Just outside Kuching in Borneo Malaysia, two very different but equally rewarding nature experiences await: Semenggoh Wildlife Centre and Bako National Park. Both are easy day trips and offer a genuine glimpse into Borneo's rich wildlife.
Semenggoh Wildlife Centre
Even in green Borneo, the world is not as unspoiled as it seems. A large part of the jungle had to make room for palm oil plantations.
Although deforestation in Malaysia has been banned by now, it is gleefully continued on the indonesian side of Borneo. As a result, many wild animals have already lost their natural habitat. These include the critically endangered orangutans, which are only found in Borneo and Sumatra.
Since they have become very rare, an easier place to meet them is Semenggoh Nature Reserve.
About 30 minutes by road from Kuching, Semenggoh is a rehabilitation and release site for orangutans. The animals here are semi-wild – many were orphaned or rescued and have been prepared for life back in the forest.
First of all you might think of visiting a kind of a zoo. At the latest after the ranger’s introduction before feeding, you will realise that this is not the case. The feeding areas are on platforms in the woods, but there are no fences and barriers. Therefore orangutans can appear anytime and anywhere, but there is no guarantee that they can be seen at all.
We were lucky – one of the big males had come for lunch to one of the feeding places. We learned that these guys can be quite uncomfortable and the ranger’s instruction were told in no uncertain terms. “If he comes up towards us and I shout RUN, you should do that, because I will not wait for you! I’ve tried to help people who didn’t run before and I’ve ended up in hospital twice. So I won’t do that anymore. Run into an open area and not into the forest or a house, because that won’t stop him from catching you. First he will grap your arms with his hands, then he graps your legs with his feet and finally he will start biting your head. Keep your eyes open, we are now going through the forest to the feeding platform. Thanks for visiting and enjoy your time in the Semenggoh Nature Reserve.”
After this speech you could see in the visitor’s faces, that not only Miriam was a little puzzled – this is not a zoo! However – after a closer examination, she was left optimistic to notice, that most of the visitors are much more unsporty than her and that she can outrun them easily. So she confidently started following the ranger into the forest.
Luckily the huge male was not looking for stress that day and was sitting relaxed between a bunch of different fruits. So we had a great time watching this impressive animal for a while.
The Semenggoh Wildlife Reserve is not a typical southeast asian tourist attraction similar to a zoo, as we initially suspected. It is a really great and natural institution without souvenir shops and other tourist traps and really worth a visit. You need some luck in Semenggoh for a good orangutan experience. Since it is not very far-off Kuching and the fees are cheap, it might be worth going there more than one time only.
Bako National Park
Bako, Sarawak’s oldest national park, lies roughly 1½ hours from Kuching (including a short boat transfer from the jetty). The park combines coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, mangroves and dense rainforest trails. It's one of the best places in Borneo to see a wide variety of wildlife in a relatively small area.
The most famous residents are the proboscis monkeys, easily recognised by their large noses (especially the males) and distinctive pot-bellied shape. They are often seen in the mangroves or along the trails, particularly in the late afternoon. It didn't take very long for us to spot the first one right at the beach. Compared to many other monkeys they are super relaxed and not dangerous at all. That makes it even more fun to watch them.
The park is also one of the places where the rare Rafflesia flower can occasionally appear. This parasitic plant produces the world’s largest individual bloom, sometimes over a metre wid, with a strong odour that attracts flies for pollination. It is super rare to find one of those flowers and we had been looking for it already on several trips and countries. Finally here in Borneo we were lucky. Isn't it impressive?
Sarawak’s nature is peaceful, truly impressive and very memorable. We are really looking forward to come back one day.