The seven pools
A chain of natural pools on smooth rock at the top.
A waterfall sliding down a smooth rock face on Mount Machinchang, forming seven natural pools in a row at its top, hence the name Seven Wells. Local legend says fairies bathed in these pools, and the place keeps a little of that magic. To reach the upper pools you climb a long stairway of around six hundred steps through the forest, twenty to thirty minutes depending on fitness, and hard going in the humidity. At the top you can sit in the shallow pools, and some young people slide down the smooth rock between them, but that is dangerous and the rock is slippery, so do not let children do it. At the bottom of the steps a short boardwalk looks at the lower falls, enough for anyone who cannot climb. Entry is free, and the flow changes a lot: heavy after the wet-season rains and very thin in the dry months. Macaques are common on the stairs, so keep food out of sight, and wear proper shoes and bring water. It is close to the cable car station, so the two fit into one half-day.
A chain of natural pools on smooth rock at the top.
A view of the lower falls for those who do not climb.
A local tale of fairies bathing in the pools.
Near the Oriental Village, Machinchang, Langkawi
In the dry months the flow drops a lot and many are disappointed. Visiting between December and March, keep to the lower boardwalk or ask about the water before climbing.
