Lata Medang, Lata Mecu & Lata Jerbus

            The storm was brewing in earnest to a point of no return - unabated. The water rose so high that the two survivors hiked up a mountain to escape the raging waters and finally clinging on to a sturdy and tall tree. A big flood has developed and gradually everyone in the village drowned in the swirling waters.

          The echoes of the epic Great Flood permeated in the fabric of many ancient cultures. For the Temuan tribe, the 3rd largest indigenous people in Peninsular Malaysia, the incident too cast a dark shadow in their culture. The fascinating legend occured thousand of years ago - a time that will live in infamy. For the perceived sins committed that displease their god, Muyang then sent a disastrous flood which wiped out humanity except a couple - Mamak Bungsuk and Inak Bungsuk. The duo possessed an enchanting mantra which successfully kept the storm at bay. Ultimately this action saved their lives while stranded at a huge tree atop Gunung Rajah (Royal Mountain). The newly minted Adam and Eve who hailed from a Temuan village of Kampung Pertak entered into Temuan's folklore creating a new lineage, and all its descendants are traced to them. Mount Rajah (5,526 ft), located at the border of the states of Selangor and Pahang became the ancestral home and a sacred mountain to the Temuan tribe who are now found from Pahang down to the north of Johore.

            Not far from the present location of Kampung Pertak about 4 km away is the peak of Bukit Kutu (3,456 ft) - the 2nd most sacred site for the Temuans. The area where the giant boulders are located at the peak is revered as a fertility site. Between Bukit Kutu at this part of the range and Mount Rajah, lie at the hinterlands, the hilly sprouted waterfalls of Lata Medang and Lata Mecu - perhaps part of the remnants of the big flood that had subsided thousand of years ago!

           I'd been roped in to be one of the guides as some of the hikers have forgotten the way to the waterfalls due to the many junctions and forks along the trail. We started from Kampung Orang Asli Pertak, off the trunk road to Frasier's Hill, where we had left our cars. During the fruiting durian seasons which occured twice a year ie: months of January to February and June to July - trucks and lorries would converge here to collect these fruits to sell at the towns and cities.

                                          Lata Jerbus - The dirt road is above the embankment on the right.

             Due to a misunderstanding, another group had set off much earlier without my knowledge and  thinking that they had not arrived, I'd decided to wait for them at the trailhead near the first suspension bridge. After a fruitless wait for quite awhile, I'd then sped off to catch up with the other group. A few junctions later, Lata Jerbus loomed ahead but it's located on the left side at a lower terrain and parallel to the trail. Most hikers missed it totally, as one has to get off the trail down an embankment to view the waterfall in its full glory. During the durian seasons, the local Temuans will harvest the fruits from the inland and brought them out in a basket attached to the back of their motorbikes through the trail cum dirt road here. A few lone trucks tried to plough through the soft dirt road resulting huge pot holes albeit limited advances hoping to secure more fruits ahead of others waiting at the trailhead towards the end of each season!

                                          Leaving the Sg Luit valley - At this fork, take the right to ascent.

                                          Thereafter, at this fork, take the left.


      After over a kilometre along the road trail, lies a fork and at the left is the direction towards Lata Makau and onwards to the overgrown trail of Mount Rajah. The other right fork, branches out and ascent a slope to the direction of Lata Medang, leaving the Sg Luit valley. After about 20 metres, another fork awaits and this time to the left to continue along the hilly terrain. There is a small stream running across  the path ahead along with a few landslides and short makeshift trunk bridges over some crevices. Trekking along a ridge enables one to spot the flora and fauna such as mousedeer, the "resident" hornbills flying overhead and other birds.  The average time taken from the trailhead to Lata Mecu at a slow pace is about 2 hours. Since I'd quicken my pace, I've managed to clock under 80 minutes to catch up with my group at Lata Mecu.

                                         A hornbill bird shrieking above our heads on the ridge.

                                                    Sketch Map - not to scale.

Marcus, the German Shephard dog and Lata Mecu

     There is a nice pool to dip and swim at Lata Mecu while the camping site is suitable for a group of 6 persons. To proceed to Lata Medang, there may be some confusing trails so it's better to hike along the riverbank. Many hikers had overshot the destination and veered off  from the last waterfall (See the sketch map).  A few cascades grace the background of the fall which is consisted of the Upper and Lower Lata Medang -  A pictureque and marvellous sight!

                                                    Lata Medang
                                                
       The waterfalls, still in a pristine condition, are not a frequent haunt for the regular hikers due to the remoteness and unfamilliarity of the trail. However, it's fast becoming popular as more trekking enthusiasts begin to hear about them. Hopefully, in the future, the pristine condition can still be maintained. Afterall, with due respect to the God, Muyang, we would not want to compromise the cleanliness there and accidently incur his wrath either, won't we?

