Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill)


"The surrounding country with its groves of evergreens is very much like Switzerland in summer except perhaps the country is a little greener and more thickly wooded." This is how a visitor has described Maxwell Hill, Malaysia's oldest hill resort, about 9 kilometres out of Taiping town in Perak State.

Although not so well known as Cameron Highlands or Fraser's Hill, Bukit Larut - formerly Maxwell Hill and named after George Maxwell, a British Resident of Perak - is the oldest hill resort in Malaysia, having been founded over 100 years ago. It is also the only one which is still government-run; all of the others have either been corporatised or privatised.

The hill on which the resort perches rises sharply to the East of Taiping, in North Perak, and forms an impressive backdrop to the town and its famous Lake Gardens.

Dahlias, daisies, pansies, petunias, lupins, marigolds, rhododendrons, roses and all types of Malaysian flowers grow here. The ever-golden sun-flower is the largest to be found in the country.

There is a mid-way stop at the Tea Garden House, the area around which was once an extensive tea estate. From this point, the visitor will be able to see a panoramic view of the rolling surrounding country-side - map-like Taiping town, a bird's eye-view of the Taiping Lake Gardens with its rippling mirror-lakes, the green suburbs of Aulong and Simpang and the 19km ruler-straight road from Taiping to Kuala Sepetang (Port-Weld).

Most visitors go on an invigorating climb to Cottage, the only accessible summit of Bukit Larut. From here, on a clear day, the visitor can see the coastline from Pangkor Island to Penang.

Bukit Larut is a granite fold in the earth's surface, and to its East, is a series of rugged, rolling ranges, which are logged but are otherwise largely uninhabited. But the spectacular view is the 150-degree panorama North, West and South over the coastal plain. Straight ahead, westward, one can see Port Weld - perhaps 40km away - and beyond it the Straits of Malacca.

The view stretches even further north to Penang and as far south as Pangkor Island. Down below, over a kilometre straight down, is the town of Taiping - beautiful during the day, magical and bewitching at night.

We found that we could sit for hours at a time, gazing at this superb panorama. It is one of the great romantic experiences. Local warn, however, that the view is often obscured in the afternoon as clouds build up, especially from September to December.

Bukit Larut is actually the wettest place in Malaysia, with an annual rainfall of over 500cm - so don't forget the wet weather gear, and a jumper too.

So what else is there to do on Bukit Larut? Basically two things: walking and observing nature. The vegetation is interesting, changing at about 600m altitude from lowland rainforest to lower montane rainforest.

There are lots of huge trees, as this area is still pristine and unlogged, including the rare Mountain Giant Fishtail Palm. Park management has also planted gardens with many species that won't grow successfully in Malaysia except at altitude, such as dahlias, geraniums, roses, fuschias and gladioli.

The wildlife is perhaps even more spectacular, if you are patient and lucky enough you can see monkeys, deers, civets, porcupines and even clouded leopard roaming in this hilly areas.

Walking on Bukit Larut is, really, only for the moderately fit, or those who want to get that way, because you can only walk up or down along its only road, which winds 13km from the bottom of the hill to TV towers at the summit (1,250m), and has 72 hairpin bends. Hair-raising would be more like it, as the road as far as the Gunung Hijau resthouse is traversed by the Landrover drivers in a shade over 30 minutes, or at the rate of two hairpin bends per minute!

Going down the hill in the Landrover is thrilling. It is the world's longest rollercoaster ride you will ever experience. However, the drivers were very confident, they know every nooks and corners of the steep and windy road.

Accommodation

There are bungalows galore on Bukit Larut. Visitors can have their pick of the Bukit Larut Rest House (3,400 ft), Beringin (3,400 ft), Cendana (3,700 ft), Gunung Hijau Rest House (3,650 ft), Cempaka Bungalow (3,738 ft), and Tempinis Bungalow (3,750 ft).

Bookings can be made through Superintendent, Maxwell Hill, Taiping. (Tel 05-8077241)

Rates for single and double rooms range from RM8.00 and RM15.00 in both the Rest Houses.

The Speedy Maxwell Rest Houses paper day excursionists with Malaysian and Western meals, at reasonable rates.

All these Rest Houses and Bungalows are accessible by metalled roads.


How to get there

Transport up and down Maxwell Hill is by Official Land Rovers only. They normally run at hourly intervals from 9.00am to 5.00pm (Mon-Sat) and 8.00am to 5.00pm (Sun). The service begins from the foot of the Hill.

Fares: RM5.00 per person for both ways


Accommodation of Maxwell's Hill

Bungalow Name
No. of Rooms
Distance from foot of hill
Height in feet
Rates (RM)
Rumah Tempinis
4
 6¾ milestone (Cooking allowed)
3750
100.00
Rumah Cendana (Hut)
3
 6¼ milestone (Cooking allowed)
3700
100.00
Rumah Beringin (Watson)
2
 6 milestone
3400
  30.00
Rumah Cempaka (Hugh Low)
4
 7 milestone
3750
  30.00
Rumah Rehat Bukt Larut (Maxwell)
4
 6 milestone
3396
  15.00
    8.00
Rumah Rehat Gunung Hijau (Speedy)
4
 6¾ milestone
3650
  15.00


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