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5 things you can enjoy at Similajau National Park, Bintulu

Published on January 21, 2019

Travel

Situated about 30km from Bintulu town, Similajau National Park covers a total area of 22,230 acres.

The park was gazetted in 1978 and opened to public in 1995.

Here are 5 interesting things about Similajau National Park:

5 things you can enjoy at Similajau National Park, Bintulu — Pay your entrance fee at this office before going into the park.

1.It is place where you can hike to the sound of waves crashing

There are about eight trails catering for visitors of all ages at Similajau National Park. The plank walk and education trail take about 15 and 20 minutes respectively. Thus making them suitable for young children.

Then, they have Circular Trail (1.7km), View Point Trail (1.3km), Batu Anchau (1.8km), Turtle Beach I Trail (6.5km), Turtle Beach II Trail (7.6km) and Golden Beach Trail (10km).

One tip for if you choose the Golden Beach Trail: start early and pack up some strength and endurance. Although you can make a round trip in one day, it is a very long walk.

Most of the trails go along the coast of Similajau. So you can imagine hiking these routes while listening to the waves crashing.

Additionally, the trails are mostly flat with little climbing required.

Apart from that, you can also soothe your soul with the sounds of insects and maybe some Bornean bearded pigs walking or champing their food.

2.The sand is gold in colour!

Golden Beach got its name thanks to its gold-coloured sand. This type of sand can also be found at Turtle I and Turtle II beaches.

Hanz P. Hazebroek and Abang Kashim Abang Morshidi wrote in National Park of Sarawak that the parent rocks along the coast of the park include sandstone as well as mudstone.

“The resultant soils are red-yellow podzolic soils, composed of varying proportions of clay and sand with a few centimetres of decomposing plant remains on top. The yellow-orange colours are due to insoluble iron oxides.”

Putting geology and chemical composition aside, the golden-coloured beach offers the perfect Insta-background.

But we warn you! Unlike white sandy beaches which feel smooth between your toes, these golden sands are rough and harsh. So don’t even think about walking on the beach bare-footed.

3. There is a whale skeleton to greet you at the front office

Right outside of Similajau NP’s front office, there is a whale skeleton to greet you.

The story of this whale goes back to Dec 11, 2015 when it was first found stranded at Tanjung Batu Beach around 7pm.

Sarawak Forestry Corporation staff from Similajau NP, Malaysia LNG (MLNG) volunteers, Bintulu Fire Department and Civil Defense Department successfully released it back to the sea two hours later.

However, the animal was found dead at the same beach the next morning.

Identified as Cuvier’s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris), the carcass measuring 5.7m long was then transferred to Similajau National Park.

It is the first complete assembled skeleton of Cuvier’s Beaked Whale recorded in Sarawak and the second one in Malaysia.

The other one is on display at Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s Borneo Marine Research Institute aquarium.

4.It has a turtle hatchery

Three species of turtles have recorded landings at Similajau National Park; green turtle, leatherback turtle and hawksbill turtle.

They come from March to September annually. To protect their eggs, a turtle hatchery has been introduced to the park.

The staff usually dig their eggs from the beach and transplant them into the turtle hatchery. Then once the eggs are hatched, the hatchlings are released into the sea.

5.Similajau National Park has the Sea Turtles and Reef Ball Project

Speaking of turtles, these marine reptiles were absent for five years from Similajau since July 2010.

Then, they came back again in 2015 to lay their eggs. One of the strong reasons why they came back was due to the Sea Turtles and Reef Ball Project.

From 2013 to 2016, a total of 1,500 artificial reef balls were deployed off the coast of Similajau National Park.

This was to create habitat for marine life as well as to improve the livelihood of the local community.

In addition to that, Sarawak Forestry Corporation stated that the presence of the reef balls in the waters of Similajau National Park have greatly reduced trawling activities close to the park, thus providing protection and encouraging the return of turtles to the beaches of Similajau.

If you are feeling generous, you can adopt a reef ball through the Reef Ball Adoption Program. The funds are used to buy and deploy these artificial reefs at Similajau National Park.

Your generosity might bring more turtles to the beach to lay their eggs!

The Legends of Pelagus Rapids, Kapit

Published on December 12, 2018

Culture

The Pelagus Rapids are infamously known as the ‘Rapids of Death’.

They have caused the deaths of many travellers who needed to travel from Kapit to Belaga.

The Legends of Pelagus Rapids, Kapit — A road in Belaga.

Located up the Rajang river, the ferocious rapids spanning 5km consist of at least seven dangerous sessions. The locals call some of them Lapoh, Sukat, Bidai, Tilan, Makup, Batu Nabau, Lungga and Mawang.

The rapids are particularly dangerous when the water level is low. When the narrow passage combines with fast flowing water, it is no surprise that the river has led to many accidents.

