Sungai Long Hill & the Sea of Clouds

This sleepy town, about 18km away from Kuala Lumpur has recently garnered buzz over the picturesque sea of clouds atop a hill. The well-known secret was kept among the residents until social media exposed the picturesque scenery of Sungai Long.

However, this popular hiking spot is on private property. Hiking here means tres-passing into prohibition zone. We don't exactly know what activities are going deeper beyond the hills but there are many trucks and excavators traversing the road.

Best time to view the sea of clouds- morning after a heavy downpour!

Starting point: Just Google Sungai Long Trailhead. Park at the side of the road. Make sure you leave enough space for a passing truck!

Hike Duration: Allow about 2 hours if you are heading to the lake otherwise 1 hour up and down is more than enough to reach the peak and back.

End Hike: It is a backtrack. This is a perfect hike for beginners with a fabulous view!

Hike Difficulty: 2/5

Scenery Rewards: 3/5

Note:

If you are coming here for the sea of clouds it would be best during the raining season instead of dry (mornings).

Best to start as early as you can to avoid the hot sun!

The hill especially in this lockdown period can be extremely packed with hikers, don't be surprise to see a sea of people even on a weekday making their way up for the sunrise!

What to bring

1. Cap, can get very hot

2. Walking stick

3. Raincoat and Pancho or umbrella ( you will be able to find them at any convenience store or Daiso shops for about RM6.00)

4. At least 1l of water

5. Good pair of hiking shoes ( was wearing my regular sneakers and realize there was not much grip especially at muddy parts)

6. Gloves, in the jungle you never know what you touch or grab on to that may create a reaction to your skin.

7. Check the weather forecast

Start hike

We went on the tarmac road instead of veering into the dirt road HILL 1. You will reach the peak of Sungai Long Park 210m if you take this way. But we wanted to capture the hopeful moment when the blanket of clouds billows into the valley below at dawn, so we took the direct road up.

We made a pit-stop at the Lion Rock about 1/4 up the hill.

The west view is best at sunset

Lion Rock of Sungai Long..... cute lion indeed!

Sea of Clouds

About 15-20 minutes from the car park you will reach the viewpoint. Don't be despair if you can't witness the sea of clouds as the vantage point over the Sungai Long town is glorious on its own. We were fortunate enough to see a negligible cloud sail into the valley below creating a misty dreamy effect!

As the clouds clears it exposes patches of cleared land that is disturbing

Adjacent to this viewpoint, you could hike higher on the other side of the hill for the same view, just higher.

From the sea of clouds viewing point, an extra 10-minute walk will take you to the peak of Sungai Long Hill 210m.

Sungai Long Park 210m

The residence around has spent some great effort to beautify the space by growing flowing plants, an outdoor gym, a shed and perhaps more to come!

From here, if you wish to proceed further to the green lake, enter the forest. You will cross this hill towards the other side, onto another tarmac road.

Head down onto another tarmac road

Lake

Walk up the tarmac road and turn left at the sign. I should say that the trip down towards the lake can be muddy and slippery turning the trial to a challenging one. If you intent to come here please be prepared with walking stick and gloves to grip on tight at sharp descent and ascend. The trail is short, only about 500m but the gradient is steep.

With the help of 5 ropes you will hike up to this hill with a higher vantage point

From this hill, you could see the extent of the mining and quarry activities on-going. Walk on and you will see another sign that descent into the valley on the other side heading to the lake. The trail here can get muddy and slippery.

The trail is self explanatory and most branches merges back to the same trail

Don't underestimate the trail towards the lake

All along the way down to the lake, the sound of the machines was getting louder and more unbearable. Some locals told me that sometimes they were forbidden to hike further in. When we arrive at the lake we realized that what is left is only a shadow of what was once a lake and now, only a huge hole where all the deposits of sand are dumped. It was a pain to see the state in the area. It was almost completely flattened.

Dead pool

I don't reckon this lake will still be intact by year-end 2020. It was in a sorry state. We spend some time fooling around and backtracked.

........there is a waterfall nearby that we yet to explore

........to be continued

Habitats

Interestingly if you look hard enough in the raining season there are many fancy mushrooms in the wooded area and some interesting scrubs.

photo credits by Elysee Yang

Reflections

This is a lovely place in its own rights. But the excavation and bulldozing of the hills are everywhere you turn. It is rather sad to see and hear the deforestation of this extent happening before your eyes. The lakes and streams are all contaminated and disappearing fast. I reckon the nearby woods would be rows of houses in a matter of a year! So do visit it fast before it turns into a housing estate or a highway! The local papers did do a write up on the clandestine activities unfolding there and it is a shame how activities as such can flourish with impunity!

Special thanks to Karine, Mickey and Mini too for bringing us along on your morning trail.

Date visited: December 2020