Jungle Survival

I've moved to Malaysia from California,as an avid hiker and camper I studied and practiced survival skills for the places I usually traveled. Now I do all my trekking (hiking) and camping in jungles here.
I have realized I know very little about this type of environment.
I've had to learn new methods of camping; hammocks instead of tents, hot, humid, and wet conditions (building a fire is a real chore.
So, can anyone give me some tips? There's little info available (here)

Thanks!

find some Australians to hang out with over there.i hear the Aussie's backpack all over Indochina..are we still allowed to use that word??--anyway from what i see on that Globe Trekker program you should be able to find them all over the "backwoods" drinking beer in some sort of palm and thatch resort.

I've been in the Vicinity,But not in Malaysia!Your best friends/tools-Get a Malaria shot,ASAP!Machete,Nylon Everything:Ditch the leather products,Hi-Top Converse tenny's-Keeps your feet cool/Easy to wash,& Work exceptionally well in Muddy terrain,Cheap&Tough!Hire/Befriend someone from the Many University's there,that know Botany/Herpetology/Biology.Don't Eat Durian Fruit,For ANY Reason!Watch out,"Them Monkey's Bite"!,Be on your Very Best Behaviour,Westerners are Low,On the Food Chain,in them Parts!Even if you are Not a Smoker,Keep cigarettes/Bic lighter with you,At ALL times-Xlnt fire starter,De-bugging purposes,Good will gesturing for Indiginous Folks!Rubber is Easy to come by in them Parts,as it grows there,So always keep everything cinched with Rubberbands-Probably the Best Firestarter in the Jungle!If you don't,Learn to Eat Bugs,Everyone does,& It Could/Will save your life,& They are Quite Delicious!They are some of the Most Accomodating Folk's on this Planet,but they have Laws that require-Strict Adherence,Any deviation,& You will know it,Quickly!You probably know this stuff,already,But just in case!Learn Chinese if you can!Unless they happen to be Surfers or Scientists,Stay away from the "Hippies",Many eyes are watching them,Drug use is Tolerated only with Death! Now,Go out & Have some Fun!

Used bicycle inner tubes make great rubber bands. One inner tube will probably make a hundred or more.

At all costs:
Machete.

Followed up by:

Poncho,
Hammock,
50-100' of cordage. 550 cord for pref.
Bungee cords, min of 4.
Mozzie-net,
Mozzie head net, has all sorts of uses.
A very good fire lighting kit,
Water bottles,
Tin or cup to boil water in.
Anti-malarial tablets,
Dry bag with a set of dry clothing in it.
Puri-tabs,
First aid kit.
File or stone to sharpen machete,
Compass x 2,
Mulitool.
Head torch.
Whistle,
Signal mirror.
Food(dried) for a couple of days.

If you are near water add a small fishing kit.

All of this will go in a 20-30L daysack. It looks like a lot of kit, but it is not.

What ever you do: Don't go off the beaten track without this kit. Your courting death if you do.

Other Advice: Google Ray Mears, Simon Hawke and Les Stroud. Watch them through. Lot of infomation re do's and don'ts.

pay particular attention to your feet.. we had 110 inches of rain in 40 days in the Philippines in 72.... still have the nail fungus.....wear flip flops or TEVA style sandals when the activity will allow it to keep feet dry

I've never been there, so take this with a grain of salt, but I believe the SAS trains in that area for jungle survival. As such, I'd think their manual would be well geared for it.

There's also a book by McNabb (he wrote Bravo Two Zero - it's either that one or his second book) about his career in the SAS. Anyway, there's quite a good chapter on his training in that area of the world. Probably worth renting from the library if possible.

Yeah, machete is so important the SAS ties them to their belts with a dummy cord.

I did a lot of hiking in the South Pacific and spent a lot of time in the boonies of Asia and South Pacific in the military. This list is great.

Add GPS and maps.
I always carried a solid water purifier and extra batteries.

For your house I would stash a minimum of 50 gallons of potable water for typhoons and some sort of genny to run your frig and a lamp when the power is out.

Randall's Adventure Training (RAT) is run by people with very extensive jungle experience. Check out their info.

One jungle trick that the SAS uses (verified by a pal who is retired SF) is to keep 2 sets of clothes: one for hiking in the day and one for sleeping in at night. The day set gets (and stays) wet, while you keep the night set in a waterproof bag during the day. It sucks to put on the wet clothes in the morning but it is great to sleep in the dry set at night.

