Feb 22ndAdventure to Mount Nuang

Whether you heard about Mount Tahan (Gunung Tahan) is the most tougher and challenger mountain in Malay Peninsula and with the height of 7,175 feet. Well, this time I’m challenge the 2nd tougher mountain in Malay Peninsula – Mount Nuang.

Mount Nuang, with the height of 4,898 feet. Mountain scales across Pahang and Selangor states. And it is also a part of Titiwangsa Mountain. Mount Nuang is very famous for trekkers who looking for prior training to climb Mount Kinabalu or Mount Tahan.

There are three (3) hiking routes to the peak. Two of the routes start in Selangor which is located at Pangsoon, Hulu Langat and Kemensah, Gombak. Another route starts in Bukit Tinggi, Bentong – Pahang.

Well, we are choosing Pangsoon, Hulu Langat route. To avoid delayed, we depart at 5:45am from KL City and meet the rest of the members at Shell station just before the Cheras toll. Once all the members are arrived, we were then heading to Nuang National Park. On the way, we pass by a lot of hawker stalls, villages and school. I’m enjoying the scenery so much, especially the hills along the road. Once arrive the park, visitors required register and pay entrance fee RM1.00 each. Mount Nuang can divide into few section, they are as follow:-

- Entrance Point
- Never Ending Route (3km+…?)
- Dam
- Lolo Camp Site (4km..?)
- Pacat Camp Site (6.4km..?)
- Fake Summit
- Nuang Summit (9.4km@4,898ft)

Entrance Point
This is the place to register yourself with the park ranger officer and perhaps go for rest room before start your 9.4km journey. 19 of us choose to challenge Mount Nuang, of course not everybody wants to go summit. Do some warm up exercise and stress your body. 8am sharp (Timer Start: 0H00M), we start our journey.

Never Ending Route
I don’t know where the name came from by calling “Never Ending Route”. Wide, flat, rocky terrain, up & down hill has make some of us a little impatient. You will need to learn, control your stamina. There are three (3) rest huts in this route. We arrived at 9:15am (Timer Counting: 1H15M). We saw some people camping here. There is small stream and waterfall nearby.

Dam
All of us have 15 minutes rest before we start the actual hiking. 9:30am, we going to Dam. No more flat terrain. We are going through small pathways along the jungle and streams. We saw pipeline and finally arrived the Dam at 9:45am (Timer Counting: 1H45M).

Lolo Camp Site
Continue with the path and stream, walk for another 15 minutes and we arrived Lolo Camp Site (Timer Counting: 2H). There are a hut and camping site beside the stream. We saw people doing overnight camping here. It is not too difficult to reach this point. Most people choose to stop here. Enjoy and playing with the water, it’s chilling. If you expected the next pit stop have similar stream for you to enjoy, forget about it!

Pacat Camp Site

Heading to Pacat Camp Site is tough enough for us. We are going through the fallen bamboo/trees and red clay terrain. It was very lucky that no rained on the day and day before. Or else, the trail will become very muddy and slippery. My friend and I were little gone crazy with the vertically path challenger.

Our legs start cramping, body loosing of energy. It is never happen before on me even I have experience in climbing Mount Kinabalu 7 years ago (Year: 2003) and jungle hiking in my life. Going through the difficulty and at last, we arrived Pacat Camp Site at 11:55am (Timer Counting: 3H55M). Pacat Camp Site has a half basketball field size flat land. I don’t see people camping here as there is no stream nearby.

We have 15 minutes to rest and decide who want to challenge the peak. Some member has chosen stop at Pacat Camp Site. Our leader has comment we are very late and impossible for us push to the peak. If we choose to challenge, we must arrive the summit by 2pm. 8 of us (including me) has take up this challenger.

Fake Summit
Hey, its noon time and I am hungry. We have a quick lunch before it’s late. My lunch is RM4 raisin bread. After rest, we continue heading to “Fake Summit”. My friend and I were completely throwing behind the group as we are again suffering with muscle cramp (happen too frequent even after rest). The trial gets even steeper and we need to depending on the tree roots to ascend. I felt my bag is getting heavy and heavier (due to the vertically terrain). Felt like my bag going to pull me fall from the mountain. It’s scared me. I force to use both of my hand or I call it “limbs” to climb.

The environment and muscle cramp has suffering my stamina. I told my friend, “I can’t go up, it’s too steep. I want to give up”. My friend look at me and said “Come on, you can do it, we almost arrive. Don’t give up. Gambateh!” (p/s: “Gambateh” is Japanese language, means: continue your great work). I make a altimeter reading on my watch, touching 4,000ft. The summit shall be in front of us. My friend has giving his hand to pull me up the very steep hill. At last, we arrived Fake Summit at 1:30pm (Timer Counting: 5H25M).

