Rafting/canoeing in Malaysia

I have yet to canoe in Malaysia, though it can't too far off my schedule. I've identified a number of rivers that seem worthy candidates. As you may know Malaysia is split - with its sovereign territory occupying the Malay Peninsula (extending south of Thailand, but excluding the island of Singapore on the southern tip) and the northern portion of Borneo (where the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak abut the southern Indonesia territory of Kalimantan). Anyway, Sarawak and Sabah are very rugged, remote wildernesses, and I'd say there are some adventures there.

The ranges of the Malay Peninsula and the mountains of Borneo offer some of the best remote whitewater rafting and canoeing in South East Asia. There are rivers suited for the whole range of river adventurists – from novice to expert. River rapids are categorized from Grade I-V (Class I is easy; III is “intermediate” and V is for the experts, with turbulent rapids, waves, holes and tough routes), so know your limits, or otherwise find an experienced and professional rafting company.

The most popular rivers (river means ‘Sungai’ in Malay) to canoe in Malaysia are:
1. Padas River, 170km from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia: See www.impression.com.my/sabah/kk/padas/padas.htm and www.sabahtravelguide.com/mapguide/default.asp?page=padas.
2. Selangor River, near Kuala Lumpur West Malaysia: There is a challenging 2hour run on this river, especially during the rainy season, with rapids ranging from Class I to Class V. See river info http://impressions.com.my/Raft/raft_sel.htm.
3. Kiulu River in Sabah, East Malaysia: See http://www.impression.com.my/sabah/kk/kiulu/kiulu.htm
4. Kampar River, Perak State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/itek/itek.htm.
5. Sungai Itek River, Perak State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/itek/itek.htm.
6. Sungkai River, Perak State, Malay Peninsula: This river is better suited to kayaking.
7. Jeram Besu, Pahang State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/raft_JB.htm.
8. Telom River, Pahang State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/telom/telom_rafting.htm.
9. Kuala Perahu River, Pahang State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/telom/k_perahu/k_perahu.htm
10. Loh River, Trengganu State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/loh/loh_main.htm.
11. Sedim River, Kedah State, Malay Peninsula: See http://impressions.com.my/Raft/raft_sedim.htm.

There have been numerous deaths on Malaysian rivers as a result of poor tour guide practices. Then there was the drowning of a Dutch tourist on the Padas River in November and another fatality this Dec-07. The risks posed are:
1. Rafting companies taking too high risks because of the desire to maximize profits. The implication is that they might:
2. Run river tours after heavy rains and no assessment of any damages that have since developed
3. Fail to practice safe procedures to safe time
4. Rafting company staff not having the experience to assess the risk due to inadequate training or lack of safety procedure adherence
5. If you want professionals I would go with river companies with experienced raft guides and the kayak rescuers on standby. The risk posed are adventurers getting trapped in holes, snagged by branches, trapped under the raft, though the buoyancy and headgear should otherwise prevent drowning and head injuries, assuming the gear is worn correctly. Choosing a responsible and safety-conscious operator is the key to avoiding mishaps. When rafting it does not help that 90% of any 13-party group are likely to be “virgins” to whitewater rafting.

Questions you can ask an operator before signing up for a rafting trip:
1. What grade is the river? Is it suitable for beginners?
2. What is your company’s safety track record like and what are the safety-and-emergency procedures?
3. Are your guides trained in Swiftwater Rescue and equipped with CPR and First Aid skills?
4. What kind of gear do you use and provide for participants (e.g. raft, helmet, PFD)?
5. Do you include insurance cover? Can this be arranged for us? Some companies like Pan-Global provide extensive coverage on outdoor sports
6. What is included in the cost?
7. What kind of clothing and things should one bring?
8. Do you have any referrals or testimonials from past participants?

Ensure the following:
1. You should be informed about the risks of rivers
2. The nature of rivers an how to pick features or characteristics
3. How to wear and use the safety equipment
4. How to paddle correctly – so you get good strokes and don’t hit your fellow paddlers with the oar.
5. What river guide instructions to listen to
6. Your guide should take you through some practice sessions on the river
7. How to stay in the raft when riding tough rapids
8. What you should do if you fall out or are thrown out of the raft, eg. Atch out for a throw bag (ie. a nylon sack).
9. They should be using good equipment
If you think you are going to be an experienced rafter after a trip – Think about. You are a fee-paying slave under instruction, getting the benefit of an adrenaline rush. Kayaking and canoeing offer you greater opportunity to develop independent judgement.

There are many rafting operators in Malaysia running the various rivers, though some have a dubious track record on the rivers and unsafe operating procedures. The operators with the best reputation are:
1. Tracks Adventures, a Selangor-based rafting outfitter in Kuala Kubu Baru. Tracks Adventures’ guides are all trained in Swiftwater Rescue, a course that teaches proactive prevention of river accidents and injuries certified by the New Zealand Canoeing Association. Guides learn to recognise and avoid common river hazards like “holes” that can trap and hold a buoyant object, and strainers (usually partly submerged trunks or logs) that can trap a swimmer underneath with the force of the current will hold him there. They practise self-rescue and methods of rescuing swimmers and recovering rafts and gear based on the American Canoe Association’s (ACA) syllabus (www.americancanoe.org). Tracks Adventures has been running Selangor River since 1994. Tel: (60-3) 6065 1767; email: tracks@tm.net.my and www.tracksadventures.com.my.
2. Khersonese Expeditions: They are another experienced operator. Tel: (03) 7722 3511; Email: info@thepaddlerz.com and www.thepaddlerz.com.
3. Riverbug: They are a Kota Kinabalu-based operator who has been in the business for 10 years. The company operates on Padas and Kiulu Rivers in Sabah, and Sg Kampar in Perak, and has offices in Perak and Kuala Lumpur. Their trainees have to run Grade I and II rivers at least 60 times, and grade III and IV 80 times before they are allowed to guide clients. Riverbug also uses safety kayakers on their runs. Tel: (60-3) 2162 0114 or www.traversetours.com.

Many beginners are unaware of the dangers presented by rivers. Whitewater has swift and strong undercurrents. Listen to your guides safety tips carefully, follow their instructions, and exercise care. If you are risk-averse, don’t be lulled into going rafting. Avoid groups that take more than 3 rafts (30 to 40 clients) at a time, and those without rescuers in kayaks. Most accidents occur because clients don’t listen to instructions or they don’t take safety precautions seriously.