My Travel journey: Best Waterfalls in Malaysia

What makes an amazing waterfall? According to Dutch enthusiast Jan Stuivenberg, who has paid a visit to more than 110 of the nation’s 130 waterfalls, “It’s really subjective, but size does not always matter; location helps, especially if it’s more remote to avoid the crowds.”

While he has been to different parts of the world to witness nature’s spectacular cascades, Stuivenberg claims that his fascination still lies with Malaysian falls.

“What I like about them is that they are often located in a beautiful jungle and that many of them are still quite undeveloped. Such a pleasure, especially after a sweaty hike,” he says.

Here are his top picks for the top waterfalls in Malaysia.

 1. Ulu Geruntum Waterfall, Perak

The Ulu Geruntum waterfall is one of the best places for waterfall abseiling. A group of young people with similar interests were brought together through the social networking website Facebook.

The enthusiastic but apprehensive adventure seekers have to make their way up a 10m slope to the top of the waterfall.The Ulu Geroh Rafflesia project has a nice waterfall, Damak Fall, as one of its attractions. There is another waterfall in the same region, easily accessible, not far from Kg Geruntum.To reach the fall, you follow the road from Gopeng to Ulu Geroh for about seven km. Take left, just before a river crossing. Follow the road for about three km. You will reach a few stalls, where you can park your car.

2. Chilling Falls, Selangor

Prepare to get wet here, even if you don’t plan on swimming! This is because visitors have to make five (shallow to deep) river crossings to get to this multiple cascade.

However, its moderately difficult accessibility does not stop families with children from dropping by, as many people think, but it’s worth the adventurous hike. There’s also an interesting fish sanctuary nearby.

The Chiling Falls are probably the most beautiful waterfalls of Selangor. They can be reached after an adventurous trek along the river, which has to be crossed many times. To reach the trail head, you take the road from Kuala Kubu Baru to the Gap. After passing the Selangor Dam, you cross the bridge on the Chiling river. Just after this bridge you can park you car. Follow the road for about 100 meter, the trail head is clearly indicated. Soon you will arrive an open field beside the river, with some buildings and a campsite, maintained by the Fisheries department.

3. Jerangkang Falls, Pahang

This endless succession of over 40 blue-green cascades is one of nature’s finest.

Although there is a well-marked trail leading you to the top, it takes a fair amount of strength to get there because of the arduous vertical trek involved.

The Jerangkang Falls can be reached from the KL-Kuantan road. About 30 km after passing Maran, turn left at a signboard 'Hutan Lipur Jerangkang'.

The road leads through rubber plantations and passes under the new KL-Kuantan Highway.
For the last part a 4WD is needed, but that may change as work is in progress on the access road...From the campsite a clear trail leads uphill alongside the river. The main trail is on the right bank, but it is also possible to cross the river and follow the left bank. An 'endless' succession of waterfalls is the reward, most of them with attractive pools. According to the locals, there is a total of 43 separate waterfalls. These pictures cover the falls until step 15, so there is still work to be done...! This series of waterfalls belongs definitely to the most attractive that can be found in Malaysia!

4. Seminyang Falls, Pahang

Having only a single tier does not make Seminyang any less astounding. But beware: this powerful and roaring waterfall is no child’s play. Its deep river bed and hostile terrain is prone to flash floods. You might also want to consider going by 4WD.

To reach the fall, follow the road from Karak to Kuala Pilah for about 12 kmBefore reaching the village of Telemong, the road crosses a river named Perdak.Just after the bridge, there is a turning to the right. A laterite track will take you to the fall.This track was made for the Mini Hydro Power station and its employees utilize the track to commute to work. You will be guided by the power cables to reach the Station.Although the track is maintained, it is only navigable by a normal car up to 5 kilometers of the way. On this stretch, the track passes through rubber estates and durian plantations.Finally when all these are left behind, the track winds through primary forest.After passing an Orang Asli settlement the track condition gets worse and a 4WD is advisable.

From the Station you still have another 3 kilometer of hike with 4 short climbs interspersed with level stretches.
Continuing on the track, the next scene is that of the water catchments for the power station.
A small path turns off to the right to reach into the ravine where the rapids are dammed.

Continue the track. Very soon, at a point where the track is seen really leading uphill continuously, look for a trail on the right. This is a visible path on level ground heading right towards the direction of the river.

After following this trail for about 600 meters through damp forest, you will reach the river.
From here on the trail gets vague. If the waterlevel permits it, wade through the river, otherwise you have to scramble along the river bank.

Then, after another 300 meters, around the corner there it is
The Lata Seminyang, powerful and roaring.