Nuang Summit
There is a “T” junction at “Fake Summit”, always follow the path on your left hand side. We did not rest as it’s getting late. We not going to make it, arrive by 2pm. We saw a lot people start descending to the base from the peak and we are still on our way to the peak. They told us another 30 minutes you will arrive the peak. We keep walking and go through the muddy and slippery terrain.

Descending from Fake Summit has rebuilt our stamina and energy. My legs not longer suffered by cramp. We are expecting another tough ascending to the summit. We slowly moving step by steps going up and finally we arrived Nuang Summit at 2:25pm (Timer Counting: 6H20M). Hooray!

Nuang Summit (4,898ft)! Here I come. Yahoo…. Wait! First thing comes into my mind was… “Leech”! We were warning that there is leech along the way to summit. Have a quick check on both my foot. Thanks God! There is no leech bite me. LOL… We have a short break and refilling our hungry stomach. Then have a group photo shooting at the summit. Nothing we can see from the top. What we can felt is the cold wind like Genting Highland. Some people have chosen to setup overnight camp site here. According to the source, the temperature will drop to 16 Celsius at night.

Here is the 360 degree “Mount Nuang Summit” video clip. Click here if you are unable to see the video clip.

Descending from Summit
If you think it is so easy, well… I can tell you it’s not easy at all. The time clock at 2:40pm, we need to reach our base (Entrance Point) before dusk or before sunset. I do not have mood to taking out my camera to shoot with my very dirt hand. What I want is safely return home

We watch out our step very carefully during our descending just to avoid any accident happen to us. We are helping each other in a very steeps and dangerous area. This time, my friend was suffering injured on his foot due to uncomfortable shoe he wears. I slow down my descending speed wait for my friend. We even rest for 5-10 minutes for every 500-600 meters descend. Descending from “Nuang Summit”, “Fake Summit” and we arrived “Pacat Camp Site” at 4:40pm (Timer Counting: 8H30M).

After few minutes rest, we continue heading to “Lolo Camp Site”. Like what we did, rest every 500-600 meters. My friend has almost running out of drinking water with extremely foot pain. The descending speed has decreasing so much and took even more time to rest. I know the feeling and very sympathy my friend while nothing I can do except let him rest more during descending to “Lolo Camp Site”. Along the way, we are not sure how many times we saw the Lolo Camp signboard. We thought that we almost there. Well, at last we arrived Lolo Camp Site at 6:30pm (Timer Counting: 10H10M).

The sky is getting dark and we are preparing for walking in the dark. My friend almost lost track on the way from Lolo Camp Site to Dam. I always watching and notice people behind me just in case they getting wrong way. We arrived “Never Ending Route” at 7pm sharp (Timer Counting: 10H40M). What a good timing. Again, I checked on my feet see any leech bite me. What a lucky day. There is not

If you can recall what I have mentioned above, “Never Ending Route” is 3km+. Estimated 1 hour 15 minutes. Sound easy right? But it is not. “Never Ending Route” is more than enough to drain your mental and physically when you are already so tired, hungry and hurt. We are running out of drinking water and my friend has seriously injured on his foot. He has become so down. The fatigue and frustration has completely occupied him. Nothing I can do except giving encouragement and mental support. My friend ask “How far we going to walk?”, “How far we going to walk?” I replied “Not worry, we almost there. You see rest hut in front? We can have a rest there.”

I look at my watch. The time is approaching 8pm and we are still non-stop walking. Too bad that my cell phone battery drain out plus there is no signal inside jungle (in certain area). Or else, I can request for a help. Our members in front us start worried about our safety and find us. The last 1km (I guess), we heard a motorcycle sound approaching toward us. Hooray! It’s our leader who drives the motorcycle. Finally my friend can have a free ride returning to the base (Entrance Point). I continue proceed with my foot but with increasing of walking speed even I am in fatigue mode and suffering muscle pain. Finally, I reach the base at 8:30pm (Timer Stop: 12H10M).

Well, this is my personal jungle trekking record in a day. Walking 18.4km with the consumptions times of 12 hours 10 minutes.

How to Get There
From KL City to Pangsoon, Hulu Langat estimated 45 minutes. Self driving by using Cheras – Kajang highway, exiting Cheras toll and take the left turn. Go straight till you reach a traffic light. Make a left turn and follow the road. Does notice the signboard beside road to avoid lost.

Things to Bring
1.5 liters Drinking Water (Minimum 2 bottles)
Energy Bars / Packing Foods / Breads / Snacks
Good Trekking Shoe
Torchlight (Be prepare walking at night)
Rain Coat
Camera

Extra Items:-
Basic First Aid Kit (Just in case you need it)
- Mosquito Repellant, Muscle Relief, Insect Ointment etc.
Energy Drink (RedBull/Livita)
Extra T-Shirt
Glove

Conclusion
If you are a 1st time climber that wish to challenge Mount Nuang, do not under estimate it. Always be prepared by doing some basic hiking training to build up your stamina. You think you are physically fit enough? Then take up these challenges. LOL…

Pictures Contributor: Me myself and Chin L.L.

