Bukit Larut is a

hill resort A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in Western imperialism in Asia, colonial Asia (particularly in India), but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by Euro ...

in Malaysia located in the state of

Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

, 10 kilometres southwest from

Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...

. It was established under the direction of British colonists in 1884 as a place of observation for

tin mining Tin mining began early in the Bronze Age, as bronze is a copper-tin alloy. Tin is a relatively rare element in the Earth's crust, with approximately 2 ppm (parts per million), compared to iron with 50,000 ppm. History Tin extraction and use can ...

activity and as a retreat for the English people who were based in nearby

Larut Taiping (, Jawi: ; zh, t=太平, , Hokkien: Thài-pêng; ta, தைப்பிங்) is a town located in Larut, Matang and Selama District, Perak, Malaysia. It is located approximately northwest of Ipoh, the capital of Perak, and sou ...

and Taiping. The area was initially named Maxwell Hill after the

British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ms, Tanah Melayu British) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. U ...

administrator

George Maxwell George Maxwell (1804–1880) was a professional collector of plants and insects in Southwest Australia. The botanical specimens he obtained were used to make formal descriptions of the region's plant species. Biography He was born in England in 18 ...

, and was renamed as Bukit Larut in 1979. Bukit Larut is rich in

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

. Bukit Larut is home to 621 highland plant species which accounts for 20.4% of the overall highland plant species found in Peninsular Malaysia, as well as 27

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

, 227

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

, 9

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

, and 56

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

species. The area receives the highest rainfall in Malaysia with precipitation reaching up to annually. Access to Bukit Larut's only road is restricted to four-wheel drive vehicle and foot travel due to the steep and narrow nature of the road. After a 1997 proposal to redevelop Bukit Larut with additional tourism facilities was opposed by the public, the government of Perak chose instead to renovate the old colonial-era bungalows and rest houses. Bukit Larut is the location for the annual North Face Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival, which is a qualifier event for the

Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) is a single-stage mountain ultramarathon, first held in 2003, that follows the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Since UTMB Group's partnership with IRONMAN Group in 2021, UTMB World Series will formally launch ...

(UTMB).

History

The history of Bukit Larut dates to the

Larut Wars The Larut Wars were a series of four wars started in July 1861 and ended with the signing of the Pangkor Treaty of 1874. The conflict was fought among local Chinese secret societies over the control of mining areas in Perak which later involve ...

which occurred in 1861 between

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

underground societies ''Han San'' and ''Ghee Hin'' over

tin mine Tin mining began early in the Bronze Age, as bronze is a copper-tin alloy. Tin is a relatively rare element in the Earth's crust, with approximately 2 ppm (parts per million), compared to iron with 50,000 ppm. History Tin extraction and use can ...

control in Klian Pauh (predecessor to Taiping), leading to British intervention into Taiping and later The

Pangkor Treaty of 1874 The Pangkor Treaty of 1874 was a treaty signed between Great Britain and the Sultan of Perak on 20 January 1874, on the Colonial Steamer Pluto, off the coast of Perak. The treaty is significant in the history of the Malay states as it legitimis ...

which allowed the British to administer Perak. After the treaty was signed, Taiping received Captain Speedy, a British assistant. The British found that tin mining activity could be easily observed from Bukit Larut, and that the hill was also suitable as a place of retreat from the hot weather for the English people who were based in nearby

and Taiping. Construction of the

hill station A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia (particularly in India), but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by European colonialists as refuges ...

took place in 1884 and the hill was named after

, a

administrator. The first retreat

bungalow A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is either single-story or has a second story built into a sloping roof (usually with dormer windows), and may be surrounded by wide verandas. The first house in England that was classified as a b ...

, "The Cottage", was set up in 1884 for the Resident-General of Perak. The development was followed by the construction of Tempinis Bungalow (formerly Treacher Bungalow) and Cendana Bungalow (formerly The Hut), in 1880 and 1889, to accommodate visitors of Maxwell Hill. The Tea Garden constructed in 1887 used to be part of a

tea plantation Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and norther ...

estate for

Assam Tea Assam tea is a black tea named after the region of its production, Assam, India. It is manufactured specifically from the plant '' Camellia sinensis'' var. ''assamica'' (Masters). The Assam tea plant is indigenous to Assam—initial efforts to pl ...

prior to its end at an unspecified date.Nadarajah, Chitra, 1997. p. 3 Maxwell Hill was renamed to Bukit Larut in 1979. In early 1997, the government of Perak announced a RM 320 million plan to redevelop Bukit Larut with additional tourism facilities, to enhance its potential as a tourism area in Perak. However, due to opposition by residents and some non-governmental organizations in addition to political pressures,Nadarajah, Chitra, 1997. p. 1 the redevelopment plan was cancelled on July 20, 1997, and focus shifted to renovating the old colonial-era

bungalows A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is either single-story or has a second story built into a sloping roof (usually with dormer windows), and may be surrounded by wide verandas. The first house in England that was classified as a bu ...

