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Kelantan is home to Jelawang Waterfall, a place travellers claim is the tallest in Southeast Asia
Also known as Stong Waterfall, it's been a proud tourism talking point for years.
But like many bold claims, it's worth asking if it holds up when we actually measure things.
Located in Gunung Stong State Park, Jelawang Waterfall tumbles dramatically from a granite cliff surrounded by dense rainforest
The seven-tiered waterfall is said to be about 305m tall, with mist so fine it feels like rain.
The trek there is no walk in the park: expect a steep climb, occasional leeches, and a serious cardio workout, but the reward is a panorama of Kelantan's lush hills that's hard to beat.
For locals, it's more than just a waterfall; it's part of the state's identity, often appearing in tourism posters and hikers' Instagram posts at sunrise. And yes, at first glance, it does look like it could rival any falls in Southeast Asia.
A waterfall-hunting expert says the title is accurate… but not without a catch
Kovin, co-founder of Mowgli Venture and someone who has visited over 300 waterfalls, says Jelawang currently holds the title — at least on paper.
"In Southeast Asia, currently this is declared as the tallest waterfall. As far as I know, there are no taller waterfalls in Indonesia, Myanmar, or any other Southeast Asia country compared to the one in Malaysia. The Jelawang falls in Kelantan is the tallest as what has been measured at the moment," he told SAYS.
But there's a twist: According to Kovin, there are at least two other waterfalls — Julan Falls in Sarawak's Usun Apau National Park and Kedamaian Falls in Sabah — that might actually be taller.
The issue is that nobody has officially measured them yet. Without verified data, Jelawang gets to keep wearing the crown… for now.
Kovin is currently looking for sponsors to measure Julan and Kedamaian.
However, measuring waterfalls is trickier than it sounds
"The thing about waterfalls is that it can be a bit technical on how you want to measure it," Kovin added.
While Jelawang is often said to be around 300m tall, the definition of "tallest" depends on whether you count its entire vertical drop or just the highest uninterrupted plunge.
Some in the "waterfall world" don't count every cascading section towards the total height, which can lower its ranking.
On the other hand, according to the Malaysia Tourism website, Chemerong Waterfall in Terengganu stands at 1,214ft (370m) tall, which is technically taller than Jelawang, depending on the measurement criteria.
Tallest or not, Jelawang is still one of Malaysia's most spectacular hikes
Waterfalls aren't just about numbers; they're about the way the air cools as you approach, the sound of water rumbling in your chest, and the view that makes you forget how tired your legs are.
Even if one day, another Southeast Asian waterfall officially takes the title, Jelawang will still hold that rare mix of wild beauty and Malaysian pride.
