Sunday, March 5, 2017

Sungai Gabai Waterfall


The Sungai Gabai Waterfall is a magnificent cascade of cool forest water and it is an easy walk to
reach the top of the main fall.


Situated in Hulu Langat, Selangor, Sungai Gabai waterfall is another great spot in TWNS to spend some time relaxing and dipping into the chilly water, especially on a hot day. Not far from Sungai Congkak, it is easy to spot signboards for Sungai Gabai as you drive from Hulu Langat town. Just make sure you don’t miss the turn at the small bridge (from road B52 to B19/Jalan Sungai Lui).

Follow the B19 road / Jalan Sg Lui and there is another signboard to Sungai Gabai waterfall Turn left at the sign and follow the kampung road lined with fruit orchards until you reach the entrance and carpark area. Just a short walk and you can already hear and see the waterfall.

Families can have picnics at the base and the water is shallow enough for kids to play around. There is also another option to climb up a long flight of stairs to reach the top of the waterfall. Along the way up, you can enjoy the beautiful sight of water gushing down and the surrounding forest. After the climb up, there is a cooling reward waiting at the stop with a smaller cascade and pool.  After the stairs end, you can continue to follow the river upstream, or walk along the forest path just next to the river, to find more small pools to swim in.

Although Sungai Gabai is smaller compared to Sungai Congkak, it does offer a great view of the waterfall and makes a good spot for photography.


However, be cautious.  Families are advised to stay at the bottom of the waterfall, closer to the entrance area.  At the peak of the waterfall / top of the stairs, there is a picnic area and swimming pools, but the drop into the waterfall is not properly fenced off and it could be serious hazard to younger children or older people.

The area is run by the JKKK of the Kampung nearby and the facilities are simple.  Entrance fee is RM1.00 per person.  There is also an Orang Asli village nearby as well.

The area is in need of some sprucing up.  Many of the tables and picnic areas are broken, and the changing facilities at the top of the waterfall are in disrepair.  While the JKKK do clean up the site, there is still quite a bit of trash, which is very sad.  This means many picnickers do not clean up properly after enjoying themselves at the waterfall.

The forest itself needs some enriching.  As you enter the site, there are numerous large and beautiful fruit trees, from the orchid nearby.  However, there is a lot of bamboo which appears to be  Also, many of the larger trees along the river edges have burnt out buttress roots, due to camp fires made within the base of the tree roots.
overrunning much of the stream-side Saraca forests within the recreational site.


As Sungai Gabai waterfall is part of Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor, it would be great for the Selangor Government to provide more training and guidance to help the Kampung people better maintain the area and enhance their tourism skills.

Sungai Gabai makes for a simple and easy retreat to enjoy a cool forest stream, it just needs some TLC to get it back into better shape.   You can do your part in the forest by:

Taking nothing but photos, leaving nothing but footprints, killing nothing but time.



*Notice:  Always remember waterfalls can be dangerous.  Swim at your own risk and bathe with soap when you get back home.  Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.  Take proper equipment if you plan to go hiking.  Nature is beautiful but needs to be respected.  Always be safe.


GPS Coordinates:
3°10'02.9"N 101°54'32.5"E


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