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5 things to do at Buntal Esplanade, Kuching

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Located about 30km from Kuching city, Buntal Esplanade is a hidden gem waiting to be explored more by the locals and tourists alike.

Buntal Esplanade
The road into Kampung Buntal, a local fishing village located between Kuching city and Santubong.

The esplanade is inside Kampung Buntal, a traditional Malay fishing village situated at the mouth of Sarawak river leading to South China Sea.

The village is named after ikan buntal or the puffer fish which commonly found near the area.

If you are looking for fresh air on a Saturday afternoon, here are five things to do at Buntal Esplanade:

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Welcome to Buntal Esplanade!
1.Enjoy the beach view

First of all, just enjoy the view of South China Sea at Buntal Esplanade. Do you know that Buntal beach offers a mesmerising scenic view of the sunrise? (Just make sure you’re there before 6 am).

Plus, the best part is that the walkway of Buntal Esplanade is wheelchair-friendly.

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The esplanade was designed to be wheelchair-friendly.
2.Buy some seafood

Being a fishing village right next to the ocean, it is no surprise that Buntal provides a variety of fresh marine resources at its market.

Some of their seafood on offer are seasonal catch, so you only get to buy them during certain periods of the year.

These include jelly fish (March-April), swimmer crab (July-August), eng-ngoyang (October-February), sea anemone (December-January) and ambal (December-January).

Additionally, the non-seasonal catches are hard clams, mangrove clams, cockles, mud crabs and obtuse horn shell.

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Support the local communities by buying their products.
3. Do some bird-watching activities
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The observation point of Buntal Esplanade.

Did you know that Bako Buntal Bay is the wandering site for 27 migratory bird species in their annual migration between Southeast Asia and Australasia?

Completed on March 2015, Buntal Esplanade was designed as a walkaway with an observation point for bird-watching activities.

According to the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, the Bako Buntal Bay area welcomes more 25,000 migratory birds between October and April every year.

Most of them are threatened species such as Nordmann’s Greenshank, Asian Dowitcher and Far Eastern Curlew.

Meanwhile in 2009, two rare birds – the Pied Avocet and Eurasian Oystercatcher were caught  on sight near the bay.

The habitat in the coastal area is mud and mangrove forest, making it attractive for migratory birds in search of food.

If you notice unique wooden structure near the beach while bird-watching, it could be an engian. It is a traditional trapping method used by the local fishermen to catch anchovies and small shrimps.

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Take an evening walk at the esplanade to escape the hustle and bustle of Kuching city.
4.Taste the local food
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Try some of these local delicacies such as pais.

Visitors should not miss the chance to buy local delicacies. These include kuih keria (fried dough similar to doughnuts but covered in palm sugar or gula apong), pais ikan (grilled smashed fish) and bahulu.

Other local favourite are belacan (shrimp paste), madu kelulut (stingless bee honey), jeruk buah (pickled fruits) and cencaluk (preserved shrimp).

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Kuih Keria.
5.Eat some seafood

Kampung Buntal is one of the favourite local places for Kuchingites to go to enjoy some seafood.

While visiting Buntal Esplanade, why not drop by one of the seafood restaurants like Teo Seafood?

Besides Kampung Buntal, other famous local seafood cuisine spots are at Telaga Air and Muara Tebas.

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Kampung Buntal is one of the popular places for local people to enjoy seafood cuisine.
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The view of Mount Santubong from Kampung Buntal.

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How the tikung beekeeping tradition is supporting life for man and bee in Danau Sentarum

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A bottle of APDS (Association of Periaus of Danau Sentarum) honey.

Where the locals farm their own honey

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Honey coming in from different periau ready to be dehumidified and packaged at APDS.

At Danau Sentarum National Park, the local communities manage their honey production in groups called periau made up of traditional forest honey farmers.

Each periau belongs to a village, which will see their respective honey farmers collecting and harvesting their own honey from the tikung, an artificial branch the villagers of the national park use in their traditional honey farming.

Thanks to this traditional way of producing honey, the Board of Indonesian Organic Certification (BioCert) certified it organic in 2007.

There are at least 15 periau located in the area with the oldest group being periau Semangit.

After harvest, the honey will be sent to APDS (Association of Periaus of Danau Sentarum) located at Dusun Semangit (Semangit village).

From APDS, the honey is packaged and sent to Jakarta. According to APDS product manager Abang Muhammad Erwanto, APDS managed to export 7 tonnes of honey to Jakarta this year alone.

Even so, the association is still able to keep up to 3 tonnes for their own stock.

“This stock is for us to sell to any visitors who come to visit Danau Sentarum,” Erwanto said.

The income from the honey provides an alternative income for the these communities who rely heavily on their fishing industry.

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APDS office at Semangit village, West Kalimantan in Indonesia.
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The honey that comes in from the local villages is dehumidified for up to 48 hours before being packaged.

The legend behind the tikung method

How the tikung, or the rafter, method came about is an interesting story on its own. According to Erwanto, the tikung has been used by the local communities for generations.

“Once upon a time, flood hit our villages. Boats drifted away and one of the boats got stuck to a tree. As time passed, a colony of bees came and built their hives in that small boat.”