5. Lata Kinjang, Perak

These dramatic 300m cascades, which can be seen from the North-South Highway, hold the top prize for being one of the tallest waterfalls in Malaysia.

Getting to the main falls is easy, but the further you climb, the steeper and more indistinct the trail gets.

This waterfall is one of the best known falls in Malaysia, because it can be seen very well from the N-S highway. But many people have never actually visited the fall, because the access road is not straightforward. Coming from KL via the N-S highway, you take the Tapah exit and continue north on the trunk road nr 1. Follow the signboards to Chenderiang. Past this village the road to the falls is clearly indicated. At the end of this raod, there are hawker stalls and you can park your car.

The fall is clearly signposted

Hawker stalls and carpark

From the carpark it is only a short walk to the lower cascades.

Lata Kinjang is one of the tallest falls of Malaysia. From the highway only the middle part with the huge cascade can be seen. Cement steps bring you to a suspension bridge at the beginning of the main cascade

The suspension bridge is visible halfway

Part of the cascade below the bridge

The suspension bridge.

At the bridge the cemented steps come to an end and so does the easy part of this waterfall. On both sides of the cascade you can climb further up, but the trail is sometimes vague and relentlessly steep. But you get a reward. At the top of the cascade there is a last, vertical fall.

View from the bridge downstream

View from the bridge. Life can be fun!

From the top of the cascade the view of the surrounding landscape with deep down the N-S highway, is spectacular.

The last fall has a beautiful pool.

The highway, deep down

Spectacular views

It is possible to climb up further, to the delapidated pump station, but you must take care, orienteering is not always easy. To go down, you can cross the stream and find your way down. through the neglected rubber plantations. Not easy, this is Orang Asli country, there are numerous vague trails, and take care about traps! If you keep left, going down, you should come across the Lata Yuk

6.Pos Dipang, Perak 

Being a recent discovery, Pos Dipang is still relatively uncharted and therefore unspoilt. There is an hour’s worth of trekking involved (past an Orang Asli settlement), but you’ll be rewarded with a natural Jacuzzi and, not to mention, a fascinating insight into our country’s native flora and fauna along the way.

7. Maxwill Hill Fall, Perak

Taiping, famous for its Lake Garden and Maxwell Hill, also has a waterfall. When you are coming in to town from Simpang and look towards the hills, this waterfall is very conspicuous.

Follow the road to the Water Treatment plant, and park your car near an Indian temple. From here a trail leads up to the remnants of a swimming pool. Years ago, the New Club had constructed 2 medium size pools utilizing the natural mountain water, but this has fallen into disrepair.

View of the Fall from the Water Treatment Plant

It looks like a powerful cascade

With maximum zoom in of the camera

It is not very clear how to proceed from here to the waterfall itself, if possible at all. So this waterfall is still waiting to be fully explored!

UPDATE January 2007 Found the access way!

Finally a Taiping friend showed us the way and it turned out te be very easy. Just before the gate to the Water Treatment Plant, a vague trail follows the fence. After a few hundred meters it becomes a small road (former access road to the fall?). This road leads in a few minutes to the fall.

The entrance of the Water Treatment Plant. The trail starts to the right.

Just follow the fence

The water of the fall is collected in a basin, from where pipes lead to the plant. A sign warns that visitors should not bathe or swim here, because it is part of the Taiping water supply.

The waterfall

The top part of the fall

The basin where the water is collected

It might be possible to climb up the (steep) slope to the left of the fall. Caution is needed, the rocks are slippery.

8. Giam Klimau, Sarawak

Batu Niah town, located about 85km from Miri city, is a rest stop between Miri and Bintulu. Everyone knows about the famous gigantic Niah Caves. But not many people (not even the Niah NP staff) would expect that waterfalls can be found here.

Somewhere in the remote area of oil palm plantations, there are a lot of waterfalls waiting to be discovered. Giam Klimau is one of them. In Bidayuh language ‘giam’ means waterfall or rapid.

Access to the fall is through an oil palm plantation. The bumpy terrain is not that easy for a sedan car,a 4WD and a guide are advisable. The oil palm plantation is under private company, you will have to report at several security check points. It will take about 30mins driving (15km) to reach the trail head. There is a visible trail leading to waterfall, it is just a short walk through the bushes.

You have to pass several security checkpoints

Walking through the bushes

Above the fall

Giam Klimau has an amazing geographical feature. It is a curtain fall! The water just drops on the hard rock surface instead of a pool. The pool is several meters away.

The fall from far away

A closer look

You can walk across the fall easily

The most amazing thing is the upper hard rock layer, protruding and forming a sheltered place underneath. When you stand inside, you can hear the water flowing above the rock layer. You wonder how this landscape can be formed, by corrosion? Nature is awesome.