Jelawang waterfall

Jelawang waterfall or sometimes known as the Stong waterfall is one of the highest waterfalls in South East Asia and is found in the Gunung Stong State Forest Park. A trip to the Gunung Stong State Forest Park lets you experience an all rounded trek with caving, river and mountain treks. The 21,950 ha Gunung Stong State Forest Park is gazetted on 8 November 2007 with hill dipterocarp forest below 1000 m and upper dipterocarp forest and oak-laurel forest above that [1]. The Jelawang waterfall which stands over 300m high can be seen from a distance as you travel towards the park entrance. The nearest train station is Dabong train station. Before you proceed to the Jelawang waterfall make a trip to visit the limestone caves near the train station.

Caves near Dabong train station

There are four popular caves near the train station, Gua Ikan, Gua Kris, Gua Pagar and Gua Gelap. These caves are open to public and they are relatively clean with few graffiti if any except Gua Ikan which is said to be badly vandalized. The cave system is interesting with some very narrow passageways and curious rock formations. Bats may also be found in some of the caves. Visiting the caves is very often part of the itinerary before moving on to the park head quarters.

The main attraction of Gunung Stong State Forest Park is the Jelawang waterfall. There are accommodation facilities at the base of the waterfall but most trekkers proceed to the Baha campsite that sits on top of the waterfall at an altitude of 450m. However, to reach there, you will need to trek for more than an hour up the side of the waterfall which is understandably steep and energy sapping. Upon reaching the campsite, most trekkers will rest and see out the remaining of the day in preparation for more treks on the following day. Baha campsite is conveniently situated near the river for your drinking and cooking needs. There is not much in terms of amenities at the campsite and the toilet is really just a hole in the ground. For experienced trekkers in Malaysia, this is definitely one of the better campsites for spending the night. Baha campsite is ideal as a basecamp for further treks.

The basecamp at Baha campsite is conveniently situated for climbing up to the summit of Gunung Stong and Gunung Ayam. The trek up to the summit of Gunung Ayam will take a full day and this typically requires a night to be spent on a campsite near its summit. As this campsite is well above 1000m above sea level, it can get quite cold at night. Depending on the speed and fitness of the team, one may proceed to Gunung Stong on the next day after coming down from Gunung Ayam or descend to Baha campsite for the night and take a return trip to Gunung Stong the following day.

View near summit Gunung Ayam

Back at the Baha campsite, you may trek further up-stream and be amazed by the rock formation carved by the running river. There are potholes to dip your full body in and smooth surface rocks for you to slide down to the pool below. Your guide will be able to point out where are the safer spots to have fun.

Apart from these common treks, the more adventurous can take on the seven summits challenge in the region. These seven summits are, Gunung Ayam, Gunung Stong, Gunung Tera, Gunung Che Kob, Gunung Che Tahir, Gunung Menyelit and Gunung Birut. It is estimated to take seven days to complete this trek.

Gunung Stong State Forest Park is one of the more interesting treks in Peninsula Malaysia with its high mountains and waterfalls. Although the facilities and accommodation at the base of the waterfall has not been well maintained, the Baha campsite is still good for those who came prepared for camping. The guides are good and are able to converse in English. As Gunung Stong State Forest Park is an extension of the Titiwangsa Range [1] and the trail to the mountains are not well marked, it is important to have a guide. Great care must also be taken at the Baha campsite especially those who wish to catch the sunrise at the top of the waterfall. There have been incidents of trekkers falling off the waterfall when they lost their footing on the rock surface.