Rompin State Park is located at the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Pahang and is a part of Endau-Rompin Forest Reserve. It was previously known as Taman Negeri Endau-Rompin until the year 2020 where the name was later changed to Taman Negeri Rompin or Rompin State Park. The Endau-Rompin Forest Reserve includes both Taman Negeri Rompin, Pahang and Taman Negara Endau Rompin in Johor which is managed by Johor National Parks Corporation.

Rompin State Park is among the forests with the highest diversity of flora and fauna in Malaysia and is the second largest park in Pahang after Taman Negara. Taman Negara is Malaysia’s largest national park spread across the states of Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. Together, these two forests contribute to Malaysia’s rich biodiversity and high forest coverage.

Strategically located at the South-East of Peninsular Malaysia, within the Rompin District, Rompin State Park is in the middle of the route from Kuantan, Pahang to Mersing,Johor. The time taken to reach there is approximately two and a half hours from Kuantan, and one and a half hours from Mersing. Visitors who would like to travel with public transport can take the bus to the Kuala Rompin bus station and take a taxi afterwards as the distance from Kuala Rompin to Rompin State Park is 37 kilometre, approximately around thirty to forty minutes of journey. Visitors who are likely to explore the place by their own transportation or vehicle can plan their own journey and use Google Maps and search for Taman Negeri Rompin. From the rainforest to the reef, visitors can select both experience and exploring nature from the lush green jungle of the Pahang state park to the island’s idyllic white sand beach with blue turquoise waters as Rompin district is also the getaway to famous Tioman Island. This makes Rompin as the great eco-tourism destination for both local and foreign tourists.

The key to the uniqueness of Rompin State Park is the different types of forest found within the park which contribute to the rich diversity of rare plant species some of which are and endemic only to the park. The forest types consist of lowland dipterocarp forest, hill dipterocarp forest, sub-montane forest and tropical heath forest. Padang Tujuh for example, has been classified as a High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) type 3 because it is considered rare and infrequent to have the tropical heath forest at the elevation below than 1000 meters. The endemic Livistonia endauensis palm can be found along the hiking trail to Padang Tujuh and once there, visitors will experience a completely different forest consisting of stunted tress and plenty of pitcher pants and wild orchids due to soil properties that affect the vegetation.

Rompin State Park is also known to be a riparian type of forest due to its location which is adjacent to a body of water. Riparian areas are important as the areas provide food and water for a large diversity of animals and serve as a migration routes for a variety of wildlife.

Malaysia is one of only 12 countries in the world with the mega-biodiversity of unique and endemic species found nowhere else in the world. One of the forests that contributes into making Malaysia as one of the hotspots for biodiversity in the world is the Endau-Rompin Forest Reserve, a forest blessed with rich flora and fauna.

Rompin State Park is part of Endau-Rompin Forest Reserve and together with the Kluang Wildlife Reserve is one of the four parts of Central Forest Spine along with the Titiwangsa Range –Bintang Range –Nakawan Range, National Park – Eastern Range and South-east Pahang– Tasik Chini and Tasik Bera Wetlands. The Central Forest Spine is a sanctuary for endangered species of animals such as Malayan Tiger, Malayan Sunbear, Malayan Tapir, Asian Elephant and other identified wildlife and plants that makes Malaysia earns its megadiverse status.

The Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified as important for the conservation of bird populations. Rompin State Park, being a part of Endau-Rompin Forest Reserve is one of the 55 IBA sites in Malaysia and has recorded 253 species of birds including some globally endangered species such as the Lesser Fish-eagle (Icthyophaga humilis) and the less frequently sighted nomadic Black-and-White Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanoleucos). Rompin State Park is also known as a biome-restricted species area where it holds a significant assemblage of bird species whose breeding distributions are largely or wholly confined to one biome. The other globally threatened bird species found in Rompin State Park includes the Wrinkled Hornbill (Aceros corrugatus), Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul), Great Slaty Woodpecker (Mulleripicus pulverulentus) and Malay Blue-banded Kingfisher (Alcedo peninsulae). Rompin State Park is among the key bird habitat in Pahang that supports the IBA status and makes it one of the states with the highest number of IBAs in Malaysia along with Sarawak, Sabah and Perak.

In terms of geological rock formations, there are three major rock types found within the area of Endau-Rompin. These are volcanic, igneous intrusion and sedimentary sequences that include granite, rhyolite, tuff, sandstone, shale and mudstone. The age of the rock at Endau-Rompin is estimated to be around 248 million years’ old which dates back to the Permian-Carboniferous age. Waters flowing at the ledge of rock formations have form waterfalls. The most prominent waterfall in Rompin State Park is the majestic Seri Mahkota Waterfall, a must-see for visitors to the park.