A study by online travel agency Exoticca.com has revealed the most popular hiking trails in Southeast Asia. The travel specialists ranked paths across 11 countries using AllTrails data, scoring each route based on hiker ratings, review numbers, and popularity to find which trails pull in the most foot traffic and positive feedback.
Malaysian trails took the highest number of top spots in Southeast Asia’s rankings, with Bukit Gasing Circular taking first place with a staggering 98.39 points out of 100. This 3.8 km loop near Kuala Lumpur scored a 4.6 average rating from 2,225 reviews and nailed an almost perfect 99.58% popularity score among walkers visiting the urban forest reserve.
Runner-up Bukit Kiara via Changkat Abang Haji Openg earned 96.73 points with 2,147 hikers sharing their experiences. The 4.5 km path links to the third-placed Twin Peaks, Quill Killer, Rock Garden, and Lower Carnival trail (95.06 points), creating a network of highly-rated walking routes surrounding Malaysia’s bustling capital city.
Just 2.2 km long, Ketumbar Hill in Kuala Lumpur landed fourth with 93.88 points despite its shorter length. The compact trail earned 4.6 stars from 1,914 reviews and scored an impressive 98.98% popularity rating among those who tackled it.
Thailand finally broke Malaysia’s winning streak, with the Wat Pha Lat Hike (Monk’s Trail) to Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai placing fifth with 93.24 points. Stretching 7.2 km through mountain terrain, this path mixes outdoor adventure with culture as it leads to a hidden Buddhist temple surrounded by jungle.
Malaysia made yet another appearance in sixth place as Sri Bintang Hill scored 92.07 points. Walkers gave this short 2.2 km trail 4.6 stars across 1,772 reviews, and it achieved a 99.17% popularity score despite measuring much shorter than many other trails on the list.
The Bukit Gasing area proved its charm by appearing twice in the top rankings, with its Fence Trail Loop landing seventh (89.43 points). A total of 1,578 hikers rated this 3.5 km route an average of 4.6 stars.
Tiga Puteri Peak via Merbuk secured eighth place with 88.53 points. Located in Selangor, Malaysia, this challenging 6-km path won praise from 1,503 hikers who gave it a 4.7-star rating.
Malaysia’s Mount Datuk in Negeri Sembilan claimed the ninth spot with 87.99 points while carrying the highest difficulty rating of five among top contenders. Brave walkers awarded it a 4.7-star average across 1,448 reviews.
Rounding out the top 10, Taman Tugu’s Green, Yellow and White trails scored 86.02 points. This 3.7-km Malaysian circuit attracted 1,304 reviews with a solid 4.7-star average.
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