Inspired by this, the local Malay community of Danau Sentarum started to put up their own artificial branches which they called the tikung.

Tikung is usually made from tembesu (Fagraea fragrans) wood. It is cut into a board about 1.5m in length and hung at an angle from a tree. The bees will come and make their nests on the tikung when the trees begin to bloom. The size of the tikung allows the bees to make bigger hives.

Erwanto pointed out there are no specific kinds of tree to hang the tikung. As for the location of the trees, there is no preference either.

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Erwanto says the honey farming provides an extra income for the people of Danau Sentarum.

A song to call the bees

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Muhammad Wasir is one of the few who can sing the timang before a tikung is put up on the tree.

Interestingly, one of the most important parts of setting up a tikung requires some singing skill. Before a honey farmer climbs up a tree to hang a tikung, one of the villagers would sing a special song called timang.

Muhammad Wasir, 63, is one of the few who can chant the timang song. He remembers how as a young child he used to follow his grandparents to harvest honey. It was then that he first heard the song.

Wasir explained that they believed every tree had a ‘penunggu’ (spirit) who guarded the tree. By singing the timang, the farmers were asking permission from the penunggu to set up the tikung against the tree trunk.

They were also calling upon the bees, imploring them to set up their hives on the tikung and to call more of their friends to the tree.

He has taught his children the song, so he believes that the timang tradition will continue on.

Watch Wasir singing the timang song down below. Take note that every time he claps, those present during the setting up of the tikung also have to clap their hands too.

https://youtu.be/ZoEnEi0j1Qw

The importance of honey production to Danau Sentarum

The forest honey bee (Apis dorsata) is indirectly a bio-indicator of Danau Sentarum.

According to Erwanto, this is because the bees are sensitive to any changes of environmental factors such as temperature.

“If there is any forest fire, the bees will not return to make any hives the subsequent year. This happened once in 2005 when open burning took place near here.”

Erwanto explained that knowing the importance of the forest to these bees made the local communities more protective of the environment.

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A tikung hanging on a tree without its bee’s hive.

A partnership to make Heart of Borneo initiative successful

Located in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Danau Sentarum National Park falls under the area of Heart of Borneo (HoB).
HoB is a conservation agreement initiated by WWF to protect a 220,000km2 forested region right in the middle of Borneo island.

As part as the HoB initiative, WWF-Indonesia has been supporting APDS through product marketing activities. WWF-Indonesia also been assisting APDS members in Internal Control System (ICS). This is to ensure the farmers maintain the hygiene of their products.

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APDS honey in stock at Semangit.

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5 things I learned through my gastronomic experience at Kapuas Hulu

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As a Kayan from the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Kapuas Hulu is a place that feels familiar and foreign at the same time.

First of all, the Kapuas Hulu region in West Kalimantan is home to a wide diversity of indigenous communities such as the Iban, Silat, Sejiram, Seberaung and Kayan.

Hence, some of the dialects, architecture and of course, food are so familiar making a Sarawakian like me almost forget  that I was in another country.

It seems only natural since the north of Kapuas Hulu borders Sarawak. The differences in Malay dialect and vocabulary as well as infrastructure, however, did remind me that I was no longer in Malaysia.

Thanks to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia, I got to visit several districts (kecamatan) under Kapuas Hulu  such as Putussibau, Semitau, Suhaid, Badau and Batang Lupar from Sept 25 till 28, giving me the opportunity to explore what made us similar yet different.

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Indonesian nasi goreng.

Here are five things I learned from a Sarawakian perspective through my culinary experience at Kapuas Hulu, Indonesia:

1. You can take the girl out of the village, but you sure can’t take the village out of the girl
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You can pick which side dish to go with your rice. 

“Terserah kedayakanmu, asyik-asyik makan daun ubi, (You are obviously a Dayak since you keep on eating cassava leaves).”

This was what one of my travelling companions, a local reporter from Pontianak said to me.

Malaysian-style ‘nasi campur’ is also common in neighbouring Indonesia. It is our local buffet style where you pick two or three mains – vegetable or protein – to go with your white rice. The price of your meal will be based on your dish types and portions.

While other types of vegetables such as long beans, bean sprout, cabbage and cangkuk manis (Sauropus androgynus) are available, I guess the Kayan blood flowing through my veins led me to pick out the cassava leaves over the rest.

Locally known as daun ubi or sometimes daun bandung in Sambas regency, the leaves are pounded and stir-fried to perfection, just how Sarawakians would enjoy it.

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Instead of the stainless steel canteen style setup we have in Malaysia, the nasi campur stalls across the border lay out their food in this attractive and ingenious way.
2. Chicken rice is called ‘ayam goreng’, not nasi ayam.
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How an ‘ayam goreng’ would look like in Indonesia.

Ayam goreng means fried chicken in Malay. To order ayam goreng in Malaysia will bring you a piece of fried chicken. Meanwhile in Indonesia, ayam goreng comes with a bowl of rice and other side vegetables.

3. Tea is life, not coffee
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Try es jeruk tambah susu which is lime juice with condensed milk.