One of the most tragic events happened in 1973 when a longboat carrying teachers and students from SMK Kapit hit the rocks and sank. Sadly, 17 students died in that accident.

As Sarawak is a land of endless mythical legends, there are several legends associated with Pelagus Rapids:

1. The rocks are pieces of a huge serpent

Once upon a time, there was a huge serpent that was captured and sliced into seven pieces.

The pieces of this serpent floated down the Rajang river and finally rested at Pelagus, forming the rapids.

When the water level is low, the rocks can be seen to be clean-cut rocks, just as if they had been sliced with a blade.

So some locals believe these rocks are pieces of the large serpent.

2.The other serpent-related legend is about a perverted one

Another version of this serpent legend of Pelagus is that it could turn into human form.

While in his human form, this mystical serpent tried to seduce another man’s wife.

It was not a good idea because the woman was married to a ferocious warrior. So the warrior caught the serpent and cut it into seven pieces. He threw the seven pieces into the water which now form the seven tiers of Pelagus rapids.

3. The apparitions of Antu Belang

According to historian Chang Pat Foh in Legends and History of Sarawak, if an apparition of ‘Antu Belang’ appears at the Pelagus rapids, a tragedy is likely to happen.

Another sign of danger is if there is an extra-loud noise of splashing water. The sounds sometimes seem like someone is reciting traditional rhymes or berpantun.

When these signs appear, the locals would normally avoid the rapids.

Pelagus Rapids today

The Sarawak government approved and implemented a RM9.8 mln project in 2012 to blast these rocks away for the safety of riverine travellers.

Although it has been reported that it was only the tops of these rocks that were blasted away and to exercise caution while navigating these waters, no boating mishaps have occurred since then.

Tebedu’s KLB Garden makes the perfect visit for families and couples alike

Published on December 10, 2018

Travel

If you are running out of ideas on where to spend quality time with your families and partners, here is a KajoMag-approved suggestion: KLB Garden.

Located about one hour and thirty minutes from Kuching city in the sleepy town of Tebedu, the garden provides a variety of activities for you to spend with your loved ones.

This border town of Sarawak and Kalimantan is also a trading hub for both Malaysians and Indonesians.

Tebedu's KLB Garden makes the perfect visit for families and couples alike — Beginning to look alot like Christmas in KLB Garden.

A huge garden for families with small children to explore

Overall, the garden prides itself on being able to house more than 100 different species of birds, fishes and animals such as deer, cows and goats.

They also have other animals such as peacocks, porcupines and rare fowls too.

Visitors can also see more than 20 different kinds of tropical fruits like rambutan, jackfruit, and dragon fruits.

Unfortunately, there were no signs to mark these trees. Thus, it was not entirely educational for those who were unfamiliar with these tropical species.

However, KLB Garden’s patrons can always keep a watchful eye on their surroundings. When you sit in one of its swings, for example, just look up and you will find a bunch of jackfruit hanging right above you.

The wide variety of flora and fauna makes it an ideal place for young children to learn and explore their natural environment.

Plus, visitors are allowed to feed the cows, goats and rabbits. This gives young children first-hand experience with animals.

For those who are not thrilled with the idea of ‘caged animals’ or a zoo, KLB Garden might not be the place to visit.

Nonetheless, the animals all looked well taken care of and the cages were clean. Rest assured, all plants and animals were allowed in with permits from the Forest Department.

KLB Garden – a perfect place to go on a date

Additionally, the garden made a perfect date idea for couples looking for other options besides the usual movie and dinner dates.

There are 2-seater bicycles provided for rent, conveniently romantic for couples in love.

Take your sweet time to explore the area on your bicycle while enjoying your surroundings.

And if your partner is the Insta-boyfriend kind, there are a wide range of Insta-worthy spots inside the garden itself.

Social media enthusiasts can away pose to their hearts’ content on a covered walkaway with arches of greenery.

Then, there are two old buses refurbished into cute dining halls with colorful interiors.

If you have a keen eye, then you might notice the small details put into the garden.

For instance, there was a wishing well with statues of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs.

Disney fans would definitely be reminded of Snow White’s song ‘I’m Wishing’; the part when she is pulling a bucket of water out of the well and The Prince makes his sudden appearance.

Speaking of details, rubbish and recycle bins as well as washrooms were located almost at every corner. Hence, making it convenient for all visitors.

Giving visitors a reason to visit Tebedu

KLB Garden was named after Kueh Lau Boo, a prominent Tebedu businessman. During the war against the communists, Kueh’s family was one of the four selected businessmen allowed to continue to do business in the town.

The 13-acre garden is expected to be a main tourism attraction for Tebedu. For local Kuchingites, the garden makes another perfect excuse to escape the city.