Feb 19thVisit to Shah Alam, Malaysia Agriculture Park (Taman Pertanian)

*** Contents & Pictures updated on 25/04/2012 ***

Are you too bored during weekend or school holiday? Desired to have some outdoor activities or maybe enjoy natural clean fresh air? Here is the Malaysia Agriculture Park believed can fulfill your desire.

Malaysia Agriculture Park located in Shah Alam. It is Malaysia’s first agriculture park and opened to the public in 1986. The 1,295 hectare of Tropical Rain Forest and Agriculture Park are believed one of the largest in the world. Most of the visitors come here for cycling or maybe to have some Skytrex high elements or even a flying-fox adventurous.

You maybe don’t know that there are bicycles available for rent and a free bus ride provided to ferry visitors inside the park.

While waiting for the shuttle bus, visitor can enjoy the nice album.

Due to overwhelming cycling activities in the park, we decided depart early from KL City. Spend 35 minutes on the road and finally arrived. Well, a clear and sunny sky turning into dark and cloudy sky and at last, heavy rain. We have no choice wait inside the car and pray for the rain stop. Another 20 minutes pass by and finally our pray apparitions.

Rain has stopped and allow us disembark from the vehicle. We then proceed to the Park HQ and purchase entrance ticket.

There are two (2) main trunk in the park, towards to the North (3.5KM) and also West (3KM). After chosen our bicycle and prepare for our journey, another heavy down pour. Again we wait for the rain stop. When the rain turning into drizzle. We start our journey to the west side. A tar surface track, up and down hill, plus a 26 speeds mountain bike, make the journey as easy as 123. But safety always first, I don’t want to fall from bicycle again

What to see inside the park?
There is a paddy field, cocoa trees, oil palm, rubber trees, coffee, coconut and other fruit trees. And there are many gardens in this park which are the Spice Garden, Ornamental Garden, Orchid Garden, Cactus Garden, Bamboo Garden and Mushroom Garden.

Mini Zoo
Various types of deer can be observed here and as well as some other animals.

Fish Feeding at “New River Dam”
By taking the free shutter bus from Park HQ or cycling, heading towards to the North side and ended at the Dam. Fish pond is build beside the lake. Visitors can have a close look at the fish and fish feeding. Very strange that the fish anti-clock nonstop swimming, it will stop once people get closes to it.

Observation Tower
A tree look steel reinforced concrete, five (5) story high observation tower was built beside the lake to observe the scenery of the lake and the garden.

Cultural Village
A double story traditional Malay’s wooden house. Ideally for various function or group activities.

Four Season Temperate House
This is one of the top attraction spot in the park. Please bear in mind that the “House” maybe close during seasoning change or maintenance.

According to the source, spring season garden is exhibited from March to May, summer season garden is exhibited from June to August, autumn season garden is exhibited from September to November and winter season garden is exhibited from December to February.

Here is the view of Winter Season

Here is the view of Spring Season

Foods and Beverage
Visitor can taste and enjoy some local foods at park canteen which is right beside Park HQ. Price to be category as standard. A normal “Nasi Lemak with Egg” without chicken cost RM3.00, Mineral water RM1.50 per bottle.

All About Fees
1. Park Entrance Fees as follow:
RM3.00 for adult 12 years and above
RM1.00 for children 4 to 11 years old
RM1.00 for visitor above 55 years old

2. Other charges as follow:
RM1,000.00 Film Shooting
RM5.00 License for Fishing
RM5.00 Bicycle Rental for 1st hour and RM1.00 subsequent hour

3. Separate entrance fees payable at Four Season House as follow:
RM3.00 for adult 12 years and above
RM1.00 for children 4 to 11 years old

4. Cultural Village Renting Fees as follow:
RM500.00 for normal day
RM550.00 for weekend

Park Operating Hours & Contact
From 0830am to 1630pm
Tuesday to Sunday + Public Holiday and except Monday
(if Public Holiday fall on Monday, the park will be open)

Malaysia Agriculture Park
Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam,
40000 Shah Alam,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Administration/Office Tel. No.: +603 5510 6922 / 6923 / 7048
Booking Unit Tel. No.: +603 5510 7048
Fax: +603 5510 0922

Getting There
By Public Transport
Board the KTM Komuter train from KL Sentral to “Shah Alam” station. Then take a taxi to the park with approximately 10 kilometers or 20 minutes.

Self Driving
Below is the route map directory from Federal Highway exit to Malaysia Agriculture Park.

Conclusion
Besides mentioning in the above, there are a lot of outdoor activities for visitors such as Kayaking, Fishing, Skytrex Adventure Park, Flyingfox, Swimming, Jungle Trekking and Camping. You could spend one whole day or days inside the park. Relax and calmness your mind, good place for picnic and spending time with your family around the park.

All photographs are Copyrighted. Make use of Simon Blog photographs without consent is strictly prohibited.