Most of us in Malaysia love Indonesia’s famous and iconic beverage Teh Botol. Unsurprisingly, tea is a more preferred beverage in the country, compared to coffee.

Indonesia is just like Malaysia where ordering drinks can be tricky and different depending on which state you are in.

But here are key points to remember; it is called ‘es’ not ‘ais’ if you want to order an iced drink. Jeruk in Malaysia means pickled while in Indonesia, you can order ‘air jeruk’ which basically is a lime drink.

Interestingly, you can also order a cup of cappuccino in any common eatery. However do not expect it to come as a double espresso with steamed milk foam. It is equivalent to premixed Malaysian white coffee.

4. The fish is delicious in Kapuas Hulu!
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Fish cooked with asam pedas (spicy tamarind).
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Salted fish roe.

My visit to Kapuas Hulu revolved around Danau Sentarum. It is a magnificent-looking floodplain with plenty of  biodiversity treasures and resources especially fish. Hence, the star of my gastronomic experience is none other than the fish. At one point, it was hard to keep up with the types of fish I tried or which is which but I remember I have tried toman and biawan.

The only type of fish I tasted before during my trip was baung fish. It is a type of catfish which can also be found in Sarawak such as in Bakun or Belaga. In Kapuas Hulu, it is more common to cook these kinds of fish with asam pedas (spicy tamarind).

Fish may not be everybody’s favourite kind of protein, but in Kapuas Hulu,  you might find yourself enjoying it as the freshness adds to its tastiness.

5. Kerupuk basah is a must-try snack
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You must dip the kerupuk basah in the accompanying peanut sauce to enjoy it completely.

Kapuas Hulu’s kerupuk basah is reportedly Indonesian President Jokowi’s favourite food in West Kalimantan and I have to agree with the president because it was delicious. To this day I regret not buying some to bring home.

What might come to mind when you see kerupuk basah is how much it looks like the Malaysian keropok lekor, a traditional fish snack originally from Malaysian state of Terengganu.

The main similarity between kerupuk basah and keropok lekor is that both of them are made of fish but that’s where it ends.

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Freshly cooked kerupuk basah in a steamer.

Kerupuk basah has a spongy and smooth texture, almost like a crossover of textures between siu mai and fish cake.

Apparently the most delicious type of kerupuk basah is made from belidak fish. The one I tried was made from toman fish, but it is still tasty.

Most of the time, the kerupuk is served straight from a steamer, although some people prefer it fried.

What makes kerupuk basah extra tasty though, is the peanut sauce that comes with it. Made from fried peanuts, salt, chilli and sugar, the peanut sauce that goes with kerupuk basah is sweeter than our typical peanut sauce here in Malaysia.

So if you ever make your way to Kapuas Hulu, especially its administrative centre Putussibau, do not leave the regency without trying this iconic snack.

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Kerupuk basah.
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A view of Kapuas river from Semitau.
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A view of Kapuas river from Suhaid.
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Danau Sentarum of Kapuas Hulu.

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5 reasons to visit Danau Sentarum National Park, Indonesia

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Danau Sentarum National Park is a unique seasonal wetland where the water levels can rise up to 12m during raining season.

Together with Betung Kerihun National Park and Kapuas Hulu District, the whole area was awarded the biosphere reserve certificate from Man and Biosphere UNESCO last July 2018.

Located in Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, the park lies at the upper Kapuas River vasin.

It is a vast floodplain with 20 seasonal lakes, complete with picturesque freshwater swamp forest and peat swamp forest.

Here are five reasons why you should make your way to Danau Sentarum National Park:

1. Explore a maze-like peat land like no other

Travelling over the blackish water of Danau Sentarum is something that needs to be experienced at least once in your lifetime.

When dry season comes (June till September) and the water recedes, some of the lakes turn into narrowing channels while the channels turn into grasslands.

With all the trees that look almost alike and its winding channels, cruising through Danau Sentarum feels like going through a maze.

Plus, the vast floodplain leaves visitors wondering if there is something beyond the horizon of the lake.

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The national park covers 127,393.4 hectares whereby half of the area are lakes while the other half is swamp forest.
2. Do some birding activities

Pack your binocular and telephoto lenses to engage in birding activities at Danau Sentarum National Park.

About 240 bird species have been sighted at Danau Sentarum which include  the black hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus), great argus (Argusianus argus), Storm’s stork (Ciconia stormi) and crested gowshawk (Accipter trivirgatus).

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Catch some birds on binoculars at Danau Sentarum.
3.Observe the trees and wildlife (on camera) along the way
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Like any other national park, do not litter at Danau Sentarum.

Danau Sentarum National Park is located at the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative area. It is a government-led and NGO-supported programme that was initiated by a joint declaration by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007.

Today, it is one of the largest transboundary rainforests remaining in the world.

The whole island of Borneo is home to 6% of the global biodiversity though it only covers 1% of the world’s land area.

One of the areas which contribute to the high biodiversity of Borneo is Danau Sentarum.

It is home to 675 species of plants of which 13 are endemic to Borneo. Additionally, the park provides a natural habitat for orangutans, proboscis monkey, sun bears and arowana fish.

