Gunung Gading National Park Rafflesia, Waterfalls and Hiking

Gunung Gading National Park covers an area of 4,196 hectares of mountainous jungle terrain to the west of Lundu. It was gazetted as a National Park in 1983 but was given protected Forest Reserve status way back in 1929 with the aim of protecting the forest and wildlife for future generations and in particular to conserve the habitat of the rare and spectacular Rafflesia Tuan Mudae flower which grows in this jungle.

The rafflesias were not flowering during my visit so I made this AI image to show how they look in full bloom.

The Rafflesia is the world’s largest flower and can grow up to 150 cm in diameter although the species at Gunung Gading is usually in the 50-80 cm range. It is a very rare plant - a parasite which only grows on a specific type of woody vine found in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. It has no real roots, no stems and no leaves. It takes up to 9 months to develop from a tiny bud into a massive bloom and once the flower opens it only lasts for a few days before starting to decay. The flower gives off a rotten meat-like smell to attract carrion flies as pollinators.

The Rafflesia has no fixed flowering season and blooms happen randomly throughout the year. Fortunately the National Park monitors the buds continuously and announces on social media when the plant is in flower. If you visit during the blooming time you can expect many visitors but, if you come at other times of the year, especially during weekdays outside of school holidays, you might find the trails are empty.

Gunung Gading National Park Hiking Trails

There are a number of hiking trails within the park (distances and time taken are for one-way from the Park HQ).

1. Rafflesia Trail

This is a plank walk which takes 45 minutes from the Park HQ. It is only open to the public when the Rafflesia is in bloom and you must go with a Park Ranger. During our visit there were no flowers in bloom so we did not try this trail but fortunately we did see some buds on the Main Trail (see below).

Shaped like a small round cabbage this rafflesia bud is around 5 months old according to one of the Park's rangers who we met.

2. Viewpoint Trail

There are two viewpoints , number one giving a view of Lundu Town, and number two overlooking the South China Sea. This trail is 1.2km long and takes 1.5 hours. Trees on this trail are marked with
yellow and red paint to show you the way.

Waterfalls and the Gading summit to the left, Lintang trail and the reservoir to the right.

3. Lintang Trail

This trail links the Reservoir Trail to the Viewpoint Trails and has red markers.

4. Reservoir Trail

The reservoir serves the nearby town of Lundu with micro hydro power and water. The trail has cement steps all the way and takes 40 minutes.

jungle path with trees marked in red and white

Red and white paint markers on the trees on the Main Trail.

4. Main Trail

This trail has red and white markers and goes all the way to the summit of Guning Gading and passes three waterfalls numbered 1, 3 and 7 along the way. We passed a couple of rafflesia buds close to the path on the way to the first waterfall.

Waterfall 1.

Waterfall 1

This is 600 meters from Park HQ and takes 30 minutes.

Swimming is allowed at this waterfall.

Batu Apek

Batu Apek

Just before Waterfall 3 is an overhanging rock named after an old Chinese 'uncle' who got lost while searching for forest produce. He took shelter under this rock for a few days and prayed and finally found his way out. The rock has subsequently acquired a certain holy reputation and some people say prayers here.

Waterfall 3.

Waterfall 3

This is 1km from Park HQ and takes 45 minutes.
Swimming is not allowed here for safety reasons due to the depth of water and steep sided rocks..

Legend has it that waterfall 3 is under the care of three princesses who love to bathe and play here. They planted the Buluh Perindu or Love Bamboo which are guarded by wild animals. Any man who gets hold of the bamboo will be loved by all and can wed 10 wives. Good luck with that!

Waterfall 7.

Waterfall 7

This is 1.7km from Park HQ and takes 1.5 hours.
Swimming is allowed here.

Gading Summit

The elevation of this peak is 965 meters above sea level. The distance is 3.8km from Park HQ and hiking time is about 3 hours. I have not done this yet and I am told the views are disappointing but the pleasure is in the journey rather than the destination as they say.

Batu Berkubu (this trail may be closed - check with Park HQ.

Continuing on from Gading Summit the path reaches Batu Berkubu. It takes 4 hours from Park HQ.

Procedure for Registration & Check-In

Register

First of all, for all Sarawak National Parks, you need to register online through their official website.

You can both register and buy tickets online but what I do is just register only in advance (usually the day before) and then pay for tickets when I arrive at the park. In this way if the weather is terrible and you need to cancel you haven't wasted your ticket money.

Check In

On arrival at Gunung Gading National Park you show your online registration QR confirmation and pay for your tickets (if you haven't already bought them online).

Tell the staff which trail you intend to take (so that they know where to start looking if you fail to check out!)

Check Out

When you have finished your hike you check out at the same office.

Opening Hours

Park open from 8am to 5pm.
Check-out and complete your hike before 6pm.

Entrance Fee & Tickets

RM10 for Malaysian adults, RM3 for children aged above 6 and below 18, RM5 for seniors above 60.
RM20 for Foreigner adults and seniors, RM7 for children.

Accommodation

There are three types of accommodation available within the Park - chalets, hostel rooms and a camp site.

You can find more details on the Park's official Facebook Page.

Bring your own food since there is no canteen in the park.

Other Park Rules & Advice

Cycling is not allowed.
Drones are prohibited.
Your bags might be checked by park officers upon check-in or check-out.
Wear proper footwear (no open toe shoes) and protection from the sun.
Take plenty of water and stay hydrated.
Stay on the marked trails.
Avoid damaging the natural environment.
Keep an eye on changing weather conditions.
See my Malaysian Mountain Climbing Tips for more useful advice.

How To Get to Gunung Gading National Park

I would recommend driving your own car or a hire car.

The location of the Park HQ and entrance is shown on this map:

There is free parking next to the Park HQ.

Alternatively you could book a Grab and arrange for the driver to pick you up again afterwards.

Nearby Attractions

You are unlikely to have the time or the energy to do anything else after climbing Gunung Gading but since you are in the vicinity the following attractions are nearby:

Lundu
Siar Beach
Pandan Beach

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AUTHOR BIO

David (the one on the left) is the writer behind Malaysia Traveller, sharing first-hand travel advice from over five decades of living and travelling across Asia and the Middle East. Based in Malaysia since 2009 and now in Kuching, he has published over 790 pages on this website, personally visited every place he covers, and uses only his own photos. Readers can learn more on his About Me page. He also shares updates on Facebook and YouTube. He loves uncovering overlooked places that even some Malaysians have never visited.