"Bukit Tabur or Melawati Hills" Kampong Kelang Gates Baharu by l_joo

Bukit Tabur is a good spot for peoples who cares about Malaysia, the ridge is probably the last piece of surviving nature in the bustling Kuala Lumpur. If you like hill climbing or if you need a half-day exercise, you can try Bukit Tabur. Normally I spend 4 hours relax climb (up and down) to make myself sweat, heavy sweat especially when hot days. The height is not extreme, only about 1000 feet maybe less, however the scenery was quite stunning for the lake and especially the kind of view in my top photo, plus many beautiful unseen plants and lifes. Bird watching is good too, I have seen quite some rare birds, horn bill, giant owl, peacock, etc.

How to get there
I recommend you go there with private car or motorbike, or you can take public bus #191, get off at H section's last stop, taxi is another choice. Bicycles are not recommended, unless yuo can get somebody to look after it, the place has many local kids, they probably want your bicycles. Make sure you lock your car or bike with extra locks, the place parked has no security guards, only a lone dead end tar road with forest reserve. About the direction, you can go to Taman Melawati which is next to National Zoo at Ulu Kelang. Drive deep inside the road of Taman Melawati (not Zoo) until you see the first round about of H section, then go straigt until you see another round about, turn right here. In case you need to buy some bottles of water or breads, there are 2 grocery shops beside the round about, the last bus stop of H section is right here. Now from the round about after turned right, the road is hilly leading to a hillside apartment but you don't go in, you turn to right and follow the narrow tar road all the way to the end, the dam. End of the road is actually the dam's entrance, you can park your car beside the road. About 100 or 80 feet before the entrance of dam is the trail (way up) the Bukit Tabur ridge. The trail is not obvious, not easy for beginners but don't worry, you can ask the guards if you can't find it. I have more direction guides with photos inside my tips. Visitors come with LRT have to take taxi for sending you to H section of Melawati. The taxi may cost about 6 Ringgits.

Give me a hand

In one part where it has a huge gap just like this photo for climbers to cross over the other side, it is a good photogenic spot. Make sure you have some good snaps. I have been to this hill nearly 40 times since 1991. If you ask me what to pack, I will tell you to pack as lightweight as possible unless you want to stay overnight. But most peoples did not stay because this hill has no water supply. Climbers are too lazy to carry so much of water. It is suitbale for a half day climb, that's why it is still clean unpolluted up there. Make sure you go in early morning, best to start at 6am to watch the sunrise. If you want to sweat a lot, you can try after 11am, good for fat burning.

Kuala Lumpur view

Empangan Kelang Gates is the lake I always mention. It is together with the Bukit Tabur or Melawati hills, which means when you ascend up to certain height, you can see the view of the lakes. Empangan is in fact a water catchment area which is actually a big dam, not really a lake but I prefer to recognize it as a lake because of its outlook. Last picture is the view of Kuala Lumpur looking from where I stand, if you have good lenses, bring it.