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If you are lucky, you will catch a stork landing on one these village jetties.
4.Watch sunrise and sunset over a floodplain
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A cloudy sunset view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang.

Thanks to its flat geographical feature, Danau Sentarum National Park gives picturesque views during sunrise and sunset.

And the best place to catch this view is at Bukit Tekenang.

Lonely Planet called Danau Sentarum a “photographers haven”,advising visitors to bring that extra memory card during your visit.

5. Learn about the Malay and Dayak cultures of Danau Sentarum
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Dusun Kedungkang, an Iban longhouse located near Danau Sentarum.

What makes Danau Sentarum National Park a unique place to visit is the people living in its area.

There are about 3,000 people living in the 20 villages enclaves within the park. About 90% of them are Malay while the rest are Dayak Iban people.

The Malays live in high-stilt houses connected by bridges while the Ibans live in traditional longhouses.

The residents are very welcoming and visitors should fully utilise their visit to Danau Sentarum by visiting at least one of these traditional villages.

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A Malay village at Danau Sentarum.

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Take in the mesmerising view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang

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A visit to Danau Sentarum National Park is not complete without a hike up to Bukit Tekenang.

With a towering height of 130m, the hill is one of the highest peaks in Danau Sentarum National Park.

The area was first gazetted as a wildlife reserve in 1982. Then in 1999, the area was declared as a national park.

Tourists can fly in from Pontianak to Putussibau, then take a four to four-hour-and-a-half hour’s journey to Semitau or Suhaid respectively.

From either Semitau or Suhaid, visitors can take a speedboat to Bukit Tekenang.

For Malaysians who are coming in from Sarawak’s Lubok Antu-Badau border, the closest way to get to Bukit Tekenang is from Lanjak town which takes about 40 minutes journey via speedboat.

It takes roughly 7 to 8 hours to drive to Lanjak from Kuching city.

At Bukit Tekenang, you will find a humble resort with basic amenities. So far the resort has welcomed both local and international tourists, especially from the UK and the Netherlands.

Not many locals live at Bukit Tekenang; the 20 families who do live there live by the lake on floating houses.

They are all fishermen living off the resources of Danau Sentarum (or Lake Sentarum). Apart from that, they also culture toman fish (Channa micropeltes) in cages.

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Floating houses at Bukit Tekenang.
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As always, don’t litter. A sign at Danau Sentarum reminding visitors to keep the national park clean by taking their rubbish with them.
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A map of Bukit Tekenang.
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A must-visit site of Danau Sentarum National Park.

Animals and plants who Danau Sentarum home

As for the wildlife at Bukit Tekenang, mammals such as proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus), long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), common treeshrews (Tupaia glis), and painted treeshrews (Tupaia picta) have been sighted at the area.

Overall, Danau Sentarum is home to about 240 bird species include the black hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus), great argus (Argusianus argus), Storm’s stork (Ciconia stormi) and crested gowshawk (Accipter trivirgatus).

Additionally, the vast floodplain is habitat to more than 20 reptiles such as the viper, false gharial, estuarine crocodile and monitor lizard.

The trees found at Bukit Tekenang are the itchy tree (Baringtonia acutangula), grey satinash (Syzygium claviflorum) and kayu tahun (Carallia sp).

Meanwhile, the whole national park includesw 20 seasonal lakes and 40 small islands. The islands have freshwater swamp forest and peat swamp forest.

Peat swamp is where waterlogged soil prevents dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing. This consequently creates a thick layer of acidic peat over time.

The acidic peat causes the water around it to be brackish which explains the dark-coloured water of Danau Sentarum.

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Bukit Tekenang also has an office for Danau Sentarum National Park.

A breathtaking view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang

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There are resting huts located along the way up to Bukit Tekenang.
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The trail is only about 500m long.

For the unaccustomed eyes, Danau Sentarum might remind you of 2007 British-Australian horror movie Black Water.

However once you get to on top at Bukit Tekenang, you will understand how the blackish water elevates the beauty of Danau Sentarum.

The blackish water serves as a mirror, especially when sun rays hit the pond at sunrise and sunset.

For photographers, it gives a golden opportunity to capture the perfect landscape of Danau Sentarum.

The hike up to the hill takes less than 30 minutes. Relatively an easy hike, it has a 500m staircase with resting huts located along the way.

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Can you see the storm on the horizon?

Do take note that the water level ranges from 5m to 12m depending on the season. The rainy season is usually from October to May when the water level is quite high.

Meanwhile, during the dry season (June until September), some of the lakes may dry out and some parts of the channels turn into grasslands.

Although the national park is open for visitors all year round, different months of visiting might give visitors different kind of view from Bukit Tekenang.

If you are planning when to visit, imagine what kind of view you expect Danau Sentarum to have. It is either greenish forest swamp surrounded by water or greenery with patches of brownish grasslands.

Both views are equally mesmerising as long as you have Mother Nature on your side to give you clear weather.

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If you are lucky, you might catch the sun in action when setting down.

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Observing traditional fishing methods at Danau Sentarum National Park

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Located in the province of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, the Danau Sentarum National Park is one of the most biodiverse lake systems in the world.

