Bako National Park

Bako National Park sits on a peninsula at the mouth of the Bako and Kuching bays, about forty minutes by road from the city and then a short boat ride across the water. There is no road into the park itself, so the journey is part of the appeal: a small wooden longboat carries you from the jetty at the fishing village of Kampung Bako, around mangrove-fringed shores and past rock stacks, to a landing beach below the park headquarters. Bako is compact but remarkably varied, with at least half a dozen distinct habitats, from beach and cliff vegetation to peat swamp, heath forest and mangrove. The park is best known for the proboscis monkey, an endemic Bornean primate with a long nose and a pot belly that is easy to spot at Bako compared with most places. Visitors also see silvered leaf monkeys, long-tailed macaques that steal unattended food, bearded pigs that wander near the headquarters, monitor lizards and an astonishing variety of birds and insects. Marked trails of different lengths lead to quiet beaches, a jungle waterfall and a headland view over the South China Sea, so a single day can be as gentle or as demanding as you like.

Boat transfers are tide dependent, so tour operators time departures to the water level, and the schedule can shift from day to day. At the headquarters you register, pick a trail and are usually briefed on the wildlife. Short options such as the walk to Telok Paku or the boardwalk near the headquarters give a good chance of proboscis monkeys, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon when they feed in the trees.

Longer hikes such as the route toward Telok Pandan Kecil bring you to a dramatic sea stack and a beach framed by cliffs, and the climb is a decent test in tropical humidity. Carry plenty of water, since the sun is strong and the trails are warm even under cover.

Tours from Kuching generally include a guide, transfers and the boat, so you can focus on spotting rather than logistics. Guides are worth having, because they know where the monkeys are feeding that day and can pick out well-camouflaged animals such as snakes, frogs and stick insects. Pack light, quick-drying clothes, sturdy shoes with grip, a hat, repellent and sunscreen, and keep food zipped in a bag, as the macaques are bold and will take what they can.

Bring a rain layer in any season, since showers arrive without warning, and a dry bag or plastic cover for the camera on the boat ride.

Bako works as a full-day outing or, if you stay at the park lodges, an overnight experience that adds a night walk and quieter dawn hours. Many travellers combine a Bako day with a Semenggoh visit on separate days, so that orangutans and proboscis monkeys are covered without a rush. The park is popular on weekends and holidays, so a weekday visit has fewer people on the trails and at the beach.

If you prefer a lazier day, stay near the headquarters and walk the shorter loops slowly, because the wildlife often finds you. Whatever route you pick, the combination of rainforest, wildlife, cliffs and sea in one small place is hard to match elsewhere on the island.