The Rough Guide for Malaysia describes the Ulu Muda forest reserve as "West Malaysia's unexplored nature reserve with over 500 km² of preserved rainforest". The area has been closed for tourists for years due to the unstable situation along the border to Thailand, but is now fully accessible (at least the area around the Earth Lodge) for visitors, as long as you get a permit with the government .
The Kuala Labua forest camp consists of a number of surprisingly well-built concrete bungalows and dorms, with AC power supply between sunset and midnight.
Although claimed to be an "unexplored nature reserve with over 500 km² of preserved rainforest" the reality is that the forest around the Kuala Labua camp (which visitors get to see) is mostly secondary rainforest with only a few patches od primary rainforest. As Hymeir (who is running the Earth lodge) explained, to see primary rainforest you must go much deeper into the reserve. In fact in the past the Ulu Muda reserve has been logged and still does not enjoy full formal government protection against logging.
01 Bungalow in Kuala Labua camp 02 Dipterocarp tree 03 Salt lick 04 Tree with winding liana 05 Green leaves
06 Jungle path 07 Orange mushrooms 08 Orange mushrooms 09 White fungi
10 Cup fungi 11 Jungle path 12 White fungus with filaments 13 Brown fungi growing on wood
14 Group of tourists near dipterocarp tree 15 Strangler fig 16 White mushrooms 17 Rain in Kuala Labua camp
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