Thursday, April 21, 2016

KaliTravel: BORNEO – Bako National Park, Sarawak


The highlight of my Borneo adventure was a day out in Bako National Park.

Mr Chia, our friendly taxi driver, took us to the Bako Terminal river jetty just outside Kuching town, where we purchased tickets – these included the return fare across the Sarawak River to the nature reserve and the entrance fee, but we had to find someone else to share the small launch which takes four or five passengers.

Fine, there was a friendly French couple waiting too, slight snag was we had to arrange to meet up later to get the same boat back together.

A short trip along the Sarawak taking in the scenery and we arrived at Bako, Borneo’s oldest national park (2,727 hectares); it’s the most fascinating rainforest nature reserve, jutting into the China Sea on the Muara Tebas peninsula.

The wooden landing jetty is located in a mangrove swamp where bare trees are hauntingly immersed in the water, their branches reaching up to the sunlight.

On arrival we headed for the park HQ, to sign in at the registration counter and get info on the different trails.

Our new French friends went for the shorter, hour long, walk to see the proboscis monkeys at Paku beach (800m from HQ) while Juan and I decided to explore a bit further to Pandan Kecil beach (2.6 km, estimated 1 ½ hours walk each way).

There’s a network of 16 nature trails in Bako, ranging from 30 minute strolls to 8 ½ hours hikes, taking in Borneo’s unique wildlife and fauna, beaches, waterfalls and viewpoints; many travelers book to stay overnight at the lodge or camp out with previous permission.

Our trail took us along the water’s edge through the amazing mangrove swamps, then cut inland and uphill though the forest and shrubs to a wide open rocky plain…it was burning hot up there in the full sun!

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: KaliTravel: BORNEO – Bako National Park, Sarawak
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