At 2,187m, Gunung Tahan is the highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia and is located in the Taman Negara National Park. It is also the highest peak in the Tenasserim Hills chain (Banjaran Tanah Seri), a 1,700 kilometre-long granite ridge older than the Himalayas which runs all the way down from mid-Thailand to southern Peninsular Malaysia.
The starting point for Gunung Tapis is less than an hour from the city of Kuantan, in the pleasant tourism-friendly town of Sungai Lembing, home to one of the world’s largest underground tin mines.
Mount Angsi is one of the most popular hill treks in Malaysia. It makes a good introduction to hiking for beginners and can be accomplished in half a day. Most hikers can be at the top in under 3 and hours and back down in less than 2 hours.
Gunung Belumut is Peninsular Malaysia’s southernmost peak over 1,000 metres and is therefore arguably the closest excellent day-hike for hikers living in Singapore. It is located in the Hutan Lipur Gunung Lumut (Mount Belumut Recreational Forest) around 30 minutes by car from the pleasant town of Kluang.
Tioman is the only significantly mountainous island of several scattered off Peninsular Malaysia’s east coast. Despite being a popular holiday island, the forest remains very wild and is home to some endemic species. Most visitors to Tioman get their first view of the island’s peaks from the boat over from Mersing.
Ili Werung volcano forms the end of one of Lembata’s main southern peninsulas and is comprised of several peaks with different names. The caldera itself is known as the Lerek caldera although another name is used for this range – Adowajo. This also appears to refer to the range as a whole and is an ancient name. Ili Werung itself is an impressive lava dome and crater which is thought to have been formed and growing since 1870.
Gunung Ambang is an excellent volcanic crater complex and one of the easiest hikes in Sulawesi, requiring just over 2 hours to reach the summit via the crater from the trailhead. It is well-known for its bird life – you stand a very good chance of spotting eagles if you stay in the area for a couple of hours. The best starting point for Gunung Ambang is Desa Bongkudai Baru which is about 40 minutes by car from the small city of Kotamobagu.
Gunung Kie Besi is the volcano of the island of Makian, which lies in the volcanic chain off the west coast of Halmahera – Ternate, Tidore, Moti, Makian and Bacan. Like Gn Gamalama (Ternate) and Kie Matubu (Tidore), Kie Besi dominates the entire island leaving only a narrow coastal strip and the lower slopes for plantations. Coconut, nutmeg and cloves are the dominant tree crops with some canari and cinnamon.
Along with nearby Gunung Dukono also in northern Halmahera, Gunung Ibu is a highly active and fascinating volcano well worth visiting by hikers and volcano enthusiasts. Just looking at the volcano on a topographic map suggests that in ancient times this was a fearsome place, with the villages to the north being located in what looks like a primordial outer caldera floor.
Gunung Dukono is the northern-most volcano in the chain of volcanoes along the western side of Halmahera – from the south, Jailolo, Uno-Ranu, Gamkonora, Ibu, Dukono – and one of the most persistently active in Indonesia. Since 1933, the mountain has been erupting almost continuously.