Climbing in Koh Yao Noi – The Grateful Wall!

I have been living in Phuket one full year now and I went out Climbing in Koh Yao Noi so many times that I cannot count them on my fingers.

Since I usually prefer climbing on sea side walls, so far my preferred spots were the HD Wall and the Big Tree Wall. Of course The Bee Wall is also very nice and certainly The Mitt is a great spot…however, still I was probably missing the best of it…The Grateful Wall!!!

The Grateful Wall is an amazing cliff standing a few meters above the sea level only reachable by boat and considering it is facing north, thus constantly on shade, it is possible to climb the whole day!

The wall was discovered and bolted by Mark Miner in 2004, it has 10 bolted routes from 6a to 6c+ and it is great for beginners and absolutely amazing for any average climber looking for spectacular lines.

The rock is terribly solid, movements are intuitive and since all the routes have vertical sessions and overhanging passages, the climbing is sustained and trained forearms are necessary to reach the anchors specially while climbing on-sight!

The name of this outstanding wall is dedicated to the famous American rock band The Grateful Deadand climbing Franklin’s Tower (6a+/35m) to ring the bell …it’s a must!

Do not forget to bring a 70m ropes and your swimming suit!

The Grateful Wall

Climbing in Malaysia: Batu Cave and Bukit Keteri....

Climbing in Malaysia is perhaps not so popular among the international climbing community, especially if compared with Thailand, however it has a huge potential that I believe should be taken in a closer consideration.

Being very honest, my personal knowledge was confined with the classic spots of Batu Caves which, beside its famous temple, has a decent number of bolted routes however, a part of it I decided to visit also the areas of Butik Keteri in the province of Perlis next to the borders to Thailand, which seemed to be very interesting and not very popular.

Being surrounded by highways and immerse in the urban district, Batu Caves is probably not the best climbing spot in the world. Nevertheless, even though you will be very far from feeling lost in the middle of a forest or immerse in the deep wild, many walls are featuring very nice lines.

The main crag is indeed the Damai Wall. It is located on the north side of Batu Caves, it is very easy to access, it is in shade from the late morning and therefore it represents the hot spot for many friendly local climbers in particular during the weekends.

The wall is well maintained, it has a number of easy and enjoyable routes and it can guarantee at least two full days of climbing without getting bored.

Butik Keteri it's located on the north side of Malaysia. The best way to reach it is to take an overnight train from KL to Padang Besar. The fare is quite reasonable, only 50 RM for a comfortable berth in superior class and it can be booked online www.ktmb.com.my. 

Since in this area services are very scarce, I strongly recommend anyone going there to get in contact with Mr. Rizuan Khatulpica and to visit his blog at: http://khatulpicaadventure.blogspot.com he is an experienced local guide, very friendly, helpful and with a vast knowledge of the area!

The most interesting spots of the area are of course the K3 hill in Bukit Keteri and the Gua Kelam Big Wall at Kaki Bukit.

Unfortunately due to the absence of many climbers and therefore the scarce maintenance, many of the best routes at K3 are not possible to be climbed because they are literally immerse in the forest, while the Big Wall of Kaki Bukit being located inside a national park is in perfect condition and features amazing long technical routes. Be aware of the bees though...

Supranee May on her first lead at Batu Caves, Damai Wall

Priceless view at K3 hill, north side Cobra Wall

Local climbers at Damai Wall, Batu Cave

Spectacular view of K3 hill in Bukit Keteri

Riccardo, Rizuan, Nadir after climbing at the Big Wall in Kaki Bukit...Nippa rules!!!

Additional pictures can be found on THIS Facebook link, enjoy!!!

Climbing in Phuket: after work climbing session in Kata...

Despite the lack of a proper Climbing Gym in Phuket, as we can see the Phuket Climbing Community is growing fast, both because local climbers are popping up like mushrooms both because new friends are approaching this amazing community.

As always everybody is welcome to join our Thursday Evening After Work Climbing Session...the boulder wall is small and it's perfect for beginners to learn some basic movements, however I can guarantee it can be tough enough also for more experienced climbers!

If you are a regular climber do not forget to bring your shoes and chalk with you. If you have any secondhand old shoes...bring them as well, maybe someone else can use them!

If you are a beginner, no worries, just come and have fun! We will take care of you! 

Check our latest PICTURES and join our growing 

Phuket Climbing Community!

Climbing Session in Phuket are free and open to everybody every Thursday from 7h00pm in Soi 7 Patak Road Kata Karon, Phuket!