It's the latest thing I have, fishing. I've been trying to look for good fishing spots in and around Kuching City in the last couple of weeks. After my last fishing trip to Tg. Datu, I decided I needed to find some less remote spots which I can just whisk off at a moment's notice and not having the need to prepare much gear before setting off. My good friend Wilfred the Chief suggested the other day, why don't we rent a small sampan (that's a small wooden boat for river travel) and go upstream of Sg. Sarawak, as far up as we can afford to? And I thought, well that's a swell idea, why don't I source for one. So that's where I am right now, sourcing for a small boat to go upriver freshwater fishing. I know of a place at Batu Kitang on the way to Bau town, about 20-25km from the city centre where there are some villages by the riverbanks, and I've seen some of them who've got boats and stuff. Maybe I'll try there.
Showing posts with label National Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Park. Show all posts
Friday, July 20, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Fishing Trip to Tanjung Datu
I went for a fishing trip on 6th - 7th July with some friends to Tanjung Datu, off the coast of Sematan, Lundu about 100km from Kuching City. There were 6 of us and we chartered a fishing boat (about 35-40 feet long, 10 feet wide) for about RM650.00 for an overnight fishing trip. It was actually my very first sea-going fishing excursion, so a few days back I got myself a new set of fishing rod and reel. I managed to catch one 1.5 kg fish (not sure what species) and felt well-chuffed about it. Not bad for a sea fishing virgin eh. I've uploaded most of the photos I took in http://www.webshots.com/. To get to the fishing spot at Tanjung Datu, we sailed northwest to the South China Sea, passing by Talang-Talang Island. Talang-Talang Island is Sarawak's primary turtle sanctuary, a protected area and I think it is part of the Tanjung Datu National Park area. Or maybe not, I'm not sure.
Click on the link below for some photos of the trip. For more photos, go to http://www.webshots.com/, go to Search, click on the small down-arrow and do a Member search, fill the "Find a Member" with "ghostpipe" and click. Enjoy the photos. I'm hoping to go again early next month, or when weather permits. The seas have been harbouring strong gusts of sporadic wind patches lately, the reports have been saying.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
National parks accessible via Kuching: Kubah
I went to Kubah National Park a little over a year ago. One of those short holiday excursions again. The park is located about 20 kilometres from Kuching and one of Sarawak's most accessible national parks. 30-40 minutes is all it takes to get there from the city centre, provided you know your way of course. The Park consists largely of undisturbed natural forest with five main vegetation types:- alluvial forest, lowland mixed dipterocarp forest, kerangas (heath) forest, submontane forest and secondary forest. Its rich forest, proximity to the mangrove forests and its terrain all ensure that Kubah is home to a variety of wildlife, including bearded pigs, black hornbills, mousedeer, squirrels and numerous species of amphibians and reptiles. It is also rich in palms and orchids. I didn't see any bearded pigs or other faunal species while there, probably because we did not try to hide our presence there by keeping our voices down.
For those of you who enjoy tranquility in a natural environment, then you just have to make your way up one of the trails within the Park (don't remember what it's called now) which will lead to the water fall area. Beautiful place. The rocks have a certain kind of naturally-cut stairway formation which is just beautiful. We were there for the entire day, didn't do anything except lied down on the cold stones, closed our eyes while listening to the water gushing down the rocks. Heaven.
On the other side, the Matang Wildlife Centre is located just off Kubah National Park which will eventually house endangered wildlife in large mammal enclosures. These enclosures will be located in the rainforest so that the living environment is rather similar to that found in the wild. I didn't manage to go there but will do so in the near future. Next, Similajau National Park.
For those of you who enjoy tranquility in a natural environment, then you just have to make your way up one of the trails within the Park (don't remember what it's called now) which will lead to the water fall area. Beautiful place. The rocks have a certain kind of naturally-cut stairway formation which is just beautiful. We were there for the entire day, didn't do anything except lied down on the cold stones, closed our eyes while listening to the water gushing down the rocks. Heaven.
