Ramon Fadli Photography – Chemerong Waterfall

May 3, 2016 Posted by Ramon Fadli in Broadleaf Rainforests, Camping, Class 2, Day Hike, Forests, Hiking, IUCN Protected Category 6, Malaysia, Terengganu, Tropical Rainforest, Waterfalls

Chemerong Waterfall

Waterfalls of Malaysia

Chemerong Waterfall

PROTECTED STATUS :

Reputed to tower upwards of 300 metres is the mighty Chemerong Waterfall, located in the Pasir Raja Forest Reserve in Dungun, Terengganu. The waterfall lies at the trail head for the Chemerong-Berembun-Langsir (CBL) hike, which is located fairly close to the main entrance of the Chemerong Forest Reserve. A short, hour-long hike from there will bring you to the base of the waterfall.

Before we proceed any further however, I have to take a moment to make a disclaimer and to urge you to use common sense and caution when doing anything in the vicinity of the waterfall, and especially so when preceded by a bout of rain. Please also jot down the numbers that are listed below. If you do see any suspicious behaviour when out hiking, encounter things like traps and snares, or even see protected animals or their parts that are sold as either collectibles, pets, or for (so-called) medicine, then please do not hesitate to contact the wildlife crime hotline. Be sure to try and document it as best you can with photos or video without putting yourself in danger, and take note of the details: descriptions of those who are involved, as well as when and where it took place.

"The Wildlife Crime Hotline, managed by the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT), provides YOU an avenue to report offences involving endangered wildlife in Malaysia. We protect the identity of all informants, only key info of the reports are forwarded to the authorities."
Wildlife Crime Hotline019 356 4194

Emergency Numbers

Wildlife Crime Hotline 019-356 4194

Wildlife Department 1800 885 151

Terengganu Forestry Department 09-8441 404

Dungun Hospital 09-8483 333

Al-Muktafibillah Shah Bomba 09-8221 840

Kuala Jengai Police Station 09-8333 450

Difficulty Rating : 2.0 / 10.0 (Class 2 - Very Straightforward)

*Click here to learn more about the difficulty rating.

The park regulations for the CBL hike have apparently changed recently and the park authorities now adamantly claim that a 'maling gunung' (guide) and a permit (that needs to be applied for three weeks in advance) are now mandatory for the hike. Even camping near the park entrance requires prior approval. The authorities are painfully obstinate about this and do not take into consideration one's skill level and experience. Just bear in mind that a breach of these new rules could put you at risk of a RM 50000 fine and possible imprisonment, so do so at your own risk.

Getting There

The park entrance can be reached via a westwards turnoff of the LPT (Lebuhraya Pantai Timur) onto 'Jalan Jerangau-Jabor Penghantar 5' just before one reaches Dungun. From there, the road continues on to 'Jalan Durian Mas-Jongok Batu-Pasir Raja' before reaching the right turning into the park after crossing the Dungun River.

The location of the carpark (4.658094, 103.003392)

After parking the car and walking past the newly-built facilities (that include restrooms with showers and a large cafeteria for the public), you will reach a wide cemented path that leads off into the trees. Continuing along this path will bring you to a fork, with the right branch crossing a large bridge and continuing on towards the CBL trail and up to Mt. Berembun (elevation : 1038 m), and the left branch heading up to a badly-drawn map on a large wooden board that vaguely depicts the CBL trail. The path branches off once again at the board, and taking the right branch first and then staying on left branches each time it diverges will ensure that you stay on the trail that heads up to the Chemerong Waterfall.

The trail continues due west, climbing its way uphill, until it eventually passes a broken suspension bridge that looks like it has taken quite a beating over the years. The river runs parallel to the trail over to the right where you are able to catch glimpses of countless rock pools as you make your way upwards. The nicest pool lies right at the end of the trail however, a point that you should get to after approximately an hour of hiking. This pool is wide and deep, giving it an inviting dark turquoise hue, and the fact that it is encircled by huge boulders makes it perfect for a dip.

Lying just above this pool and a short walk across the slippery rocks, is the base of the main waterfall itself. There are several smaller pools that you can wade in at the base that is right under the unbelievable power of these torrential falls.