Waterfall Abseiling at Sungai Pisang – Conquering Cascading Heights
When I first heard about abseiling many years ago, I thought it sounded completely ridiculous. Climbing a mountain? Sure. You get a view, a workout, and a sense of achievement at the top.
But going down a cliff using a rope? What even is the point of that?
And yet, I couldn’t stop being curious about it.
So eventually, I found myself standing at the top of a waterfall at Sungai Pisang, legs shaking, and having a completely renewed respect for people who do this for fun.
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Waterfall abseiling in Sungai Pisang
If regular abseiling down a rock face sounds a little too tame for you, waterfall abseiling adds rushing water, slippery rocks, and the occasional existential crisis into the mix.
One popular place to try it in Klang Valley is Sungai Pisang, about 30 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur.
I joined a trip organized by MadMonkeyz, a wall-climbing gym that frequently organizes outdoor activities in and around KL.
The trip started early in the morning with a short carpool ride to Sungai Pisang. Most of the other participants were regulars at the gym and already knew each other. I was the only one who came alone.
At the trailhead, we geared up with a helmet and a harness that would later be attached to the abseil rope.
The helmet is there to protect your head in case anything above you becomes dislodged, or in case of a fall, which is unlikely if you do everything correctly, but it’s always better to be prepared anyway.
We were also paired up to look out for each other along the trail. My partner was a guy in his fifties, but he was so much faster than me that I almost had to run to catch up. In the end, he let me lead.
The hike itself wasn’t too difficult and took less than an hour. When we reached the top of the waterfall, we were given some time to rest while the crew set everything up.
Some of us took the opportunity to cool off in the water. I, however, was too busy checking my legs for leeches (that’s the part I hate most about hiking).
Once they were done, the team leader demonstrated the basics of abseiling to us. He reminded us not to lean too far back, or our legs might go over our heads and we’d be hanging upside down.
The crew had set up two routes, each with its own pros and cons. The first one had a longer rope that reached the water below, but the route was a little trickier because of tree roots. You had to be careful where you placed your feet, lest they get stuck.
The second route was slightly easier because you only had to rappel down a smooth rock surface. It had almost no obstacle, but its proximity to the waterfall made it more slippery.
On top of that, the rope was several feet shorter, which meant it didn’t reach all the way to the bottom. You’d have to let go of the rope and free-fall into the water.
There was one girl in the group who was just as scared as I was because we were both terrified of heights.
Strange how the waterfall hadn’t looked that high from below, but now that we were standing at the top, we were seriously considering backing out.
But since we had already paid, we decided to go through with it. We both chose the first route.
There were crew members stationed at different points to help guide us along the way: two at the top, one perched on a ledge somewhere midway down the rocks, and two more at the bottom.
To go down, I had to use both hands to hold on to the rope: one hand in front of me, and the other behind my back, at waist level.
The hand at the back had to hold the rope at all times, releasing slowly as I descended, but never letting go, unless I was ready to meet my ancestors.
Basically, all you have to do is have faith and lean back.
For beginners, it’s important to move at a slow and controlled pace.
Any large or jerky movement can lead to dangerous situations, such as crashing into the rock face or damaging the rope.
I slipped once, banging my shoulder against the rock, but managed to regain balance quickly.
In the end, I tried both routes after being egged on by the others. But what took the experienced climbers two or three minutes took me about 20, maybe longer.
I’d asked one of the participants to take photos and videos of me from below. Poor girl had to wait an eternity for me to finally reach the bottom.
After everyone had completed their first descent, we stopped for lunch. We were allowed to climb back up and repeat as many times as we wanted, but I said no, thanks. I hadn’t expected it to be that tiring.
My arms, my legs, my lungs, my face, my heart — basically my entire body ached, because I had been breathing hard, grimacing, screaming inwardly, gripping the rope too tightly the whole time.
Do you need to be fit to abseil?
You don’t need to be particularly athletic to try waterfall abseiling, but a reasonable level of fitness helps. Most trips involve a hike to reach the top of the waterfall, sometimes over uneven and slippery terrain.
Usually, there is a maximum weight limit, though this varies depending on the organizer, so make sure to check beforehand.
Contrary to what I expected, abseiling wasn’t really about strength. At least from my (limited) experience, technique and staying calm mattered more.
What to wear and bring
On an abseiling tour, you’ll be provided with all the technical gear, including the helmet, harness, ropes, and other safety equipment.
But you do have to pay attention to what you wear:
- Wear slim-fitting and stretchable sports attire. Avoid clothing that is too loose or has dangling strings, as these can get caught in the ropes and create dangerous situations.
- For the same reason, remove all jewelry and tie up long hair.
- When abseiling down a waterfall, it may be tempting for men to go shirtless, or for women to wear just a sports bra. But keep in mind that this also means more scrapes from the rocks and harness.
- The same applies to your tracksuit bottoms — avoid wearing something that’s too short.
- If you’re doing rock climbing as well, wear proper climbing shoes. Otherwise, a good pair of hiking shoes should suffice.
Other things to bring:
- Dry bag or waterproof casing for your phone and camera.
- Sunscreen
- Towel
- Spare clothes
- Water and snacks if not provided by your guide
Final thoughts
I wish I could say it wasn’t as scary as I made it out to be, but it was.
The actual technique wasn’t as difficult as I’d imagined. Even as a complete beginner, I managed to get the hang of it fairly quickly.
The hardest part was dealing with the mental side of things.
My fear of heights was making it a lot harder than it should be. The roar of the waterfall in my ears and the water splashing into my eyes weren’t helping either. Who knew going down a cliff with a rope could be so challenging?
Would I do it again?
Maybe.
If dangling off a waterfall still sounds appealing, Malaysia has plenty more crazy adventures for you. From cave exploration to sky-high climbs and jungle thrills, here are some of the most adventurous things to do in Malaysia.
