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White water rafting |
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Rivers have long been the life-blood of the indigenous people of Malaysia. They have served as a means of transport, food source and, more recently, a resource for eco-tourism.
The native groups of the Malaysian interior have been using rafts for thousands of years, but white water rafting has only been popularized since the 1980s. |
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White Water Rafting Sites |
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Sabah has two main rivers for rafting, the Padas and Kiulu rivers which are certified as Grade 3 and Grade 2, respectively. Under normal weather conditions, the two rivers are relatively constant in depth and speed. However, heavy rains can cause them to increase to an unsafe Grade 4 and above within just a few hours. During this period, rafting activities are called off temporarily. |
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Peninsula Malaysia also has its fair share of good rafting sites. These include Sungai Sungkai in Perak and Sungai Selangor in Kuala Kubu Baru, where the river source comes from Fraser’s Hill. Sungai Endau, Jeram Besu and Sungai Lipis in Pahang and Sungai Tembeling in Taman Negara are also popular rafting sites. |
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Since this sport has become popular, there are rafting operators for all the popular sites that provide the necessary equipment, transport and training. |
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In Sabah, rafting operators will arrange transport from Kota Kinabalu to Padas Gorge, where the Padas River flows. If you would like to experience the full deal, travel by train from the Pangi Railway Station, where the antique train will take you on a scenic journey to up the winding Padas Gorge. |
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Then you’re in for a thrilling ride downstream over rapids named The Headhunter, Adrenaline Flow and Merry Go-Round. Successful rafters at Padas will be presented with a certificate of accomplishment at the end of their adventure. |
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In Peninsular Malaysia, the rafting sites are easily accessible by local transportation. The Selangor River can be reached through Kuala Kubu Bharu town, which is approximately 90km north of Kuala Lumpur A single rafting trip on the Selangor River will take about half a day. |
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The Telom River in Cameron Highlands and the Tembeling River in Taman Negara, Pahang will take about four hours from Kuala Lumpur. More time is needed to raft the Grade 5 Telom River in Pahang as it is much more challenging (and harder to get to). |
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