I would carry a good gob of long-burning tinder.

Sue

that pre-supposes a tent or that it won't rain at night. I can tell you I carried two sets of clothes and one was just more wet than the other. Though I will say that airing out your feet at (typically) night is critical if you're in the bush for more than a day or two.

If it was not on the list, I would add decent gloves. The elephant grass there will cut your hands to bits.

Welcome to Malaysia, Bigrr,

There are a few Malaysians lurking on this forum, so hopefully they'll chip in.

I guess it all depends on how far off the beaten track you go.

I'm no expert, but here are some things off the top of my head.

A parang (machete) is useful as a multitool. Get one of the local ones made from truck springs. They may have a wooden sheath or none at all.

Yeah, leather sheaths don't last long.

Bead blasted blades attract rust.

Malaria meds don't always work and they can cause memory loss. I've stopped taking them. Better to wear longs and use repellent at sundown.

If you're going to be in the jungle for some time, yes its important to dry your feet at the end of the day. I've heard that troops are taught to dry their feet at the end of the day, use foot powder and keep a pair of socks dry for days' end and swap them out for the wet ones the next day.

Bamboo is ridiculously useful.

Instant noodles are your friend.

No MREs here but you can buy curries in retort pouches from the Brahim's brand.

I've slept under the stars, in a tent, under a tarp and currently use a hammock. Tents are usually too hot. Many people I know just use a tarp.

If you're really interested in local bushcraft skills, get to know the villagers of the indigenous tribes.

Which part of Malaysia are you at?

I'm not aware of any local dedicated outdoor forums. Most revolve around another activity like off roading, knives, etc.

BTW, you do need to eat durian at some point. Hahaha.

Many villagers swear by the "Adidas Kampung"(Village)shoe. Its a one piece moulded rubber shoe with rubber studs in the sole. It has stripes painted on the side, hence the Adidas.

With much deforestation coming from palm oil plantations, you can used crushed palm oil fruit and use that to help start fires.

Thanks for all the tips!!

I have been out a few times now and this is what I have learned...

The jungle is wet...No really, between the rivers, puddles, rain, and your own sweat you are not dry very often. So the advice about keeping dry is useful. All the high tech rain gear is worse than a simple umbrella and cheap rubber shoes (Adidas Kampung) are best.
Yes your pack needs a rain cover...The jungle has a way of defeating the best waterproof coatings.

My high dollar hiking boots from the US lasted one day...the soles fell off even on my Tevas. So far the Shoe Goo is working.

Tents are hot...and don't float well and need a flat clear space, so a hammock and a large tarp is the only way to go.
Even if there aren't any mosquitoes (ha ha yeah right) a mosquito net makes you feel protected.

I still don't believe HOW ridiculously useful bamboo is! You know you can cook in this stuff? I've cooked rice and boiled water in green bamboo! Not to mention building tables and anything else you can think of.

The jungle is wet... oh I said that. So everything in the jungle is wet...The wood for your fire, the ground your fire's on, so getting a fire started is hard, keeping it burning is hard. Strips of old inner tube and a lighter help, build a green bamboo rack over your fire and stack the wood on it to dry...and protect the fire once its started. It will rain.

They don't have Coleman propane here, or white gas. So liquid fuel stoves burn unleaded petrol...messy. Or kerosene, also messy. Ditto for lanterns.
People here use cheap butane stoves from China with the bayonet style cans or Campingaz

Curries in retort pouches are good. Maggi mee (dried noodles aka top raman) is my friend. There are a lot good things to eat in the jungle; fish, crawdads,fruit (bananas, mango, rambutan, coconuts, and even durian yes I have eaten it)

Parangs are the best jungle tool there is! The locals make some really beautiful blades and wooden sheaths.

Nylon tarps lots and lots you need them.

Monkeys are noisy, nosy, and messy.

Leeches suck! pun intended... So leech socks are a good idea.

The jungle is an awesome place!!!!

yes it is.

