Bako National Park on the island of Borneo, is in Sarawak, a state in East Malaysia, and is home to the bizarre, obscene-nosed proboscis monkey. It is well worth a visit if you are in the area.
Understand
Bako offers outstanding diversity of natural landscapes in a relatively small area. Its beautifully dense rainforests and stunning beaches are home to many flora and fauna including the rare proboscis monkey. Try and spot them during low tide as they forage in the exposed Mangrove tree swamps. There are 16 color-coded jungle trails as well as lodges for overnight stays - which you have to book early. On the high ground, look out for pitcher plants. And beware of the monkeys, they are very clever and compulsive thieves!(don't forget to spot the boar!)
Flora and Fauna
In particular, Bako is famous as a home to around 150 of the highly endangered proboscis monkey. Macaques are more fearless as well as more common, and thus much easier to spot. Another distinctive mammal indigenous to Borneo is the bearded boar. The common monitor lizard, growing up to 2m long, is the largest of the park's many types of lizard; flying lizards may also sometimes be spotted
Wildlife is most active just before dusk, which means that an overnight stay may be needed to fully appreciate it.
Bako contains almost every type of vegetation to be found in Sarawak, including highly distinctive carnivourous plants. There are seven distinct types of ecosystem: beach vegetation, cliff vegetation, heath forest (kerangas), mangrove forest, mixed dipterocarp forest, grasslands vegetation (padang) and peat swamp forest
Do
Walks radiate from the centre offering a variety of difficulties in the heat and humidity and provide access to the habitats of the wide range of animal, bird and plant life in the park. The hikes are over some pretty rugged terrain for the most part, with lots of exposed tree roots and vegetation sometimes blocking trails that are less frequented.
- Paku trail. has the distinct advantage of being both relatively short and flat and offering one of the best opportunities to see the park's wildlife. It finishes at an attractive beach; one of the colonies of proboscis monkeys lives on the headland above edit
- Tajor trail. takes the visitor through varied terrain, including hilltops with extensive views, before finishing at a small but attractive waterfall, with calm pools that are safe for swimming in edit
- Limau trail. Continuing onwards from the Tajor train, the park's longest and most arduous trek ends on a beach, though by the time you've scrambled down to it it may be too late to enjoy; it's possible to arrange to be picked up by boat from the beach to save your weary legs further punishment; ask the boatmen at the jetty if they could pick you up at Limau beach because sometimes the sea is too rough for them to reach Limau; please inform the park staff about your intention to do the Limau/Kruin trail as there have been cases where trekkers get lost or couldn't continue due to exhaustion
- Lintang trail. A circular loop taking the trekker through all the park's types of vegetation in half a day. Nice sightseeing.
With a little negotiation, a boatman will take you to nearby Pulau Lakai, a small island just off the mainland. The views on the way here are spectacular and it's special to have an island to yourself for a day.
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