Southeast Asia hiking

[KnightErrant]

Guess who finally got a post-thru-hike job all the way confirmed? I'm going to be teaching English in Singapore for a while, and I'm on the hunt for hiking recommendations in SEA. Day hikes and/or overnight hikes. What are your favorites? Thanks!!

(Also I'm flying out of Florida in early January so this also means my post-Christmas FT section hike is a go, so thanks for the advice/recommendations on that one as well!)

[Old Hillwalker]

Mount Kinabalu.

[Venchka]

Read, or listen to, Matterhorn on the flights over there. You will get a great read and ideas where to hike. In the dry season.
Do you know what the climate is like in Singapore? Hiking might not be what you’re looking for.
Have fun and good luck!
Wayne

[Astro]

Read, or listen to, Matterhorn on the flights over there. You will get a great read and ideas where to hike. In the dry season.
Do you know what the climate is like in Singapore? Hiking might not be what you’re looking for.
Have fun and good luck!
Wayne

But at least the weather is consistent.
Lived there for a year. Closed thing I could compare it to was living at Disney World.

[KnightErrant]

I went to UCF, which is basically living at Disney World. Also lived in the Dominican Republic and Morocco and elsewhere in Florida, so heat and humidity are familiar territory. I'm currently visiting Montreal, and here I'm wayyy out of my element!

I googled Kinabalu and it looks like a great trek! It looks like similar length/altitude/difficulty to the Toubkal summit trek I did last year, and while that was a bit of a struggle, I think I'd be better prepared for a mountain of that magnitude now only a few months out from finishing my AT thru hike.

[KnightErrant]

Finished my short teaching contract in Malaysia and heading back to the States soon, and unfortunately I didn't do Kinabalu because the permit and guide fees were going to make it over $600 for 3-4 days, including the flight to Borneo. However, instead, I just spent 6 days in Sumatra for around $450 total, including flights in and out of Medan, which included two days hiking in the jungle in Bukit Lawang to spot orangutans, and then a day hike up a volcano at Mt. Sibayak near Berastagi, and then another day "hike" down to the base of Sipisopiso Falls near Lake Toba. Planning to write about it and post a bunch of photos on my travel/hiking blog in the next couple weeks, so I'll post a link when I do!

Next month I start my first "real" job since leaving Morocco to thru-hike the AT over a year ago. This frail little Floridian is moving to New Hampshire! I hope not to freeze to death.

[Decibel]

You won't freeze to death. It was a balmy 9*s this morning. Good hiking temp.

[4eyedbuzzard]

...Next month I start my first "real" job since leaving Morocco to thru-hike the AT over a year ago. This frail little Floridian is moving to New Hampshire! I hope not to freeze to death.

Good luck in NH. You are moving there just in time to enjoy mud season and the black fly hatch! In the far north part of the state, we have two seasons. Winter, and July. Okay, realistically, summer is short, especially up north, mid-June to late-August. Typically it snows before Halloween. I've seen snow on Memorial Day and frost on Labor Day. You'll love NH if you can adapt to the winters, Nov thru April.

But, there are actually two very different New Hampshires. There's the "North of the Notch", aka the "North Country", which is the northern third of the state, encompassing parts of Grafton and Carroll counties plus all of Coos county, with about 5% of the state's population (the deer and cows outnumber us humans). And we are typically rural, and poor. And then there's the rest. Far southern NH, especially Hillsborough and Rockingham counties, account for over half the state's population, and is called northern MA. When they or actual MA inhabitants flee their urban/suburban surroundings to visit the "North Country" with their snowmobiles (sleds) or RV's, they are often referred to as M@$$hole$ when their behavior rubs the locals the wrong way. The fact that their tourist dollars support a lot of tourist businesses is immaterial. It's a love/hate thing.

All inhabitants south of the notch are by definition "flatlanders".
As in, "they went hiking up Lafayette wearin' nothin but shorts and tee shirts. Nearly froze to death in July."
"Ah, flatlanders, eh?"

Just some local color to help you assimilate. Offered in good humor.

[Old Hillwalker]

Hi, are you coming here to teach school?

[fiddlehead]

Hello KnightErrant,
I live in nearby southern Thailand and have hiked a lot around SE Asia.
In 2018, I hiked in Sumatra, Northern Vietnam, Taiwan and Tasmania.

Before that, I've climbed Kinabalu in Borneo. It's a great mountain but only a one or 2 day hike.
I've done some hiking and even designed a trail here in Phuket (a large island in southern Thailand) although it's too hot to hike here and the trail grows shut very quickly after I open it up. I wouldn't recommend Thailand for you.

I did climb a volcano in Bali quite a few years ago now. I believe it's the one that just erupted last year.

As far as heat, it's a problem in SE Asia, although I was quite cold when I climbed Fansipan in Vietnam last year.
Sapa is the jumping off point. Fly to Hanoi and take the overnight train up to Sapa. Great trekking town with lots of options, including Fansipar (but it also has a gondola that goes to the top, which is a little disheartening when you hike up)
I actually enjoyed the "homestay trek" with the Hmong people more than the climb up the highest point in Indochina

Taiwan is a gem although a bit longer flight. I hiked the Wuling Sixiu peaks last summer with friends.
Lots of Taiwan people hike and they are very friendly and English is widely spoken.
I'll probably be going back there soon to hike with my Taiwanese friends there.

I also did 2 weeks in Tasmania last April although it was quite cold and we had snow (That is their autumn).
Some great hiking there. I did the "Walls of Jerusalem" National Park for 4 days there and then went to the Cradle Mountain gem (which is a bit of a madhouse with tourists) (Walls of Jerusalem was much better IMO as I don't like crowds when I'm out there.

Sumatra is very close to Singapore and I did a 2 day Orangutan hike there last year.
Here's a video I made about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb6HzIGqJMQ&t=154s
It was actually surprisingly chilly there, especially being so close to Singapore and the equator.

That should keep you busy for some time.
Let me know if you hop up to Phuket. If I'm free I'll show you around and do some shorter hikes with you.
Flights are dirt cheap in SE Asia, so: Explore away!

[KnightErrant]

@Fiddlehead, from your video it looks like we had very similar trips in Sumatra! I also did the orangutan spotting in Bukit Lawang and some hikes around Lake Toba. Both gorgeous areas. I'm already back in the U.S. but I'll keep your suggestions in mind for my next Asia trip!

@Old Hillwalker, yep, I'm teaching!

@4eyedbuzzard, I'm up in North Country alright, although as a Floridian I most definitely qualify as a flatlander. I've been here two days now and I'm surviving, but I understand these temps in the 20s and 30s are definitely unseasonably warm. Cold and snow coming in the next few days though. We'll see how it goes!

[Decibel]

Welcome to NH. There is no better place to live.