To give you an idea of how diverse; the park is home to about 240 recorded fish species.

Compare that to the European continent which has recorded about 546 species of freshwater fish, and Danau Sentarum has the equivalent of 40% of fish species for the whole of Europe.

The national park which covers an area of 127,393.4 hectares is basically a vast floodplain. Half of the area are lakes while the other half is swamp forest.

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One of the many channels in the complex lake system of Danau Sentarum National Park.

While most national parks in the world impose the heavy rule of ‘no fishing’ within its management area, the same rule cannot be enforced at Danau Sentarum National Park.

This is because there are roughly 20 villages located within the park’s proximity.

About 90% of the locals there are the Malay people while the rest are Dayak Iban.

With most of their villages built right next to a body of water, the lake also gives the villagers accessibility to the outside world besides providing

Most importantly, though, the communities rely heavily on the fish resources as their source of livelihood.

During a trip organised by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia from Nov 25 till 28, a group of media practitioners and travel writers paid a visit to Danau Sentarum National Park.

There, the group had the opportunity to cruise through the different channels of the lake system and observe the daily activities of local communities.

And it was not hard to find the locals at the Danau Sentarum. A number of them were seen on their boats busy with different kind of fishing gear.

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The local communities of Danau Sentarum rely heavily on fishing as their source of income.

Fishing nets of all kinds

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One of the fishing gears, commonly called ‘pukat’.
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A closer look at the pukat.

One of the most common types of fishing gear used at Danau Sentarum is the pukat or gill net. The nets look like rectangular hammocks with wooden sticks to put them in place.

Pukat is commonly used all year round. However when the water level drops during dry season, this fishing method is not practical as the net is not entirely submerged.

Apart from the pukat, the locals of Danau Sentarum can be seen casting jala or nets from the bows of their wooden boats.

Jala allows the locals to catch different kinds of fish depending on the mesh sized used.

Another common fishing gear spotted along the lake of the national park was the bubu. This is typically a large cylindrical fish trap made from rattan, although they do make rectangular traps as well.

Some fishermen were still seen using good old hooks. This kind of fishing method is used to catch fish for personal consumption.

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Biawan fishes in cage cultures.

Are those wind chimes?

Bubu is not the only type of fish trap used at Danau Sentarum.

If you are cruising through Danau Sentarum, youmight notice small items hanging from trees along the lake and the stilts of the village houses.

They look like wind chimes from afar but in fact they are bamboo tube traps.

Called tabung by the locals, these fish traps are made from bamboo tubes tied in bundles. The local fishermen used them primarily to trap live ulang uli.

Ulang uli or clown loach (Chromobotia macracanthus) have orange bodies with three black bars. They are usually sold as ornamental fish.

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Tabung hanging from stilts at Danau Sentarum.
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These fish traps are made from bamboo tubes tied in bundles.

Fishing for a living at Danau Sentarum

Apart from ornamental fish, Danau Sentarum fishery folk process their various catches into salted and smoked products for sale.

And their products cannot get any fresher; the fish are immediately gutted right on the boats or their village wharf.

According to one fisherman, Abang Usman from Dusun (village) Semangit, it takes up to four days to completely dry the salted fish.

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Abang Usman from Dusun Semangit.

The salted fish are sold to a seller who comes to the village every two or three days to collect the processed fish.

He explained that the type of fish sold vary according to the season. In September, some of the common catches are toman, baung and biawan.

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A group of villagers gutting fish together to make salted fish.

Fish for food at Danau Sentarum

At Danau Sentarum, fish is the main source of protein for the local villagers. While salted and smoked fishes are tasty and ready to have with a bowl of hot steaming rice, they still can’t beat freshly cooked fish.

And one of the favourite ways to cook any fishes here is with asam pedas, or spicy tamarind fish. It is a Malay sour and spicy fish dish popular in Indonesia.

The added bonus of having your fish freshly caught, is that they don’t have that fishy smell.

So if you are making your way to Danau Sentarum, do not miss out on having a taste of the fish.

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Salted roes from toman fishes, one of the delicacies found at a Malay village in Danau Sentarum.
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It takes up to four days to dry these salted fishes.
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Fish smoking in the process.
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The local fishermen dry their fishes in front of their houses.
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Toman fishes cooked in asam pedas.

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3 botanical gardens you should visit in Kuching if you love plants

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Calling out all botanists and horticulturalists who are visiting Kuching city for the first time!

Do not leave the city without visiting these botanical gardens:

1. DBKU Orchid Park
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One of the orchids found in DBKU Orchid Park.

While the hibiscus is Malaysia’s official flower, Sarawak’s state flower is actually the Normah Orchid (Phalaenopsis bellina).

So, having a whole garden dedicated solely to orchids in Kuching comes as no surprise.

Located near the State Legislative Assembly, the garden houses of more than 75,000 plants.

Some of these plants include Lady’s Slipper (Paphiopedilum sanderianum) and Bulbophyllum beccarii .

In July 2019, 600 participants from 13 countries are expected to come for 13th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference in Kuching.

