Jerai Mountain
From the historical viewpoint, Gunung Jerai plays an important part in the history of Kedah. Even before the Malacca Sultanate became famous, Indian and Arab merchants were already making a beeline for the Merbok estuary at the foothills. After travelling from the Bay of Bengal, the first glimpse of this strategically located mountain was a welcoming beacon to the sea farers. As a result, they traded and even settled down at the foothills. Considering this place to be sacred, traders built a complex of temples that have now been excavated and preserved at the Lembah Bujang Archeological Museum site. Like all other mountains, Gunung Jerai has its fair share of history and fascinating tales. Legend has it that Raja Bersiong, the 'king of fangs', once had his ancient kingdom within the Bujang Valley, at the foot of the mountain. Recent archeological findings revealed the existence of the "Temple of the Ninth Water Pool"; many believe that it was Raja Bersiong's private pool. scenery


artifacts Relics uncovered in the area provide evidence of a Hindu-Buddhist civilisation dating back to the fourth century A. D. Isolated from the other mountain ranges of Peninsular Malaysia, Gunung Jerai has a unique range of medicinal plants and herbs not found in other mountains Today, Gunung Jerai is Kedah's premier hill resort and recreational park. On a clear day atop the peak, the cool, refreshing mountain offers spectacular views of the rolling paddy fields of Kedah stretching up to Perlis, and the islands of Penang in the south and Langkawi in the north-west.
The mountain also offers a unique selection of plants, which make it even more intriguing for the botanist. The Sungai Teroi Forest Recreation Park houses an endless variety of herbs, ferns, flowering plants, and climbers. Picnic sites are scattered all over the park, offering sweeping views of lowland plains and padi fields. Hiking trails that are interspersed with flowerbeds of vivid hues provide opportunities for leisurely strolls. Trees along the path are labelled for easy identification. Part of the mountain stream has even been dammed to provide cool clear pools for swimming. For the more adventurous, overnight shelters have also been provided. The main vegetation is the dipterocarp forest which consist of hardwoods such as keruing, cengal and meranti. Going up the landscape changes dramatically from lowland to montane conifer forest. Typical species of the conifers include Agathis dammara and Podocarpus imbricatus. Several rare orchids are found on Gunung Jerai including the Bulbophyllum longiflorum. Pitcher plants of the Nepenthes species are also quite common. Tourists enjoying
Tourists enjoying At the peak of the mountain, the Museum of Forestry houses a wealth of information and artefacts on Malaysian forestry. The museum is housed in a beautiful traditional Malaysian house. It's located on a short distance from the Peranginan Gunung Jerai Resort. At the museum visitors can derive useful information on Malaysian forests and learn among other things, the commercial and medicinal uses of different indigenous plants.



Getting There
By Bus
The Snake and Reptile Farm is located in the Sungai Batu Pahat area, just 10km north of Kangar. You can get to Kangar using several interstate, air-conditioned bus services such as Transnasional (Tel: 603-20703300) and Sutera Express (Tel: 03-20267199) departing from the Puduraya bus station in Kuala Lumpur. These buses will stop at the Express Bus Station on Jalan Bukit Lagi in Kangar. From there, you can take a 10 to 15-minute taxi drive to Sungai Batu Pahat.
By Plane
There is no direct air service to Perlis. Visitors have to fly into Alor Setar (in Kedah) and then take a 45-minute taxi ride to Kangar. From Kangar, you can take 10 to 15-minute taxi drive to Sungai Batu Pahat.
By Boat
You can also get to Kuala Perlis from Kuah jetty in Langkawi via ferry boats. The ride costs between RM12 to RM15 per person, one way and takes about 45 minutes. Kuala Perlis is linked to Kangar via a two-lane highway. From Kangar, you can take 10 to 15-minute taxi drive to Sungai Batu Pahat. Located at the northern-most edge of Peninsula Malaysia, the state of Perlis is easily accessible via the North-South Highway, which links Kangar, the state capital of Perlis, to Kuala Lumpur. From Kangar, you can take a 10 to 15-minute taxi drive to Sungai Batu Pahat.
Located at the northern-most edge of Peninsula Malaysia, the state of Perlis is easily accessible via the North-South Highway, which links Kangar, the state capital of Perlis, to Kuala Lumpur. From Kangar, you’ll need to drive north for another 36km to the small town of Kaki Bukit where Gua Kelam is located.