Catching the sea of clouds at the peak of Bukit Senaling is a game of determination and luck. The determination part is to wake up early, to start the hike in the dark. This is because the sea of clouds is the thickest and the lowest during early morning. As the temperature rises and the sun hits the clouds, they will rise higher and get thinner. This is the same reason to catch the magnificent view of Mount Kinabalu early in the morning, when the clouds are below the mountain, and would be covering the view later in the day.
As for the luck part, the sea of clouds does not show up every day.
Tips to catch the sea of clouds
To have the best probability to catch the thick sea of clouds, it requires the right humidity, wind speed and atmospheric pressure. In short, clouds are formed by water vapor condensation when temperature and pressure drop. That is why rising water vapor forms thick clouds at certain high altitudes which have cooler air and lower pressure. These optimal conditions for clouds can reach very low and near the ground late at night till dawn, and rise by the minute when the sun heats up the land.
I have checked the weather forecast and planned my day for a Saturday with high humidity and the chance to rain the night before. A day before my trip, it was raining at midnight and I knew I just had to go for it.
How to hike Bukit Senaling (Permit & Fee)
Appointed by the Negeri Sembilan Forestry Department, US Hikers, which mainly consist of the locals and owners of the private lands, handle the registration and collection of permit fees. After you have planned a date for your hike at Bukit Senaling, please contact one of the guides below to inform them about your visit.
Yusri: +6017 224 9601; Ajim: +6013 277 3505; Aleng: +6019 650 4210; Nasrul: +6012 658 2470; Khairel: +6013 681 5830
For a group of five or more, you would need to prepare a list of hikers with names and identify card numbers, to be sent by the guide to the Forestry Department. Payment is to be made at RM15 per pax (with or without a guide). For smaller groups or individuals, you can fill in the form and make payment on the spot before the hike but notify them about your arrival a few days before.
You park your vehicle at Bukit Senaling Hiking Trail Start Point and walk up a little to the registration counter. After registering and making payment, you will get your forestry ticket wrapped around your wrist.
Bukit Senaling Hiking Trail & Sea Of Clouds
My friend and I started in the dark at 6am, so I did not take any good photos of the trail at that time until the sky brightened up. Our journey took about 1 hour up to the peak, and 40 minutes back down.
First, the trail starts out as a wide plantation road for trucks. Next, there is a mini stream to walk over to continue the rocky and sandy path. It is generally going uphill all the way to the top, some spots were steeper but not too difficult for a normal person.
Even before reaching the top, we got to see the nice cloudy views around the hill.
At some spots, you can actually see both sides of the hill, providing you two different views. Map spotters would enjoy spotting and identifying mountains nearby and far away. (Above photos were taken at 7.50am)
There is a trig station at the peak of Bukit Senaling.
There are many spots to take photos around the peak area. Not sure what kind of pose I was doing there haha. (Ignore the muddy legs, we trekked a random location before the actual hike and stepped/sunk right into a pool of mud)
We stayed at the top for quite a while, to enjoy watching the clouds change. At first, we thought that the clouds should be disappearing as the sun had been up for a while. But at around 8.40am, the cloud carpets were still as thick (or maybe even thicker and nearer to us)!
These are the views from Bukit Senaling peak at around 9am, when the sea of clouds are starting to disappear.
Journey Back Down
Finally, when the sea of clouds disappeared and the sky’s getting hot, we started heading back down at around 9.30am.
The journey down.
Back to the mini stream we walked over earlier. About 10-15 minutes more to the car park.
Have this guide helped you? Tag @meowtainpeople in your hiking stories & posts!
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*Captain Planet passing by* Remember, please take care of our environment, and please don’t destroy the Nature. Leave no trash behind and take back only photos and memories (and also some trash if you can). Walk on the designated path and stay in the middle as much as you can, so that the exposed soil doesn’t spread/corrode further. BE ONE WITH NATURE *flies away*