Bigrr, I'm glad your having fun, the jungle in Asia and south America has everything you need to survive for indefinite amount of time, you just need to know where to get it as you are finding out. It is funny how each country has their choices of tools, Parang where you are at, bolos in Philippines, machetes in Central America, kukri's in India, etc.. The one thing I loved the most was the mosquitoes did not make any noise like they do in America. It's bad enough getting bit but that irritating buzzzzz all the time was torture. We built our shelters out of bamboo off the ground and kept that fire always going to keep the little pests away. I never could get a fire started with rubbing the bamboo together, I suppose if I was there long enough I would hope to eventually get it. We made the rice steamers like you did out of bamboo over the fire, cooked the bat wings, etc.. and got the water from the vines and bamboo cells with the bamboo straw. Have you made your bamboo crossbow for hunting yet. I didn't master that one as well, I definitely wish I had more time to in the jungle, also keep eating that malaria plant, forgot what they call it but it works, the locals will show you. Good luck and have fun, it's a learning experience of a lifetime. When you figure it out, then go for desert, winter and ocean training.

In SE Asia, I didn't mind the mosquito's much though was liberal with the bug dope. But those fly's....

To this day I still hate fly's.

A lot depends on the particular jungle. Locations with nearby areas that drain and dry out make a fire much easier and much more practical.

Lowlands, and other places that never dry and pretty much everywhere in the rainy season, can makeing a fire a major problem as absolutely everything can be saturated. Getting a fire going is just the beginning as finding sufficient material to keep it going can be a trick. A handy method is to keep a considerable amount of wood close to the fire to dry so you are manufacturing your own firewood. Laying a couple of small saplings across the fire gives you a place to work off and both dries and cuts the wood for you.

Of course, if you are traveling through, or working hard at getting out or rescues, as opposed to taking up housekeeping, spending that sort of time and energy to maintain a fire for a night is impractical. A more practical approach is to bring a stove or some sort and use fuel you carry in. A small stove is practical because it pays you for the weight with faster setup, quick cooking, and energy savings not having to work hard as assembling/ maintaining a fire. Staying well above freezing butane stoves are light, cheap, and effective.

Also, as most people know, jungles are buggy. The variety and numbers is what shocks people. Do not underestimate how buggy it can get. Have a spare head net on hand. Lightweight and cheap there is no reason not to. A reserve supply of bug juice, the tiny travel bottles are handy, is wise.

A hammock is a big help keeping critters off you, getting you above the wet ground, and keeping air moving so your skin won't rot. A horizontal line rigged over the hammock to hold a tarp and mosquito net makes a nice shelter that keep you dry from water from above and below and the crawling and flying beasties.

Bring your walking stick with you. Some jungles are notorious for having no solid wood that isn't three feet in diameter or one hundred feet above ground. A walking stick is handy for swampy and uneven ground, and crossing the creeks that form in a few hours when it rains.

Jungles are also sometimes dry. Everything may be saturated but after the rain stops and water runs off or soaks in finding water to drink can be a trick. Some vines and plant stems can store considerable amounts of water. Learn about the plants that hold water in your area. Given the possible difficulties boiling water plan of using a filter or chemical treatment.

I don't have any experience with survival in a jungle, a desert, the Arctic Ocean and many other places.

However, I am reading a book that seems to cover every type of environment on the face of the earth:
http://www.amazon.com/SAS-Survival-Handb...2512&sr=8-2

Much of the book is dry and technical, which are indications to me that it's pretty good. I did some research on the author, and he appears to be the real thing. I have no affiliation.

The jungle is a place where Mother Nature can, if allowed, kill you in a short period of time.

I learned the following: To have two sets of clothes, one dry, one wet. Wear the wet, sleep in the dry. You can't have too many socks. Never sleep on the ground, the ants will carry you off. Mosquito netting is mandatory. Have a backup to your backup packed in a plastic bag, with dessicant, tightly sealed, in another plastic bag - that way there is a 25% chance that backup will work and not be wet. Black palm trees - they have spikes on them- grow right where you need to grab to pull yourself up, over, or through - wear gloves with leather palms. Daily maintenance of boots, feet, knives, radios, weapons is a must. Guesstimate the distance you are going, guesstimate the time it will take you, add 25% minimum, then add a day to guess how long it will take you - as in 10 miles will take 1 day, 8 hours, maybe if you are lucky. Stop at least an hour before sunset to make camp, sooner if you are tired. And finally - freaking howler monkeys will scare the snot out of you, and literally throw poo at you too.

Great autobiography of survival in the jungle of south America.

Jungle: a harrowing true story of survival

That was on the Science of Survial and I shouldn't be alive featured on the Science Channel. I have rewatched both shows at least 11 times. What a story.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I appreciate first hand practical experience. Also, helped me to determine that I never want to be lost in the jungle! But, if I were going, I would print out your post!

Thanks for sharing it.

