Home to some of the world’s biggest caves and most diverse ecosystems, superlatives abound when it comes to describing Sarawak’s national parks. This Malaysian state is blessed with a wealth of natural wonders, making it challenging to decide which parks to visit. To help you make your decision, we’ve curated some helpful pointers about what’s available, using the cities of Kuching (in Sarawak’s west) and Miri (in its center, close to Brunei) as jumping-off points for spectacular exploration.
Around Kuching
Flora and fauna: Bako National Park
If you’ve come to Borneo to see rainforest animals in their natural habitats, Bako National Park is the perfect place to start. Located less than an hour’s drive from the state capital of Kuching, on a rocky peninsula jutting into the South China Sea, the park attracts visitors keen to see its most celebrated residents. These include the distinctive pot-bellied, red-furred proboscis monkeys, who can often be seen lounging near the shore. However, there’s much more wildlife to discover, including silver-leaf monkeys, cheeky long-tailed macaques, scaly monitor lizards, and bearded pigs, often seen rummaging around park HQ. The mangroves here are home to saltwater crocodiles, and as many as 190 types of birds have been recorded within the park.
Once you’ve had your fill of the fauna, it’s the flora’s turn to grab your attention. Bako is a wonderfully accessible place to experience nearly every type of vegetation found in Borneo. From the terminal at Kampung Bako, a 30-minute boat trip takes you to park HQ, from where a range of hiking trails lead through various terrains including beach and cliff vegetation, heath forest, mixed dipterocarp forest, grasslands, and peat swamp forest. You can hike the trails in a loop or arrange to be picked up by boat from one of the park’s hidden coves.
Bako can be visited as a day trip from Kuching; however, staying overnight in the park’s accommodations allows you to partake in the ranger-led night walk. Nocturnal creatures living here include the flying lemur, mouse deer, and several species of fruit and insect-eating bats.
On the trail of the Rafflesia: Gunung Gading National Park
Gunung Gading National Park is the best place in Sarawak to see the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, which can measure up to 75cm in diameter. The park is located 85km northwest of Kuching, making it a feasible day trip – buses run between Kuching and Lundu, about 3km from the park. Shady trails wind through dense primary rainforest, past waterfalls and streams, ultimately leading to the summit of Gunung Gading. While hikers who make the ascent are rewarded with breathtaking views, it’s the park’s famous flower that attracts the crowds.
Rafflesias are rare and bloom for only up to a week at a time, without a set season, making the chances of seeing one a matter of luck. Therefore, it’s advisable to call the park office in advance to inquire if a flower is in bloom; when a Rafflesia has been spotted, registered freelance guides will be available at park HQ to take visitors to see it.
Palms and frogs: Kubah National Park
If you’re a palm tree enthusiast or particularly keen on frogs, you won’t want to miss Kubah National Park, home to a variety of species of both. The palmetum walking trail showcases the different palm species found in Kubah’s forests, while the dusk chorus of frog croaks resembles a rainforest concert. Even if palms and frogs are not your passion, the park is worthwhile for its forest trails, waterfalls, and accessibility, located just 22km west of Kuching.
Around Miri
Caves, mountains and pinnacles: Gunung Mulu National Park
In a state endowed with many amazing national parks, Gunung Mulu is the highlight. You will need to fly here (there are daily flights from Miri), and guide fees and accommodations can be pricey; however, most visitors agree that the extensive cave systems, hiking and trekking options, along with the sheer natural beauty of the canyons, rivers, and rainforest-covered mountains of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, justify the time and expense involved.
The numerous caves – including the vast Sarawak Chamber (the largest in the world by area) – can be explored on guided tours. Serious spelunkers come to Mulu for adventure caving. If you’re physically fit and up for a multi-day trek, options (to be booked in advance) include the Pinnacles, a challenging, steep climb to view these unusual, razor-sharp limestone formations protruding from the mountainside, and climbing Gunung Mulu itself.
For those seeking relaxation, there are plenty of other activities to fill your days at Mulu. A morning canopy walk brings you eye to eye with hornbills and monkeys, or take a gentle hike along easy-to-follow boardwalk trails through the forest. The unforgettable dusk exodus of millions of bats from the Deer Cave is a spectacle, where they fly together in a swirling cloud to protect themselves from predators, along with spotting stick insects, spiders, and other nocturnal creatures on a guided night walk.
Caves, bats and swiftlets: Niah National Park
Niah National Park is renowned for its vast limestone caverns, including the Great Cave, one of the largest in the world. If you plan to visit Mulu, don’t confuse Niah’s caves with more of the same; this park is also a site of great archaeological importance. In 1958, a team led by Tom Harrisson discovered a human skull believed to be 40,000 years old, making it the oldest human remains found in the region. Nowadays, the caves are home to a large number of bats and swiftlets, whose nests are harvested to make bird’s nest soup. Located roughly halfway between Miri and Bintulu, Niah can be visited as a day trip from either location.
Beaches and crocs: Similajau National Park
Similajau’s narrow strip of primary forest stretches 30km along the coast near Bintulu, offering hiking trails, sandy beaches, and wildlife. It is home to gibbons, long-tailed macaques, deer, and wild boar, with the occasional dolphin spotted offshore. However, hikers are cautioned to stay out of the rivers due to the risk of lurking saltwater crocodiles. The rustling of leaves and shaking of trees creates an atmosphere that suggests the park is alive with shy forest creatures – you may even catch a glimpse of them.
Walks and waterfalls: Lambir Hills National Park
If you have time to spare while in Miri, Lambir Hills makes for a great day trip. The park’s extraordinarily species-rich forest attracts research scientists from around the globe, and there are several well-marked trails ideal for day hikes, leading you past waterfalls and towering trees until you emerge from the forest to enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
