Sunday, July 26, 2009

Getting locals, tourists to value Sarawak’s nature spots

KUCHING: Jangkar and Sebako waterfalls and hundreds of unexplored caves in and around the city may be your next day-trip destination if you are a true nature lover.

Located somewhere between Sematan and Lundu, Jangkar Waterfall is spectacularly high and beautiful — potentially the highest waterfall in the western region of Sarawak.

It is prudent to say that many urbanites are unaware of these gifts of nature, choosing instead to frequent shopping malls during the weekends.

Sarawakians were blessed with natural beauties, including flora and fauna, but they did not seem to treasure them.

They preferred city life, said Danny Voon, a founder of Borneo Outdoor Explorers (BOX).

Registered about a year ago, BOX is a business entity aimed at exposing locals and international tourists to nature spots, which it claims as ‘undiscovered paradise in our own backyard’.

Voon believed that many Kuchingites had no idea where Jangkar and Sebako waterfalls are and what they had to offer.

“Take Usun Apau Waterfall as another example, I don’t think many Mirians know its exact location. Usun Apau is believed to be the tallest waterfall in Miri but not many locals know of its existence.

“It is right to say that our local people are not aware of what nature attractions the state has.

“People around the world fly to Borneo to see our forests but our people choose to become city persons,” he told journalists during a ‘STA Tea Talk’ held at Wisma STA here yesterday.

BOX usually organised trips to nature spots yet-to-be discovered and it offered special rate for the locals, he pointed out.

Continue reading at: Getting locals, tourists to value Sarawak’s nature spots

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