One for the Leong family album: from left; Karen Leong, King Sun and Niamh

As part of our visit we had decided to treat ourselves [...]]]> During the month of August 2011 my family and I were fortunate enough to return to the beautiful, tranquil island of Langkawi for a week of rest and relaxation.

One for the Leong family album: from left; Karen Leong, King Sun and Niamh

As part of our visit we had decided to treat ourselves to a tour of the Mangrove swamps on the east coast of the Island. We were keen to use an environmentally friendly tour guide who would show us the mangroves and their natural habitat, and not one who would coerce wildlife for the benefit of tourists, which we had heard can occur with some tours.

On the day of our trip the weather was kind to us – it was dry, slightly overcast and somewhat cooler than of late which was perfect for our 3 hour tour. Our guide, Wendy Chin, looked after us for the duration of the tour and this she did with great enthusiasm and passion, both for the habitat and the wildlife she was to introduce us to and for our enjoyment and safety throughout.
The mangrove is an incredibly diverse and wondrous place. At the beginning of our tour the waterways were wide and flanked by trees, lush vegetation and steep rock formations which had evolved over many thousands of years. Wendy was keen to inform us of the evolution of the land which has lead to such a dramatic landscape.
Accompanying Wendy was our expert boatman who skilfully navigated our journey in a considerate and appropriately timely manner through the waterways to allow us to see the incredible wildlife which Wendy expertly explained and described to us.

On board with our nature guide, Wendy

We were delighted to see so many fascinating and beautiful creatures including an incredibly fortunate sighting of a family of 4 otters, a monitor lizard emerging from the water (so expertly camouflaged with its rocky habitat), fiddler crabs, Brahminy kites, monkeys and mudskippers to name a few. As the tour progressed, we were amazed to pass through a cave which housed at least 2 varieties of bats, all nestling in the higher vaults of the rock, oblivious to our passing through below.

A Blue Spotted Mudskipper

A large Water Monitor Lizard climbing up the limestone wall

What struck me personally about the tour was not only the incredible beauty and tranquillity of the environment itself but the fortunate realisation that we had an amazing tour guide Wendy, whose passion and enthusiasm for this incredibly fragile ecosystem was evident throughout her explanations and descriptions of everything we saw. Wendy has an immense knowledge of the mangroves and the life within them. We asked many questions which Wendy was able to answer effortlessly, drawing upon both her in depth knowledge and her personal experience of life on the island.

Our tour finished with an exhilarating boat trip along the coastline and back to our embarkation point.
If you want to see the beauty and tranquillity of the island, I would highly recommend a tour of these amazing mangroves. Be warned however, to get the best out of your tour please check that your tour guide is one who really appreciates this amazing ecosystem and has the passion and knowledge about this place to be able to pass that on to you. We were incredibly fortunate to have Wendy as our guide who ensured we had the most amazing experience in this remarkably beautiful place.

Note: OffdCouch would like to thank Mr Leong King Sun and his family for taking the time to contribute this write-up. If you would like to find out more about this Mangrove tour in Langkawi by Ms Wendy Chin, please feel free to write to us on our Contact Us page.

In September 2011, Nature Guide Keong accompanied a small group of Malaysian Nature Society members to the hydro dam Chenderoh in the state of Perak. Lake Chenderoh is a beautiful place and the surrounding area is steep in history, making it a one stop destination for a weekend visit. [...]]]>

A tour around Chenderoh Lake

In September 2011, Nature Guide Keong accompanied a small group of Malaysian Nature Society members to the hydro dam Chenderoh in the state of Perak. Lake Chenderoh is a beautiful place and the surrounding area is steep in history, making it a one stop destination for a weekend visit.

A 3 days 2 nights trip, the group of less than 20pax stayed at Suka Suka resort, a beautiful family operated resort with rebuilt traditional Malay houses. Most of the houses come from around the state of Perak and they have been transplanted onto the property. With water frontage, the resort never fails to captivate visitors there.

During the trip, the group visited several attractions including the Lenggong archeological museum, lake tour, waterfall, markets as well as local industries Perkasam fish making and clay water pitchers (Labu Sayung).

Chenderoh Lake is an excellent place for visitors who want to get away to a place, not too far from Kuala Lumpur and just rest and relax. A place with plenty of good food, local attractions and pristine nature to keep you occupied.

To find our more about trips to Chenderoh Lake, feel free to write to nature guide L.C. Keong via our Contact Us page.

Joanna & Nick (New Zealand) and Alice (France) joined guide David Lim on a day trip to some of the local attractions in Kuching recently. A day trip that starts at 745am and ends at 5pm, the 3 tourists sure had a full day of sightseeing!

