Bako National Park

The star of Bako National Park is undoubtedly the proboscis monkey, the big nosed, pot-bellied comedian of the rainforest. But the star has a supporting cast of long-tailed macaque monkeys, usually patrolling the park headquarters,silvered leaf monkeys, monitor lizards and squirrels and flying lemurs that glide from tree to tree.

They all perform against a lush backdrop made up of a bewildering diversity of plant and animal life. One of Southeast Asia’s smallest national parks, Bako nevertheless contains almost all variety of Bornean vegetation. And, the beauty of it is you that can easily visit the park in a day. It is just 37 kilometres by road from Kuching, but its isolation is ensured as it can only be reached by a 20-minute boat ride from Kampung Bako.

But why hurry? If you want to be sure of seeing the full cast of characters, stay overnight in one of the park’s comfortable chalets with electricity and running water from a fresh mountain stream. There is also a cafeteria serving snacks and cold drinks, an education centre, a visitor room and an information centre.

Have you ever seen a pig with beard? You can see bearded pigs as you walk Bako’s trails. Well used to human visitors, Bako’s wildlife is less shy than their remote jungle cousins so you can get close enough to take photographs. Of course, you have an even better chance of experiencing Bako’s biodiversity if you stay overnight at one of the park chalets, and take part in a night walk led the park guides.

If birds are your interest, more than 190 species live at Bako, including some rare varieties. The birds and animals are easy to find along the 18 colour-coded walking trails that offer full-day jungle hikes to gentle strolls. The circular Lintang trail passes through all of Bako’s vegetation types from dipterocarp forest, scrub-like padang, swamp forest,mangroves and delicate cliff vegetation. The Telok Delima and Telok Paku trails are the best vantage points for seeing proboscis monkeys in the early morning or late afternoon.

Small bays, steep cliffs and sandy beaches make Bako’s coastline a delight. Along the sandy footpaths, you will find the insect-eating pitcher plants that have been known to devour small animals. From the beach at Pandan Kecil, you can see Bako’s trademark, the rock formation called sea stacks, carved by the waves. For those who wish to enjoy quietness of nature, Lakei Island is a great place to go.