Gunung Ledang
The Mountain Of The Princess Who Refused A Sultan By Asking For A Bowl Of His Son'S Blood And A Climb Far Steeper Than Its Modest Height Suggests · Tangkak, Johor
THE SULTAN OF MELAKA SENT TO ASK FOR THE HAND OF THE PRINCESS OF GUNUNG LEDANG, AND SHE SET SEVEN CONDITIONS: a golden bridge and a silver bridge from Melaka to her mountain, seven trays of mosquito hearts, seven jars of virgins' tears, seven vats of areca juice, and A BOWL OF THE BLOOD OF HIS OWN SON. HE AGREED TO EVERYTHING BUT THE LAST. It is one of the great Malay legends and it is a story about how a woman refuses a king without ever saying no. THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF IS TWELVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX METRES, WHICH SOUNDS MODEST AND IS NOT - the climb is relentlessly steep, with ropes and ladders on the upper sections, and people underestimate it badly. THE PORTUGUESE CALLED IT MOUNT OPHIR and some tried to identify it with the biblical gold country, which is romantic and has nothing behind it. Waterfalls at the base. Registration is required, daily numbers are capped and there is a cut-off time, so an arrival at dawn is what decides whether you climb at all.
Gunung Ledang, Tangkak, Johor, Tangkak, Johor, Malaysia
GUNUNG LEDANG IS NEAR TANGKAK, roughly TWO HOURS FROM KUALA LUMPUR OR JOHOR BAHRU and under an hour from MELAKA. THE PARK KEEPS DAYTIME HOURS WITH AN ENTRY FEE, and the WATERFALLS AND POOLS AT THE BASE ARE A SEPARATE AND MUCH EASIER VISIT than the summit. FOR THE CLIMB: REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, DAILY NUMBERS ARE CAPPED, A GUIDE IS REQUIRED ON SOME ROUTES, AND THERE IS A CUT-OFF TIME after which you will not be allowed to start - ARRIVE VERY EARLY. THE ASCENT TAKES FOUR TO SIX HOURS AND THE DESCENT THREE TO FIVE, so it is a long day rather than a walk. THE MOUNTAIN CLOSES PERIODICALLY for maintenance and after heavy rain. IT IS BUSY AT WEEKENDS with Malaysian and Singaporean climbers. Leeches are routine.