Puncak Janing Recreational Forest

Location :                       
In the district of Padang Terap, Kedah.
Coordinates of the park are N06° 22.365′  E100° 33.520′ 
You can access the Google Map here.

Natural Heritage Status:  
The park is known for its natural beauty of waterfalls, lowland dipterocarp forest and unique boulders and pebbles. Sungai Janing flows through the park. The park situated within Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve.
                                

One of the 4 cascading waterfalls in the park

Waterfalls of Puncak Janing Recreational Forest.

Gazettement :  
Gazetted as Puncak Janing Recreational Forest in Compartment 41 of Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve and managed by the Kedah Forestry Department.

The huge sign at the entrance to Puncak Janing Recreational Forest

Accessibility: 
Accessible by all modes of vehicle to the park.
In the park, walkways and bridges make easy accessibility in the park.

Bridge over Sungai Janing

Affordability:  
No entrance free. No parking fee. Free campsite with basic facilities. Contact Forestry Department for permission to camp overnight.

Level of Development:
Large campsite, multipurpose hall, surau and canteen available in the park. Agriculture land along the road to Puncak Janing Recreational Forest. The nearest village is Kampung Pasir Putih.

Popularity:
The park is well visited and popular among the local community. Popular during weekends, school holidays and public holidays. It was estimated to have a thousand visitors when school holidays and public holidays coincided. Weekends such as Friday and Saturday about 300 visitors. Occasionally, foreign tourists do visit the park. Popular activities among the visitors are bathing, swimming, picnicking, camping and trekking. Poor maintenance of washroom and rubbish collecting has greatly reduced the number of visitors. A 15km jungle trail connects to Bukit Wang Recreational Forest.

The beautiful waterfall.

Wading pool.

Foreign tourist on caravan overnight in the park

Accommodation:
(Mac 2010) No chalet facilities in the park. Suitable campsites with washrooms and barbeque pits are available at the lower end of the park. The campsite is large enough for a thousand campers. The nearest chalet accommodation is available along the road from Kuala Nerang to Puncak Janing at PJ Sentosa Campsite.

Threats:  
According to a local, the poor management by the Forestry department has caused the park strewn with garbage. Indiscriminate throwing of rubbish into the waterfalls, between boulders and trails can be seen. A diesel powered pump by the waterfall that often broke down caused much hygienic problem to the washroom (near canteen) and diesel pollution of the river. No effort at the moment to use gravitational water piping.

Rubbish brought down by the river and blocked by boulders.

Rubbish found everywhere in the park – a great shame of this beatiful park.

Mitigation:
A local commented that the rot came from the top management. Poor management and poor enforcement by the park authority in managing the facilities and provide enough rubbish bins at strategic areas. Other parks where rubbish sweepers play the role of educating would-be rubbish throwers could help keep control the garbage problem.

Conservation:  
Huge lowland diterocarp trees, natural flora and river landscape make this park a highly conservation area. Wildlife such as gibbons, porcupines and hornbills can be seen or heard if you have the patience. The park has also been used for research of flora and fauna.

Research on stingless bee in the park.

Huge tree in the park.

Majestic buttress and roots along the river.

Geological gems of rocks and pebbles found in the park.

Inscribed rocks?

Flora found in the park

Fungi in the park

Large trees along Sungai Janing

Brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus macrourus) found in the park.

Diversity of frogs in the park

Benefits to Local Communities:  
The park is a popular recreational outlet for the locals to spend time with their families.                   

Food stalls in the park.

How to Get There:
Using the North-South Expressway (E1) and exit at Jitra Utara (North Jitra) at Exit 182 and head towards Kuala Nerang. You will cruise along K109, K16 and K124 before reaching Kuala Nerang. You will be able to see signboards to Puncak Janing as you reach Kuala Nerang. Take the route K121 to Puncak Janing Recreational Forest. It is 15 km from Kuala Nerang.
 

Map to Puncak Janing

Important Contacts:
Jabatan Perhutanan Negeri Kedah
Tingkat 8, 
Bangunan Sultan Abdul Halim 
Jalan Sultan Badlishah 
05000 Alor Setar 
KEDAH
Tel : 04-7333844
Fax: 04-7310610

http://www.kedforestry.gov.my

Pejabat Renger Hutan
Padang Terap/Pokok Sena
04-782 1258    
   
Pegawai Hutan Daerah
Pejabat Hutan Daerah Kedah Utara,
06000 Jitra, Kedah.
Tel: 04-9171601
PJ Sentosa Campsite
33, Jalan Puncak Janing
06300 Kuala Nerang
Kedah Darul Aman
Tel: 04-7865555  Fax: 04-7866555

References:
Department of Irrigation and Drainage (1989), Waterfalls of Malaysia, Design Dimension.
Plus (1996), Guide to Peninsular Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia.

http://www.forestry.gov.my/hlked_janing.html

http://www.visitkedah.com.my/places_atpj.html