A single arresting image compelled me on a girlfriend getaway to Santorini Greece, it inspired a motorbike adventure deep within the jungles of Siem Reap Cambodia, and in April it sent me on a discovery hike to wondrous Lubuk Tedung in Kemensah.
Popular among trail runners and mountain bikers, hardcore hikers will know Lubuk Tedung as a stop on the punishing 15 kilometre trudge to Bukit Repin on the Pahang border. From pictures I knew it as somewhere I needed to be.
One of many sources of the Klang River before sediment turns it the colour of milk tea and our effluents and plastic discards pollute it, Lubuk Tedung’s clear shallows and shady tree-lined river bank are so unbelievably picturesque that I had to see it to believe it.
Lacking the bragging rights of a mountain peak and too remote for the casual weekend picnicker may be why this natural beauty spot has remained under the radar. It could also be the name, which conjures the image of a menacing pit (lubuk) of venomous cobras (ular tedung).
The 6 kilometre journey begins from Teratak Angah, a collection of rudimentary riverside chalets with a parking, showers and toilets that are available for public use.
Starting left of the carpark, hill walkers and off-road cyclists will recognise this as part of the Bukit Pau loop, a series of narrow tarmac roads and well-worn clay and gravel trails that meander through private orchards with views of Bukit Tabur and the Klang Gates Dam.
Be sure not to miss the junction to the right (3.23034, 101.77832) about 5 to 10 minutes in as Eric and I did. If you do, you’ll still end up at the trailhead, but not before completing a 2.5 kilometre clockwise loop of Bukit Pau.
This is the Lubuk Tedung trailhead: red boom gate marked with two signs on either side of it: one an unwelcoming Dilarang Masuk (No Entry) sign, the other a warning of the fines and jail time you’ll incur if are caught entering here without prior permission. If you’re on the right path, it’s unmissable.
Like the nearby Kubang Gajah, Lata Pinang and Lata Gitar (aka Sofia Jane, Maya Karin and Neelofa waterfalls), Lebuk Tedung is located within the Hulu Gombak Forest Reserve, so a Selangor Forestry Department permit is required for entry.
Once on the other side of the boom gate, there’s a fork almost immediately. Stay right and follow the stony path that curls around the hill. On the other side of it is a T-junction: go left here.
There are two trails side-by-side: one wide enough for a car, the other a narrow footpath. Eric and I opted for the obvious option only to find that both paths meet up several metres along.
It’s a recurring feature of the hike to Lubuk Tedung. Surrounded by mostly bamboo groves, much of the trail is scarred by motocross bikes and possibly ATVs usage. For those on foot, the occasional side trail is temporary relief from the deep furrows and slippery mud traps that have resulted.
Despite this, the hike remains pleasurable as the undulating terrain is not challenging and the surrounding forest is lush and leafy, and filled with the high pitched buzz of insects and unfamiliar bird call.
The sound of rushing water signals the first of three stream crossings. The flavour of the trail changes here as the scars that mark the trail briefly disappear and thick groves of bamboo are replaced by dense forest foliage.
Compared with the general monotony of the trail so far, the points of interest come thick and fast now, and after a few twists and turns we arrived at a clearing-cum-campsite which we take to be Bukit Rocket.
Not far from there stands a tree that shoots from the ground skywards with all the intent of a space craft about to launch. I assume this is the inspiration for the hill’s name and mark it down as Rocket Roundabout on my trail map.
5 minutes later we came to another clearing-cum-campsite. Just beyond it is the river. After a leisurely 2 hour hike – which trail runners can complete in 45 minutes – Eric and I had arrived at Lebuk Tedung.
I’ll let you enjoy the photos first….
Crystal clear mountain water gently cascaded over smoothed rocks and perfectly-sanded pebbles. The blazing blue sky peaked out from behind the light green canopy and cast a dappled tapestry of shadow and light on the rippled surface of the water.
Splashing upstream through the shallows and placid sandy-bottomed pools, we luxuriated in the sensation of the cool water as it caressed our aching feet and weary bodies.
In its own quiet way Lubuk Tedung is as remarkable as Bukit Tabur’s quartz ridge and as breathtaking as the waterfalls of Kubang Gajah, Lata Pinang and Lata Gitar. Contrary to its name, it possesses an awe-inspiring lightness about it.
It’s just a travesty that the campsite clearings along either side of it are blighted by rubbish left behind by supposed nature lovers. Eric and I collected only what we could stuff into a discarded haversack. There was probably 10 times that polluting this paradise.
9.15am Start hiking
9.30am Trailhead
10.45am Stream crossing
10.50am Stream crossing (with dilapidated hut)
10.55am Stream crossing
11am Bukit Rocket
11.15am Rocket Roundabout
11.20am Lubuk Tedung
1.05pm Leave Lubuk Tedung
2.20pm Trailhead
2.35pm Carpark
Distance and time Just over 6 kilometres one-way. It took us a leisurely 2 hours there and 1 1/2 hours back.
Rating Moderate.
Pros The undulating trail is not terribly challenging which makes it ideal for beginners. Lots of safe shallows and calm pools to splash about in.
Cons The rubbish, obviously. The trail can be a little monotonous. And on weekends, Kemensah’s narrow roads are often congested.
Tip Bring swimmers. You won’t regret it.
Leech count Marginal.
Facilities There are clean toilets and showers at Teratak Angah Chalet. RM1 /person/use.
Parking RM5/car, RM2/motorbike also at Teratak Angah Chalet. It fills up fast at weekends so get in early.
GPS coordinates (parking) 3.22548, 101.78092
Permits Required. RM5/person.
Apply at Pejabat Hutan Daerah Selangor Tengah, 1st Floor, Block B, Platinum Cheras, Jalan Zen, Cheras, 43200, Selangor. The office will attend to hiking permit applications during the following times: Mon-Thu:8.30am-12.45pm, 2.15pm-3.30pm.
On the day of your hike, drop off a copy of your permit (supplied by the Forestry Department) at the Taman Melawati police station, 35 Jalan Bandar 3, Taman Melawati, 53100, Kuala Lumpur.
Get to my AllTrails map for Lubuk Tedung hike here. My app froze towards the end of the hike. I rebooted my phone on the MRR2 so the the drive out of Kemensah is reflected in the trail map and its data. Sorry about that….
GPS coordinates (trailhead) 3.23312, 101.77927
Pre-hiking sustenance Taman Melawati’s commercial centre is a great place to pick up breakfast and a packed lunch. Restoran Nasi Kandar Deen is situated opposite the police station and serves up (what else?) nasi kandar and that other beloved mamak staple, roti canai. Around the corner Restoran Hen Kee‘s resident stall owners whip up kopitiam favourites such as toast, kueh, yong tau foo and curry mee among other things.
Restoran Nasi Kandar Deen, 1-3 Jalan Bandar 3, Taman Melawati, 53100, Kuala Lumpur. Open daily: 8am-8pm. Halal.
Restoran Heng Kee, 51 Jalan Negara, Taman Melawati, 53100, Kuala umpur. Open: Mon-Sat: 8am-4pm. Closed on Sundays. Non-halal. FB: http://www.facebook.com/Hen-Kee-195936197166591/
POKOK KELAPA 