TELUK MUROH FALLS

This is one of my dream waterfall that I will be able to fulfill after Penang Falls, I began to get in touch with this waterfall during my first ever bicycle expedition from Parit using Bruas - Pantai Remis route until Lumut early 90's, where we camped in Teluk Batik after long hard day cycling using a modified bicycle. I still remember that back then the facilities in Teluk Batik still in the early stage of development and in order to get a freshwater supply we need to hike to the waterfall nearby the proposed Teluk Batik to Teluk Rubiah Road which initiated by our Late Sultan Idris Shah, but nothing is done until now but the dirt route used to survey the proposed road is still intact until now and it being used by jungle enthusiast to trek inside the Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve especially to go to isolated beach in between Teluk Batik and Teluk Rubiah known as Teluk Pengerang. I obtained the a fresh information on this waterfall from Meor Razak of Sahabat Alam Malaysia which also involved in OBS previously and few nice guy from Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam that the waterfall still survive till today. Since the area being sold by Perak State Government to make way for the development of steel distribution hub built by Vale Corporation from Brazil and the compartment that has been sold is forbidden for public entry, the Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve become the fighting ground for local environmentalist in order to preserve the few remaining coastal rainforest in Perak, in principle I am totally not agree with the project which from my opinion it has crossed the boundary of environmental impact for the survival of Teluk Batik as the main tourist destination in the mainland Lumut and if the economic factor is the main justification for this project then I would say that this another fallout for the so called economist especially those who are advising the state government. Just for the information of all waterfall enthusiast out there, Teluk Muroh Falls is a few remaining surviving waterfall that close to the sea and this phenomenon only could be witnessed in Manjung District, where most of the waterfall located in Segari Melintang Forest Reserve. Maybe due to the constant voice out campaign such as Selamatkan Teluk Rubiah Vale Corporation had put an initiative to organize a Scientific Expedition to the Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve which under their boundary in order to justify scientifically the importance of the forest reserve with Malaysian Nature Society. I managed to get the only chance to visit this waterfall under the ticket of "Researcher", and I am grateful that Siti Aishah Nor, Manjung very own nature enthusiast agreed to become my "Research Assistant" that day, thanks so much. This is the story of my first ever scientific expedition and the day that qualify me the be a waterfall researcher... 

PENANG FALLS

Another trans boundary waterfall trip and this time to the land of 'nasi kandaq". Since the beginning of my craziness over waterfall this is one of my priority to be visited and suddenly two miracle man Eric Yeap and Herbert Wong both from Pertubuhan Pencinta Air Terjun Selangor had made my dream come true. Both guys are avid and hardcore waterfall hunters and environmentalist which also the wise brain behind the waterfall cleanup program initiate in several states after several cases of Leptospirosis reported in several touristic waterfall spot across Malaysia. This waterfall is worth a visit and I'm not regretting at all for woke up at 5 a.m. and driving 3 hours to Penang for day trip, since the beginning of this blog I emphasized the sharing of the location of the waterfalls that has been visited but I would make an acceptation for this one, this one is better to be left forbidden by the public since it becomes one of fresh water supply for the Island of Penang. Eric Yeap had preliminary obtained a permission from State Government Environment Exco Office to enter this location and for those who interested to visit this waterfall it will be opened once a year during World Water Day and you need to check the information with Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang or obtain a written permission for guided tour visit. This one is majestic, multi tiers waterfall and the main fall is 90 degrees vertical drop.

SUNGAI SINJU FALLS

First of all I would like to clarify that this is the "real" Lata Sinju not the one that located nearby the trunk road from Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highlands near OA village of Kampung Lalang. Second of all not many knows that Sungai Sinju is the same river that flows into so called "Lubuk Timah" falls, a large mademade waterfall near Simpang Pulai, so that is two facts that I want to share in this post. Semai village of Sinju lies at the bank of Sungai Sinju which consist not more than 20 houses, one of the closest OA village to Simpang Pulai and some of traditional ways of living had been gradually lost it bites and modernization seems begin to occupy some parts of their life. My initial effort to rediscover this waterfall is began with the help of my fellow photographer buddy Syed Hishamudin during our first ever photo trip where we also visit Sg. Lu Falls (mistakenly described as Sg. Juang Falls due to some misinterpretation by the durian farm owner who also possessed the land surrounding the fall) a tributary of Sungai Sinju which also accessible using Simpang Pulai - Cameron Highlands road. This among the friendliest Semai village that I've ever encountered, we have been guided for free by the Semai's village head son to the upper fall as the trail is a bit confusing where you need to cross OA farms. This trip also made possible by the help of my regular waterfall photography buddy Yarn the admin for Belajar HDR one of the HDR photographic group in facebook.

