Bako National Park near Kuching in Sarawak, Borneo is known for its extraordinary variety and contrast in its natural scenery, habitats, plant life, and its wildlife.
Bako in west Sarawak is a small National Park of 26 sq. km located at the mouth of the Bako River.
It’s known for its extraordinary natural scenery, habitats, plants and wildlife. Its most significant features are secluded coves and rugged rocky headlands with magnificent steep cliffs that overlook the South China Sea.
The park also contains seven ecosystems ranging from mixed dipterocarp forest of the lowlands to the desert like scrub of the plateau.
Bako National Park is home to the endangered proboscis monkeys, which are endemic to Borneo, other animals include long-tailed macaques, silvered langur, monitor lizards, squirrels, Bornean bearded pigs, and otters. Bako’s nocturnal creatures include the colugo, pangolin, mouse deer, various species of fruit eating and insect eating bats, tarsier, slow loris, and palm civet cat.
Bako’s extensive trail system is made up of 16 colour-coded jungle trails which offer a range of walking and hiking options.
The one and a half hour trek to Telok Pandan Kecil trail is one of Bako’s most popular. It ascends the forested hills overlooking Telok Assam, reaching a plateau covered in scrub vegetation, and continues along a sandy path lined with carnivorous pitcher plants, before reaching a cliff top with stunning views of the secluded bay below and the famous sea stack just offshore.
A 10 minute descent through cliff vegetation brings you to one of the best beaches in the park. The Telok Pandan Besar trail ends at a cliff top with views of the beach below.
The Lintang loop trail is a very popular trek as it passes through nearly all of the vegetation types found at Bako. The whole trek takes between 3 and 4 hours, so it is probably the best choice if you can only visit for a day. The section between the Ulu Assam and Serait junctions is another good spot for seeing proboscis monkeys. The Bukit Tambi viewpoint is a short detour off the main trail and overlooks the western part of the park.
Ulu Assam passes at first through swamp forest and a flat section where proboscis monkeys are sometimes seen. The trail then climbs steeply and at times you must hang on to tree roots to keep your balance. At the top you are rewarded with breathtaking views of Bako’s coastline
There is every chance of seeing the proboscis monkeys on trails such as Telok Paku and Telok Delima, particularly if you go late afternoon.
The fit and adventurous can opt for full-day jungle hikes or overnight camping expeditions, whilst those who prefer to take it easy can opt for a relaxing forest walk.