and

rest house A guest house (also guesthouse) is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world (such as the Caribbean), guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging. In others, it is a private home that has been converted for the exclusive use o ...

s at a cost of RM 2 million. At the same time, the

Malaysian Public Works Department The Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR; ms, Jabatan Kerja Raya Malaysia) is the federal government department in Malaysia under Ministry of Works Malaysia (MOW) which is responsible for construction and maintenance of public infrastructure ...

revealed that the road on Bukit Larut could not be widened further. Later on September 23, 2018, a group known as the "Taiping, Larut, Matang dan Selama Nature Lovers Group" opposed the proposed construction of a cable car in Bukit Larut after discussions between North Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and several construction companies that took place in early September, saying that the construction of the cable car would overwhelm the tourism system in Bukit Larut and would also potentially erode the biodiversity in that area.

Geography

Bukit Larut is located on the Bintang Range in the northwestern section of Peninsular Malaysia. The area is mountainous where it consists of three peaks, with the highest peak being Gunung Hijau at , followed by Gunung Biong at and Wray’s Hill at . Due to the area being steep, it is not suitable for agricultural activities. The agricultural activities that were done in the past, such as

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...

and

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

planting, are now discontinued. The soil itself consists of granite, alluvium and organic deposits, with a high risk of erosion. Bukit Larut is an important water catchment area.

Water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

from the area is generally good and contributes to the water supply in

Larut, Matang and Selama District The Larut, Matang and Selama District is a district of Perak, Malaysia. Taiping is the capital town of this district. Larut, Matang and Selama used to be three small different districts and they merged into one larger district later. Larut, M ...

. Water from Bukit Larut mainly flows to three major rivers in the district: Sungai Jana, Sungai Ranting, and Sungai Air Terjun.WWF Malaysia, December 2001. p. 130 - 131

Climate

The temperature at Bukit Larut falls between 15 °C and 25 °C during the daytime, and at night can reach 10 °C. The location receives the highest rainfall in Malaysia, as the precipitation can reach up to annually.

Biodiversity

Bukit Larut is known as a

hotspot in

Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...

. As of 2000, 621 highland plant species that have been discovered in Bukit Larut, which account for 20.4% of the total highland plant species found in Peninsular Malaysia. Among the most popular plant groups found in Bukit Larut are

Dicotyledons The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...

(410),

Monocotyledons Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one of t ...

(192),

ferns A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except th ...

(14) and

Gymnosperms The gymnosperms ( lit. revealed seeds) are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, ''Ginkgo'', and gnetophytes, forming the clade Gymnospermae. The term ''gymnosperm'' comes from the composite word in el, γυμνό� ...

(5). As of 1997, the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

classified two plants, '' Dendrobium aegle'' and ''Liparis furcate'', as vulnerable due to over-exploitation that could lead to potential extinction in the future. In addition, 12 tree species listed in WCMC World List of Threatened Trees are classified as

threatened Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensat ...

.WWF Malaysia, December 2001. p. 132 - 134 Various

lichens A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among hypha, filaments of multiple fungus, fungi species in a mutualism (biology), mutualistic relationship.mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

, 227

and 9

species, with one mammal species, the Indochinese tiger (''

Panthera tigris corbetti The Indochinese tiger is a population of the ''Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies that is native to Southeast Asia. This population occurs in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. In 2011, the population was thought to comprise 342 individuals, including ...

'') classified as endangered by

. This accounts for 12.7% of mammals, 35% of birds and 4.2% of reptiles in Peninsular Malaysia.WWF Malaysia, December 2001. p. 134 - 138 One study found 43 species of

amphibians Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbore ...

from 24 genera and seven families in Bukit Larut, which account for 40% of overall 107 amphibian species known to exist in Peninsular Malaysia. The most common amphibian species families in Bukit Larut are

true frogs True frogs is the common name for the frog family Ranidae. They have the widest distribution of any frog family. They are abundant throughout most of the world, occurring on all continents except Antarctica. The true frogs are present in North A ...

(23.3%), fork-tongued frogs (18.6%), narrow-mouthed frogs (16.3%), shrub frogs (16.3%), goose frogs (11.6%),

true toad A true toad is any member of the family Bufonidae, in the order Anura (frogs and toads). This is the only family of anurans in which all members are known as toads, although some may be called frogs (such as harlequin frogs). The bufonids now ...

(9.3%) and fish caecilians (4.7%). The number of amphibian species also increased from 36 in 2009 to 56 in 2011. ''Willemsella'', a

grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grasshopp ...

under Acrididae and Hemiacridinae family which was not found in Peninsular Malaysia for many decades after 1934 has been observed in Bukit Larut since 2012 and suggests the widespread availability of this species following its rediscovery from Fraser’s Hill. Some of the flower-visiting

orthoptera Orthoptera () is an order of insects that comprises the grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets, including closely related insects, such as the bush crickets or katydids and wētā. The order is subdivided into two suborders: Caelifera – grassho ...

such as ''Phaneroptera brevis'' and '' Youngia japonica'' were also discovered in Bukit Larut. File:Mountain_Peacock-pheasant_Male.jpg,

Mountain peacock-pheasant The mountain peacock-pheasant (''Polyplectron inopinatum''), also known as Rothschild's peacock-pheasant or mirror pheasant, is a medium-sized, up to 65 cm long, blackish brown pheasant with small ocelli and long graduated tail feathers. Bo ...

