There’s a single flower that beats out all the bouquets. It grows not in Holland but here in Malaysia, and if you’re fortunate and it’s in bloom, a hike to see this wondrous marvel in Lojing Kelantan can be accomplished in half a day.
Curious about Rafflesia, I hadn’t really considered making time to seek them out until the opportunity unexpectedly in January. Permits for Trailblazer’s Gunung Irau hike along the famed Corybas flower trail in Cameron Highlands had fallen through (too early in the season), but rather than cancel my trip, I decided to join the group’s Rafflesia hunting excursion. What a terrific way to spend a morning it turned out to be!
Endemic to Southeast Asia, the endangered Rafflesia is found in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. Sadly, with some Rafflesia populations limited to no more than 100 flowers, and its forest habitat under increasing threat from human development, these precious blooms are at risk of disappearing forever.
Malaysia is home to 12 Rafflesia species which are scattered across the jungles of the peninsula’s northern states, Sabah and Sarawak and remarkably Tioman Island (Rafflesia tiomanensis). The Rafflesia kerri is the largest species among them second in size only to Rafflesia arnoldii which grows in West Sumatera, Indonesia.
Having discovered a concentration of these gargantuan flowers in Lojing Kelantan, in 2011 the Kelantan state government gazetted 500ha of land there for Rafflesia conservation. Since then, growing interest amongst curious nature and adventure tourists and efforts by enterprising Malaysians have turned the area into a natural attraction and guided walks there into a sustainable source of income for local operators.
Just how long and hard the hike to see the Rafflesia kerri depends on where the flowers are. Local guides survey the area ahead of time to determine where and when the flowers will come into bloom and will alert nature and hiking groups as well as small tour operators so that trips can be arranged to coincide with this rare phenomenon. Accompanied by Temiar guides Pak Din, Seri and Johnny, Trailblazer’s hike took 40 minutes one-way at a very leisurely pace.
Our meeting point on Sunday morning was at Lojing R & R, 40-minute drive from my base in Kea Farm in Cameron Highlands, while the trailhead, within Taman Konservasi Rafflesia, was at the end of a bumpy 20-minute ride past vegetable farms and forest along gravel and clay roads in the back of Kelvin’s 4×4.
The trail itself is mostly flat with two river crossings, which makes it suitable for novice hikers and children. Almost immediately after starting out we descended towards Sungai Dekong. Criss crossed with pipes siphoning water for the thirsty farms nearby, the cool clear waters surged past us at knee level as we steadies ourselves using the rope stretched across it plus help from our guides.
On the other side, a sign marked the start of route towards Gunung Tangga. Hikers intending to conquer this formidable peak often start out at 8am to summit by 3pm; thankfully that’s not us.
We shared our trail with a tangle of water pipes, river rushing to our left as we sauntered past brush that has been cut back for our convenience. Within minutes spotted our first Rafflesia bud. It resembled a purple cabbage and was months away from unfurling.
Just after a small stream crossing where the water pipes completely take over the rocky trail, a few of us steal a minute or two to sneak a peek at an unamed waterfall hidden on our right behind the scrub before rushing back to rejoin the group.
Our second river crossing followed. Shoes already soaked many waded across the shallows while others like me teetered along a tree trunk to get to the other side. We would have intersected with the river 50 metres along if not for making an abrupt left turn and making one final push uphill. And then there it was….
For all the images I’ve seen of the Rafflesia flower including on Malaysia’s 10 ringgit note, there’s nothing like seeing it in the flesh. Rafflesia kerri is massive, with thick, rubbery red petals (perigone lobes) that unabashedly advertise itself against a dour background of fallen trees, dark soil and gnarled tree roots. If Malaysia’s fauna is shy, this example of Malaysia’s flora certainly isn’t.
Called “bunga pakma” (pakma flower) in Malay, etymologically the name takes after the Sanskrit word “padma for lotus. But unlike the sacred bloom, the Rafflesia is a parasitic plant without stems, leaves or roots and the inability to photosynthesise. Instead, it seemingly erupts out of nowhere, leaching valuable nutrients and water from its host, the Tetrastigma, a type of vine in the grape family.
According to Pak Din, the rare blossom we found ourselves mesmerised by was 3 days old. Within another 4 it will wither away into a blackened pulp. Like a human baby, Rafflesia kerri take approximately 9 months to bloom, he explained and have no specific season. We were extremely fortunate that 4 flowers, all at various life stages, were located nearby – a small tightly bound black bud at the beginning of its life cycle, a larger pink fleshy one months from unfurling and a collapsing black bloom in its final death throes.
Click on any of the images below to enlarge.
Though flies hovered around it, our Rafflesia bloom emanated no discernible odour, at least not yet. Likened to the smell of rotting flesh, its repugnant adaptation has evolved to attract flies so that they pick up pollen from the male flowers and subsequently pollenate the female blooms.
Mammals have a hand in the proliferation of Rafflesia too. Its fruit is consumed and seeds dispersed by hungry shrews, squirrels and jungle rats, which is why you’ll sometimes find this gargantuan plant in the unlikeliest of places, towering above you on a tree like a pendant lamp or in an act of gravitational defiance suspended precariously on a liana.
With a woefully high mortality rate and an extremely short bloom, Rafflesia strike me as the shooting star of the plant world. Witnessing one in full bloom is a rare and wondrous privilege.
Excitingly, new species of Rafflesia have been discovered as recently as 2017 (Rafflesia kemumu, Indonesia), including a dwarf species (Rafflesia consueloae, Philippines) which was described in 2016. More study is needed, but without sufficient protection for it and its habitat, these wonders of nature could be lost before they are found. Farming and agricultural activities in Kelantan will need to be kept in in check so that this fabulous rarity can remain.
8.40am Leave Lojing R & R
8.55am Arrive at trailhead
9.05am Start hike
9.10am 1st river crossing
9.25am Cross steam
9.30am Waterfall
9.33 2nd river crossing
9.38am Left uphill
9.45am Arrive
10.05am Leave
10.40am Back at trailhead
Distance and time 2 kilometres one-way. 50 minutes in, 35 minutes out at a leisurely pace.
Rating Easy. Trail is short and mostly flat.
Leech count None.
River crossing Yes. Expect to get your feet wet.
Permits None required.
Costs Costs vary according to the group you go with. I paid RM88 with Trailblazer Hiking Group.
Pros Suitable for beginner hikers and kids. Can be completed within half a day.
Cons Best done during dry season as the river can rise during periods of heavy rain. There’s an alternative trail out of the forest when this occurs but it’s much longer.
Tip For an early start and a short 5 minute drive, the closest recommended place to stay is Moonriver Lodge. You can find them. I stayed in Kea Farm at Walk Up To Siar, a 30-40 minute drive away
Facilities Lojing R & R has toilets and shower. You can grab last minute supplies here, but the food is unexciting.
Parking RM5/day, RM8 for 2 days, RM10 for 3 days or more.
GPS coordinates (Lojing R & R) 4.67017, 101.49021
GPS coordinates (trailhead) 4.64220, 101.50264
Want to sign up for hikes like this? Join Trailblazer Hiking Club here.
POKOK KELAPA 