Kubah National Park - All the green wonders in one spot

By NYL

Kubah National Park, 22 kilometres from Kuching is one of the most accessible of Sarawak's National Parks and a favourite destination for day-trippers.

Named after the word kubah, which means 'dome' in Malay, the park covers the peak and slope of the dome-shaped Gunung Serapi, which is part of the Matang Ridge with two other peaks - Gunung Selang and Gunung Sendok. On a clear day, these three mountain peaks are visible from the Kuching Waterfront.

A trip to Kubah National Park is a pleasant experience as it houses one of the best collections of palms and orchids. Primarily serving as a water catchment area, the park has four main trails which vary in duration from about two to six hours and covers a diverse range of picturesque settings, including a majestic waterfall.

The easiest hike is the Gunung Serapi Trail which has a tarmac road that starts at the park headquarters leading to the mountain summit and a telecommunication tower on its peak. It passes through mixed dipterocarp forest and joins up with the other trails, giving visitors the option of continuing on into the forest, visiting the waterfall, or returning along the Gunung Serapi Road. Making it more special is the unique pitcher plant garden, an area along the trail specially landscaped with the exotic plant.

But what makes Kubah special is the richness of its palm trees. There are more than 80 palm species in Kubah and nearly a quarter of them are endemic to Borneo. Many of the palms were first described by the great Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari, who spent three years in Sarawak from 1865 to 1868, and recorded his findings and experiences in a remarkable book, "Wanderings in the Great Forests of Borneo". The park´s Palmetum Trail cuts through the pristine forest where you get to see palm species such as licuala and rattan pantu, pinanga, appendicula, dipodium and eria.

The trail to the waterfalls is the most challenging. It is about two kilometres long and passes through numerous plank walks over swampy areas and streams. The path is lined with buttress-rooted rainforest giants, many draped with large spiralling vines that remind us of their great age. These sometimes block the trail and need cutting before you can pass. During the rainy season, leeches are a problem. Insect repellent, leech socks and heavy clothing are the best way to ward off the troublesome creatures. Other trails include the Rayu Trail spanning 3.8km that connects the park and Matang Wildlife Centre, as well as the Salang Trail that has a viewing point from where you can get a panoramic view of the surrounding forested area.

Kubah is also home to a variety of wildlife, including bearded pigs, birds, sambar deer, mouse deer, civets, porcupines, squirrels and numerous species of reptiles and frogs. Probably one of the most rewarding experiences is an overnight stay in one of the Kubah's forest lodges where you can go night trekking to spot some of the nocturnal creatures in the park.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Sunday
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