This is the highest waterfall in Southeast Asia.

Er, do you know where it is?

Oh please, don’t tell me that you know it because, argh, it would be a great shame and a total embarrassment on me. Of all places, this amazing waterfall has long stood right under my nose. Thanks to my classic ignorance. Yes, I never knew about its existence until recently when one of my Kelantanese friends talked about Mount Stong. I was like, What? What? Stong? Oh my dear Cekmi, fuck you, sorry for the language. It is in our beloved state - Kelantan!

Let me bore you with a little bit hard info.

This one-of-a-kind wonder is located in Mount Stong National Park. With a height of 1433 metres, Mount Stong is one of the highest peaks in Kelantan. Remotely situated at the Dabong Forest Reserve, its flora and fauna are still untouched by the mainstream development (well, politically speaking, ehem, Kelantan is always underdeveloped).

Okay, all the nature freaks, listen very carefully. Mount Stong is claimed to be one of the most famous eco-tourism spots in Malaysia. There are seven waterfalls in this area. Seven, my dear. Seven. Jelawang Waterfall (yes, the one in the pictures here) is 303 metres above sea level, and ladies and gentlemen, that makes it the highest waterfall in Southeast Asia!

Wow, doesn’t it impress you?

One more fact: Those nature lovers can view the spectacular sunrise from the Amazing Peak of this Mount Stong. Isn’t it something? What else do you guys want? Take a good look at that natural pond above. Isn’t it irresistible? Who doesn’t want to feel this fresh and cool resource freely provided by the Mother Nature?

But hey, too bad, this place lacks promotion and publicity. I wonder if the Kelantanese themselves know about this place and appreciate it. I hope that the famous project of East Coast Economic Region will commercialize and put Mount Stong in its right place among the major tourist spots in Malaysia.

As an ex-linguistics student, I had a wild speculation over the origin of the name ‘Mount Stong’. It goes like this: a white man who got lost in Dabong found a high waterfall with huge rocks and stones. When he finally met a local man, he asked him: “What’s the name of that waterfall! Yes, the one with huge stones!”
“Gapo dio? (what is it?)” asked the local man.
“Stone! Stone!”
“Oh, Stong. Stong”

Haha.