Recently The Habitat Foundation paid a visit to one of our grantees, the Ulu Tampik Junior Rangers programme. It was my first visit to Janda Baik despite having lived in Malaysia for 10 years, and I was stunned to find such a special kampung less than an hour from the centre of Kuala Lumpur. What made it special was the active effort by the local community to protect local sites and to ensure that their community benefits from tourism.
L-R Chrissy (Habitat Foundation), Junior Ranger Boboy,
Senior Guide Haziq (Persatuan Sahabat Alam Tampik), Justine & Syu (Habitat Foundation).
9 am: A leisurely drive to Canopy Villa Tampik
Less than an hour’s drive away from Kuala Lumpur, Janda Baik is a convenient getaway from the hustle of the city. The drive is fairly scenic as you pass the colourful stairs of Batu Caves and limestone hills enroute before joining winding mountain roads. You pull off the E8 just over the Selangor-Pahang border onto Route 68, passing through the R&R Genting Sempah rest area. The scene changes abruptly from endless highways to a delightful forest ridge, as if you’ve just entered a new world. As you drive further into the valley, you’ll pass a number of signboards for a range of glamping sites and homestays.
I recommend you use Google Maps (not Waze) to navigate to Canopy Villa Tampik, which will bring you to the foothills of Ulu Tampik: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QQR1yWUpuivqRnc29
Canopy Villa Tampik is one of many glamping offers in Janda Baik, and is a member of the Resort Association Janda Baik (RAJB).
They offer a profit-sharing model where they install non-permanent glamping safari huts on various sites and share the profits with the landowners.
They also promote the use of local caterers and excursions, bringing economic benefits to the wider community.
You can find out more on their instagram @canopyvilla.glamping
10:20 am: Hike to waterfall with Ulu Tampik Junior Ranger Boboy and Senior Guide Haziq
Guide fee: RM100
Non-Malaysian entrance fee, per pax: RM40
Malaysian entrance fee, per pax: RM25
Contact to book: +6016-3304321
We parked at the entrance, and were greeted by Senior Guide Haziq (currently studying at UiTM) and 14-year-old Junior Ranger Boboy of the Persatuan Sahabat Alam Tampik (Tampik Nature Society) in a charming nipah hut. There’s a bridge across a gurgling stream nearby, the sounds of the highway long gone. Haziq introduced himself, got us to sign waiver forms, and gave us a short safety briefing and a bit of history of the waterfall we will be visiting. It was simple, professional and welcoming—in fact, this impression was pervasive throughout our visit as the villagers openly chatted with us about their lives. Haziq explained that many of them had studied or worked in the city, so there are many graduates, intellectuals, and professionals who make Janda Baik their home. I slipped on my long socks and kampung adidas, as I noticed Haziq and Boboy’s “forest fashion”—long sleeves and pulled-up socks—suggesting there might be a leech or two. Don’t fret! This is a good sign, the presence of leeches is a hopeful indicator you might see diverse biodiversity, as they feed on larger mammals!
Signing waiver forms and paying our fees: we were rest assured
that we are in good hands with well-trained local guides.
Junior Ranger Boboy has been learning about guiding since he was 7 years old!
The well-kept trail follows a natural path, and was built using natural trail building techniques and local materials to reduce water build-up, so despite the rainy days, the trail was easy to navigate. There are pleasant stopping areas next to impressively large meranti trees and thick healthy bamboo groves, and a few steeper sections—but the entire route there and back could be done in less than an hour if you were in a rush.
However, we definitely recommend staying longer, dipping in the pools and looking out for wildlife. We first stopped at level three of the seven-tiered falls, where a hut made of chengal wood and nipah sits overlooking a smaller waterfall. Haziq shared that there have been special times when these falls were filled with butterflies.
Just a few minutes more trekking up and we reached the fifth tier,
to the welcoming cool waters of a pool under a cascading waterfall.
As if on cue, a hornbill cackled and soared into the high canopy above us. I waded in and sat on a log at the edge and sure enough, shoals of fish appeared in the shallow edges, hoping for a small meal, a few nibbling at the skin of my toes. The guides have built a small rest platform at the water’s edge, with a heart-shaped rattan seat for visitors to take photos with.
Drying off after a dip into Air Terjun Tampik.
Haziq explained there are two more levels of the falls, but they are not as frequently visited so there is less disturbance for the wildlife, an example of a sustainable balance of tourism activities. It was all really magical, as we were the only ones there–-I felt truly special.
12:30 pm: Lunch at Warung Mat Kuda
After a rapid descent back down the hill to the village, Haziq and Boboy recommended a local restaurant nearby for lunch. A few minutes drive took us to a small, neat canteen, Warung Mat Kuda, run by local families that serves delicious Malay food with local vegetables and meat curries at very good prices. From the restaurant you have a view into the valley and hills beyond.
A delicious coconut and potato curry with local vegetables at Warung Mat Kuda.
We ran into Jeffrey here, the vice-president of the Persatuan Sahabat Alam Tampik. He spoke with pride about the efforts of the group, how they have been able to organise and collaborate with others to protect the area—that it was not always easy, but it was worth it. Despite their successes, Jeffrey was concerned for the future, as unregulated development and the developers’ lack of engagement with the community still threaten the environment and village. “It is the younger generation that will have to continue the fight,” he muses.
One of Justine’s favourite meals is fried catfish! Here it is complemented with rice and a cempedak coconut curry.
I reflected on this as we headed back to our car for the drive home—that as tourists and travellers, we should be conscious of how our behaviours impact local kampung life. This trip has encouraged me to look for more examples of community-led tourism, especially how the community works together to share in the economic and community benefits, so that it can genuinely improve and sustain livelihoods for the future.
Read more about how sustainable tourism can benefit livelihoods and local economy on our website.
Plan a visit to Ulu Tampik with Persatuan Sahabat Alam Tampik.
Layari Warung Mat Kuda.
Writer: Chrissy Lind-Hunter (The Habitat Foundation/LS Services Ltd)
Contributors: Haziq (Persatuan Sahabat Alam Tampik), Syuhada Sapno (The Habitat Foundation), Justine Vaz (The Habitat Foundation), Waida Ramli (Canopy Villa Group)