The trip [...]]]>

A local village bamboo bridge

Joanna & Nick (New Zealand) and Alice (France) joined guide David Lim on a day trip to some of the local attractions in Kuching recently. A day trip that starts at 745am and ends at 5pm, the 3 tourists sure had a full day of sightseeing!

The trip started with an early morning stop at the local Kota Sentosa wet market. A great place to see local faces selling local produce. Here, Joanna, Nick and Alice get to do a little bit of shopping for their later ‘surprise’ meal.

A great taste of local life at the morning wet market

After that, it is off to the famous Semenggoh wild life center to chance upon the Orang Utans. A first time visit to Kuching can never be complete without a visit here.

An opportunity to spot Orang Utan at the park

As the day progresses, David was beginning to be a little bit worried about the weather. Dark clouds looming over the horizon, it was time to head over to the long house village at Semuti. It was timely as after drive took almost 1.5 hours. By the time they arrived, the clouds have cleared, promising a good day ahead.

Admiring the Bidayuh long house at Semuti

Well, a trip out with David always end with a nice treat and his guests this time around got to do a bit of walk, cross bamboo bridges to the beauty of a natural waterfall call Mabi.

Not too far of walk to the waterfall

David’s happy guests

This one day trip with not too much traveling time from Kuching is suitable for tourists visiting the place keen on getting a feel of local places. Coupled with local guide David’s charm and always happy personality, guests are sure of a good day.

If you are visiting Kuching, Sarawak for the first time and need the help of a local guide, why not write to David Lim via our Contact Us page.

If you are visiting Langkawi and interested to experience more of the island with a professional nature guide, you can contact Wendy Chin via the Contact Us page.

Langkawi nature guide Wendy recently  accompanied Suzanna and her husband on a nature walk from the top of Gunung Raya to Lubok Semilang. Seasoned and knowledgeable travelers, the couple from Hong Kong had such a terrific time that they took the effort to write [...]]]>

Nature guide Wendy explaining the geographical features of Langkawi

Langkawi nature guide Wendy recently  accompanied Suzanna and her husband on a nature walk from the top of Gunung Raya to Lubok Semilang. Seasoned and knowledgeable travelers, the couple from Hong Kong had such a terrific time that they took the effort to write to us about their experience and even made a video to show!

Below is the email sent in by Suzanna:

“Wendy was our Nature Guide when my husband and I took a nature walk trip from the hill top of Gunung Raya to Lubuk Semilang, Langkawi.  Took us 4 to 5 hours, at least.  We did doubt, at first, whether we could finish the journey.  Wendy was very patient and did not rush us at all, totally different from the local tour operators.  Walking down the 4,287 steps stairway leisurely, along with admiring the beauty of the forest, the flora and fauna, and snapping lots and lots of photos, will remain an unforgettable sweet experience for us.  We could never forget how cooling it was walking under the canopy of some of the oldest trees in the region.  Seeing all those tall old trees right in front of us, even at this very moment, overwhelms us.  We felt safe too because Wendy brought along a PARANG!    And she is VERY fit! 

Wendy spotted a lot of animals for us, very observant.  I guess, for the very first time, in a very long time, I learned to make use of my eyes and ears.  I can still remember how the calls of the hornbills, the helicopter-like sound they make when they fly.  Spotting a Ratufa Bicolor (see?  that’s the word she used, amazing!) at the beginning of the journey thrilled us too! ……….. and many more.”

Here are some pictures by Suzanna.

We will also be posting up the video by Suzanna in the following blog. Obviously, Suzanna and the husband had a wonderful walk (and workout!) with Wendy in Langkawi.

If you are heading to Langkawi and would want to experience Wendy‘s personalized walks and adventures, you can do so by writing her an email here.

Besides providing personalized trips into Endau Rompin National Park, nature guide Lam is also very passionate with the ongoing conservation efforts at Sungai Pulai seagrass bed area. On Merdeka Day 2011, Lam led a group of local visitors to this beautiful and unique place. It was mostly a first time [...]]]>

A unique Elbow Crab

Besides providing personalized trips into Endau Rompin National Park, nature guide Lam is also very passionate with the ongoing conservation efforts at Sungai Pulai seagrass bed area. On Merdeka Day 2011, Lam led a group of local visitors to this beautiful and unique place. It was mostly a first time visit for most and we trust that they had a wonderful learning experience on the trip.

Sungai Pulai is a Ramsar site — one of the few locations all over the world recognized for its  ‘Wetlands of International Importance ‘ ! Visiting the place is like visiting Mother Nature’s own cauldron of blessings. So many things to see, discover and learn through being physically present there. Here are some of the things the visitors experienced during the visit:

If you are interested to visit Sungai Pulai in Johor to appreciate its biodiversity and beauty, feel free to contact Lam by using the Contact Page.

