An adventure in Borneo - Part 1
In this article I wanted to share my ideas for a trip I recently planned for a client to see the orangutan. the adept proboscis monkeys along with other endangered species. Arriving in Kuala Lumpur, you’ll start with a private guided tour of historic Malacca City, the capital of the Malaysian state of Malacca. A UNESCO World Heritage City, it is full of hidden gems. Onto Kuching, capital of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. A bustling, diverse city of old colonial buildings and modern towers. Along its Sarawak River waterfront are food vendors, shophouses selling handicrafts and an esplanade with views of 19th-century landmarks including The Astana, former palace of the White Rajahs, and Fort Margherita, built to thwart pirates. Before you continue to Bako.
A National Park since 1957, Bako offers the perfect introduction to Sarawak’s forests and wildlife. The park covers the northern tip of the Muara Tebas peninsula, an area of 27 sq km. Despite its seemingly small size, Bako contains a wide range of vegetation – swamp forest, scrub-like padang vegetation, mangrove forest, dipterocarp forest, delicate cliff vegetation and more. In fact, at Bako it is possible to see almost every type of vegetation found in Borneo. Bako also contains a rich variety of wildlife and a coastline covered with small bays, coves and beaches. The park has a number of well-marked trails offering interesting walks ranging from short pleasant strolls to serious full-day hikes. Unlike some national parks, visitors to Bako are almost guaranteed to see wildlife. Long-tailed macaque monkeys and silver leaf monkeys are ever present, wild boar are often found rummaging around the park HQ, squirrels and monitor lizards are also common. There is every chance of seeing the rare and unusual proboscis monkeys on trails such as Telok Paku and Telok Delima, particularly if you go late afternoon. Bako is also home to approximately 275 rare proboscis monkeys, found only in Borneo. The male is an odd-looking creature, with a huge pendulous nose and a large pot-belly, weighing in excess of 20 kg. Both male and female are covered in reddish-brown fur with grey limbs and a white tail. They are mostly arboreal (tree-dwelling), moving about the forest or mangroves in small groups and feeding on young leaves, shoots, sour fruits and seeds. Although it requires some patience, an encounter with a group of proboscis is likely to be the highlight of your trip to Bako. The best times are early in the morning or in the hours before dusk. Telok Delima and Telok Paku are the best trails for viewing these charming apes.
The mangroves at Telok Assam are testament to Bako’s plant life, both beautiful. The trails have a great variety of vegetation, from mighty 80-metre dipterocarps to dense mangrove forest. Carnivorous pitcher plants are found on the Lintang trail, so don’t touch! Bako also has white sand beaches that provide perfect resting spots in between jungle treks. Telok Pandan Kecil is perhaps Bako’s best beach. After an hour or so the Telok Pandan Kecil trail comes to a rocky headland. The view down to a beautiful secluded bay, and the thought of a swim in the cool waters, is irresistible. The 20 minute descent suddenly becomes more enjoyable. All of the beaches are bordered by limestone and sandstone cliffs, and the action of the sea has left some remarkable rock formations, such as the famous Sea Stack.
In Part 2 you'll visit dolphins on the Santubong Peninsular, check out the Proboscis monkeys and get to smile at a crocodiles