Bukit Batu Selabat is mostly famous for its hill and for its waterfall. Giant boulders are scattered all around the hills. Up there you can enjoy views of the whole city: Kuching. This is an amazing sight to witness at night when the city is covered in lights. The best recommendation is to hike and spend a night there camping.
Remember to take with you all your camping gear and gadgets as well as good buddies if you need companions. Hiking in the evening ensures you will be witness of a majestic sunset. After setting up your tent, have a drink, sit on a rock, and take a couple of pictures as a memoir. Trust me, you will be happy to have a memory for your future storytelling.
Do it at night!
Before nightfall, make sure you get food prepared for the night, as the skylights there will definitely wow you. Let’s pray for dry weather, of course, and remember to bring plenty of water with you as there are no water reserves at the top. In the morning, you should wake up early if you wish to experience a great sunrise.
And if you do not fancy camping out, do not worry, most people only come for a day trip. You can chose to hike in the morning, afternoon or even in the evening. A part from fit junkies, Bukit Batu Selabat is one of the favourite of those who want to challenge themselves to slim down.
The waterfall
Bukit Batu Selabat Arong Serait Waterfall
Arong Serait Waterfall is nature at its best, greatly organised and created by Mother Earth. You will feel you are in a unique place, one that is beyond your imagination. The flow of water is so nice, and the stones are arranged in a way that it seems like planned by an architect. Vegetation around the waterfall is so lush, which makes it the perfect place for kids too.
If you chose to go there in the night and you decide to soak yourself at the waterfall, you won’t regret it. Having cold water in nature is absolutely best for mental and physical clearance.
There are actually two tiered waterfall in the area, both are amazing and at both of them you can spend the night camping. Since the area is near a source of fresh water, you don’t have to worry about water supplies. All you have to do is set your tent, make a campfire and do proper camping cooking with all the gear you carry with you.
I hiked in the day and spent my time at the waterfall, but all options are ok and worth your trip. My only advice is to bring enough supplies for the night and also some mosquito repellent. Good news for nature lovers: you will encounter pitcher plants, unique mushrooms, and frogs, as well as abundant flora and fauna.
Hiking and camping
It takes about 1-hour hiking from the checkpoint to reach both Bukit Batu Selabat and Arong Serait Waterfall – it’s a 2.5-kilometres trail. Hiking time depends pretty much on individual stamina. Look at this video for inspiration. The checkpoint itself is located at Kampung Selabat, Muara Tebas, not far from the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency, APNM, and it is about 17 kilometres from Kuching city. The hike between the waterfall and the top of the hill should last 30 to 60 minutes. As for the fee, you have to pay RM10 for either hill or waterfall, and if you visit both the ticket is then RM15. Parking there costs RM5 per car.
