I’ve taken up hiking as a new hobby during lockdown living and restrictions on travelling in Malaysia after nearly two years. After all, with gym closed during pandemic, what’s better than swapping gym and exercise classes for the great outdoor activities? I started hiking because it keeps me fit during lockdown and I will definitely keep going once the pandemic is over.

One of my most memorable hiking experience was when at Bukit Berekeh in Sungai Siput last year. We started our hike as early as 4am to catch the sunrise at the top and been rewarded with beautiful views from the top! However, Bukit Berekeh is getting popular and it can be crowded during the weekends and public holidays. As much as I love Bukit Berekeh, this the time to hike at a lesser-known hiking spot to avoid the crowd and better for social distancing.

Ready to hike the lesser known Bukit Batu Suluh but don’t know where to start? This guide will help you plan your own trip!

What You Need

Permits are essential. In order to prevent overcrowding and offer everyone the best experience, they only allow a set number of people per day. Get your permit in advance on the eco-tourism activity application system (Sistem Permohonan Aktiviti Eko-Pelancongan Perak). And the sooner the better! We’ve booked our permit just a few days before. For adults, the entrance fee is RM10 and the permit fee is RM20. So, we’ve paid RM60 for four of us.

While you will want to pack light, be sure to bring all of the essentials with you. Bring basics like wet wipes or towel to stay comfortable.

You will want to bring a few different types of bags with you to ensure easy and clean transport. It is also critical that you leave nothing behind in order to keep the trail in pristine condition and share it with generations to come. Absolutely all garbage needs to be packed up.

Going solo is not recommended for safety reason.

How To Get There

Bukit Batu Suluh is located in Ulu Kinta, Ipoh and Tambun is one of the closest town. You’ll find Gunung Korbu’s signage at the entrance to Bukit Batu Suluh. We gathered at the entrance of Markas Pasukan Gerakan Am (Headquarters of General Operations Force) as our starting point. Set your Waze route to “Kem Pasukan Gerakan Am Ulu Kinta” to get there.

As soon as you arrive, you’ll want to carpool into one car as the road ahead is narrow. This time set your Waze route to “Empangan Sultan Azlan Shah” to find the hiking trail. You are on the right track if you encounter Orang Asli (indigenous tribe) since the orchard belong to them. Find any safe spot to park your car once you reached the dam and be ready to warm up!

As you are exploring, always be vigilant while driving and be friendly to Orang Asli as you’re entering their area.

What To Expect

It was easy hiking trails to begin. You’ll be surrounded by untouched rainforest and the lush greenery can be seriously soothing. For a moment, all I could breathe was fresh air. Be careful when making your way up and down, the tracks can be very slippery when it rains. The higher you climb, you can expect steep terrains and root climbing.

The most challenging part was an uphill climb using a rope before reaching the peak.

A tiring yet rewarding hike, you can enjoy its lookout point with a view of the Sultan Azlan Shah Dam. Keep in mind that the peak was a narrow stretch and limited to few people. While we’re still up for more sweating upon reaching the summit, we continued our hike towards the other lookout points.

Depending on your speed, it will likely take you 1 – 2 hours to conquer.

Overall

It’s a quick challenging hike but totally worth it! Be sure to respect the environment and leave no trace so that future folks can enjoy its beauty!

Have you been any hiking spots in Ipoh before? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below!