Two of Malaysia’s Hiking Trails

By: Ian Tan

Over winter break, I visited two hiking trails in Malaysia. The first was called Seven Wells and the other, Durian Perangin. What surprised me was the vast difference between the two, despite their identical purpose as waterfall trails.  

When I visited the Seven Wells, they required payment for entry, but citizens could go in for free. The first part of the trail had many well-paved steps with railings; they even numbered some to show how many more steps you need in order to reach the waterfall.The trail continued into two long paths, both leading to the main attractions: 7 Wells Waterfall and the Bridge. The trails past this bridge led to the Blue Lagoon which was not well known, therefore not many tourists hiked past the bridge. Additionally, the infrastructure past the bridge became more limited, likely due to the lack of tourists. Since the trail was especially long, it contained far more waterfalls than Durian Perangin.

I felt like Durian Perangin was more suited for the citizens than tourists. This is because they used to let citizens in for free, but they recently started requiring payment for entry. Unlike the Seven Wells, this place was a lot calmer; I could see families going on picnics and children playing in the water. Right when you enter, there is beautiful scenery with bridges and pavilions scattered throughout the area for families to rest. Through this infrastructure, there was one trail which led to the waterfall. These steps weren’t made in the best quality and had overgrown roots sticking out. But, I actually liked this because it gave the trail a more natural and rustic feel.