Waterfalls and Jungle Trails in Langkawi
Part of the Langkawi travel guide — see every topic in All Langkawi Guides.
Langkawi is more mountainous and more forested than its beach reputation suggests: two significant ranges, Machinchang in the west and Raya in the centre, both carrying rainforest and both cut by streams that produce a handful of good waterfalls. The island is a UNESCO Global Geopark, and its three geoforest parks — Machinchang, Kilim and Dayang Bunting — are set up with trails and interpretation. The walking is hot and humid rather than difficult, and it is best done at dawn.
Telaga Tujuh
The Seven Wells, near the cable car base at Teluk Burau, is the island's best-known waterfall: a stream running down a steep granite slab, carving seven linked pools before dropping about ninety metres. A staircase of over six hundred steps climbs to the upper pools, where you can slide between them and swim — the rock is smooth and slippery, which is the appeal and the hazard. The lower fall is a five-minute walk from the car park. Flow is heavily seasonal and can reduce to a trickle in the driest months.
The other waterfalls
Durian Perangin, on the northern slope of Gunung Raya, is a two-tier fall with pools at the top of a staircase and is quieter than Telaga Tujuh. Temurun, on the north-west coast road near Datai, is the tallest on the island at around thirty metres, dropping in three stages, and is a short walk from the road. Both are best after rain. Entry to all of them is free or a token parking fee, and none has facilities beyond a toilet block and a warung.
Trails
The Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park has trails through the 550-million-year-old sandstone formation at the base of the cable car, including a route up towards the ridge for the fit and well-supplied. Gunung Raya, the island's highest point at 881 metres, has a paved road to the summit and a trail of over four thousand steps for those who prefer. The Datai Bay area has good rainforest walking, and several resorts run guided nature walks with resident naturalists that are genuinely informative.
Practicalities
Start at dawn; by nine it is thirty-two degrees with high humidity and the trails have limited air movement. Carry two litres of water per person. Wear grip footwear — the granite at Telaga Tujuh is genuinely dangerous when wet and people are injured on it every year. Leeches appear after rain in the forest. Guided night walks are a Langkawi speciality and turn up flying lemurs, civets, snakes and slow lorises. Waterfall flow depends on recent rain, so ask before driving out in the dry months.
Waterfalls and Jungle Trails at a glance
| Best known | Telaga Tujuh — seven linked pools, 600+ steps |
|---|---|
| Tallest | Temurun, ~30 m, on the north-west coast road |
| Quietest | Durian Perangin, north slope of Gunung Raya |
| Highest point | Gunung Raya, 881 m — road or 4,000+ steps |
| Geopark | UNESCO Global Geopark since 2007 — first in SE Asia |
| Warning | Wet granite at Telaga Tujuh causes injuries every year |