From flood canal to hidden getaway in Perlis

It was built to move water, not tourists. Yet the Timah Tasoh flood diversion canal in Kampung Wai has gradually found a second life as one of Perlis’ more unusual places to explore.

The roughly 30-minute boat journey winds past limestone formations estimated to be 500 million years old, with thick greenery rising along the route. Its most striking section takes visitors through a 765m tunnel cutting through the Nakawan Range, where colourful lights illuminate the passage.

Tour guide Muhamad Hairi Akif Shahrun Anuar, 27, said Kampung Wai was once little known outside the area. That began to change as photographs and videos of the canal spread on social media, drawing curious visitors to see the route for themselves.

“Now many visitors are coming here because they, too, want to experience the journey,” he told Bernama.

“Some come because they are attracted by the scenery, but they become even more excited when they learn that the canal was actually built as a flood mitigation project.”

The contrast is part of its appeal. From infrastructure designed to protect lives and property, the destination now offers a close-up look at the landscape around it, combining engineering with the limestone terrain that defines much of northern Perlis.

Hairi said weekends and school holidays tend to draw the biggest crowds, including visitors from overseas. The growing interest has also created opportunities for villagers, with activities such as paddle boating, water biking and three-wheeled motorcycle rides now available around the area.

Local traders have benefited, too, selling food and drinks to visitors who stay longer in the village. For residents, the change has brought a modest tourism economy to a place that was never originally intended to become an attraction.

The canal also fits naturally into a wider trip around Perlis, where limestone landscapes are never far away. Nearby options include Gua Kelam and the Wang Kelian viewpoint, while the FRIM Mata Ayer Research Station offers another window into the state’s forest ecosystem.

Those looking for something less outdoorsy can head towards places such as Kampung Warna-Warni, Kota Kayang Museum or Padang Besar, where local and Thai influences meet in the food, shopping and everyday rhythm of the border state.

And that cross-border character extends to the table, from Perlis laksa and seafood to mango sticky rice and other delicious dishes shaped partly by neighbouring Thailand.

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