Trekking at Tasik Chini | Chini Lake : journeymalaysia.com

Trekking at Tasik Chini

Easy trek

The giant vines in the forest is a good source for clean water. However, vines like the one shown here may take 10 to 15years to grow. So unless it's absolutely necessary, don't chop for fun. Look for bamboo trunks instead. Bamboo is also a source for fresh water in the jungle

The next day we hired a local trekker to take us for a trek through a section of the secondary jungle that runs into tracks of palm oil plantations and old rubber plantations and then into another run of secondary jungle fringing the lake area. The trek takes 5 to 6 hours to complete one way but not to worry, the boatman will pick you up at the end of the trek and whiz you back to Gumun for a late lunch. Usually the jungle walk can be arranged a day before with the 'Batin' (the headman of the village); or arrangements can be made with Rajan of Rajan Jones Guesthouse . Of Indian descent, Rajan has lived with Orang Asli communities for 18years. Before the death of a Jakun elder residing in another village, Rajan took apprenticeship under the old man to learn the skills of making traditional 'portable lighters' that Jakun hunters never fail to carry along with them on long hunting trips. In the old days, the Jakun men would travel deep into the jungle for days on end to hunt. The lighter flint made from palm wool (a layer of protective cover on the trunk of a palm species found in the jungle) has to be completely dry. In the jungle where humidity is extremely high, the only way is to pack it in airtight containers.

The Jakun portable lighter and flint

They carried their portable lighters in a watertight container made of bamboo and only used it when necessary. Rajan makes these lighters to sell, each costing RM375. But he would gladly demonstrate, for free! to anyone who is interested. It's an interesting demonstration of the basic mechanics of air pressure and heat energy. Orang Asli handicrafts are also sold at his shop. Except for the sumpits or blowpipes, which are crafted by the local Jakun, strangely the other items found here appear to have been made by the Semelai Tribes of Tasik Bera rather than the Jakun Tribe of Chini.

There are a number of local guides who can take you on the trail and the standard charge is between RM35 and RM40, but it's best to go with the guides mentioned earlier. We went trekking with Batin, a quiet elderly man who walks stealthily, speaks only when he has to and is ever watchful for any movement around. Every now and then he would stop, listening quietly to the clicking and chattering up in the canopy. However, if you don't speak Malay then it's best to go with Rajan.

About 20minutes into the trek, we spotted a flying squirrel gliding from the crown of a tree, high in the forest canopy. We were told that it's slightly easier to spot wildlife if it rains the night before, for the next morning the animals would be out to feed. Just to help you out if you do get to hear or see some of the wildlife we had seen on the trek, we've added the Malay or Jakun names for these animals in brackets. The guides at Tasik Chini are not well versed with the English names of the variety of wildlife found there. Along the walk, we spotted the Crimson-Winged Woodpecker (burung pelatuk), Pink-Necked Pigeons(punai), Lesser-tailed drongo(cawi), Common Iora (burung lilin), Spiderhunter (sasai) and the Orange bellied flowerpecker (kryet). As we approached the fringes of the lake, we heard the cry of a Grey-headed fishing eagle (helang). We also heard the Black & Crimson Oriole with a voice as beautiful as the nightingale that stole the Chinese Emperor's heart away. The trick to watching wildlife in the jungle is to make as little noise as possible.

Batin showing us how to make our own crockery in the jungle

Batin showed us how the Jakun hunters used to make traps to snare small animals such as squirrels and rats for food. For cups and plates they used palm leaves called 'daun palas'. And he showed us that when the bark of a Kulim tree is crushed and mixed with their food, it is a good substitute for garlic. The Jakun people used to hunt with sumpits or blowpipes using small darts laced with poison collected from the Ipoh tree to paralyse the animal. The sharpened points of the bamboo darts were wrapped with bits of wool or bark to avoid any accidents when not in use. The rough undersides of the leaves from the Mempelas Tree were used as sandpaper to sand down blowpipes and darts and sometimes used even to sand their dugouts. Batin showed us each useful tree and plant as we went along. There are numerous plants in the jungle that the Jakun people have used for centuries to treat, cure, hunt with; for clothing, for food and to build their huts with. In the old days, they sometimes built platforms high above ground, supported on all four corners by sturdy trees. Skilfully woven roofs made from the Palas fronds (palm) sheltered them from the rain and in a corner of the platform they built open fireplaces. These basic houses kept them safe from wild animals such as elephants and tigers roaming on the forest floor. Although the Jakuns living in Chini have abandoned many of these practices, the older folk like Batin still remembers the old ways of their ancestors. In case, you ever need to survive in our jungles, the most important survival tool you will need to look out for is a source of clean water - look for vines(only in times of emergency). Batin can show you a thing or two about jungle survival skills.