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5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore

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5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore
Looking for more after exploring every hiking trail and nature park in Singapore? Then Malaysia’s hiking trails in the form of gunungs are your answer.
Meaning ‘mountain’ in Malay, don’t let the word scare you off from tackling gunungs – many of them offer accessible hiking for seniors of all fitness levels. Some offer trails starting from carpark to picturesque summit that are only a couple of hours’ walk.
Gunungs can also be accessible in terms of location. Johor Bahru (JB) just across the causeway is home to plenty of gunungs, which means hikers won’t have to travel far for a day hike (and have a tasty lok lok dinner while you’re at it).
Just remember to pack your hiking sticks, a basic first aid kit, and a good pair of grippy boots. These aren’t like your usual manmade walking trails in Singapore with wooden boardwalks and asphalt. Make sure you’re decently confident with off-road trekking (akin to the MacRitchie Nature Trail) before tackling Malaysia’s gunungs.
Read on for a list of Malaysia’s best gunungs for hiking, ranked in terms of approachability and proximity to Singapore.
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1. Gunung Arong: Beginner hiking trails for newcomers to Malaysia’s gunungs
5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore - Gunung Arong
Credit: Google image Abdul Hadi Bin Mohamed, 2024
At 274m in height, Gunung Arong just north of Mersing (the coastal town and departure point for ferries to islands like Tioman) is only slightly taller than Singapore’s tallest, er, peak (i.e. Bukit Timah Hill at 164m).
It takes two and a half hours away to get there by car from JB customs, and about the same time to summit and get back down at a leisurely pace. Along the way, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of the South China Sea, either at the summit or at the spine-tingling glass lookout point.

Gunung Arong
Parking: There are two common entry and exit points in Kampung Tanjung Resang and Teluk Gorek near the beach. They are about 3km apart, so it's best to take two or more cars if you want to skip the extra walk on the road.
Height: 274m
Hiking Difficulty: Easy, with some stairs and natural slopes.

2. Gunung Lambak: One of Malaysia’s most straightforward hiking trails
5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore - Gunung Lambak
Credit: Google image Swe Siang Lee, 2023
At the edge of Kluang on the outskirts of Johor lies Gunung Lambak, a 510m-tall hiker’s paradise for beginners and experienced trekkers alike.
It’s a straightforward shot up with a gentle trail that takes about 90 minutes to complete, and an alternative steeper path that cuts the time almost in half.
Think of it as a giant, angled treadmill for walkers looking to build up endurance and their off-road legs for harder, more technical terrain.

Gunung Lambak
Parking: There's parking right at the trailhead, near Gunung Lambak Water Park.
Height: 510m
Hiking Difficulty: Easy, with roped railings to help speed up your ascent.

3. Gunung Pulai: Hakka food and hiking with a view
5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore - Gunung Pulai
Credit: Google image Hau Chee, 2021
Gunung Pulai is about 45 minutes north of JB, making it about the closest mountain trail in Malaysia worth travelling for – especially when you factor in the beginner-friendly hiking amid lush greenery and the winning view of the nearby Blue Lake to boot.
The 654m peak will take around three hours to conquer, leaving you plenty of time to sit back and enjoy the view of the quarry’s azure waters (which it gets from a high concentration of heavy metals) and get back to Kulai in time for a hearty Hakka dinner.

Gunung Pulai
Parking: There is only one entrance with a carpark conveniently located beside it.
Height: 654m
Hiking Difficulty: Easy. Despite its longer distance, there are lots of stairs and paved roads.

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4. Gunung Muntahak: Build up to other Malaysian mountains with this fearsome hiking trail
5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore - Gunung Muntahak
Credit: Google image Chee Chiang Chin, 2019
Kota Tinggi is a nature haven known for its bucolic greenery, firefly tours, and majestic waterfall – but did you know that said waterfall originates from an easily scalable gunung?
The 634m-tall Gunung Muntahak offers about two and a half hours of almost untouched jungle trekking either way, beginning from a dirt trail passing through old tin mining land.
It’s about as rustic as it gets, so don’t expect huts, roads, and toilets along the trail or atop the summit – though you will get to pass the beautiful Tengkil Waterfall as you make your way along.
Now, the view at the top is admittedly not fantastic (due to the high vegetation all around you), but don’t let them stop you from building up some hiking mileage in natural terrain.

Gunung Muntahak
Parking: The nearest roads for parking are quite a distance away. Most hikers rent a four-wheel drive to get them closer to the trailhead.
Height: 634m
Hiking Difficulty: Easy-to-moderate. As this gunung isn’t as popular as some of the others on the list, you might find yourself having to bushwhack or scramble over fallen trees as you wend your way up the mountain.

5. Gunung Panti: This gunung isn’t for the faint of heart
5 Beginner-Friendly Malaysia Hiking Trails Near Johor For Easy Day Trips From Singapore - Guning Panti
Credit: Google image Rahim Khalil, 2018
If you’re looking for a day hike in Johor to end all day hikes, Gunung Panti is probably the hill to go for.
Despite its relatively shorter stature, it’s a step up in difficulty from the other peaks as the final stretch toward the summit is brutally steep. There’s even a short roped section to go with the mild scrambling.
Of course, you don’t actually have to do that part to enjoy the views of the surrounding national park – so skip it if you aren’t confident of your upper body strength and footing.

Gunung Panti
Parking: Though there are multiple ways up the mountain, the most common trail starts here, where there is ample parking.
Height: 531m
Hiking Difficulty: Easy. It takes around two and a half hours to complete one way with a treacherous (but ultimately skippable) final bit.

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