26 SPECIAL FEATURE ADVENTURE TOURISM ADVERTORIAL Malaysia – what an adventure! Adventure tourism is truly “at home” in this Southeast Asian paradise nation This year’s Official ITBBerlin Partner Country, Malaysia, is a veritable paradise for lovers of adventure tourism of all kinds – whether it be shooting the rapids, mountain trekking, diving… the list goes on. Here are just a few of the highlights of what you’ll find on offer from Tourism Malaysia. Taman Negara rainforest canopy walk Mulu: Clearwater Cave Kayaking Semadang River DUSK AND DAWN WALKS IN TAMAN NEGARA COMPLETE OFFERING Malaysia’s spectacular Taman Negara – the 130-million-year-old virgin rainforest on the Peninsular Malaysia – is rolling out new ideas for lovers of hiking and nature. Attractions at Taman Negara National Park include the world’s longest canopy walkway, visits to an Orang Asli village, trekking under rainforest canopy, climbing the highest mountain on the Peninsular Malaysia, caving, fishing, camping, observing wildlife, and many more. The park has thus developed into a famous ecotourism destination, renowned throughout Asia, and indeed the world. Satiyasilan Maniam, Resident Manager of Mutiara Taman Negara resort, explains that for all visitors, there are five basic activities: “There’s the night walk – to spot snakes, scorpions, lizards and so on. Then there is the jungle trekking. It’s about a three-hour trek, including the longest hanging canopy walk. There are around a thousand steps up to the peak, from which visitors can get a good view of the valley and the hills and also the tallest mountain in this part of Malaysia. Then they do the rapid shooting, going through seven rapids, stopping over at an Orang Asli village, where they learn about their culture. The last one is the Lata Berkoh, which is quite amazing. In this area, there is one big river and one small river - about half an hour’s journey by boat. On the way, it’s possible to see a the Tualang tree, one of the biggest trees in the rainforest. The base is so big that 20 people can stand side-byside around it. Then they can stop at the Kelah sanctuary, where they can feed or swim with the fish. We also have a trek to the Kumbang (black panther) hide. It’s about a half an hour boat ride, then a one hour trek. There, you can spot a number of animals like gaurs, tapirs, deer and so on. People can actually stay overnight in the hide.” MULU – PARADISE FOR CAVERS… AND LOVERS OF NATURE Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, Mulu National Park in Sarawak is seeing European visitor numbers – especially from Germany – growing rapidly. The park, despite being remote (or perhaps thanks to its remoteness), is recognised throughout Asia as being a model in terms of management and infrastructure. Borsamulu Park Management Tourism Services Manager Bian Rumei explains that Mulu qualifies for all four of the World Heritage criteria: “Fewer than twenty World Heritage areas could manage this feat and these are what they mean for tourism: Superlative beauty – mountains, combined with huge river systems, a tropical rainforest and huge caves. The earth’s history and geo features are evident in the gigantic caves and the Pinnacles. Appreciate the biodiversity and ecological processes when you do adventure trekking or just stroll along the botany trail.” Sarawak’s national parks saw a 28% rise in German visitors from 2016-2017 – from 1,515 to 2,007, placing the German market close behind the UK. KAYAKING SARAWAK For great photo opportunities (with a waterproof camera), kayaking on Sarawak’s Semadang River is a must. Semadang Kayak is the premier kayaking, bamboo rafting and adventure outfitter and service provider operating on the Sarawak River (Semadang River) at the Heart of Borneo’s Rainforest a short drive from Kuching, Sarawak. With various package choices, the local operator takes visitors on the “kayaking and rafting trip of their life”. The trip is a family friendly and suitable for beginners, including a short “training” session at the start of the activity. Lunch is included in a small village along the way. The organisers themselves take photos of the intrepid kayakers, sent to them by email just after their visit Hall 26a / Stand 117 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 27 th February 2019 www.itb-berlin-news.com