File:Panthera tigris corbetti 01.jpg,

Indochinese tiger The Indochinese tiger is a population of the '' Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies that is native to Southeast Asia. This population occurs in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. In 2011, the population was thought to comprise 342 individuals, includin ...

File:Giganteopalpus mirabilis MHNT CUT 2010 0 27 Bukit Larut Malaysia dorsal.jpg, '' Giganteopalpus mirabilis'' File:Cyrtodactylus-pulchellus.jpg, '' Cyrtodactylus pulchellus''

Transportation

The summit is accessible only by a single-lane 13 km road that links Taiping and Bukit Larut. Due to the steep and narrow nature of the road, access is restricted to

four-wheel drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

vehicles and foot travel. The Larut, Matang and Selama District office provides passengers access to Bukit Larut with their

Land Rover Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...

vehicles from 9 AM until 5 PM daily. The road is currently well-maintained by the

Economy

The economy of Bukit Larut is limited to

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

and

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis de Jaucourt, Louis, chevalier de J ...

, with accommodation services providing the main source of income. Accommodations for visitors mostly consist of colonial rest houses and bungalows. No high-rise hotels are available in the area. There are several workers who work in the public sector in Bukit Larut such as gardeners and drivers for district officers. Bukit Larut also has several food stalls, but the hawkers who operate in the area are not residents of Bukit Larut. Hawkers do not sell souvenirs or handicrafts. There is one

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

operating on the hill which is located near the rest house. Historically, Bukit Larut had coffee and tea plantations on an experimental basis, but these operation were discontinued due to the inflexibility of the transportation system. However, the Tea Garden House, which was previously part of the tea plantation area, continues to operate.

Telecommunications

radio transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the ...

belonging to

Radio Televisyen Malaysia Radio Televisyen Malaysia ( en, Radio Television of Malaysia, abbreviated as RTM, stylised as rtm), also known as the Department of Broadcasting, Malaysia ( ms, Jabatan Penyiaran Malaysia) is the national public broadcaster of Malaysia. Establi ...

is located on Bukit Larut. It transmits radio and television signals to audiences in Perak for various channels, including Radio Televisyen Malaysia. Its coverage North Perak,

Padang Rengas Padang Rengas ( Jawi: ڤادڠ رڠاس; ) is a small town in Kuala Kangsar District, Perak, Malaysia. It has a police station, railway station, rural health centre, market and Schools ~ SJK(C) Khiu Min, SK Tun Dr. Ismail, SK Perempuan & SMK T ...

Kuala Kangsar The Kuala Kangsar (Perak Malay: ''Kole Kangso'') is the royal town of Perak, Malaysia. It is located at the downstream of Kangsar River where it joins the Perak River, approximately northwest of Ipoh, Perak's capital, and southeast of ...

, parts of South Penang, parts of South Kedah (

Kulim The Kulim District is a district and town in the state of Kedah, Malaysia. It is located on the southeast of Kedah, bordering Penang. The town of Kulim, a mere east of Penang's capital city, George Town, also forms part of Greater Penang, Ma ...

and

Bandar Baharu The Bandar Baharu District (colloquially ''Bandaq Baqhu'' or ''Bandaq Baru''; once proposed to be renamed as Bandar Crustacea) is a town, district and state assembly constituency at the southernmost end of Kedah, Malaysia. Bandar Baharu is locat ...

) Central Perak, parts of South Perak, parts of

Hilir Perak Hilir Perak District (Lower Perak) is a district in Perak, Malaysia. The district is governed by Teluk Intan Municipal Council which is based in the town of Teluk Intan. The District council was known as Hilir Perak District Council until 4 April ...

and parts of North Selangor.

Sports

Bukit Larut is the site for an annual international

trail running Trail running is a sport-activity which combines running, and, where there are steep gradients, hiking, that is run "on any unpaved surface". It is similar to both mountain and fell running (also known as hill running). Mountain running may, h ...

event, The North Face Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival. It is usually held in December and attracts more than 2,100 runners from 35 countries. The trail running event is certified by the

International Trail Running Association International Trail Running Association (ITRA) is the governing body for trail running. It was formed in 2013, emerging from the 1st International Trail Running Conference held in 2012. Trail running was first recognised by the International Associ ...

(ITRA) and is listed as one of the qualifying races for the

(UTMB). A portion of the registration fees is channelled to the Bukit Larut tourism department for maintenance of Bukit Larut.

References

External links

{{Perak Hill stations in Malaysia Hills of Malaysia

Taiping, Perak