Lata Tengkoh Penyel Waterfall Trip

I’m sure not many have heard of Lata Tengkoh Penyel Waterfall (or Air Terjun Tengkoh Penyel). I chanced upon this stunning waterfall from a friend’s photo and made up my mind to pay it a visit during my Ipoh trip. Lata Tengkoh Penyel Waterfall is located deep within the Orang Asli village of Kampung Pendeq, Pos Yum (Sungai Siput District) – about 2 hours drive due North from Ipoh. Check out this aerial video to get excited!

Lata Tangkoh Penyel is one of the tallest waterfall that I have seen in Peninsular Malaysia, towering from more than 60 metres above ground. The fact that it is hidden deep within the inland makes it so mysterious and thrilling for me. It also means that the waterfall would probably still retains its untouched, unpolluted natural state.

It is not easy to search this place on Google Map. Fortunately I was able to get hold of its coordinates which helped us a lot on our way to Lata Tengkoh Penyel Waterfall.

Lata Tengkoh Penyel Waterfall Location:

If you are driving from Ipoh, you may follow the route of:

Ipoh > Sungai Siput Utara > Lintang > Perlop > Kg. Bawong > Pos Yum

As you drive further inland, you may lose your GPS signal so make sure you have more than one GPS turned on (perhaps by using a few mobile phones with different telcos). Anyway, not to worry too much as there are signboards along the way.

An important reminder though, remember to fill up your tank as there is hardly any petrol station nearby. And be prepared to go up some hilly, winding roads.

The GPS coordinate above guides you to this location (photo below) where you can park your car. The parking fee is RM10 per car. If there is no one at the “guard hut”, you may proceed straight in and pay the parking fee later.

From the entrance, we still had to trek about 600m (around 20 minutes) to reach the waterfall. We were the only visitors there on that day. As we walked into the village, it didn’t take long before we saw the Orang Asli settlements.

There were adults and kids playing around the village. We were greeted by Mr. Hari, a local boy who was very helpful to guide us to the waterfall. Although the trek is not difficult, it is better to get them to guide you there.

Along the way, we were mesmerized by the serene, peaceful surroundings with birds chirping and insects cricketing. We could also hear the sound of the waterfall and streams.

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Finally after 20 minutes of trekking, we saw the majestic waterfall of Lata Tengkoh Penyel. It is much larger than I thought it would be and you really need to be there yourself to feel the energy generated from the waterfall. So refreshing and invigorating! Reminds me of the Chinese proverb：

飞流直下三千尺，疑是银河落九天

Pouring from three thousand feet above, like the falling of the galaxy

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There are also a couple of bamboo and rattan huts around the area that were built for stay ins. The bamboo hut is charged at RM60 per night whereas the rattan hut is charged at RM80 per night. According to Mr. Hari, these huts were built by local villagers. However, there is no electricity and food supply for visitors so you might need to bring your own torch, lamp and food.

There is a little path that leads you to the base of the fall. This is where you can feel the full force of the water cascading down. We have seen kids play at the waterfall from some Youtube videos but I’d not want to do that as the current is rapid.

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We also had a chat with Mr. Hari and found out more about the villagers lives here. He told us that in the past, the route towards Pos Yum was not tarred and only four-wheel-drives are able to access the village. He also recommended another picnic hide-out nearby called Kuala Mu which is known for its crystal clear streams. However, we were a bit short of time as we still need to get back to Ipoh. Perhaps we will come back again next time.

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Till today I’m still yearning to go back to Lata Tengkoh Penyel. If you are a nature lover like me and love to discover lesser-known wonders around Malaysia, I highly recommend Lata Tengkoh Penyel Waterfall. It definitely qualifies as a hidden gem in Peninsular Malaysia!