Tanjung Tuan or Cape Rochado is a cape with a small stand of primary coastal rainforest standing there. It is situated in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, near the border with Melaka. The site is famous for being a stopover for migratory birds from Siberia and East Asia during their annual migratory flights. Raptors are commonly spotted during March, each year.
The forest reserve itself is just a relic patch of beach and coastal hill rainforest that hasn't been commercially logged. However, many traces of human activity can be seen inside the forest, and I bet the locals took some timber in the past for firewood, etc. All in all though, it is still "undisturbed" and pleasant trekking, if you want to venture into the trails. The entire forest is probably around 30+ hectares, or 80+ acres.
Tanjung Tuan is basically a hilly forested cape with a lighthouse at the top and a road leading to the summit and lighthouse. The lighthouse is closed most of the time, but there are trails leading down to the fairly pristine beaches below. There is even a small coral reef located offshore, it seems.
If you want to know how a primary coastal hill dipterocarp forest looks like in Peninsular Malaysia, Tanjung Tuan is one of the few remaining examples remaining on the West Coast. A nice little forest with an intact canopy and host to many small animals, birds, and insects. I hope it stays this way.
The entrance to Tanjung Tuan forest reserve
The road that runs through Tanjung Tuan
Tanjung Tuan or Cape Rochado lighthouse, dating back to the 16th century
Tanjung Tuan coastal hill forest with a rocky shoreline
A type of kelat tree with papery bark similar to eucalyptus trees, near the summit.
The interior of Tanjung Tuan forest reserve, resembling a lowland rainforest.
The intact coastal rainforest canopy of Tanjung Tuan, stands at more than 30 meters high.
A fine example of Shorea leprosula, a dipterocarp tree. This one was nearly 40 meters tall.
Tags: Coastal rainforest, jungle, port dickson, rainforest, tanjung tuan
