tribe in the Indegenious Settlement at Kg. Dedari, Kuala Tahan, Pahang

Our trip was sponsored by Han Travel/Han Rainforest Resort and MITA. Han Travel provides one of the best transportation and accommodation arrangement to Taman Negara, so look them up for fuss free experience in Taman Negara at an affordable price.

You can also visit www.rainforestresort.net for more information.

Apart from reading this blog, the updates on our trip can be looked up on social media like Facebook and Instagram by using the official hashtag #GoDomestic #dekatje #mitatourismfair and my personal hashtag #ellietravels #kembaradekatje and #kembarabayau.