Lubuk Timah Hot Spring & Waterfall

The hot pools and the waterfall

The hot spring pools are small and shallow, set right next to the stream. No temperature figures have been published for them, and we found no geological survey data or water analysis, so both temperature and mineral type are unknown.

The cold side is the bigger draw. The stream has shallow areas for children and deeper sections for adults, though a 2025 guide warns of a strong current. Water runs over the old dam in a crescent-shaped fall; in the rainy season it becomes heavy enough that locals call it a mini Niagara. The river is usually clear but turns murky after rain.

A tin-mining past

The dam was built in British colonial times as a small hydroelectric scheme to power nearby tin mines. It was abandoned when mining slowed, and its remoteness later made it a base for communist insurgents. The recreation centre opened around 2013. In 2016 the Tourism and Culture Ministry announced upgrades: tarring the 900 m access road, bringing in electricity and building more chalets.

Facilities and costs

• Free toilets, a surau and parking
• A cafeteria (closed when one guide writer visited on a Wednesday)
• Gazebos with a fan and two power points, about RM50 to RM70 a day
• Shaded benches or pondok, about RM10
• Malay-style chalets for overnight stays (seven as of 2017)
• Children's pony rides and small ATVs, plus archery (pony rides were not running on weekdays during one visit)

Outside food is allowed, which makes it a popular picnic spot. There are few trees, so book a gazebo or bench for shade.

Is it open?

Yes. Google Maps reviews kept coming in through September and October 2026 from people who swam and picnicked there, and the Google listing gives daily hours of 8am–7pm.

What recent visitors say

In September 2026 several reviewers found the river and waterfall cloudy and brown, "like milk tea" in one description, while early October visitors found the water clear and the grounds well kept. Toilet reports are just as split: October 2026 families called them clean, but a September 2026 reviewer found the bathing and changing rooms smelly. It is a short walk of a few minutes from the car park, past the hot soaking pool, to the waterfall. One September 2026 reviewer noted that camping is not allowed.

When to go

Weekdays. Entry is reported to double on weekends, and the site gets very crowded on weekends and public holidays: back in 2017 it already drew over 2,000 visitors a month.