Most travellers dismiss Tawau as a transit town; a gateway to Semporna and the dreamy emerald islands that lie off its tropical coastline. I’m here to tell you that’s a mistake. Hikers should spend a few days here as Tawau has 13 climbable peaks. There with KL Hiking, we summited 2 of them; Bukit Panchang was the first, all rocks, ropes and ridiculous views.
Penang Hill hike via Heritage Trail
Want a diabolical way of getting your daily steps in? Hike Penang Hill’s Heritage Trail.
Batangsi River Waterfalls hike
I don’t get the deal with Batangsi. Tucked away on the eastern edge of Selangor, all leafy trails and cool clear cascades, hiking circle friends speak about it with reverence. Yet, it didn’t live up to my expectations. Was I jaded?
Mulyo Hotel @ Port Dickson
There’s a buzz about Port Dickson. The streets seem cleaner, abandoned projects have been revived and new businesses have opened. Reality appears to have caught up to intent, and that’s good news for local residents and tourist visitors. Into this mix comes, Mulyo Hotel, opened in April 2024 in Teluk Kemang, PD’s busiest stretch of white sand.
Bukit Ungku Busu hike
Lumut, Perak’s famed seaside town, location of the Royal Malaysian naval base and jump off point for Pangkor Island and its satellite island Pangkor Laut, has two peaks popular with local hikers: Bukit 300 and Bukit Engku Busu. Of the two, Bukit Engku Busu is the tougher. Yet, the glory of bagging its peak isn’t the attraction. It’s the birds eye view of LUNAS, Malaysia’s controversial naval shipyard.
The White Water Terraces @ Baishutai, Yunnan
A stairway to heaven according to the Naxi of Yunnan, the ethereal white travertine terraces of Baishutai in Yunnan are an impressive geological wonder and a worthy sidetrip if you’re in Lijiang or Shangri-La.
Continue reading The White Water Terraces @ Baishutai, Yunnan
Tiger Leaping Gorge High Trail Hike @ Yunnan
Tiger Leaping Gorge, located 100 kilometres northwest of Lijiang, draws visitors who come to witness its raging currents and rugged scenery. But it’s High Trail—carved into its western slope—attracts hikers looking for something more than a photo op with a fleeing tiger.
Continue reading Tiger Leaping Gorge High Trail Hike @ Yunnan
Flying China Eastern Airline
In November, I went on a trip of a lifetime – a hiking excursion in Yubeng, in Yunnan, China. The designated meet-up point with my fellow KL Hikers was in Lijiang, a pretty postcard town that sits 2400 metres above sea level and has been designated a UNESCO heritage site for its historically significant architecture and ancient waterways. Here’s how I got there.
Bukit Choroco hike
It’s relatively short, just on the edge of easy and located in one of my favourite forests between Kuala Kubu Baru and Fraser’s Hill. At 1106 metres, Bukit Choroco is that Selangor mountain trail that you’ve never heard of, but should have.
Suites Only @ Kuala Kubu Baru
In the last few years, accommodation options in Kuala Kubu Baru have proliferated, keeping pace with the country’s growing interest in local travel and love of small forgotten towns. Suites Only is one of KKB’s new editions.
POKOK KELAPA