The Sungai Pandan Forest Reserve is a popular weekend retreat for Kuantan dwellers seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The entrance to the forest, which is located about 25km from the town centre, is hidden from the busy Jalan Kuantan-Gambang. According to the information board there, the forest reserve is about 50ha and it was opened to the public in June 1980. The forest is dominated by trees of the Dipterocarpaceae family, which are prolific in Malaysia’s rainforests. Dipterocarp trees found here are known by their Malay names such as keruing, rengas, kedondong, pakis and buluh. The centerpiece of the forest is the 100m-high Sungai Pandan waterfall, a series of cascading rapids of fresh water ending in a greenish pool at the bottom.