10 Stunning Hiking Trails In Malaysia From Easy To Challenging

Hey, foodies! Can you believe how fast time is flying by, we’re now halfway through 2019! It’s crazy fast and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. So, have you completed all the goals you’ve set for yourself at the beginning of the year? You better be quick if you want to achieve them by the end of the year. If one of your goals is to stay fit or maybe go on short escape into nature, then this article is specially curated for you, wild heart one! We’ve categorized the hiking trails from easy to challenging so fret not, there’s something for everyone.

10 Stunning Hiking Trails In Malaysia From Easy To Moderately Challenging

1. Gasing Hill @ Bukit Gasing Forest Park, Petaling Jaya

Conveniently located just 15 minutes off the Federal Highway, this hill is made for those who want to experience what hiking is all about as it offers multiple routes. The highlight of the place is undoubtedly the suspension bridge that’s ever omnipresent in every 10 photos on Instagram, so you know where to take your photo lah. This trail is always visited by the locals on the daily so remember to say hi!

Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
Duration (to and from): 1 – 2 hours
Highlights: 6 different routes, suspension bridge

2. Mount Pulai @ Kulai District, Johor

Did you know you don’t have to conquer really challenging route just to get your desired on-the-peak photos overlooking the mountains? Over at Mount Pulai, you can do just that with the difficulty level of the hike being just fairly easy. Yes, and that’s just one of the few other rewarding views you get. On the way up, you’d be impressed and amazed as you pass by scenic streams and waterfalls. Perfect for a dip, let’s dive in!

Difficulty level: Easy
Duration (to and from): 2 – 3 hours
Highlights: Reservoir, waterfall and Instagrammable spot over at the peak

3. Broga Hill @ Semenyih, Selangor

Widely known for the lalang trails it has to offer, hiking up Brogo Hill gives you a stunning view of the hill covered in seas of grass (lalang) making it a perfect place for a photo, giving a sense of freedom and wanderlust to the photo. With 3 summits in total, both first and second has a jaw-dropping view and conveniently easier to conquer than the third one. Along the trail, use the huge stones to your advantage for more awesome photos with your friends!

Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
Duration (to and from): 1 – 2 hours
Highlights: 3 summits, popular sunrise spot, lalang field

4. Gunung Arong @ Johor

It’s not every hike you get to spend some time at the beach. But right here, that’s possible! It’s a great place to cool off and to relax your feet after the hike. Moreover, the view on top is nothing less than majestic giving you a perfect view of the sunset over the sea. Suitable even for small children, the elderly or those without much hiking experience, you might want to consider this spot for your next family outing!

Difficulty level: Easy
Duration (to and from): 2 – 2.5 hours
Highlights: Beach, amazing sunset view

5. Gunung Baling @ Kedah

If you’re looking for places to take photos that will make your friends go all jelly jelly without wanting to hike a spot too out of your league then let me tell you why Gunung Baling is where you should head to. Your hike will start with a steep incline but eventually, it’ll even out to a steady flight of stairs. Be careful as you go deeper as it’s going to get rocky towards the end, but nothing you cannot manage!

Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate
Duration (to and from): 3 – 4 hours
Highlights: Rocky terrain, Instagrammable beautiful ridges

6. Chiling Waterfall @ Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor

Too unmotivated to move your muscles? What if I tell you that there’s a rewarding three-tier waterfall at the end of your hike? Will that motivates you enough to decide to conquer this trail? I sure hope so because the waterfall is going to be so worth it! Before you proceed to jump right in, we have to warn you that you’ll have to cross rivers for this beautiful waterfall but what’s a hike without some challenge!

Difficulty level: Moderate
Duration (to and from): 1 – 2 hours
Highlights: Three-tier waterfall, picnic area, river crossing

7. Teluk Bahang @ Penang National Park, Pulau Penang

Heading into the forest, the branching point of the trail is marked with a map – the most popular spots being Monkey Beach and Kerachut Beach – you can choose wherever you want to head to. With both trails leading to breathtaking beach views, start off knowing you’d be rewarded at the end. Let it serve as a motivation for you to overcome the exhausting trail in front of you. Come on, you can do this!

Difficulty level: Moderate
Duration (to and from): 3 – 4 hours
Highlights: Stunning beach view, Monkey Beach, Kerachut Beach, Muka Head Lighthouse

8. Gunung Nuang @ Pahang and Selangor

As we go further down into the list, it’s only ever going to get tougher. This ground is not meant for the faint-hearted, but with enough determination and training, surely one day you’d be able to fully conquer these places. First to start off the challenging level is, of course, Gunung Nuang. Just looking at the time needed to hike this mountain is enough to speak for itself. If you’ve decided to give it a try, brace yourself against the river climbing, boulder climbing and leeches you’ll have to face. But hey, you might meet an adorable new friend on this hike (referring to the squirrel)!

Difficulty level: Challenging
Duration (to and from): 9 – 11 hours
Highlights: River crossing, boulder climbing, the famous tree

9. Gunung Yong Yap @ Perak

With the distance of 42km in the jungle and an elevation of 2,900m, the 3D2N seems to make much more sense now. You probably won’t be tired out by the first few kilometres as the trail’s more welcoming here. But as you head further in, the trail will slowly convert into farmland trail and then to jungle trail. Brace yourself against the endless rivers you need to cross to get you to the peak!

Difficulty level: Challenging
Duration (to and from): 3 days
Highlights: Kubuk Buaya waterfall, Instagrammable peak

10. Gunung Tahan @ Taman Negara, Pahang

It’s not West Malaysia’s highest and toughest peak just for the name, you’ll have to cover dozens of kilometres through primary rainforest, the average climber takes a whopping week to complete the journey. It’s a battle of endurance once you’ve started the hike. In the journey of reaching the top, it involves battling kilometres of thick foliage, crossing unforgiving rivers and scrambling along muddy trails. Did we mention that’s only going to get you to the base?

Difficulty level: Very Challenging
Duration (to and from): 3 – 7 days
Highlights: Highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia, a gateway to Taman Negara, intense trekking and camping

10 Stunning Hiking Trails In Malaysia From Easy To Challenging

Coming to an end, we just want to tell you that this list probably contains only less than half the trails we have in the whole of Malaysia. I bet you didn’t even know half of these existed, or maybe you do. Either way, that just goes without saying that we should continue to always be adventurous and willing to explore our beloved country because you’d be surprised by how much it has to offer! Tell us about your most epic hiking experience down below and see you!