A Malaysian Photo And Travel Blog

I've been so busy with work and I've had virtually no time to travel and update my blog. A hectic mundane life. ARGH! I felt like a slave - TRAPPED, CHAINED and LOST OF FREEDOM. Those dreadful feelings. All hope is not lost after all....the wait is finally OVER! I'm officially on two weeks holidays and enjoying every second of it. WOOHOO!

I'm travelling, photographing and writing again! YES!!!

The road trip to Melawati Hill (Malay: Bukit Melawati) in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia was a LONG......one. I decided to take the Kuala Selangor Omnibus (Number 141). It was a two hours trip from Medan Pasar Kuala Lumpur (Selangor Bus Hub) to Melawati Hill. A boring ride.

The morning was miserable with dull and cloudy sky. SIGH! To make matter worse, they were GAZILLIONS of mosquitoes...MADNESS! I had mosquito bites all over my legs and arms! UNBEARABLE ITCH! But it did not deter me. I took a few deep breaths, clear my mind, regain my focus and then walked all the way to the top of Melawati Hill.

The Silvered Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus cristatus), also known as the Silvery Langur were hiding in the trees. I waited patiently for them - 30 minutes, 1 hour and then 2 hours gone. I almost gave up hope. Then, an elderly man arrived with a super bike....he's my SAVIOR!

I met him before. He is a retired police officer. He looked at me and asked "Monyet belum turun lagi?" (translation: "The monkeys not coming down from the trees?"). I nodded my head and expressed my displeasure. He continued "You kena sabar. Sekejap lagi dia turun" (translation: You need to be patient). I've waited long..... enough. It's time to go back.

Halfway walking down the hill, the elderly man rushed to a huge tree. He made some very loud noise...."HEY! HEY! HEY! GOO! GOO! GOO!" All of a sudden, the Silvered Leaf Monkeys came running toward him. My jaw almost dropped. WOW! THIS IS NOT A JOKE! He is an animal whisperer, our very own Doctor Dolittle.

The rest is history. I spent another few hours capturing these beautiful primates in action with my newly bought Nikon 3200 with 18 - 105mm VR Kit.


Title: The Chain Smoker?
About: Capturing a Silvered Leaf Monkey in A.C.T.I.O.N is not an easy task, but it can be achieved with patience (loads of them). You might ask "Is he really smoking?" Find your answer in Picture 2 :)

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 2200
F-STOP: f/5.3
FOCAL LENGTH: 80mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: Nah...he's a bean eater!
About: The Silvered Leaf Monkey found himself a crunchy green bean. OM NOM NOM NOM...
Did you know? The silvery lutung is a specialist folivore (a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves). It does also eat fruit, and some seeds and flowers.

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 1800
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 105mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: WHOA!
About: You gotta LOVE this expression! I'm not sure what's going on in his mind...but this is definitely a precious moment :)
View HI-RES

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 1800
F-STOP: f/5.3
FOCAL LENGTH: 66mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: Show me some L.O.V.E ❤
About: This is one of my favorite shots. The comforting right hand and that deep thought on the face. I can't stop wondering what's troubling him.
Did you know? The silvery lutung is found across Borneo and Sumatra, as well as in parts of the south-western Malay Peninsula, the Natuna Islands, and other nearby islands. It inhabits mangrove swamps and nearby forest regions, and generally avoids travelling far from coasts or rivers.
VIEW HI-RES

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/125 s
ISO: 220
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 80mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: The CAUTIOUS look
About: A female Silvered Leaf Monkey looking out for potential danger.

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 2200
F-STOP: f/5.3
FOCAL LENGTH: 70mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: HISS!!! I'm FIERCE and FURIOUS!
About: In a split second the female filled with anger. That aggressive look...I think this would scare the shit out of most people. But it is another valuable shot. Talking about being in the right place at the right time :)
Did you know? The social structure of silvery lutungs is matrilineal and harem based. Females remain in the group for life, while males leave shortly after reaching adulthood, living in small groups of their own until they can take over an established harem.

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 2500
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 105mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop ♪ ♫
About: A female Silvered Leaf Monkey carrying her young one.
VIEW HI-RES

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 560
F-STOP: f/4.5
FOCAL LENGTH: 40mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: Mommy, I want milk
About: Hungry babies will do many things to tell you they are hungry. This newly born baby was having a deep eye contact with his mom.
Did you know? The female gives birth to a single young after a gestation period of 181 to 200 days. The young weigh about 400 grams (14 oz), measure about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) and are well developed, with a strong grip for holding onto the mother.
VIEW HI-RES

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 500
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 92mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: Curiosity
About: Junior reaching out towards another sibling.
VIEW HI-RES

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 720
F-STOP: f/5.3
FOCAL LENGTH: 75mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: The baby
About: Newborn silvered leaf monkeys differ considerably, as they have conspicuous bright orange fur with white hands, feet and face. The skin changes to black within days of birth, whereas the orange fur changes to the adult silver-black color after three to five months.
VIEW HI-RES

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 720
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 105mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: Love and Protection
About: Snug, secure and comfortable right next to big momma :)
Did you know? The young are cared for by females communally, and are not weaned for 18 months.

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/500 s
ISO: 640
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 85mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200


Title: The beginning
About: An up close and personal shot.
Did you know? The silvery lutung is classed as Near Threatened by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), and is listed in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Its habitat is heavily threatened throughout its range by logging and the development of oil plantations. The species is also threatened by hunting for meat and by capture for the pet trade.

Photo Technical Details:
SHUTTER SPEED: 1/125 s
ISO: 280
F-STOP: f/5.6
FOCAL LENGTH: 105mm
CAMERA: Nikon D3200

Melawati Hill (Malay: Bukit Melawati) - Getting There, Directions:

By bus

Visitors can board Selangor Bus No. 141 from Medan Pasar Bus Hub in Kuala Lumpur. The bus departs half-hourly from KL between 6.30am and 7.30pm, and takes 2 hours (++) to reach the bus terminal at Bandar Melawati, Kuala Selangor. (The last bus for the return trip from Kuala Selangor to KL is at 7.45pm)

The one-way fare is RM7.30.

By car

Make your way towards Sungai Buloh exit from North-South highway and follow the road signs towards Kuala Selangor. Alternatively if you are starting your journey from Klang, you can drive towards Kapar and head straight from there towards Kuala Selangor. Either way, the journey should not take longer than 80 minutes.

Google Maps


View Larger Map

Melawati Hill (Malay: Bukit Melawati) - Things to See and Do:

1. Silver Leaf Monkeys
2. A huge lighthouse built in the year 1907. This century old structure is still in use today to guide ships that sail along the Straits of Malacca.
3. Kuala Selangor Historical Museum.
4. Poisoned Well
5. Kuala Selangor Nature Park (at the bottom of the hill)
6. Melawati Fort
7. Bed Rock
8. Place for sighting of 'New Moon'
9. Royal Mausoleum. This mausoleum is the final resting place of the first three Sultans of Selangor.

1st Sultan of Selangor: Sultan Salahuddin (1742 - 1778)
2nd Sultan of Selangor: Sultan Ibrahim (1778 - 1826)
3rd Sultan of Selangor: Sultan Mahmud (1826 - 1857)

Melawati Hill (Malay: Bukit Melawati) - Read More and Useful Links:

Silvery Lutung (Wikipedia)
Kuala Selangor (Wikitravel)
Bukit Melawati (Journey Malaysia)

Last updated August 26th, 2012 (4:36 p.m.)