Puteri Falls, Johor

Gunung Ledang, also known as Mount Ophir to the British, at 1,276 metres, is the highest mountain in Southern Peninsular Malaysia. 

It is believed that the mountain had deposits of gold, so much so that Chinese Traders plying the Straits of Malacca in the 14th century called it Kim Sua, which can be translated to Golden Mountain in Hokkien.

British cartographers called it Ophir, after the biblical land from which King Solomon obtained gold, gems and ivory for the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

The Malay name of Gunung Ledang, is believed to mean "Faraway Mountain", and so named by the Javanese of the Majapahit Empire.

Popular malay folklore has it that Gunung Ledang is the domain of a Fairy Princess. Puteri Gunung Ledang (Princess of Gunung Ledang) was said to be very beautiful; and the proud Sultan Mansur of the Malaccan Sultanate became determined to wed the Fairy Princess.

He sent his legendary warrior, the now elderly Hang Tuah, with other warriors such as Tun Mamat and Sang Setia to Gunung Ledang to request for her hand in marriage.

The Fairy Princess gave seven conditions before she would agree to marriage. The conditions were:

1) A bridge of gold, for her to walk from the mountain to Malacca
2) A bridge of silver, for her to return to the mountain from Malacca
3) Seven large clay jars filled with virgin's tears
4) Seven large clay jars filled with betel nut juice
5) Seven trays filled with the hearts of fleas
6) Seven trays filled with the hearts of mosquitoes
7) A bowl filled with the blood of the Sultan's youngest son

Some versions of the story say that the Sultan was somehow able to comply with the first six requests, and he was about to kill his youngest son to get the bowl of blood; when the Fairy Princess appeared before him, and said she could never marry a man who was so cruel as to sacrifice his own son.

The moral of the story was that the Sultan was too proud a person to realise that the conditions were the Fairy Princess' way to turn down the Sultan's wedding proposal.

Gunung Ledang, home of the Fairy Princess.

To get to Gunung Ledang, you will have to exit from the North-South Expressway and exit at the Tangkak toll plaza. From the toll plaza, it is a 20km drive on Route 22, through the small town of Tangkak and the even smaller of Sagil to get to the Gunung Ledang Resort, which is the start of the trail to the Puteri Falls.

Map of Gunung Ledang.

As you can see from the map above, there are several starting points for the trailhead up to the peak. To get to the park headquarters, there is a road from Sagil which branches off from Route 22. Do not take this road, go further along the road until you see the sign for the Gunung Ledang Resort.

Take this turning to the left, and drive along the road until you come to a guard house. You will have to pay the man at the guard house in order to enter. The price that we were charged (Dec'17) was RM2.10 for the car, and RM1.05 for each person. So it won't exactly break the bank!

There is ample open air carparking available, so park your car. There are a few stalls by the side of the carpark, and you will see the following gate and a second guard house:

Gate and guard house to the Gunung Ledang Resort.

This is the entrance to the Gunung Ledang Resort. Walk on in, public is allowed to enter the grounds, and this is in fact the way to the trailhead.

Walk along the tarmac road.

As you walk along the road, you will hear the sounds of a stream to your left and you will see the resort on your right.

The Resort chalets are on your right.

Eventually, you will reach a small cafe/restaurant and some souvenir stalls. This is the start of the trailhead.

A small restaurant.

After the restaurant, you get your first sight of the Sungai Ayer Panas, which translates as Hot Water River. The river has been dammed to create small pools for swimming. Benches and playground have also tamed this lower section of the river.

Pools for swimming. 

A yellow sign indicates "Kolam Puteri". This translates to "Princess Pool", and is of course named after our Fairy Princess. Follow the cemented trail, as this will lead to the waterfall.

Directions to the Princess Pool.

The cemented trail leads of into the jungle.

You will have to climb upwards, so be warned.

The river will be on your left, as you follow the trail upwards.

Midpoint of the trail, you will come across this giant boulder.

Another sign says another 300 feet to go.

Then another 100 feet.

Another uphill slog in the last 100 feet.

You get your first glimpse of the waterfall.

The Puteri Falls. A flight of steps leads to the top of the falls.

View of the waterfall from the staircase.

At the top of the waterfall is the Princess Pool.

Smaller waterfalls feed into the Princess Pool.

Looking over the edge of the Puteri Falls, which drops 60 metres to the river below.

The Puteri Falls and the Princess Pool is a popular swimming hole amongst the locals. If you are in the area, why not drop in and have a swim.