2. Pitcher Plant and Wild Orchid Center

In the 19th century, Marianne North, a botanical artist came to Sarawak to paint scenery and plants. One of the plants she painted was a pitcher plant endemic only to Borneo.The species was eventually named after North, Nepenthes northiana as she was the first person to illustrate it.

Fast forward to 21st century, there are now plenty books and illustrations of pitcher plants. Plus, there is a botanical garden hosting up 35 species or subspecies of pitcher plants in Kota Padawan.

Apart from pitcher plants, there are other species including wild orchids found in the garden.Pay it a visit if you want to know more about this carnivorous plant. The centre opens Tuesday to Sunday.

3. Sarawak Botanical Garden

The third botanical garden is still undergoing expansion.

After receiving RM10 mil fund from the federal government in 2016, the garden is going to be spread over 83ha. It will link Darul Hana Bridge, Sarawak Legislative Assembly Complex and Orchid Garden.

The garden is targetted to be one of the sustainable networks of green spaces in Kuching city. It will also be a recreational activity area as well as a tourist landmark.

Special mention: Kuching Seed Swap

A public Facebook group, if you live in Kuching and are an avid gardener or even just starting out, Kuching Seed Swap is a free seed/plant/produce exchange group for all Kuching based gardeners.

The group aims to bring together a community of gardeners to share not just plants and seeds, but also knowledge and experience.

Happy Gardening!

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Top 20 most amazing facts about Sabah’s biodiversity

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Apart from its rich culture, Sabah is also widely known for its rich biodiversity.

Did you know that Sabah’s rainforest even inspired the live action remake of The Jungle Book?

One of the movie’s visual effect artists, Helen Brownell reportedly drew inspiration from her adventures in Sabah for some of the landscapes in the film.

We bet Brownell is not the only one who is amazed by its diverse flora and fauna combined with its unique topography.

For the uninitiated, here are 20 amazing facts about Sabah and its nature:

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Do you know all top three peaks in Malaysia are found in Sabah?
1.Malaysia’s top 3 highest mountains are found in the Land Below the Wind

This Malaysian state of Borneo was given the nickname Land Below the Wind because it lies below the typhoon belt of East Asia.

The highest mountain, Mount Kinabalu stands tall at 4,095m. It is also the highest peak in the Malay Archipelago as well as the highest mountain in Malaysia.

Lonely Planet even named it as one of the world’s 50 most epic hiking trails.

The second highest mountain is Mount Trusmadi at 2,642m and Mount Tambuyukon closing in at 2,579m.

2. 59% of Sabah is covered by forest!

In the ’70s, the forest cover for Sabah was up to 90%. However due to agriculture and development, the number went down to 59% over recent years.

Why it is still amazing is because 59% of Sabah is about the same size as Denmark.

3. There is one place nicknamed the ‘waterfall capital’.

That place is Maliau Basin! Located at the center of the state, the 390 sq km area has at least 28 waterfalls towering over 5 m. This perhaps shows that Maliau Basin may house the highest number of waterfalls per unit area in the world, if not in Malaysia. The one waterfall that stands out is the majestic 7-tier Maliau Falls.

4. 76% of the world’s coral species is found here!

Sabah is home to at least 612 coral species! The state is also part of the Coral Triangle; an area of tropical marine waters of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Philippines and Timor-Leste. It is recognised as the centre of world marine biodiversity.

5.The largest giant clam species Tridacna Gigas in the world can be found in the Land Below the Wind.

One of the amazing creatures living in Sabah’s water is the giant clam. The largest of them all, Tridacna Gigas can weigh up to 200kg!

In the wild, it has an average lifespan of over 100 years. Apart from Sabah, it also can be found off the shores of the Philippines.

6. There is a safe haven for marine turtles.

Do you know that the oldest marine turtles conservation programme in the world is in Sabah? Established in 1966, the first turtle conservation site in Sabah was on Selingan Island, Sandakan.

Together with Little Bakungan and Gulisaan, these three islands made up Turtle Islands Park which lie in the Sulu Sea.
This park is considered the safe haven for green and hawksbill turtles.

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There is a place which can be considered a safe haven for marine turtles and it is in Sabah.
7. Sipadan is one of the top dive sites in the world.

What do The Guardian, CNN Travel, Dive Magazine, Deacon Herald and Deeper Blue have in common? They all named Sipadan as one of the top dive sites in the world.

Located off the east coast of Sabah, the island was formed by living growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone.

One of the highlights of this island is its Turtle Tomb. It is an underwater cave with maze-like tunnels and chambers where many turtles skeletons have been found from turtles who got lost and ended up drowning in this cave.

8. The largest crocodile species is found in Sabah.

Apart from Sarawak, reptile lovers can also find the largest crocodile species in the Land Below the Wind.
Measuring possibly up to 7 meters in length, the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living reptile.

9.Reticulated Python, the longest snake in the world called Land Below the Wind home.

If saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile in the world, the longest reptile is the reticulated python.
Plus, it is also one of the three heaviest snakes in the world. Besides Sabah, this reptile can also be found slithering around South Asia and the Indo-Australian Archipelago.

10.Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands is the largest Ramsar Site in Malaysia.

