In 2007, UNESCO declared the
Langkawi archipelago of ninety-nine islands situated off the north-west coast
of Malaysia as South-East Asia’s first Geopark. The densely forested islands of
the archipelago feature fascinating landscapes composed of white-sand beaches,
intriguing rock formations and towering
pinnacles, all of which are believed
to date back over half a billion years.
An examination of Langkawi’s
various geographical features provides us with vital clues into the structural
evolution of Malaysia and its environs. It is for this reason that UNESCO
decided to include the Langkawi archipelago in its list of Geoparks scattered
around the world. At present, this list includes 64 Geoparks situated in 18
countries all over the globe.
The
Geopark on Langkawi consists of impressive rock formations, vast cave systems
adorned with stalactites and stalagmites, dense mangrove forests, sea caves and
tunnels, sparkling waterfalls and a huge repository of native fauna and flora. Langkawi
hosts as many as ninety fascinating geo-sites but amongst these many
sites there are three which are most significant, namely the Kilim Karst
Geoforest Park, the Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park and the Dayang Bunting
Marble Geoforest Park.
Kilim Karst Geoforest Park
The
Kilim Karst Geoforest Park is located on the north-eastern half on Langkawi
near the Kilim River. The topography here is made up of fantastic karst
formations, cliffs, caves, hills and peaks, all created by the forces over
erosion over millions of years. Many of these formations rise out of the sea
bed and sport bizarre if not funny names like the Hanging Gardens, the Temple of Borobodur and the Elephant Stone.
In
addition to these karst formations, the area also encompasses pristine white
sand beach fronts, deep blue lagoons, dense mangrove forests and flat mudflats.
The last mentioned terrains are used as resting points by various species of
migratory birds during the months of September and March. The best way to visit
the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park is by boat or kayak as parts of it are
inaccessible by land. Various tour operators in Langkawi in fact offer
organized trips to the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park.
Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park
The Machinchang mountain range
located in the northwestern half of Langkawi and the Gunung Raya peak located
in the center of Langkawi date back to the Cambrian age. These pinnacles are
composed of sedimentary sandstone and granite and present quite an impressive
sight. The Machinchang mountain range hosts some of the most ancient rainforest
terrain on earth though the oldest section of this particular geopark is Teluk
Datai, a prehistoric sandstone formation which features shale on its lower
half.
Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest Park
Pulau Dayang Bunting is the second
largest island of the Langkawi archipelago. The island lies to the south of the
main island and Langkawi and features an undulating landscape which resembles
the belly of a pregnant woman. Hence the island was named Dayang Bunting, a
term that translates as ‘pregnant maiden’. This island is renowned for its
fresh water lake which lies amongst densely forested hills. This lake is known
as the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden and it was formed after a massive limestone
cave collapsed. The banks of the lake contain exquisite Permian marble
formations, believed to be the finest in the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment