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The Mountain of legends

Gunung Ledang Lagenda

INTRODUCTION

GUNUNG LEDANG 

Gunung Ledang Johor National Park was established in 2005 to protect this special mountain, along with all of the unique plants and animals that call it home. The 8,611.9-ha protected area, which spans the entire Ledang massif, holds an expanse of pristine tropical rainforest and serves as a critical water catchment area for both Johor and Melaka.

Gunung Ledang is also steeped in legend. Many of the legends are centered around the mythical princess, Puteri Gunung Ledang. In the most famous version chronicled in Sejarah Melayu (Sulalatus Salatin / The Malay Annals), the princess spurns the advances of the Sultan of Melaka by setting seven impossible demands for her hand in marriage.

The mountain goes by several names. Chinese sailors plying the Straits of Melaka in the 14th century called it Kim Sua, which literally means “gold mountain” in Hokkien. Also alluding to the gold deposits rumoured to be present on the mountain, British cartographers named it Mount Ophir, after the lost mines of Ophir that supplied King Solomon‘s treasure. The name “Gunung Ledang” is likely to have been coined during the reign of the Majapahit empire. In Old Javanese, “Ledang” may be translated as “high”, “faraway”, or “showy”.

While gold has never been found on Gunung Ledang, it is undoubtedly a treasure trove of biodiversity and an increasingly important refuge for wildlife. Not surprisingly, the mountain has been explored by top naturalists and scientists since the 1800s. Alfred Russel Wallace spent a week here collecting birds and insects in 1854, whereas H.N. Ridley wrote an account of the flora of Mount Ophir in a 1901 issue of the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Today, Gunung Ledang is one of the most popular mountain climbing destinations in the country – between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors attempt to scale the 1,276 meter-high mountain each year. While the summit can be reached in half a day, it is not any easy climb by any means. Those who manage to reach the top are rewarded with a spectacular 360-degree view of the surrounding plains, weather permitting.

The main entrance to the park, which is also known as Taman Hutan Lagenda, is situated at the southern foot of the mountain, near the town of Sagil in Tangkak district. While most visitors come here to climb the mountain, the park entrance itself is a great place for less strenuous activities such as a picnic or camping trip by the river. It’s a particularly suitable destination for families, school or company groups. There is a range of accommodation available, including chalets, dormitories, jungle huts and campsites; whereas there a number of group packages are on offer, with fun activities such as obstacle course, paintball and nature walks.

Photo Gallery

HOW TO GET THERE

Contact Details

Office address:
Gunung Ledang Johor National Park
Batu 26, Jalan Segamat,
84020 Sagil, Ledang,
Johor Darul Ta’zim

Mailing address:
Gunung Ledang Johor National Park
P.O. Box 77, Batu 26, Jalan Segamat,
84020 Sagil, Ledang,
Johor Darul Ta’zim,

Office:     +60 6 963 1030
Mobile:   +60 19 777 2057

Email:      tamanhutanlagenda@yahoo.com
Facebook:  johornationalparks

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/FHzYoWasfJQ2 
Waze: https://www.waze.com/ul?ll=2.34216043%2C102.61745453&navigate=yes&zoom=16
GPS Location: 2°20’27.6″N 102°37’03.0″E

 


Driving from Kuala Lumpur/Singapore

  • Exit the North-South Expressway at exit 235-Tangkak towards Tangkak / Muar / Segamat.
  • After the toll, turn right onto Jalan Muar-Tangkak / Route 23, towards Tangkak town.
  • Continue straight, follow the signs for Tangkak, Sagil and Gunung Ledang.
  • 50 meters after Balai Polis Sagil (Sagil Police Station) and just after Jalan Sempadan you will see the sign and entrance arch to Taman Hutan Lagenda Gunung Ledang on your left. Turn left.
  • From here you will need to drive through a palm oil estate for almost 4 km before arriving at the park office.

 

These are estimated travel times by car to Taman Hutan Lagenda:

  • 5 hours from Kuala Lumpur
  • 5 hours from Johor Bahru
  • 6 hours from George Town, Penang
  • 3 hours from Singapore

 


Bus

The nearest town with a transport hub is Tangkak. There are express bus services from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (Southern Integrated Terminal) Kuala Lumpur to Tangkak (2 hours). From Tangkak Bus and Taxi station you can catch a taxi to the park (15 minutes).

 

The nearest major town is Segamat, which is more easily accessible from the south. There are express bus services from Larkin Sentral in Johor Bahru (3 hours) and Singapore (4.5 hours) to Segamat as well as Terminal Bersepadu Selatan KL to Segamat (3.5 hours).

 

From Segamat, there are many express buses to Tangkak (1.5 hours). You can also get a taxi from Segamat to the park (45 minutes).

 


Train

The nearest train station is in Segamat. The information in this section is to give you a rough idea of how to plan your journey. For current train schedules and ticket prices please check the KTMB website.

 

From Singapore
Take the Woodlands CIQ – JB Sentral shuttle, a short 5 minute journey. The train runs almost every hour starting from around 7:00 am to 11:30 pm.

 

From Johor Bahru (JB Sentral station)

Take the KTM Intercity or KTM Intercity East Coast Line to Segamat.

 

From Pulau Pinang (Butterworth) / Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral)

To reach the state of Johor from the northern part of Malaysia, you can take the Electric Train Service (ETS) to the Gemas interchange station. Then take the KTM Intercity or KTM Intercity East Coast Line train service to Segamat. You can also change from the ETS line to the Intercity line at Pulau Sebang/Tampin and Batang Melaka. Alternatively, the KTM Komuter runs more frequently and also stops at Pulau Sebang but has more stops and is slower.

 

Video Gallery

Gunung Ledang Lagenda - Trails

villa lagenda accommodation price

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