JERANTUT: Taman Negara's popular 700m Seberang Ara canopy walkway has reopened to visitors after being closed for more than a year due to structural damage caused by fallen trees. The 700m-long walkway, one of the park's most popular attractions, had remained closed for repair works since February last year.
Tahan assemblyman Mohd Zakhwan Ahmad Badarddin said he took part in a simulation exercise to test the canopy walkway on June 18 before it was officially reopened to the public yesterday. "The simulation exercise, which began on June 17 and ended on June 21, was conducted to ensure that all aspects of safety, operations and visitor comfort met the highest standards before the reopening. "The canopy walkway is one of the main attractions for visitors to the national park. Visitors can now enjoy views of the jungle floor from a unique vantage point," he told the New Straits Times.
He said the experience of walking on the canopy walkway should not be seen as a test of courage, but rather as an opportunity to appreciate nature and the invaluable natural heritage of Taman Negara. In a Facebook post, Zakhwan said the Seberang Ara canopy walkway, built about 30 to 40m above the ground, consists of 16 suspension bridges and 17 platforms, with the entire route taking between 45 minutes and one hour to complete.
He hoped the reopening of the walkway would attract more local and international visitors while generating economic spillover benefits for the community. The three-decade-old 530m canopy walkway at Teresek Hill in the national park remains closed following a freak storm in May last year, which damaged a main supporting tree that later died. Last year, Taman Negara tour guides expressed frustration over the prolonged closure of both canopy walkways without any indication of when they would reopen.
Source: NST
