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Just thought I'd ask if anyone out there (excluding annoying touts from guiding companies) has experience doing trekking in Malaysia or Indonesia, preferably as independently as possible. Why? Part of the price of my truck was to visit my sister in Indonesia, so I'll probably do that for three weeks this winter. I'd like to go for a little longer, but Cal is hosting a Wilderness First Responder course in January that I'd like to do so I can start volunteering with Search & Rescue.

Anyway, a cursory reading of Lonely Planet's Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei says Taman Negara or Endau-Rompin might be cool parks to go to, but they might be straight-up closed in Dec/Jan due to monsoons, and you have to hire a guide (which I hate, hate, hate) to climb Gunung Tahan.

Another option is to just surf all day every day in Banda Aceh. I have never gone surfing before, but I've never met a single person that didn't love it, so this seems like a good opportunity to learn.

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