A Ramsar Site is a wetland site designated of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. As of 2016, there are 2,231 Ramsar Sites throughout the world and the largest one in Malaysia is Lower Kinabatangan-Segama (78, 803ha).

11.The world’s smallest elephant is found here.

Speaking of Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands, one of the species calling that places home is the Borneo pygmy elephant.
It is the world’s smallest elephant, a subspecies of Asian elephant.
However according to IUCN, the population has been declining for the past 75 years die to habitat loss and hunting.

12.The world’s tallest tropical tree is here too.

In July 2018, scientists found the world’s tallest tropical tree in Tawau Hills Park. Towering at 96.9m, the tree is Shorea faguetiana located at about 24km from Tawau town.

That tree is even taller than the Statue of Liberty (93m)! Prior to this, the then tallest tree was also found in the state, at the Danum Valley Conservation Area, recorded at 94.1m.

13.  Sabah is home to one of the most wanted birds in the world.

Here in Sabah, you can find one of the world’s most wanted birds by birdwatchers. It is the Bornean Bristlehead, an uncommon species and endemic only to Borneo.

14. One of the oldest tropical rainforest in the world is in Sabah.

Danum Valley Conservation Area, about 2 hours’ drive from Lahad Datu, is not only the largest protected rainforest area in the state, it is also estimated to be almost 140 million years old.

15. Malaysia’s largest marine park is Tun Mustapha Park.

Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) is Malaysian biggest marine park spanning over 898,763ha, off Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas districts.

It comprises more than 50 islands including Banggi and Balambangan.

16. You might see the Bornean Falconet, the smallest raptor in the world here too.

The Bornean Falconet or white-fronted falconet is the smallest bird of prey in the world. Endemic to Sabah, this raptor is about 15cm.

17.The most expensive orchid, Rothschild’s Slipper orchid is only found in the Land Below the Wind.
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Mount Kinabalu is where many of Sabah endemic species are found. Credits: Pixabay.

Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Malaysia houses many interesting plants and animals. It also harbours the most expensive orchid in the world. One of its stems on the black market is reported to be worth up to $5,000. No wonder it is called “the Gold of Kinabalu” orchid. As always though, we at KajoMag urge our readers to conserve and preserve nature.

18. The world’s longest stick insect is found near Kinabalu Park.

Besides the most expensive orchid, Kinabalu Park is home to the world’s longest stick insects called Phobaeticus chani. Visitors might confuse it with a real stick as it measures at more than 50cm in length.

19. The largest rafflesia species is found in Sabah.

Rafflesia is widely known as the largest individual flower in the world. The largest of the rafflesia species is Rafflesia arnoldii which can also be found in this state.

20. The biggest pitcher plant is found on Mount Kinabalu too.

Here is an interesting fact; the biggest pitcher plant is named after the first White Rajah of Sarawak but it is only can be found in its neighbouring state of Sabah. Hugh Low first collected Nepenthes rajah in 1858 on Mount Kinabalu and named it after his friend, James Brooke.

Growing up to 40cm high and 20cm wide, this plant can even trap small mammals!

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PHOTOS: Learn more about the Land Below the Wind at Sabah Museum

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Art critic Jerry Saltz once said, “Don’t go to a museum with a destination. Museums are wormholes to other worlds. They are ecstasy machines.”

This is so true, especially if you are visiting Sabah Museum for the first time where each of the gallery inside the building will transport you to a different world.

Established in 1965, the museum was first housed at Gaya Street in Kota Kinabalu. It moved to its current location in 1984 at Bukit Istana Lama.

The main building of Sabah museum is designed after traditional Rungus Longhouse.

As you walk inside the museum, there is a huge 20m long whale skeleton to welcome you. There are galleries of ethnography, natural history, ceramics, history and archaeology.

Every gallery has so many things to see and learn about Sabah, from its rich culture to its abundant biodiversity.

There is a small section dedicating to ‘Budaya Mengayau’ or headhunting, which explains this old tradition of Sabah’s indigenous people.

For example, did you know that when headhunters came back from a raid, they were not allowed to bring the heads into the village?

So what did they do with the heads? For Kadazandusun of Tambunan and Tamparuli, they hung the head on a tree or bamboo and called it sogindai.

In other communities, the heads were kept in a temporary hut called sulap.

After several days or weeks, a Bobolian or Bobohizan (high priestess) would performed a ritual, after which the heads would be allowed to be brought into the village.

If history and ethnology are you preference, you could find yourself reading through each panel for hours.

Open daily from 9am to 5pm, the museum charges RM2 for Malaysians and RM15 for non-Malaysian.

Photography is allowed (no flash) for visitors to capture their experience.

