KUALA LUMPUR, 6 March 2018: Malaysia’s popular Canopy Walk at Taman Negara Pahang National Park will be closed, effective immediately until further notice.
Tour operators in Malaysia were informing their clients over the weekend to ensure overseas partners could offer alternative attractions.
Asian Trails Malaysia in a bulletin to travel partners said the closure followed quality checks of the canopy walkway that identified the need for “important maintenance work” to ensure traveller safety.
The Department of Wildlife and National Parks stated that consumer safety was a priority leading to the decision. The closure comes at a time the national park is heading into its peak season April to August.
Originally built for scientists studying the rainforest, the Taman Negara’s 530-metre Canopy Walk lifts you up to treetop level for a bird’s-eye view of the flora and fauna, including primates, eagles, hornbills and the Bongao tree frog.
Located in the centre of peninsular Malaysia, Taman Negara National Park covers 4300 square kilometres of tropical forest and one of the most bio-diverse regions on the planet.
Taman Negara is home to the world’s longest canopy walkway, a must-do activity and the main attractions for local and international tourists visiting the country’s largest national park.
The Canopy Walk comes under the supervision of the country’s wildlife department and it imposes rules to ensure the safety of the tourists and protect the park. Although open daily, last-minute closures are common due to heavy rain that could compromises safety on the walkway.
Access roads to Taman Negara were flooded in January causing the park to close for several days.
Resorts such as Mutiara Taman Negara will again stand to lose considerable bookings due to the Canopy Walk closure.
The park is billed the must-see attraction in peninsula Malaysia to learn more about jungles and a variety of walking trails remain open.
However, the most popular trail leads to the Canopy Walk, which at 45 metres above ground and offers visitors stunning views of the rainforest. As long as the walk remains closed the park will suffer a substantial drop in visitors.
Taman Negara National Park is connected by land and river routes from major destinations in peninsula Malaysia, such as Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands and Kuantan. The primary gateway is Jerantut township, some 67 km away from the park’s southern entrance at Kuala Tahan (180 km northeast of Kuala Lumpur).
