Temurun Waterfall

I finally made it to Langkawi over a long holiday. I'm not young anymore and had never been, which I found a bit embarrassing. The news had been saying hotel occupancy on the island was down, so I assumed it would be quiet. It wasn't. Every attraction we went to was packed. So I went looking for something smaller, and that's how I ended up at Temurun Waterfall in the northwest corner of the island. It's far from the main shopping area and the popular beaches, which I think is why it felt so much emptier. A few other people were there, but it never got crowded. The mood was relaxed, and I didn't feel like I was queuing for anything. How long is the walk to Temurun Waterfall? About 15 minutes from the entrance to the falls, the way we did it. It's a forest path, and you climb gently into the trees. You don't see the waterfall until you're nearly on top of it, and I liked that. It looks like it's hiding in the woods. Other sites say the walk is shorter, closer to 5 to 10 minutes. I probably walked slowly and stopped a lot, so use whichever number you like. It isn't a hard walk either way. What's it like compared to the big Langkawi attractions? Very different. There isn't much here in the way of facilities. You don't come for a ride or a show. You come to walk in the forest, feel the breeze, and look at a waterfall. After the Sky Bridge crowds, I found that a relief. I got in the water and had a proper play, which was the whole reason I picked a waterfall instead of another beach. I'd been looking forward to a little peace and quiet, and I got it. Rainforest, waterfall and sea in one stop This is my favourite bit. When you walk back out through the entrance, the sea is right there. You've just been in the rainforest and at the waterfall, and a few minutes later you're looking at the ocean. I didn't expect that combination in one small trip. If you're driving around Langkawi and you like quiet nature stops, put Temurun on your list. It's an easy one to tuck into a day. Watch out for the monkeys There are a lot of monkeys near the entrance. Keep your bag and phone close, and don't leave anything sitting on a rock. Other visitors say they can get pushy about food, so I'd skip bringing snacks in. I didn't have any trouble, but I was paying attention. Is there water in the falls all year? Not always. If you go outside the rainy season, the flow can be pretty low. When you visit will change how the waterfall looks, so don't expect a big rush of water on a dry day. Sources disagree on the wetter months. One says September to October is best, another says April to November, so check the recent weather before you plan your day. I went in the holiday season, and I'll admit I didn't think about how full the falls would be until I was there.