Travelholic: Mystical Bako National Park, Sarawak

With mission set to help tourist and nature lovers to Sarawak’s beautiful Bako National Park, Koperasi Warisan Pelancongan Bako kick-starts its operation by managing the boats from Kampung Bako Jetty to Bako National Park in a more systematic manner which helped the koperasi members as well as the public. Traveling to Bako National Park is made easier now with koperasi involvement, and 20 minutes boat ride later I made my maiden pit stop there.

I have always heard of the Pinnacles in Mulu National Park, or the Niah Great Cave or even famous longhouse at Batang Ai National Park, but Bako National Park was definitely a first for me. Doing what I do best, I begin researching before heading to Sarawak. I found out that there are more than twenty (20) national parks in Sarawak alone and we probably only heard a handful of them (I guess I don’t feel so bad now *wink*). Bako National Park happens to be the oldest and also the smallest national park in Sarawak, it is famous for the sandstone formation shaped from millions of years of erosion. Rocky headlands, sea arches and seastacks with colored patterns formed by iron deposition are a common sight at Teluk Assam Beach, Tanjung Sapi, Tanjung Rhu among others.

For nature lovers, you will not be disappointed, our beautiful rainforest blessed us with majestic waterfalls, sandy beaches and abundant wildlife, here one will also get to see unique creatures such as colugo, pangolin, tarsier, slow loris and palm civet which can only mean one thing; I must visit this place again and trek for a bit *gleaming*. Open zoo!!! This is not all, there are accommodation available ranges dorm style room to 3-bedroom chalets, to 2-bedroom Lodges, and obviously camping ground too.

There is this one fact that I find it interesting, there are 2-3 wild ‘friendly’ boar that inhibited this island and at times, it'll ‘welcome’ visitors near the Park HQ, worry not dear friends, it will not chase you or run amok *wink*. These 'tame' wild boars are so used to human that they tend to ‘tak heran’ already.

Upon arriving, visitors are required to register at the Park HQ and a nominal entrance fee will be charged, RM10 for locals, RM20 for internationals and RM7 for kids. There are trekking trails as short as 30 minutes (0.8 km) to up to 7 1/4 hours (10.5 km) for hardcore nature lovers and trekkers, else just laze by the beach and have a barbecue meal while enjoying the greenery.

Reservations & Enquiries
National Parks Booking Office,
Visitors Information Centre,
Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg,
93000 Kuching Sarawak,
Tel: (+6) 082 248088 Fax: (+6) 082 248087
Online booking: http://ebooking.com.my

* The Visitors Information Centre is located in the Old Courthouse Complex at the junction of Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Jalan Gambier and Main Bazaar, opposite the Kuching Waterfront.