Baling Hill

Location :
In the sub-district Pulai, district of Baling, Kedah.
Coordinates of the peak of Baling Hill are 5°40.790’N 100°54.567’E
You can access the Google Map here.

Natural Heritage Status:
Baling Hills enclave is a combination of several peaks on a horseshoe-shaped ridge of limestone-quartz outcrop. It is one of the significant limestone outcrops in Kedah beside Kodiang and Gunung Keriang. The highest peak being Gunung Pulai (585 m) on the southern end of the ridge. The trail to Gunung Pulai is still undeveloped. The hill can be popularized as a rock climbing destination.
Baling Hill (420m) is the peak at the northern ridge. The hill is famous for its spectacular view of the historical Baling town and the mountains beyond. Sungai Ketil flows at the foothill of the massive Baling Hills’ outcrop.
Baling got its name from Thai settlers who had seen troop of monkeys in the village. They named the village as Ban-Lin. Thai language for village is Ban. While Lin is for monkeys. Eventually, the name became Baling.

Gazettement :
Baling Hills has not yet being gazetted. At present there is no restriction on entering the area. Pockets of valley within the limestone-quartz hills have valuable timber trees and herbs.

Accessibility:
To Baling: Access to Baling is by using Route 67 and state road K10. The starting point is beside route K10. However, there is no road sign to indicate the starting point of the trail to Baling Hill.
Baling Hill: Trails are sometimes overgrown with bushes and fallen trees. They are steep. The earlier parts of the trail are through slippery slopes. As one reached the ridge trail, razor-sharp rocks and limestone mass dotted the path. The trails are not suitable for children and inexperience hikers.


Affordability:
No restriction and permit needed from the Forestry Department to hike Baling Hills.
Park vehicles within compound of villagers.
Baling Hills is frequented by the locals to collect flora and crystals. There are not many foreign tourists climbing the hills.

Level of Development:
None as on June 2008. No facilities for visitors to the hills.
There are 2 villages near the entrance to Baling Hills – Kg Bawah Gunung and Kg Seberang Pekan with estimated population of 1500 persons.

Popularity:
Small groups during weekends and school holidays. According to villagers, not many hikers frequented Baling Hill. Regular cycad and herbs collectors occasionally visited the hill to collect for commercial purposes. It was estimated that only about 2 to 3 groups of visitors per month visited the hill. Hikers need not apply for permit to hike Baling Hills.

Accommodation:
No chalet and camping facilities available for overnight stay at Baling Hills.

Threats:
Garbage: Visitors and locals had defaced rocks with graffiti and disposed trash on the hills.
Flora: Plant-pilfering by local cycad plant collectors had over collected the plants on the hills without any restriction from Forestry Department.
Development: No ecotourism development observed.
Crystal: Evident of crystal digging and damaging of ancient rocks could be seen at Baling Hills.
Quarry: The northern ridge had seen critical damages to the hill structures. Developer for the quarry is Indah Sejagat Sdn Bhd in the Sub-district Pulai, Baling. EIA approved in 1998.

Mitigation:
The hill should be gazzetted as a national or state park to protect the flora and fauna and the geological gems of Baling Hills. Signboards should be placed at strategic places by Forestry Department against pilfering of flora and fauna.

Conservation:
There is no restriction to enter Baling Hill. However, the difficult terrain has prevented unnecessary over exploitation until now.
Flora: Some plant species like Cycas clivicola was over harvested by plant-pilferers. The hill is home to many herbs and plants species. Among them are a species of bamboo (Dendrocalamus dumosus), wild torch ginger, tunjuk langit (Helminthostachys zeylanica), Bat Lily (Tacca Integrifolia), wild serai wangi (Cymbopogon calcicola), rare aroid (Arisaema fimbriatum), a huge collection of fern species and other herbal plants.
Geological: Crystals and fossils were some of the geological features seen. An in-depth scientific study should reveal interesting findings. Already crystal hunters had damaged many outcrops on the hill. With its outstanding geological feature, a horseshoe-shaped ridge with a limestone amphitheatre (Lee Siew Peng, (2003)), Baling Hills outcrops should be gazetted a national monument to prevent further damages and be promoted as ecotourism park.
Fauna: Traces of wild animals can be seen at the peak of Baling Hill. These include bamboo shoots been eaten (bears?), grounds were disturbed (wildboars) and leaves plucked (deer or serow?)

Benefits to Local Communities:
Baling Hills does not provide much commercial benefits for the local communities. Except for occasional guiding to the hills, locals can only benefited from plant-pilfering of cycads and herbs on the hills which were detrimental to the hill ecosystem.
The soils around Baling Hills are rich in nutrient. Local communities involved in orchards and agriculture. Durian orchards and torch ginger cultivation at the hill slopes.

How to Get There:
Using the Butterworth – Grik Expressway (E15) and exit towards Baling (67). Cruise along trunk road 67 towards Baling. From Baling heads to Sik using K10. A kilometer after the Sungai Ketil bridge, look for the starting point.

Important Contacts
Jabatan Perhutanan Negeri Kedah
Tingkat 8, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Halim Jalan Sultan Badlishah 05000 Alor Setar KEDAH
Tel : 04-7333844
Fax: 04-7310610
http://www. kedforestry.gov.my


References
Plus (1996), Guide to Peninsular Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia.
Ong Hean Chooi (2204), Tumbuhan Liar, Utusan Publications.
http:// allmalaysia.info/news/story.asp?file=/2003/9/6/state/6134549&sec=mi_kedah