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Travel Writing

An adventurous hike that promise you 360° view of its surrounding.


Whether you’re young or old, man or woman, adventurous or relaxed person, you must have a passion that you would love to do during your free time. Same goes with me, my passion is to do outdoor activities such as, hiking, camping and caving.

Exploring the nature would always be the best option to fill your leisure time. Malaysia is rich with the beauty of its nature and it will be such a big loss for them who miss the chance to explore the bountiful harvest. I am so glad that I have friends that have the same passion as mine. Most of the holidays, we will spend our time together to explore the beauty of nature in Malaysia.



One of the best option to enjoy the beauty of nature is by hiking. Mountains in Malaysia have been the main attraction for the local and foreign hikers as it always offer you such a adventurous trail and beautiful scenery. 




Gunung Baling, Kedah is one of the mountains that is well-known among the hikers as the summit offers beautiful 360 degree view of its surrounding. On the last mid semester holiday, my friends and I went there as we have planned it since last year. Gunung Baling is one of our wishlist as it is popular among the hikers.


We went there by car and stayed at Fakhrul's (my friend) house. It took 40 minutes to go to the starting point by car from his house. 

THE MAIN ENTRANCE



However, there are several important things that the hikers need to take note before start the hiking :

  • There is a form about the hiker's personal details that need to be filled at the office.
  • Fee entrance : RM5 for the local hikers and RM 15 for the foreign hikers. 
  • Guider's service is needed to guide and show the correct direction to the summit.
  • Wear appropriate outfit for the hiking activity.
  • Bring enough water and light refreshments to keep yourself energetic along the trail.
  • Keep the hiking area clean.
THE TRAIL
There is only one trail up Gunung Baling which is straightforward and pretty well-marked. Along the way there are signage and lamp marker to guide you through. From the parking lot, the trek up Mount Baling is about 1.85 kilometres long with a height elevation of around 450 metres. The entrance to the starting point of the trail is at the end of the carpark. Along the trail, the hikers can grab the chance to challenge themselves with adventurous trail that require endurance and strength while enjoying the fresh air in the forest. At this moment, I was still enjoying the trail and not feel really tired yet. But the scorching hot weather at that time, made me sweat heavily. This is one of the advantages that we can get from hiking, which is it can help you to maintain a good condition of your health and make you fit.
The first 400 metres of the hike are spent walking up 30 to 45 degree slopes on soil trails. The soil trail can be very slippery after rain or heavy downpour. At the stepper sections, there are handrails for support. Hikers need to be extra careful here to prevent any injury. 

After this section, the trail turns flat/gradual for the next 300 metres, most predominately walking up a flight of stairs and through the jungle trails.
For the last 1.1 kilometres, the trail continues to go up and gradually the terrain becomes more rocky. Reaching the last part of the jungle trail, you will need to climb up a rock obstacle and crawl under some rocks to reach the ridge line. This is one of the adventures part in hiking where we as hikers, need to be smart and mindful on our steps. It is important for us to decide where we need to step next to avoid from falling or any injury.



Enjoy the view and walk on the ridge line to reach the summit. At this point, the hikers need to be careful and step slowly to avoid from slipping on the trail. My heart was really excited at this moment because I was so mesmerized by the beauty of the view. The blue skies and white clouds were so calming and I felt like I was on the cloud nine at that time.



THE SUMMIT

Arriving at the summit of Mount Baling, the hikers will be amazed by the breathtaking view that worth all the struggles and difficulties faced by the hikers along the journey. Mount Baling is famous with the 360 degree view of its surrounding. From the summit, the hikers can enjoy the wide view of the lush green landscapes with a cold breeze that give such a peaceful feeling after almost 2 hours of hiking to the peak.



Please note: The hikers need to always bear in mind, in the joy of taking pictures, safety should always be prioritised. Don't go too close to the edge of the mountain and never be reckless on your step. On the summit of the mountain, we can found a signboard that states the height and elevation of the mountain.

Celebrating the success of reaching the summit by enjoying the view and the sweetness from the corn.

From the summit, we can see the summit of Mount Pulai which is located next to Mount Baling. 

A glance of the beauty of Mount Baling from the lense :





SUMMARY

The trail to the summit of Mount Baling is challenging. It is standing 546 metres tall, however the hikers need to not looking down on the height because every trail has it own challenges. It took almost 2 hours to reach the peak of Mount Baling and an hour to go down to the starting point. 

No
Time (approx)
Height (m)
Distance (km)
Description
START59m 0 kmTrail starts at the end of car park
15 mins66m0.1 kmSlope of 30 to 45 degree
220 mins145m0.5 kmStairs
320 mins175m0.8 kmTrail starts to turn rocky
433 mins350m1.4 kmClimb up rock obstacle and crawl under some rocks
512 mins442m1.7 kmRidge line
END546m1.85kmSummit




It was a really great experience to get the chance to hike Mount Baling. I have conquered the peak, now it's your turn. Have a safe hiking everyone !
"The best view comes after the hardest climb"


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