Templer's Park Waterfalls

15 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur city center, Selangor State, Malaysia

Profile of Waterfall
Water Source	3	River
Waterfall profile	2	Cataract Waterfalls
Accessibility	3	Walk on level ground 40 mins
Suitability for a picnic destination
Place for dipping	5	Dipping & man made pool
Water quality	3	Fair
Picnic area	5	Unlimited

Getting there?.

The stage bus to Rawang from Kuala Lumpur stops at the gate. Make sure that stop is Templer's Park and not Kanching Recreation Park. The latter is 2 stops later. Once you are there just start walking in after passing the car park area. There are no side trail. The same road leads you straight into an area with a huge man-made swimming pool. Up the slope beside the Pool will be a narrow trail but quickly broadens up to a full size track. There is only one destination -the final waterfall.

For those of you with cars, there is an official car park. It is open and unguarded. So I would not be able to tell you about security for overnight parking. It is beside the Main Trunk road. The good point is - anyone who wishes to do anything can only enter the Park on foot.

The place

Templer's Park was on the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur, nestled at the edge of a virgin forest. Many years back [40 years] those who used the Highway to enter Kuala Lumpur from the north could not resist stopping at this rustic place to rest and absorb its beautiful ambience. There wasn't a need to look for parking places nor walk any distance. The grassy banks and the tall shady trees just create that mood. In fact, it was that good that the authority decided to clear the trees and jungle on the opposite bank of the river, capitalized on the conducive surroundings, and built a Jamboree Camp for scouts.

My waterfall no. 2/84

Changes to the Templers Park area took a dramatic turn.

The businessman came and put in 2 golf courses. The place as you see now looks bare and deserted as in a semi dessert. Many still recalled that there was once a beautiful swimming pool somewhere in this vicinity.

Today, the sign board for Templers Park was no where to be seen nor can be depended upon to guide intended visitor. I am sure many visitors will now seeing a place so alien to their eyes. Luckily and good fortune, the swimming pool still existed and properly maintained. Yes, there is also a natural waterfall, some kilometers inside what is left of a forest.

Typical and in line with the aspirations of the trekker, this waterfall set the backdrop of a beautiful picnic and camping spot. The basin where the track lies, was fairly flat and broad. About 30-40 meters wide and a meandering trail just on the bank left bank of the river all the way to the waterfall. In the vicinity where the waterfall drops, the basin widened up. There were enough area at the base for about 5-6 large size tents. Anyway, the undergrowth were almost cleared giving lots of instant choices, so to speak. That depended on the size of camping crowd for that day and your timing of arrival. Looking at the waterfall, where the slopes rose steeply, there was a trail on it left to the various heights. Then to the left bank, the arrival place - flat and broad. Further inwards the land while continues to be flat became marshy. The slope on this right of the waterfall was steep.

The ravine on top of the waterfall some 100 meters away and up, the upstream went through a leveling stage. It disappear in thick foliage. There was no track and no chance to continue any river trekking. However on this uphill track, there was a side trail to the middle portion of the waterfall. Evidence of a shed now non-existence were there. The waterfall kept falling through short portions of sharp edged rocky surfaces without any leveling off until the base. There, barricaded with river rocks, a pool of half meters deep and 30 meters diameter, was suitable for bathing. There was no deep pool at the point where the waterfall met this shallow pool.

This place can serves two needs. 1] A family who wants a clean safe place for days outing and swimming in jungle conditions. 2] Youngster can look forward to some trekking and staying inside a real jungle.

I have started with the waterfall. Now the swimming pool. You have to go to my other page to see the size and condition of the pool for yourself. Nice place really, except that flat and paved areas around the pool was somewhat narrow. I have not been to the place on weekends to witness the crowd. I am sure that it would not be pleasant sight.

My recommendation

Judging from the crowd that was ever present, I would say that security in this destination should be above average. All visitors need to be passing through the controlled point of the swimming pool. Not supervised but the idea of a control point do deter strayed intentions. Many picnic spots in Malaysia are just too open. Prowlers could come through any direction and make their get-aways in all directions. In Templers Park, there is only one way in and one way out. All on foot.That is, if you are thinking of camping.

By the way, the camping sites mentioned at the waterfall area, is the last of the 3 campsites. There were lots of suitable spots at the each bend of the river. These are more suitable as picnic area. For experienced campers, water level tends to rise quickly if it is raining some where upstream. But judging from the watermarks left behind and knowing that river drains a series of low hills, flash flood if any will not rise to any dramatic level.

For day trippers, the walk is a breeze. The track is on level ground, almost the whole way. The jungle -pristine, with tall timber trees. This place is only 30-45 minutes walk from civilization. For that short walk visitors could afford to exit for some emergencies without much effort. I would say that this place is perfect for a short escape, minus the opportunity of doing any swimming. That can be done in the pool further down. Again ask yourself, are you the outdoor type?

One final word, it would be good to visit the waterfall on weekends when there is a crowd, otherwise the trekking in seems so lonely. As for the swimming pool, knowing the Malaysian crowd, I would advise to try it out on week days.

More scenes around waterfalls and the Park itself