The national parks in Malaysia are one of the treasures of the country. There are a lot of green areas here, but they all attract tourists with untouched nature and outlandish representatives of flora and fauna. Even in the capital of the country, you can take a walk through one of beautiful Kuala Lumpur parks.
If you’re going to explore other regions of the country, we prepared the list of 16 national parks in Malaysia that worth visiting. You’ll get up-to-date information about best time to visit, what to expect, entrance fees and best day tours to join.
1. Mulu National Park, Malaysia
- Location: Sarawak, Malaysia.
- Area: 528 square kilometers.
- Best season to visit: calendar winter.
- Feature: UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mulu National Park is a huge untouched area with rocky formations, tropical animals and plants. Its main attractions are underground caves with stalagmites, and a suspended bridge at a height of 30 meters.
There are many waterfalls, thickets of the jungle and forest lakes. Eco tours to Mulu Park run daily, leaving to the park early in the morning. Comfortable shoes and a raincoat are required. The distances in the park are large, so it will be difficult for children under 6 years old and the elderly.
2. Talang Satang National Park
- Location: Sarawak, Malaysia.
- Area: 270 square kilometers including sea area.
- Best season to visit: all year round.
- Feature: marine park.
National parks in Malaysia often include several islands, such as the Talang Satang National Marine Park. Tourists come here to visit the untouched beaches, go scuba diving and watch the large population of sea turtles.
Among the turtles species that you can meet, there are two listed in the Red Book – Hawksbill sea turtle and Green sea turtle.
The focus of the park is the preservation of wildlife, so you can dive and swim in strictly designated areas. If water activities such as swimming and diving are important to you, then it is better to visit Tun Sakaran Marine Park .
Talang Satang is a more secluded place. It is suitable for those who love a quiet contemplation of natural beauties. There are no shops and cafes on the islands, and you can visit the park only with a group during the daytime. Tours to Talang Satang are offered by almost all operators in the state of Sarawak.
3. Taman Negara National Park
- Location: 27000 Kuala Tahan, Pahang, Malaysia.
- Area: 4343 square kilometers.
- Best season to visit: all year round, open from 09:00 to 17:00 daily.
- Feature: the largest park in the country.
Caves, rainforests, hundreds of animal species, suspension bridges and secluded lakes with waterfalls await tourists in this park. The humid tropic climate allowed the fauna of these places to develop actively: many plants are found nowhere else in the world.
Here are the oldest rainforests on the planet – they are over 130 million years old. You can book a tour or get there by yourself.
4. KL Forest Eco Park
It is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Lush thickets coexist with concrete jungle. Walking along the hanging paths, you can see the famous Petronas Twin Towers ahead. The park covers an area of about 10 hectares.
5. Penang National Park
This park is the youngest of all Malaysian national parks. Here visitors can enjoy majestic trees and jungles. The paths that run through the park can take you to some of the best beaches in Penang. On the territory of the park there is a “meromictic” lake (there are salt and fresh waters and they do not mix with each other).
6. Gunung Gading National Park, Sarawak
- 94500 Lundu, Sarawak, Malaysia
- Phone +60 82-735 144
This park was founded to protect and preserve the rare, fragrant rafflesia flower. This flower is one of the most unusual finds in Southeast Asia. It is an ideal place for growing this flower, its territory is covered with a dense tropical forest and cut through mountain streams. Paths have been laid in the park, allowing everyone to take a look at this unusual flower, but at the same time not harm it. The most convenient way to go to the reserve is from Kuching city. Camping is prohibited, you can visit the park only as part of a day trip.
7. Kuala Selangor Nature Park
This wetland sanctuary is just a couple of hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. The reserve contains about 800 acres of mangroves, estuaries, and a 24-acre brackish lake. The permanent inhabitants of these places are Brahmin kites, herons, silver langur monkeys and fiddler crabs. Migratory birds often choose Kuala Selangor Game Reserve as a stopover.
8. Lambir Hills Park
This park is considered quite small, covering an area of only 17,000 acres. Despite its size, it has a rich ecosystem. Thousands of plants and animals have found a home on its territory. In total, more than 230 species of birds live in the park.
There are several routes to explore the park. Each of which is designed for a different level of physical fitness. There are trails that take only a couple of hours to walk. There are more difficult routes that can take a whole day to explore.
9. Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu rises to a height of 3900 meters and is the highest mountain in Malaysia. The virgin forests and mountain landscapes are home to 326 bird species, 4,500 plant species and over 100 diverse mammal species.
Despite its height, anyone can climb Mount Kinabalu. About 40,000 people come here every year to conquer the mountain peak. The entrance to the park is located about 90 km from Kota Kinabalu.
10. Semenggoh Wildlife Center
It is a haven for endangered orangutans. Primates are not kept in cages, they can freely walk around the park. Most of the residents of the rehabilitation center were either released from captivity or left orphans. The main task of the center’s workers is to help the orangutans acclimatize again. Just one hour drive is another great place you shouldn’t miss – National Bako park.
11. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center
Like the Semenggoh rehabilitation center, Sepilok is located in Sabah state of Malaysia in the northern part of Borneo island. The main goal of this center is to save the endangered orangutan population. The park has observation platforms located at a height from which you can watch primates in their natural habitat. The best time to visit this place is during feeding time, from 10.00 to 14.30. It is prohibited to touch animals.
12. Langkawi Geopark
This national park in Malaysia became the first eco-park in Southeast Asia, which was awarded the status of a geopark. The place is divided into three different geological areas. The limestone formations on the Kilim River are considered the best part of the park. Machinchang Cambrian Park belongs to the Paleozoic era.
13. Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
This marine park covers an area of 12,000 acres, it includes five islands and a large number of coral reefs. Located just 8 km from Kota Kinabalu, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park is a favorite vacation spot for many families.
Camping is allowed on all islands in the park, but it’s not free. Weak currents, shallow waters and a rich underwater world make the park a favorite place for diving. If you are lucky, you may be able to see whale sharks.
14. Royal Belum State Park
Lake Temenggor, located in the center of the park, arose as a result of the construction of a power plant dam. And the rainforest that surrounds it is one of the oldest, its age has exceeded 130 million years. Some endangered animal species live there. For example, the Malayan tapir, the Asian elephant and the Sumatran rhinoceros.
It is unlikely that during your first visit you will meet any of them, but it is worth visiting the park anyway. There, you can meet rafflesia, go fishing on Lake Temenggor, enjoy hiking to the waterfalls, visit the dam, or visit the traditional village where the locals live.
15. Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
About 60 proboscis monkeys live in the park. This small group of primates is on the verge of extinction. Their natural habitat has been destroyed due to human encroachment on the territory. The forests were destroyed to create palm plantations. Park guests have a unique opportunity to watch monkeys in a semi-wild habitat. You can watch them during the feeding season or watch them in the forests surrounding the park.
16. Kubah National Park
The national parks of Malaysia can be divided into those that amaze with their underwater, wildlife and abundance of plants. Despite the fact that a variety of animals live in the Kubah National Park, its flora will attract your attention.
Orchids, water lilies, and more than 90 species of tropical palm trees grow here, on the territory of more than 2,000 hectares. Against the backdrop of the lush greenery of the park, the Matang mountain range stands out, especially Gunung Serapi, which is easily climbed to the top along the trail. It takes up to 6 hours to go up and down.
