Most Pathfinders-led trips at Cape Rachado (Tanjung Tuan) involved full or partial circumnavigation, or more precisely, coasteering, where hikers traverse along the coast lined with boulders, cliffs, and rocks that test one's knees and ankles. These trips are always carried out during the 6-hour low tide window so that hikers can exit the shoreline before the tides come in and trap them, and without getting the feet wet! Due to varying timing of low tide windows, these events often do not coincide with the annual Raptor Watch events, where bird counting of migratory raptors from Sumatra represents one of the major activities, alongside various HQ, branch, and Special Interest Group (SIG) activities.
This year, we decided to join the rest on the actual Raptor Watch dates of March 14th and 15th, choosing to participate in the forest hike instead of the more strenuous coasteering under the high solar energy. Our forest hike event was aptly named "Cape Rachado Spot-Hidden-Raptors Forest Hike," although we knew the chances of spotting a raptor resting in the forest were quite rare.
We began our hike from within the Tanjung Tuan Recreational Forest at the second trail, which leads over a small peak to Pantai Keramat (the first trail has several fallen trees that have yet to be cleared). It's worth noting that we used to start our hikes from Pantai Cermin, but that route is now closed; the lush mangrove area is now a protected region under Perhilitan care.
To closely replicate our shoreline circumnavigation, we traversed from Pantai Keramat to Perigi Hang Tuah, then to the end of the Pakat Pasang, Pakat Surut promontory, Pulau Intan, the lighthouse and bird counting area, Bukit Batu Putih with its glass deck shortly before the peak, and finally to Monkey Bay before exiting to Blue Lagoon via the hill slope. The second day's hike took about 4.5 hours, including leisure time and a lunch break, while the first day took approximately 4 hours.
Although the altitude of the lighthouse is just over 120 meters above sea level, hikers were challenged by a few notable "pushy" sections with elevation gains: the guardhouse-Pantai Keramat route over a small peak, the Pulau Intan-lighthouse route with its stairs, the descent from Bukit Batu Putih to Monkey Bay, and finally the Monkey Bay-Blue Lagoon exit route. Overall, the hike is not difficult for seasoned hikers. Only a few participants 'quit' prematurely, mainly because they had done the routes before. Interested in attendees turnout stats? Head down to the bottom of this pic blog!
Here's a fun fact: some of us who has gotten frozen Ambra juice on the 15th from a fellow hiker who is in the fruit juice business were blessed with refreshing hydration throughout the hike.
Before the hike
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MNS booths located just before the main entrance to welcome visitors
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Day 1 (14th March) briefing by Joseph inside the park before hike begins
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Day 2 (15th) briefing by Jimmy at the main booths
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Hike starts
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Hike begins at the main entrance
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Dusky leaf monkeys are a common sight along the tarmac road
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Shortly into the "guardhouse trail" is this uprooted tree
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Hikers have to clamber over big fallen trees
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An unusually large termite mound
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Pantai Keramat
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Day 2 hikers descending to the shore after the little peak
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Mangrove roots located nearer towards the Perhilitan office
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When the tree cannot withstand heavy storm
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This iconic tree at Pulau Intan is not as lush as before
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Lunch break (Day 2)
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Dead trees at the historical 'isthmus' section of Pulau Intan
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| Day 2 group photo |
Lighthouse
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This flight of stairs on lighthouse route presents a challenging workout
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Strangler fig tree wrapping the host tree!
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This platform is degrading
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Only 4 persons allowed at any one time!
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This viewing platform is no longer safe
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| A raptor was spotted along the journey |
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Visitors are allowed into the lighthouse area during certain times when bird counting is not disrupted
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Bukit Batu Putih
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Next leg to Bukit Batu Putih
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Break time at the glass deck viewpoint
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Journey continues to the peak
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Facing Blue Lagoon
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The sight of a calm sea
 | | This is the correct technique for descending: look for a secure foothold |
Monkey Bay | Descending to Monkey Bay
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 | Approaching the bay after a moderate steep descend from Bukit Batu Putih
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Another break time at Monkey Bay
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Heading out to hike the ridge
 | Hideout Cafe glamping site along Monkey Bay
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The last ascend
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| The last leg out to Blue Lagoon next to Villea PD (previosuly PNB Ilham) |
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| Lastly, Ambra juice provided much relief |
We like to thank all the participants who generously contributed the photos and videos in the Telegram chat groups for both days.
Statistics for the curious
Number of registered joiners for both days: 46 pax
Number of hikers present: 43 (turnout rate: 93%)
Number of hikers completed the whole trip: 34 (79% completion rate)
