February | 2017 | rexymizrah

Hidden away in a corner of south west Penang is the little known hill of Bukit Pulau Betong (360m), and an even lesser known forest reserve, Hutan Simpan Kekal Pasir Panjang (Pasir Panjang Permanent Forest Reserve) on its peak.

Approximate location of Bukit Pulau Betong

Decades if not centuries of farming have rendered most of the hills in the southern and middle belt of Penang, devoid of natural vegetation. In a sea of farms and orchards, Hutan Simpan Kekal Pasir Panjang is one of the few virgin jungles which have stood the tests of time and survived to tell the tale. This post takes a look at what’s inside this hidden gem of the southern hills.

Only 33 hectares

Forests of the Southern Penang

Towering Dipterocarps dominate the skyline

A rare opening in the canopy

Bukit Pulau Betong Peak is marked with a Summit Stone.

A good hiking trip is never complete without good company!

I call this pair the Meranti Sisters

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Its 2017 so fast! rexymizrah has been up in the net for about 4 years now! 2017 has been a great hiking year indeed, thanks partly to the fact that I met two new hiking buddies, Rob and Peter! Both operate two very interesting websites on hiking in Penang, Rob’s site can be found at http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/penang/penanghillsindex.htm while Peter’s one is http://www.bicycle-adventures.com/hiking-in-penang.html

The past few weeks saw the three of us “assault” trails in the Titi Kerawang area with exceptional success. One thing that I left out though was the cherry on the cake, the Titi Kerawang Upper Falls.

Hidden away from the public eye, the Titi Kerawang Upper Falls is the real deal when it comes to a waterfall. Most tourists and Penangites only get to see the lower falls as it is way more accessible and promoted for tourists. Right above where people make a beeline to see the waterfall, huge water pipes pump water downstream for human consumption. And thus for security reasons,most of the Titi Kerawang upstream is off limits to the public.

So, what lies beyond what you see at the touristy Titi Kerawang Waterfall?
This post will show you a few photos of exactly that!

What we know of as the Titi Kerawang Waterfall today is the confluence of two main streams which join to become one. Unfortunately, these two do not have a name but we will conveniently name them the Laksamana Feeder Stream which as the name says flows from the Upper Bukit Laksamana Valley and the bigger Tiger Hill Feeder Stream which starts from the Tiger Hill Reservoir on the slopes of Tiger Hill.

Both rivers meet at a place I call Beth Nahrain which translates to the house/or land between two rivers. These two rivers meet to form what is now known as Sungai Pinang Barat.

Muka Sauk Point is where a sheer drop in the slope happens producing a beautiful waterfall which we know as the Titi Kerawang Upper Falls. Beauty has no better definition than this!