Lata Hammers hike

The May Day weekend outdoor adventures continued with a hike to Lata Hammers waterfalls in Bentong Pahang with the KL Hiking crew.

It was another day off, another early morning wake up call and another convoy from Genting Sempah. If our Friday hike to Lata Naning had taken us to the Bentong exit and onwards to Chamang Waterfall, today’s hike to Perting Pandak Waterfalls, or Lata Hammers as it’s also known, had us taking a winding B-road from Genting Sempah, through the small Bukit Tinggi township, past Bentong Hot Springs.

We parked on the gravel at the side of the road, just a few meters away from Kin Tick Orchard Village. It’s an easy 2 hour walk to Lata Hammers from here passing rubber small holdings and fruit orchards.

Once narrow and in some places overgrown, farming and 4×4 activities have widened the trail to a road, albeit a very uneven, potholed-riddled dirt one. If you’re willing to risk it, you can drive a lot further in. However we were here for the journey as much as the destination, so no complaints from me about the extra mileage.

Small rubber plantations dot the route.

Cups for collecting the rubber sap are tied to tapped trees.

Looks like this one is due to be collected.

Metal bridges save us from having to cross the river repeatedly.

Passing by one of many fruit orchards.

Once a narrow trail, now even a truck can drive through.

The uneven dirt track can get muddy in places.

Thanks to the metal bridges there’s only one small river crossing that we have to make, just off a T-junction and through some private property.

Standing around looking stumped at the T-juntion … until we spot the KL Hiking paper trail.

No “trespassers will be shot” signs spotted here. Guess that means it’s safe to enter….

Sungai Perting Pandak is only a few metres wide and shallow in depth (up to our thighs) here but a few helping hands don’t go amiss, particularly on the other side where there’s a steep embankment to surmount.

Forming a human chain.

The remainder of the trail is undulating with a few obstacles. A massive tree had come down and blocked the road during our hike. We literally had to climb over and jump down from it but I’m guessing it would soon be cleared away to allow vehicles through.

We take turns to climb over a massive fallen tree. Until it’s cleared there’s no way any vehicles are going to be able to get past.

Bamboo, rocks and logs arranged to allow 4×4 vehicle to get across.

More fallen trees.

A bunch of mountain bikes abandoned on the trail told us we were close to the falls. It’s a scramble down the steep hill face from here, but well placed roped helped ease ourselves descent.

A glimpse through the trees.

Our first look at the falls.

The sandy beach on the other side of the river is where we set up base. To get to it we have to either teeter along some logs balanced between rocks or wade into the water. As I’d rather take my chances with solid ground I chose the latter – it wasn’t like my feet weren’t already wet anyway.

There’s ample space here. There were about 30 of us, the cyclists and a group of campers who looked as if they had set up and stayed over the long weekend and there was still room to spare.

Fallen tree trunks lie t the bottom of the pool.

Lata Hammers itself resembles a lagoon. It’s easily 30 meters across either way, and like a beach the water is shallow before it dips off into the depths. We were reminded to avoid the dark areas which have a reputation for currents and whirlpools. Deaths have been recorded here, even in strong swimmers.

The falls may not look like much but beneath the water’s surface lies treacherous currents and whirlpools.

After we put away some luscious slices of fresh watermelon courtesy of Alex, a handful of us decided to take a closer look at the falls.

Lata Hammer’s upper falls. From here you can still follow Sungai Perting Pandak further upstream.

From left to right: hiking buddy Khairul, Alex the man behind all the best KL Hiking hikes and Burrd, familiar KL Hiking face and regular sweeper. These guys are always great company.

We picked our way across the slopes towards the rushing waters, first to the upper falls then to the lower falls. Then one by one we climbed down using roots as foot and hand holds to lower ourselves closer to the water’s edge. It was easier than it looks nevertheless my nerves were getting the better of me  – one miss-step could spell disaster.

Scrambling down the embankment to get a closer look at the waterfall.

It’s a lot harder than it looks though as even I manage to make it down.

View of Perting Pandak river’s sandy bank from the waterfall.

Making our way back to base camp.

We pack up and head back to the cars not long after our brief adventures. There’s one more destination to go and it’s a treat for all the weekend of walking – Bentong Hot Springs.

Distance and time Approximately 8km one way, the hike to the falls should take you approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Rating Easy. Aside the distance, there are few challenges bar a small river crossing. Even kids can do this one.

Tip My one bugbear about this trail is the rubbish left behind, with plastic bottles dumped at the top of the climb down into Lata Hammers and over flowing rubbish bins by the river.

I’ll never understand why people litter. Since visitors come here for the beauty and must understand that if they contribute to its ugliness then eventually even they won’t want to return, then why do they leave behind their rubbish?

If you can bring it in then you can take it out, to your car, and back home, where you can sort it and dispose of it correctly.

Getting there Exit Karak Highway (the toll is RM5 either way)and take the #68 trunk road towards Bentong. You’ll pass an unnamed waterfall and Bentong Hot Springs. The drive is scenic, through narrow winding roads with the river at one side and forest all around, but do watch out for cyclists and the occasional jogger. Park by the side of the road opposite Kin Tick Orchard Village.