M

Mosquito repellent: I was coating all my exposed skin one evening in the Philippines and I noticed I missed a spot on my knee. I ignored it and went out to dinner at an outside restaurant. I felt the damn things and looked down at about 5 mosquitoes on the one spot that I had missed biting into what was already a red raised plateau of mosquito bite--- horrid! Use it and don't skimp!

Also, carry more water than you think you will need. It will be gone before you want it to be. I was out hiking one hot day and just as I had finished off my water the terrain got very steep. The top of the hill was just about 20-30 yards ahead and I was determined to get to the top, but I was just too thirty... thirst can come on very fast in the jungle and when it does, you better have a plan. I was surprised just how quickly I was dehydrating. I was feeling very weak and I started seeing colorful kaleidoscope patterns in front of me as the vegetation began playing tricks with my eyes. I couldn't walk uphill anymore, so I just sat in the grass and waited for some strength to return. As I descended back to town, an almost magical breeze picked up... take plenty of water!

Depending on where you are, be wary of with whom you frequent or are seen with. As has been stated before, don't hang with anyone involved with drugs or any other crime. Some penalties are very severe, including death. If Malaysia is anything like where I was in the Philippines, be prepared to be as assertive as necessary without being overly threatening to avoid being taken for a sucker, or worse... Here's the story:

I was drunk with my boss (I was a camera assistant and studio manager for a documentary film about deforestation and its effects on indigenous lifeways) and some colleagues/friends at a bar late one night in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. I was feeling kind of sick, so I decided to go home. My boss reminded me of the mob-style killing of a suit by another suit that he had witnessed late at night in our hotel lobbyfront, and that he had been approached the next day by some wary people whom he believed were warning him to keep his mouth shut, and so he wanted me to be extra careful on my own, as they might be watching me as well. I told him not to worry as I was only getting a cab and going straight home. As I thought about what my boss had told me, I also thought about all the kidnappings of white people I had heard about. There are many different military factions living in the jungle, and I heard that one of the ways they finance their outfits is by way of kidnapping white tourists and ransoming them to their relatives back home. My boss and I were the only two white guys on this entire island I had seen and I had been there for more than a month already. Before he hired me to join him in the Philippines, the first thing my boss wanted to know is how well I could handle myself, did I know any martial arts, etc. This place could be a very dangerous place with factions wandering into town fully loaded, corrupt police, crime. I walked out of the bar and I got into the cab (cabs in Cagayan are just normal looking passenger cars) that had just driven up to the front of the bar, after being motioned by its driver to get in. I told the driver where I needed to go and asked if he knew where that was. He said “yes” as I expected him to, as where I lived was a well-known upper class location. It was also a place most of the locals could not afford. I lived in a new resort housing tract that was just being built and it was behind a wall with broken glass bottles cemented into the top (I call it ‘Cagayan barbed-wire’), and had one or two gatemen with guns at the ready to allow or deny entry. Our house was the only one occupied at that time. Anyway, he started driving and did not say a word, very unlike the other drivers whose cabs I had been in. They were usually playing music or talking or both and all of the cabs had a few photos, dash trinkets, and even bright colored interior lights; most of the cab drivers got very creative with their rides. But this guy just drove and looked at me with a weird grin; his cab didn’t have any of the typical extravaganza. I was drunk so I didn’t think about it, but when we got out of town, I noticed that we had driven totally out of town, and very quickly, but where I lived was at the extreme other end of town. I told him he was going the wrong way and to turn around and I would guide him where to go. He refused, saying “Ahead. Right way. This way.”, all the while grinning at me, trying to get me to trust him. I tried to get him to turn around about three times as I could see nothing but jungle on the road ahead and the fading lights of Cagayan behind us in the mirror. There was no doubt at all that we were going in the wrong direction and I knew that there was nothing ahead but dark jungle until the next town about 50 miles away. I then snapped totally out of my drunkenness and I knew that he was taking me to where he had some guys ready to either rob me or worse. I looked at him one more time and I sternly said, “Hey." He looked over at me again with that same grin, like he was ready to calm me again with his reassurance that he was taking me where I wanted to go, and as I felt the rage within me rise, I locked eyes with him and calmly said with all the truth of a rising sun, "If you don't turn this car around right now I'm going to beat you to death." His coy smile suddenly cracked fiercely and broke into pieces as he quickly slowed down and turned the car around and drove obediently in silence for the 20 minutes or so that it took to get to the front gate of where I lived.