                                         At the first suspension bridge - Myself  at the far right.
                                                   Photo Credit: Suzanne Ng

The Shaman Ali's Fall (Lata Bomoh Ali)

 

                                                     The Shaman's Fall (Lata Bomoh Ali)

              " AWAS - SESIAPA YANG MENGAMBIL ATAU MENCURI BENDA-BENDA DISINI AKAN DITIMPA MALAPETAKA" ---- BOMOH ALI

A translation of the above Malay language is as follows:  "BEWARE - CATASTROPHY SHALL BEFALL ON ANYONE WHO TAKE OR STEAL THINGS HERE" --- ALI, THE SHAMAN

The message was found on a piece of laminated paper tied up to a tree, near an unregistered named waterfall deep in a jungle, more than an hour's hike from the trailhead to Mount Nuang, the tallest peak in the State of Selangor, Malaysia. While unauthorised message is quite common in the jungle, however what set apart the notice from the norm was the tone of the contents - it may be construed as A Curse laid upon a Culprit by a Shaman!

I've joined a Facebook hiking group which is called roundMalaysiaround led by the head honcho, Dominic Koo to visit two small waterfalls which were hidden beyond the overgrown path off along the well-trodden trail to the camping site of Lolo Camp. Unknown to the general public until recently. the waterfalls are virtually secluded and unnoticed by even the regular hikers. Waterfalls hunters are primarily responsible for seeking out such falls and indirectly brought its attention to the mainstream trekkers.

After registering with the Park officials in Pangsoon, Ulu Langat, we proceeded to the former logging road, a mixture of gravel stones, bare red earth and even short tarred surfaces. After about forty minutes, about three quarter length's journey of the road, we got off the main track to the right side which has a few durian trees and a small hut. Dom had to chop and clear the thick undergrowth on the left side of the hut to expose a meandering trail down a path until a T-junction. Here, taking the right turn to a path will enable a hiker to proceed to the direction of the two waterfalls which are nicknamed Lata Nyur (Lata Berembun) and Lata Bomoh Ali (Shaman Ali's Fall). Both falls at a distance of 250 metres apart are located down below different slopes along a stream that is parallel with the path.

 

We proceeded forward until towards the end of the path and hiked down carefully along a steep rocky slope with the aid of a rope fixed at the site to a stream which leads to the Shaman Ali's Fall; just a few yards away. A pool at least 7 feet deep with cascades at the background and a rope dangling high up from a thick branch of a tree above the middle of the pool provides a smashing time for those who can swim and able to climb up the vertical rope!

                                                   An acrobatic display by a Norwegian. The New Tom Cruise!

                                                     Lata Bomoh Ali

 

Surprisingly, a notice prompted a warning at the site. Since the fall is made known to the public a little over a year ago, perhaps the exclusiveness to some vested individuals ceased to exist. A shaman named Ali decided to put a curse on anyone who dares to pick anything found at the site and keep it as a momento.

 

For trekkers who regularly venture into the jungles and forests for umpteen years in this part of the world, the wilderness can be construed as someone's domain or even spiritual enclaves. Hence, we are truly visitors to the word! Sensitivity and respect goes hand in hand in such places, lest we forget, we might be "punished"  for our carelessness by seemingly forces of nature. Tales of misadventures are sometimes linked to blatant disregard to such "rules".

 

I've heard of a story from a local about a certain mountain here in the country that when things are found, for example a keris (Malay dagger) or whatnot is actually meant specifically for someone to inherit it. Perhaps, these are some of the "things" that may appeared at the Fall here and prompted the shaman to put up the notice. Such gifts perceived to be from the supernatural world which possess certain magical powers to the beholders. Even if the stories are not true, it's wise not to take home anything found nor succumb to any temptations in the jungles. The mantra "Take Nothing but Photographs, Leave Nothing but your Footprints"  has an aura of civility in any nature excursions!

                                          Coming down a slope to a stream to Lata Bomoh Ali.

 

We had a great time at the fall and later set off for another called Lata Nyur. We backtracked up  to the main trail to continue the hike. However, some fallen branches and twigs had obscured the path to the second fall and only much later managed to locate the track that branched down a slope to a stream. Carefully we trod down the slope that ended with a flat bed of peebles and a pool that connects to Lata Nyur at a corner via a narrow foot deep water-gushing ravine. Either you swim across the pool, or clamber up on the right side onto a foothold 10 inches wide that has  protruded out at the side of a cliff  and maneuver your way together with your hands on any crevices found to the narrow ravine. Here, it will lead to a giant roofless chamber-like room with  water splashing down to a pool at a depth of your waist only. We had a splashing time again at the fall and the echos reverted around the chamber akin to a private party at a pool!

                                         Photo Credit: Dominic Koo
                                                       Lata Nyur

Who would have thought that such a cosy place exists near where hundreds of hikers trek every week, just a few hundred metres off the main trail? Surely these pools, Lata Bomoh Ali and Lata Nyur, still pristine and unpolluted are some of the natural gems located deep in the jungles at the backyard of our capital city of Kuala Lumpur. As for the dire warning from the shaman not to take anything, it might be as well also in sync with our nature's mantra!

                                                    Rough sketch of the trail map - Not according to scale.