Together with the local Orang Asal (indigenous people), nature guide Lam from Johor organizes survivor camps for youths in Endau Rompin National Park. This multiple days camp gives participants the basic knowledge of jungle survival based on the tried and tested knowledge of the local folks.This youth camp focuses on giving [...]]]>

Hands on experience

Together with the local Orang Asal (indigenous people), nature guide Lam from Johor organizes survivor camps for youths in Endau Rompin National Park. This multiple days camp gives participants the basic knowledge of jungle survival based on the tried and tested knowledge of the local folks.This youth camp focuses on giving participants the basic exposure, knowledge and skills to survive the jungle. Here are some pictures from a recent(2011) Survivor Camp.

NOTE: All pictures from Mr Lam.

If you are heading down to Endau Rompin National Park or interested to know more about the Survivor Camp, you can contact Mr Lam by writing to us on our Contact Us page.

Mr Wong and his family engaged nature guide Lam from Johor to accompany them into Endau Rompin National Park for an overnight nature trip during the recent Raya Aidilfitri break. Like all his nature trips, Lam not only accompanies the family on their adventure [...]]]>

There are many excellent treks in Endau Rompin National Park

Mr Wong and his family engaged nature guide Lam from Johor to accompany them into Endau Rompin National Park for an overnight nature trip during the recent Raya Aidilfitri break. Like all his nature trips, Lam not only accompanies the family on their adventure but is always willing to share his knowledge of the natural world with his guests. His passion and keen eyes makes him one of the best guides around.

NOTE: All pictures by Mr Lam

An ancient creature that can still be spotted in Endau Rompin

Lam made sure Mr Wong’s family experience and see the most of what Endau Rompin has to offer during their visit there. They covered the major highlights of this famous national park of Malaysia. They camped, climbed Gunung Janing Barat, trekked to Buaya Sangkut waterfalls, paddled the raft down the river and even animal spotting. Below are some pictures from this trip.

All ready for the distance hike to the famed Buaya Sangkut waterfall

The last 2km to the waterfall

It was dry season and yet Buaya Sangkut is raging

Happy faces upon arriving buaya sangkut

The family rafting down the river

Minimal impact style of camping

Climbing up Gunung Janing Barat

An encounter with a deadly jungle creature- another reason why people should explore the jungle with qualified guides

Lam’s sharp eyes always manage to spot something amazing

Guess what foot prints are these

Amazingly beautiful creature

A strange insect even Mr Lam has never seen

A close up look at a moth

Mr Lam has been guiding school groups, tourists and family groups in Endau Rompin for a few years now. His intimate knowledge and trust built with the local people makes him one of the most knowledgeable and trustworthy nature guides for Endau Rompin National Park.

If you plan to visit Endau Rompin and looking for a local guide, you can contact Mr Lam by using our ‘Contact Us’ page.

August was a busy month for many of us. Eddie Yap was no exception. Despite his busy schedule, Eddie still manages to send some photos from one of his day trips to Chilling waterfall. This particular trip with Ms Cornelia (Germany) and Ms Amy (Australia) [...]]]>

A nature walk that shares knowledge about the jungle

August was a busy month for many of us. Eddie Yap was no exception. Despite his busy schedule, Eddie still manages to send some photos from one of his day trips to Chilling waterfall. This particular trip with Ms Cornelia (Germany) and Ms Amy (Australia) saw the two friends enjoying not only the waterfall but also had an awesome time at the hot spring and sampling some of Malaysia’s well known local ‘nasties’.

Here are more pictures of Eddie with his guests on their day trip to Chilling waterfall (Kuala Kubu Baru), Tamu hot spring etc.

Eddie demonstrating how to use the bamboo leaves as food wrappers

Eddie is knowledgeable and passionate about his plants, taking every opportunity to share some interesting facts with his guests.

Admiring the Narrow-lidded Pitcher plants (Nepenthes ampullaria)

Eddie is always careful when crossing rivers

Cornelia and Amy at Chilling waterfall, Kuala Kubu Baru

The fun never stops. Eddie also brought his guests to the Tamu hot springs and a quick stop to sample some of the local delicacies.

Eddie's guests enjoying the Tamu hot spring

Amy and Cornelia's encaounter with the local 'nasties'

The day went well and Eddie’s guests were obviously happy with their one day adventure to Chilling waterfall at Kuala Kubu Baru. If you are visiting Malaysia and looking for a guide to Chilling waterfalls, you can contact Eddie Yap by writing to him using our Contact Us page.