Here are photos taken by KajoMag at Sabah Museum for visitors to learn more about the Land Below the Wind:

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The traditional attire of a Lundayeh woman. This mannequin is wearing a white blouse and a black skirt, with alet birar (beaded headgear) and beret benging (beaded belt).
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A Bajau rider and his decorated horse.
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A winnowing mill used to separate rice from the chaff.
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Bakul sabat was traditionally used to carry bridal gifts in the Kadazandusun community at Tambunan district.
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Sabah Museum has a collection of woven items from different indigenous communities in the state. One of them is this Sosopilon, a backpack used by the Kadazandusun community in Tambunan.
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This is an usunan. The Iranun nobility of Kota Belud used it to carry the groom to the bride’s house. it is also used to carry their dead.
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This commemorative dinner set was made in conjunction with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 and was used at Sabah governors’ residence.
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Some of the items displayed at Sabah Museum are private items donated by generous members of the public such as this pith helmet.
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The design of the main building of Sabah Museum is inspired by a Rungus longhouse.
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A row of classic cars on display outside Sabah Museum.
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A panel explaining the local plants used as traditional medicines in Sabah.
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Some of the primates and mammals which can be found in Sabah.
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A sun bear which is commonly found throughout Southeast Asia including Sabah.
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The Sambar Deer of Sabah Museum.
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A bay owl.
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Clouded leopard.
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Millipede.
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A green turtle.
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The different types of jars displayed at the Ceramic Gallery of Sabah Museum. These were used to store drinking water, rice food and also to make a local liquor called tapai.
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Each of the ceramic ware has its own brief description allowing visitors to learn more about every artifact.
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The ceramic collection at the Sabah Museum has different origins including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan and Europe. However, all of them were found in Sabah. It is believed that some of these ceramics were made as early as the 10th century.

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10 things you should know about the Bryde’s whale skeleton at Sabah Museum

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When you step into the Sabah Museum, the first thing that greets you is a gigantic whale skeleton.

What type of whale is it? Where did they get it from? Are there alot of whale sightings off the coast of Sabah? Perhaps these are the questions that come to your mind as you look at this enormous skeleton.

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A closer look at the whale’s jaw bone.    

Here at KajoMag, we summarised 10 things you should know about the Bryde’s whale skeleton at Sabah Museum:

1. This whale was first found stranded on Dec 14, 2006.

On that day, a group of fishermen found this cetacean stranded near Kampung (village) Lok Urai, Gaya island around 11pm.

Within 12 hours after it was first spotted, a rescue mission was launched by teams from the Fisheries Department, Wildlife Department, Sabah Parks, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), NGOs and members of the public.

However, the tide was too low for the rescue team to pull the poor creature back to the ocean. Rescuers had to constantly pour seawater on its body to keep it hydrated.

2. The whale was back to the sea the next day.

By Dec 15 at 7.30pm, the team had succeeded in pulling the whale back into the sea. Nonetheless, the then Sabah Fishery Department director, Rayner Stuel Galid raised concerns that the whale might return to its stranding spot.

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A father pointing at the skeleton while his son looks on.
3. The marine mammal was found dead on Dec 17, 2006.

True enough, the animal was found dead near its stranding spot at Gaya Island. The initial plan was to bury it but there was no suitable location.

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A closer look at the whale’s backbone.
4. Its supposedly final resting place was decided.

The carcass was towed to Stomai Rock, somewhere between Pulau Tiga and Gaya Island. Then, it was anchored about 60 to 70m deep into the sea to allow it to decompose naturally.

5. The then Sabah chief minister wanted the whale to be preserved.

Later on Dec 19, then chief minister of Sabah, Musa Aman instructed the Fisheries Department to work together with Sabah Museum Department, Sabah Parks and UMS to conserve the whale’s bones.

6. The whale was back on land on Dec 20.

A team was deployed to bring back the carcass from where it was anchored. They put a giant fishing net to wrap the carcass so that the skeleton remained intact during the process.

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The 20m long skeleton attracts visitors the moment they stepped into the museum.
7. The ‘deboning’ process begins on Dec 21.

The tedious process of separating the bones from the carcass lasted a few days.

It took about 35 people to work round the clock on the carcass starting from its tail. They also dug three enormous holes at Fishery Station Menggatal to bury the whale’s flesh and organs.

8. The whale skeleton was handed to Sabah Museum on Christmas eve 2006.

The team officially handed the whale skeleton to Sabah Museum on Dec 24, just 10 days after it first found stranded.

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The whale skeleton takes up a huge space of Sabah Museum.
9. The identity of the whale is Bryde’s whale.

The whale was identified as Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni). It was 20.6m long and weighed around 22 to 26 tonnes.

The Kadazandusun people of Sabah call it luulumbo.

According to UMS researchers, approximately 20 species of marine mammals have been recorded in Sabah waters.

The state’s various ecosystems like its coral reefs, mangrove, estuaries and sea grass provides habitats and food resources for these animals, leading to a high number of species found in Sabah.

10. Sabah has the highest  number of whale stranding cases in Malaysia.

The Bryde’s whale at Sabah Museum was not the only stranded cetacean in the state.

In 2012, it was reported Sabah recorded the highest number of whale stranding cases as well as whale sightings compared to other states since the 1970s.

Additionally, Sabah also has the longest coastline in Malaysia. It is surrounded by the South China Sea on the west, Sulu Sea on the northeast and Celebes Sea on the southeast regions.

There are many factors that could contribute to whale stranding such as natural causes due to sickness or old age or military sonar.

However, the reason for this statistic in Sabah is still not scientifically known.

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The gigantic skeleton of Bryde’s whale.

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