by Oliver Lalor
Bintulu is a four hour drive from Miri on the way to Kuching. I went there to see two places in particular. One was Taman Tumbina which is an integrated botanical garden and zoological garden. It is described as being 'The First Of Its Kind In The Land Of The Hornbills'. It is located in Bintulu itself overlooking the South China Sea near Tanjung Kidurong Industrial Estate. Follow the roadsigns for Kidurong. It has a Butterfly World, Orchid Collection, Reptiles Complex, Palm Collection, Hornbill Collection, a walk-in aviary and much more. It is well worth a visit when in Bintulu.
About half an hour's drive from Bintulu is Similajau National Park . A single adult entry costs RM10. It is a wonderful place for nature lovers and jungle trekkers. There are a whole series of well marked trails through the jungle close to the South China Sea . The trails vary from the 450m plank walk to the 9.8km main trail. There are three beaches where turtles come to lay their eggs and also rapids and pools. Look out for the red-berried "tongkat Ali" which is a noted aphrodisiac.
There is plenty of accommodation of various types - barracks, chalets, a hostel and a VIP chalet. One could spend two or three days there and do all the trails. It is also a good location for bird watching. I particularly remember the View Point located at the headlands of Kuala Sungai Likau. It has a lovely vista out over the South China Sea from which a bracing and welcome breeze was blowing. It was very quiet the day I was there as it was a wet day but it does get quite a few visitors at weekends as it is a favoured picnic spot. For detailed information on the trails and accommodation visit the following website:
http://www.forestry.sarawak.gov.my/forweb/np/np/similaj.htm
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