Adults and older children with no mobility issues can take on the trek up Bangkong Hill (Bukit Bangkong) in Chemor, Perak.
This well-maintained trail will definitely get your heart pumping. And there is plenty of greenery all around, right up to the top.
If you want to know more about this favorite local hiking spot on the outskirts of Ipoh, keep on reading.
Table Of Contents:
Where Is Bangkong Hill Trek?
The Bangkong Hill Trek is between palm oil plantations in Chemor. Assuming you’re coming from Bercham or Tambun area, you need to drive past Tanjung Rambutan. And some upcoming residential neighborhoods.
And finally, you should turn into a small village with its own tall archway:
Its residents are mainly Chinese. As such, the few eateries here offer Chinese food. If you go early enough (before 8:30am), the village market is still open too.
Go straight through the village to get to the carpark and starting point of the trail.
Hiking Up The Bangkong Hill Trek
There are no lights along the trail. And very few signs to point the right way up. So, we do not recommend going on your own alone in the dark. Especially if it is your first time on this trail.
Most of the trail is very steep and along a wide tar road. Both sides of the whole trail have big trees and shrubs so there is plenty of shade.
Note: We did not see any vehicles along the trail.
Some parts of the trail have steps and railings which make descent easier on the knees.
When you are close to the top, the path will split. The path on the left has a sign stating Korbu View.
We chose to continue along the main trail. And hence, we don’t know how far this trail goes and if the views are worth the detour.
How Long Does It Take To Complete Bangkong Hill Trek
We stuck to the main path and did not try any of the smaller paths. And our total time to complete the Bangkong Hill Trek is around 1.5 hours with frequent rests.
We started at 7:35am and reached the top of the hill at 8:20am. After a longer break at the top (~15 minutes), we headed back down and reached the car park before 9:30am.
You can expect to go up in less than an hour (for us, it was ~45 minutes one-way up). The way back down is a lot faster (less than 30 minutes).
What To See At Bangkong Hill Trek
At the very top of the trail is a large plateau with the largest gazebo. There’s still a lot of greenery up here but they do not block the view of the valley below.
It’s not a 360-degree view on top of the hill. But you do get to see quite a bit. We would say that the views are the highlight of Bangkong Hill Trek (besides the exercise).
A small garden, a water feature and some decorative statues mark the start of the Bangkong Hill trail. You can see these close to the car park.
There is one section of the trail (the first third of the trail) that has some non-native trees (e.g., pines) too. Here, we saw a big gathering of monkeys.
They are accustomed to humans and seem to expect food. We do not recommend feeding them unless you want to start some drama.
Not far from this part of the tail, the path splits and there is a sign for a place where you can buy cows and goats. If that is your intent, head left. Otherwise, stay on the path and keep going up.
Apart from all the different plants to see all throughout the trail, there are of course, insects. And even a little stream at one point of the trail where the ground dips a little.
Note: You don’t have to cross over the stream and get your feet wet since it’s on the side of the trail.
Before the very last steep stretch to the top, there are two round concrete wells with fish (neon tetras) and water hyacinths in.
Facilities At Bangkong Hill
There are around 2 toilets well-spaced throughout the trail though none at the top. We guess that the toilet at the bottom of the hill (close to the car park) is probably cleaner.
As for rest stops, there are about 4 gazebos where you can catch your breath. Or stay dry from rain.
The car park is at the bottom of the hill, and it is shaded by trees. It is likely full on weekends. So, plan your visit well if you do intend to come on a weekend.
Entrance Fee For Bangkong Hill
While the local community does voluntarily pitch in for the cost of maintaining the trail, there are no fees imposed on visitors.
Furthermore, there is no office or booth for registration. Visitors just go up and down the hill as they please.
When To Visit Bangkong Hill
We reached Bangkong Hill car park at 7:35am on a Tuesday. There were still plenty of vacant car parks.
And even though it was a weekday, we saw more than 10 different groups of hikers. These include women hiking on their own.
Some of whom, were already on the way down from their hike. We can only guess that they made their way up before the sun came up.
If you want to see the sunrise or clouds shrouding the surrounding hills, you should go as early as you can manage.
We came back down around 8:30am and it was starting to feel warm. Thus, avoiding the heat of the day is another reason to do this trek early in the morning.
What To Bring For The Bangkong Hill Trek
Headlamps and walking sticks are advisable but not necessary once the sun is up. We did this trek in full day light without needing walking sticks.
You can bring a hat if you plan to do this trek later in the day.
But by far the most important thing you need for the Bangkong Hill Trek are really comfortable walking shoes. We saw a couple of discard shoe liners from worn out shoes along the trail.
Taking along some drinking water and mosquito repellent is a good idea too.
Conclusion
While strenuous (maybe we’re just very unfit), we like the Bangkong Hill Trek for its views and ample greenery. We appreciate that it is looked after well.
The path diverges in many places but even so, it is easy to stick to the main path (in daylight). It is a shame that there are no signs for these smaller paths.
Overall, if you like hiking and want to get some nice views (without spending half the day hiking), Bangkong Hill Trek is worth a visit! Additionally, it doesn’t cost anything to visit!
PS: If you want another place to check out in Chemor, we highly recommend a visit to Seen Hock Yeen Confucius Temple.
