In collaboration with Convergence, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in Convergence Volume 14 in 2012, we present this story on the we present this story on where thrill seekers can get their adrenaline pumping with some of Malaysia’s extreme sports offerings.
It requires a certain mindset to turn the flickering flame of thrill-seeking that exists inside all of us into a fully blown torch held for the pursuit of danger. While Malaysia offers the tourist certain thrills – like a bite into delectable cuisine or the buzz felt while clutching a fist of shopping bags – others find pleasure in the pushing the human body to the most extreme limits. Today the world of adventure sports is very accessible, and whether you are bored with mundane recreation, counting down until your next adrenaline rush or merely wanting to push yourself outside your comfort zone, Malaysia has something for every thrill-seeker. Take a deep breath and leap with Convergence from the urbane and mundane.
Bungee Jumping
Elastic Fantastic
Everybody loves a splash of cool water on their face to refresh themselves, but few leap into their washbasin from a great height with only an elastic cord attached around their ankles. replace the sink with a river, and welcome to the world of bungee jumping!
Plummeting off the edge of a high bridge, the thrill comes as much from the free-falling as from the rebounds caused by the recoil of elasticised rope snapping back to tightness. Sunway Lagoon offers a 22 metre high drop, the equivalent of a nine story building, and for an alternative stimulant you can also be catapulted sideways, instead of nose-diving down.
Their G-Force X experience offers a two-person capsule which slingshots the pair at a gut-wrenching angle, and then slams them back down towards earth at an eye-popping velocity, attaining a speed of 0- 120 km/ph in just 2 seconds. Those bitten by the extreme sports bug will love these bone-rattling shocks to the senses.
Skydiving
Heaven Sent
If, while on your descent into Malaysian airspace, you stared out of the plane window and daydreamed of soaring through the fluffy white clouds, then a bungee jump might lack enough height to scratch your free-falling itch. resist the urge to open the airplane door and instead book yourself onto a skydiving course.
The skies of Malaysia are wide-open to accommodate every discipline of skydiving from novice to experienced, yet whatever your skill, the opening “shock” of the parachute is much like jumping feet-first into a pool of water and upon landing you will want to dive through the air again.
Packages, in general, are run from local airfields – for example Tekah Airstrip in Perak – only a three-hour drive north of Kuala Lumpur. Stepping out of the plane into the wall of wind and dropping out of the aircraft is exhilarating, and will change your life forever. As you plummet towards Malaysian soil, the greenery and breathtaking view floods your vision while the parachute flaps in the velocity of the rushing wind.
Watersports
A Wave of Excitement
To be brought back down to earth with a bump – but keep your heartbeat sky high – try your hand at white-water rafting. Malaysia has a testing selection of rivers to fight against the rapids as you navigate downstream, testing your teamwork skills, and nerves.
The Kampar and Singoh rivers in the state of perak, padas and Kiulu rivers in Sabah and the Selangor river in Kuala Kubu Bharu provide many grades of difficulty to negotiate. Water will cascade over you as you crash through angry white waters in contrast to the tranquil forestry on either side. As you reach the end of the run, sodden, successful and satisfied, the smile on your face will surely be wide enough to swallow the paddle.
Of course, there are many other thrills to be had upon the water. You could try kiteboarding, which is a relatively new craze and set to ‘take off’ in a big way. A mixture of windsurfing, surfing and wakeboarding, different size kites allow the rider to kiteboard in various wind strengths.
The rider is strapped to a mini-surfboard and holds onto the kite handles, gliding across the surface of the wave and being lifted by the gust of wind that catches the kite, as rider and board twist and turn in the air to land back upon a wave when the wind loses its thrust. Enjoy this new sport in Kuantan on the east-coast of Malaysia.
During the months of December, January, February and even March, Tanjung Resang is a bubbling pot of perfect winds that consistently blow up to 20 knots or more, the result of the north-east monsoon swirling over the South china Sea, before colliding head-on with the peninsular Malaysia Eastern seaboard. However, at 12-15 knots, the rest of the year’s winds can be generous and consistent too. Windsurfing is slightly more tame but no less enjoyable, giving aficionados an immense sense of freedom, out in the open water and gliding effortlessly over the gentle waves.
Rock Climbing
The Peak of Achievement
Plant your feet firmly on solid ground with one of many activities that take advantage of Malaysia’s mountainous terrain. Rock climbing inspires you to clamber up a vertical rock that is a mental and physical challenge and a fusion of art and a science. The sport requires determination and strength, although, it’s more a question of balance. The regions of Batu Caves and Bukit Takun ensure that Kuala Lumpur is still the epicentre of Malaysian rock-climbing.
That is not to say the experience is limited to this geographical region, as north of Kuala Lumpur are the states of Perak, Perlis, Kelantan and Pahang that harbour amazing limestone challenges to attract even the most intrepid climber.
There are many pockets of Malaysia still waiting to be explored by the small, but growing, rock-climbing community. There are also waterfalls and bridges to test your abseiling skills, for a gentle sashay down as opposed to a brute-strength battle up.
Mountain Biking
Joy-Ride
With single-track, creek crossing, mud and fun, mountain biking in Malaysia will never be dull. With circuits of up to 54 km, there are plenty of trails to give you a biking buzz. Take your GPS and use modern technology to stay on track, and avoid getting lost in the wilderness. The list of destinations is wide and varied, and your choice will totally depend upon what experience you are seeking.
Shaded and canopied or open and exposed to the elements, these well-designed trails fuse together different riding styles and provide varied terrain to challenge your thrill-seeking desire and leave your thighs burning in energy-sapped glee. Putrajaya Bike Park , Kampong Sungai Tengkorak, Johor and Air Itam, Pulau Pinang are some popular trails, and a word of advice – this being Malaysia – take high performance insect spray to fend off the pesky mosquitoes.
We have soared, splashed, sailed and pedalled our way through some of the best destinations to hunt down the adrenaline rush that a thrill-seeker craves. The beautiful landscape of Malaysia provides epic scenery for truly special memories and as you push the boundaries of your pulse-rate and confidence, there is no better place to experience the ride of a lifetime. Take a journey to Malaysia and discover all the beautiful hidden gems within the landscape – and the hidden lust for controlled-chaos within yourself.
