Langkawi's Giants
Mount Mat Chinchang
Difficulty Rating : 3.4 / 10.0 (Class 4 - Fairly Straightforward)
The Mount Mat Chinchang (elevation : 701 m) trailhead 
is located behind the pools at the upper level of the Telaga Tujuh waterfall, just under a kilometre from the carpark. Once you cross the waterfall and enter the forest, you will come across multiple signboards along the way that display the distances to the peak. The trail is fairly well used and easy to follow as there are guide ropes that have been set up that serve two functions--to indicate the way and to assist with the trickier sections of the trail. There are also occasional stairwells as well as three gazebos that you will pass on the earlier sections of the trail--called Saintis Camp (1.2 km from the carpark), Mat Pauh Camp (1.5 km), and Tok Ayah Camp (2.1 km)--that will help you along the way.
The trail makes its way past streams and rivers, and connects to several bridges that span the larger sections. Riparian insects such as dragonflies and damselflies buzz and flit around, whilst riparian vegetation fringe the river banks. Long tendrils of the woody liana known as 'sintok' or 'beluru' in Malay (Entada spiralis) can be seen draped high up in the canopy and its much thicker stems can be seen coiled around in piles amongst the leaf litter. Entada lianas tend to be found close to rivers (or for some species, the coastline) as their huge pod segments are dispersed by water. Sintok vines can be cut for drinking water in times of need, and the fibre is occasionally harvested to make rope. In Malaysia, and around South-East Asia, the stem is still sometimes cut up into smaller pieces to be used as traditional hair wash. These pieces are pounded and soaked in water, and then go on to release copious foam, like shampoo, when scrubbed on someone's head. It all makes sense once you realise that sintok extracts have been found to contain potent anti-fungal properties!
