Larut Hill

Bukit Larut is a hill resort in Malaysia located in the state of Perak, Malaysia, 10 kilometres southwest from Taiping. It was established under the direction of British colonists in 1884 as a place of observation for tin mining activity and as a retreat for the English people who were based in nearby Larut and Taiping. The area was initially named Maxwell Hill after the British Malaya administrator George Maxwell, and was renamed as Bukit Larut in 1979. Bukit Larut is rich in biodiversity. Bukit Larut is home to 621 highland plant species which accounts for 20.4% of the overall highland plant species found in Peninsular Malaysia, as well as 27 mammal, 227 bird, 9 reptile, and 56 amphibian species. The area receives the highest rainfall in Malaysia with precipitation reaching up to 5,800 millimetres (230 in) annually. After a 1997 proposal to redevelop Bukit Larut with additional tourism facilities was opposed by the public, the government of Perak chose instead to renovate the old colonial-era bungalows and rest houses. Access to Bukit Larut's only road is restricted to four-wheel drive vehicle and foot travel due to the steep and narrow nature of the road. Damage to the road in a 2019 landslide blocked vehicle access until at least 2023, with repairs estimated at RM8 million. Bukit Larut is the location for the annual North Face Malaysia Mountain Trail Festival, which is a qualifier event for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB). Construction of the hill station took place in 1884 and the hill was named after George Maxwell, a British Malaya administrator. The first retreat bungalow, "The Cottage", was set up in 1884 for the Resident-General of Perak. The development was followed by the construction of Tempinis Bungalow (formerly Treacher Bungalow) and Cendana Bungalow (formerly The Hut), in 1880 and 1889, to accommodate visitors of Maxwell Hill. The Tea Garden constructed in 1887 used to be part of a tea plantation estate for Assam Tea prior to its end at an unspecified date. Maxwell Hill was renamed to Bukit Larut in 1979. South Indian laborers and their descendants played a vital role in building and maintaining Bukit Larut (originally known as Maxwell Hi

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