Royal Belum State Park

Belum is a large block of forest in the far north of Perak, split by the Temengor reservoir created when the river was dammed, so almost all movement is by boat between drowned inlets and islands. It is one of the few places in Peninsular Malaysia where all ten resident hornbill species have been recorded, and where several rafflesia species grow, though finding one open needs a guide who has been checking the buds. Orang Asli villages of the Jahai community sit along the lake and some run trips of their own. Permits are issued through the state park office and are required before arrival, which keeps visitor numbers low.

What you actually see

• Hornbills - all ten peninsular species have been recorded here, plain-pouched among them.
• Rafflesia sites - several species grow in the park, found with a guide who tracks the buds.
• The Temengor reservoir - drowned valleys and standing dead trees crossed by boat.
• Jahai villages - Orang Asli communities living along the lake shore.

When to go

February to September is drier. Permits must be arranged in advance through the state park office and take a few working days, so this cannot be done spontaneously. Plain-pouched hornbill flocks are usually reported around the middle of the year. Wildlife is most active at dawn, which means sleeping at a lodge or on a floating raft house.

Honest expectations

The permit system is genuinely bureaucratic and catches out people who arrive at Gerik hoping to sort it out on the day. Boat hire is the main cost and is charged per boat, so small parties pay a lot. Sightings are unreliable and much of a day can pass with distant birds. Accommodation ranges from comfortable island lodges to raft houses with no privacy.

Nearby

Gerik town; the East-West Highway crosses the southern edge of the forest towards Kelantan.