Stage 6
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Hot Rock: the arc of asia
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Thailand |
Malaysia |
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ThailandHaving picked up some newcomers in Bangkok, we set off on the final stage of the arc of Asia: the SE Asian peninsula. The rock climbing in thailand and malaysia really must be on anyone's lifetime tick list. Driving down the narrow peninsula on good roads we pass loads of unclimbed rock and your neck may begin to ache from repeated swivel injuries. The first destinations are Khao Yo & Chonburi. They are only one hour from Bangkok and sport a 'hard to miss crag' with camping at the base and routes developed from 5.7-5.12. There is stacks of potential for new routes as the area has only recently been opened up. Another promising new cliff is at Lopburi on the 80m high limestone wall. There is room for about 100 routes but has hardly been climbed on at all! |
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You may have heard of our next destination. Tonsai beach awaits us for the next fortnight. As far as the climbing scene goes it is as close to sports climbing paradise as you’re going to get with routes starting out of the water, out of the bar and straight off the beach. No need to break a sweat on long walk-ins! The huge limestone walls go on for miles and soar upwards at dizzying angles, stalactites of all shapes and sizes hang from the cliffs and there are tufa columns galore. Islands of sheer rock rise from the sea and all this within minutes of ice cold cocktails. |
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The guidebook describes the 500+ routes in the area and we’re in touch with various local activists to keep us abreast of new developments. Based in our own beach huts we can explore the many bolted routes in the area, from f5c to f8c+. Whilst most of the routes are single pitch sports routes on often wildly gymnastic roofs, there are bigger walls such as the 500ft Thaiwand which boasts classics such as “Lord of the Thais” and “The King and I.” |
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There are easier routes on Muay Thai wall, 5.7s – 5.11s on good solid rock. For real fun however it has to be the two tiered jungle Gym on Andaman beach which is as perfect as single pitch sport routes get. These super steep routes ascend the wall that looks like a huge wave breaking overhead (hence “Tidal Wave” 5.12c.) The upper tier has multi-pitch lines ranging from 5.10 – 5.12, all above a wobbly bamboo ladder. These climbs wander through chandelier systems of stalactites, and abseils sometimes put you in the sea! The bars and restaurants will be a great place to bore other climbers from all over the world to tears with our tall tales from the last 10 months. Nights of Thai curries and fatally potent Mekong whiskey can seriously impair the climbing but somehow it doesn’t matter, as the Krabi scene marches relentlessly on. Rest days are spent on the beckoning beach. Or taking sea kayaks to explore the caves. You can dive, ride elephants, snorkel, try Thai boxing, or take longtail boats to any of the thousands of secluded islands off the coast. |
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From Tonsai we may explore some of the islands. Ko Phi Phi has a couple of hundred routes, for example. There is still loads of new routing potential in all these areas, and we’ll spend at least a fortnight here before even thinking of rolling up our beach mats, dusting sand off the ropes, and moving on to Malaysia.
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MalaysiaMalaysia has it all: an array of limestone outcrops on Peninsular Malaysia, granite boulders and monoliths at the east coast, limestone crags and sandstone mountains in Sarawak and alpine granite and big walls in Sabah. North of Kuala Lumpur, there is vast potential in the states Perak (around Ipoh), Perlis, Kelantan and Pahang where hundreds of limestone crags wait to be developed. The east coast also offers enormous untapped potential. Most of the existing routes in Malaysia are bolted sports climbs on limestone crags, with some trad exceptions on granite walls. |
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We’ll spend a couple of weeks exploring new areas in the company of local climbers in the north and east of the country, before making our way to Kuala Lumpur (KL,) the capital city and the hub of Malaysian climbing with an astonishing 215 crags! The two main regions here are Batu Caves and Bukit Takun. The rock is white and red limestone with a good selection of different climbs, from overhanging jugathons a là Krabi to delicate slabs on micro ledges. All told there are about 100 sports routes, up to three pitches, spread across 7 or so crags. Conveniently most are right beside each other and all are within a $5 taxi ride of central KL. As the government seems to take an active role in sponsoring the sport, access is no problem with one of the crags (Damai) having its own car parking and gravel at the base. |
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There is so much potential that where exactly we spend our time will be a group decision when we get there. But, for example, the climbing area around Bukit Cheras hill has loads of developed routes and free camping close to the rocks. The scary sounding 'Boulder of Death' has routes as hard as 5.13b with one particular problem 'Do or Die' having a 10ft section where the largest hold can fit one finger (hhhmmmm-maybe not). If that is not enough there is the 45ft, 45 degree overhanging arête of 'Skeleton' which is reportedly a 5.14 on trad gear. There are however many easier routes and potential in the area. Other crags including Volleyball Site, White Wall and Red Rocks offer Thailand style limestone. |
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For those that want to there is also the option of jumping on a short flight to Malaysian Borneo, home of orangutans, leatherback turtles, and Mount Kinabalu – the highest mountain in SE Asia and which boasts a summit plateau of weirdly shaped volcanic spires, with names such as Donkey Ears Peak. Composed of sound plutonic rock, and with a few recorded trad routes, we could put up many more. We’ll be sure to spend some time in the cultural jamboree of KL… eating local specialities including deep fried chicken claws… and after heading up the tallest building in the world (it’s got to be a great buildering challenge!) we’ll head south on Birt or on the overnight train to the coast, and the final destination on Hot Rock’s 2009 Arc of Asia adventure: Singapore. |
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SingaporeBelieve it or not, there is actually a climbing guidebook to Singapore. So for those who still have tendons left we’ll spend a day or so exploring the best of these short climbs, before gathering somewhere central for the mother of all parties... We’ve traveled for 9 months and 20,000 miles. We’ve circumnavigated the Indian Ocean, explored the entire Himalayan chain and driven the roof of the world. We’ve followed in the footsteps of Marco Polo, Vasco de Gama and Ghengis Khan. After countless laughs and climbs, and a few hard times it’s time to celebrate! |
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