Johor Gunung Ledang National Park was established in 2005 to protect the special mountain and preserve all the unique plants and animals that reside here. This protected area which covers an area of 8 611.9 hectares, includes the whole of Ledang which has the characteristics of a vast tropical rainforest and functions as a critical water catchment area for the states of Johor and Melaka.
Mount Ledang also holds various legendary stories. Most legends confirm a mysterious princess, Puteri Gunung Ledang. In the version of Sejarah Melayu (Sulalatus Salatin/The Malay Annals), it is said that Puteri Gunung Ledang has set seven impossible demands on the Sultan of Melaka if he wants to marry her.
This mountain is also called by various names. In the 14th century, a Chinese sailor in the Malacca Strait called this mountain “Kim Sua” meaning Golden Mountain in Hokkien. This title is given because it is said that there is gold in this mountain. A British cartographer called this mountain Mount Ophir, taken from the name of the mine of Ophir that supplied treasure to the lost King Solomon. The name “Gunung Ledang” may have been created during the reign of the Majapahit kingdom. It is associated with the old Javanese language, “Ledang” which means “high”, “far”, or “prominent”.
Although gold has never been found in Mount Ledang, there is no doubt that Mount Ledang holds a treasure of biodiversity and an important protected area for wildlife. No wonder this mountain has been explored by the foremost naturalists and scientists since the 1800s. Alfred Russel Wallace spent a week here collecting birds and insects in 1854, while H.N. Ridley wrote a report on the flora of Mount Ophir in the 1901 edition of the Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Today, Mount Ledang is one of the most popular mountain climbing destinations in the country, with between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors involved in climbing the 1,276 meter mountain every year. The climb to the top of the mountain takes half a day, it is not an easy climb. Those who make it to the top of the mountain will be rewarded with a stunning 360-degree view of the surrounding plains, weather permitting.
The Legendary Forest Park, is the main entrance and is located at the southern foot of the mountain, near the town of Sagil in the Tangkak district. Although most visitors come here for hiking, the entrance of the park itself is a perfect place for leisure activities such as picnicking or camping by the river. This destination is suitable for the whole family, school students or company groups. There are various accommodations including chalets, hostels, forest huts and campsites; while there are several group packages on offer, with fun activities such as obstacle course, paintball and relaxing with nature.
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