BUKIT TAKONG FALLS

Not far away from Batu Katak Falls in Kampung Laneh, Padang Rengas there is another unnamed stream that also a tributary of Sg. Laneh, the discovery of the fall is made during land excavation by one of the guy from this area. This is one of the unique waterfall profile that I've ever encountered so far in Perak and the good news is it's not far away from the village and located at the edge of the Southern Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve. It has been 2 months after the first sighting news has been popped out from Razaini my connection here and added with the rainy season this absolutely will make your hiking activities a nightmare due to slippery rock, the challenge is quite tough because you need to descend 70 - 80 degrees hill just by having your fate not to slide into the ravine holding to a few small tree that grows on the hill slope, rope would be a best solution for the next photo trip. But when we want to leave the main fall, Razaini try to recce the roaring sound of water downstream and we follow the dirt road until the end when we meet again the stream, the good news is that there is at least 3 more cascades downstream, we end up stop at the point where the stream is covered by the overgrowth.

BATU KATAK FALLS

Once again I was introduced to another hidden gem of Kg. Laneh, another secluded waterfall just bordering the jungle territories. At the first place we planned to visit Bukit Takong Falls which is another falls that located nearby but due to heavy rain we began the trip at 11 a.m. added with some scary stories of hunting dog being attacked by the tiger, so the trip is cancelled but Zaini my Kg. Laneh connection obtained a fresh info on another waterfall which flows into unnamed small streams a tributary of Sg. Laneh. The first ever experience climbing wet boulders about 30 meters height with 40 degrees steep, so we need to watch out for our step and to be alerted not being trapped in another flash flood incident. The name of the fall itself taken from the name of this part of Kg. Laneh where it only known only by the locals, here the report:

ULU PEROH FALLS

Unknown to many, beside famous waterfall in Ulu Chepor lies several waterfall cascading from Titiwangsa Range lies in Chemor, the exact location is Ulu Chemor, home to Malays and Orang Asal community living side by side. All the rivers within this area is a tributary of Sg. Pari accept for Sg. Kerdah which flow into Sg. Perlus and the area itself is a valley that two mountain range, Kledang Saiong and Titiwangsa stood side by side. I obtained the information and name of the river from Orang Asal that I met during my first visit and contrary to what has been told by few Malay guys that I met saying that the river itself is Sg. Chemor, Sg. Chemor itself flows from Orang Asal village of Sg. Baduk and Sg. Peroh is a tributary of Sg. Chemor. This revisit trip was accompanied by Yarn and during the first visit I was accompanied by my LAP connection, Shahbuddin. 5 tiers all together and you can climb up to the top without hassle as the rock surface is not too steep.

LATA MANONG FALLS

I'm still confuse either the river name is Sg. Manong or Sg. Bekor since there is no indication that there is an existing of tributary along the river, second of all why the river named as Sg. Manong since Manong town located across the Sg. Perak but according to Ngah, the Semai elders that we met during our first visit told us there is more than ten streams that become a tributary of Sg. Bekor, so skip the river name part, just follow what the Orang Asal call it since they have been long mingled with the waterfall before us. I've mentioned before that there is another high fall within this area according to Ngah, but when we look on the map might be the fall that has been described by Ngah is an upper fall of Sg. Johan that flow to Papan which located parallel with Ulu Bekor, but I'll talk some other Ulu Bekor village folks for more exact information. This is the second time I visited the fall after a friend of mine Anazil told me the quantity of water had been decreased and the major suspect is logging activity that so close to the body of water and threaten the existence of the river. So once again we have endure a light medium journey to Ulu Bekor, across the peaceful village of Semai Community later on entering palm oil plantation owned by some Dato' and climbing a hill using Junaidi EX5, due to wet season we were extra careful especially handing cup modified cross vehicle.