Hike Information
Hike location :
https://goo.gl/maps/PhEPJs2dxJFN7wgd7
Distance from Kuching city center : 30 minutes by car
Hike difficulty : Moderate (depending on fitness level)
Hike duration : 2-2.5 Hours (start to finish)
Hike distance : 6,000m (start to finish), carpark – Mount Matang Sri Maha Mariamman Temple – carpark, approximately a total of 8,000 steps
Cost : RM5 for parking (per vehicle)
Opening hours : 6am-6pm, this may vary due to lockdown restrictions
Toilet availability : one at the base, one at the Temple
Things to wear/bring : Comfortable exercise gear – sports shoes, sweat friendly clothing, water bottle and a set of change
The Hike
Mount Matang is a short 30-minute drive from Kuching. For your information, public transport is not popular or widely available in Kuching so this journey will cost RM21-28 via grab car. This hike is popular with joggers, hash runners and cyclists due to its incline, as well as its smooth and largely shaded trail. One could argue that the bitumen work done at Mount Matang is much better than most Kuching roads that have surprise potholes and bumps, courtesy of JKR Sarawak.
Matang is a fast growing residential area with plenty of shops and supermarkets. Grabbing breakfast at a kopitiam on the way would not be an issue if not for flip-flop pandemic restrictions. I would personally recommend a light breakfast before the hike unless you are attempting fasted cardio. The Google Maps link is perfect and the carpark next to the temple entrance is nestled at the end of the lorong. The tuck shop next to the carpark sells snacks and cold drinks, and the toilet is basic and clean enough (BYO tissue paper). Entrepreneurial “parking personnel” will collect RM5 per vehicle as an unofficial hike fee. Birds gotta eat, fish gotta swim.
If you exercise regularly (2-3 times a week), this hike should be comfortably manageable. For those that do little to no exercise, you can take your time walking up the path as some parts can be quite challenging. I would not describe it as a walk in the park as there are several stretches of steep incline along the way. Fitness enthusiasts can be seen jogging up and down the hike with their clothes drenched in sweat. The path is mostly shaded by the large, beautiful trees and you are prompted with signs at every 500m, indicating the distance you’ve covered. It took us exactly an hour to reach the Temple.
I learned about the history of Matang and more importantly, how this Hindu Temple came into existence. In the 1800s, Mount Matang was home to hundreds of acres of coffee and tea plantations; Indian and Sri Lankan laborers were brought in to work and toil in the coffee estates and naturally, they brought along their religion. The two shrines and Sri Maha Mariamman Temple were built by the Hindu workers and remain standing today to be visited and admired by all. To date, Hindus in Kuching still make the trip up and worship at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. If our local churches were built atop mountains and hills, I think we would have a much slimmer Christian population, both physically and numerically. Heh.
The hike begins with an extremely steep incline with little to no shade but do not be fooled as it tapers off a while, so consider this your warm-up. A Hindu Shrine is found in the first chapter of the hike. Don’t worry about topping up your sunblock as the remaining trail is shaded and cool especially in the morning. We started our trek at 9am and there were already people making their way downhill! Most hikers will greet you with a smile and a friendly “Good morning”. The wide pathway also allows for adequate social distancing and overtaking if necessary. Masks are not mandatory during the hike but if you’d like to improve your VO2 max then be my guest.
Watch out for certain sections at which the bitumen has given way to landslide and erosion.
During the hike, we did not come across any animals (birds, insects, babi hutan). A discerning eye be able to point out the fig trees, belian trees and midin plants along the way but unfortunately, a layman like me could only point out the occasional patch of mushrooms. Most importantly, there were barely any mosquitoes so I was relieved.
Shortly after crossing the 2500m mark, we find ourselves in front of the second Hindu shrine. This is where the trail forks so we decided to visit the Temple first before hiking to the villa.
There are benches and a small stall selling drinks at the top of this hike. We removed our shoes and visited the temple. You could smell incense and hear melodious music playing from the temple speakers and of course, this is the best location for your photo op.
We left the temple and we attempted the jungle path that leads to Charles Brooke’s villa. However, it was blocked by fallen trunks and branches so we happily made our way down the mountain.
The trip downhill was much easier and faster but it takes a toll on your ankles and knees. Every step downhill felt harsh on my legs as it felt like we were constantly hitting the brakes.
Overall, Mount Matang was a slightly challenging but enjoyable hike. The cool shade and lack of mosquitoes were a huge bonus and we reached the base at exactly 11 a.m.
10/10 would recommend.
Beautiful Kuching 