On the other side, the Matang Wildlife Centre is located just off Kubah National Park which will eventually house endangered wildlife in large mammal enclosures. These enclosures will be located in the rainforest so that the living environment is rather similar to that found in the wild. I didn't manage to go there but will do so in the near future. Next, Similajau National Park.
National parks accessible via Kuching: Gunung Gading
I spend almost 80% of my time in a year in a city environment. Not really to my liking but what other choice do I have. When I do get the chance, I enjoy a quick break to nearby national parks, of which some are very accessible fortunately for city guys like me. The one I've been to most recently (that being 2 years ago) is Gunung Gading National Park. It's located in the Lundu District, northeast of Kuching. The Park is just 5 minutes drive from Lundu town or about 2 hour's drive from Kuching. The Park consists of rugged mountain peaks which provides a scenic backdrop to the nearby beaches at Pandan and Siar. Best places to go to are the waterfalls in the upper reaches of Sungai Lundu and of course the 800 meter plus hike right up to the peak of Mount Gading. The climb is a piece of cake for those of you who've scaled the likes of K2 and the Himalayas. 4 hours tops, including time to stop and take photographs.
On the celebrity profile, the Park is famous for being home to the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia tuan-mudae (bunga pakma). At full bloom this giant flower streches nearly one meter in width. However, these unique plants bloom infrequently and have brief flowering period. If you want to see it bloom, check with the The National Park & Wildlife Division (Forest Department Sarawak) before you go. The Park has plank walks and jungle trails constructed close to where the Rafflesia are commonly found, these allow the visitors to tour the park without damaging the delicate ecosystem particularly the young Rafflesia budding all over the forest floor.
There is no canteen within the Park but we had a barbeque the night we were there, bought fresh seafood from Lundu town. The seafood in Lundu is fresh and cheap. There are several restaurants there too. Accommodation at the Park is either a 3 bedroom chalet or a forest hostel (4 rooms each with 2 double bunk beds). Check out the rates with the Park people if you want to book the rooms.
On the celebrity profile, the Park is famous for being home to the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia tuan-mudae (bunga pakma). At full bloom this giant flower streches nearly one meter in width. However, these unique plants bloom infrequently and have brief flowering period. If you want to see it bloom, check with the The National Park & Wildlife Division (Forest Department Sarawak) before you go. The Park has plank walks and jungle trails constructed close to where the Rafflesia are commonly found, these allow the visitors to tour the park without damaging the delicate ecosystem particularly the young Rafflesia budding all over the forest floor.
There is no canteen within the Park but we had a barbeque the night we were there, bought fresh seafood from Lundu town. The seafood in Lundu is fresh and cheap. There are several restaurants there too. Accommodation at the Park is either a 3 bedroom chalet or a forest hostel (4 rooms each with 2 double bunk beds). Check out the rates with the Park people if you want to book the rooms.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Caves of Mulu - truly unique
In 1998 I had the opportunity, thanks to the nature of my job, to visit one fo the natural world's unadulterated places - Mulu. Declared a world natural heritage site just over 10 years ago (I stand corrected on the exact time it was declared as such), Mulu houses one of the world's oldest - if not the oldest - cave systems, plus a very unique natural limestone structure which protrudes from the side of its mountain range - the Pinnacles. When I was there in '98, I didn't have a very good camera with me so I didn't manage to get any photos worth bragging about. However just recently I stumbled upon this very nice photograph (courtesy of Hamadi) of a view taken from inside one of its largest cave, the Deer Cave. I remember this view vividly in my mind, admist the nauseating odour emanating from the cave floor - thanks to millions of years of rather well-preserved bat guano - and the light drizzle we had the day I was there. I kind of like the way the sunlight peeks sublimely through the cave entrance. Excellent photograph. By the way, the ceiling height of this cave is well over 30 feet. Mulu. Remember the name if you are ever in Sarawak. For any reason.
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