Read about other day trips you can make while in Kuching:

What to do in Gunung Gading National Park, Lundu?

What to at Santubong, Sarawak?

Kuching-Serian Itinerary: What can you do in one day?

Ranchan Recreational Park, Serian’s Famous Picnic Spot

Soak your body in Panchor Hot Spring

3 Easy Trails in Bako National Park you must visit

How to avoid lightning strikes when you travel

Published on November 13, 2018

Travel

Did you know that Malaysia has the third highest lightning activity in the world?

According to US National Lightning Safety Institute records, Malaysia recorded an average of 180 to 260 thunderstorm days a year, after Indonesia (322) and Columbia (275 to 320).

If you are living or travelling to these countries (or anywhere else), here are ways to avoid getting hit by lightning:

When you are indoors(!)

How to avoid lightning strikes when you travel — You still need to take precautions when you stay indoors when lightning strikes.

When a thunderstorm hits, get yourself under some shelter. Once inside, avoid using corded phones or electrical appliances.

Plus, the US National Weather Service urges the public to avoid showering during a lightning storm because a bolt might strike the water pipes and electrify your bathroom.

Even MythBusters, an Australian-American science television programme, proved that showering during a thunderstorm might not be a good idea.

So it doesn’t matter how filthy or stinky you are, do not wash your hands or take a shower.

The rainy weather might look beautiful for some but it is advisable to stay away from the windows.

When you are outdoors

Lightning can strike even when you think you are some distance away from the thunderstorm, so as soon as you hear a distant rumble, that’s when you should scramble for safety.

Even if there aren’t any in sight, never use a cliff or rocks for shelter. The same goes for trees.

What if you get caught in a thunderstorm while surrounded by trees? The best thing you can do is to get far from any trunks and avoid low-hanging branches.

Additionally, get as far as you can from street lamps, wire fences or power lines. These tall, metal objects attract lightnings like flies attracted to lights. You do not want to go near them.

When you are in open spaces

In March 2018, it was reported that a lightning strike on a Penang beach instantly killed a man while injuring another. This is not an isolated case. There have been many reports of lightning strikes in open spaces like the beach all around the world.

Safety experts advise the public to stay away from water including ocean, lakes and rivers because water is a conductor of electricity.

If you’re in a group of people in an open space stuck in a thunderstorm during a futsal match for example, spread out so that everyone is at least three meters away from each other. This is to avoid any live currents travelling between you.

Three people were struck by lightning during in a futsal match in Kuala Lumpur earlier this month. Unfortunately one of the three died in the hospital a week after the incident.

For safety precaution, crouch down in a ball – low to the ground – but make sure to make as little contact with the ground as possible. (Which means no lying flat on the ground during a thunderstorm.)

When you are planning your travel itinerary

As much as you want to make full use of your time during travelling, always remember that safety comes first.

Check the weather forecast before making any plans. If a thunderstorm is on its way, ditch the park, beach, river, trekking trail, golf course and any sports in open fields.

Just relax and stay indoor with a good book, a cup of cocoa… or maybe a glass of wine.

8 scientific reasons why nature is good for your health

Published on November 7, 2018

Lifestyle

You’ve heard or read it on the Internet before; nature is one of the best medicines out there. So much so that doctors in Scotland have been authorised to prescribe nature to their patients.

Here at KajoMag, we searched high and low for the scientific proof of why nature is good for you:

8 scientific reasons why nature is good for your health — If you are picking a vacation spot, why not pick somewhere near the nature instead of a metropolitan city? Credits: Pexels.

1.An experience with nature helps to reduce depression

According to a study published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) in 2015, nature experiences reduces rumination.

So what is rumination? It is a repetitive thought which focuses on negative aspects of the self, a known risk factor for mental illness.

This research showed that participants who went for a 90-min walk in nature reportedly had lower levels of rumination compared with those who walked through an urban environment.

In other words, being outdoor does helps you to lower your chances of getting depressed and the risk of having mental illness.

2. Living in an urban area with more green space is also beneficial

Even if nature is not that accessible to you, living in an urban area with more green space is also beneficial.

A study has shown that individuals have lower mental distress when living in places with more greenery.

Although the effects are relatively small, it does have cumulative benefits when you have some trees or plants outside your doorstep.

3. Spending time in the forest has proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure

Forest bathing has been a part of the Japanese national public health program since 1982. It is basically the practice of being in the presence of trees.

In a study conducted by Japan’s Chiba University, the researchers measured the physiological effects of 280 subjects. These parameters included salivary cortisol (which increases with stress), blood pressure, pulse rate and heart rate.

They compared these results from subjects who spent a day in the city and of those who spent 30 minutes in the forest.

Surprisingly, the study concluded that the forests did actually have a visible effect as subjects in lower concentration of cortisol, pulse rate and blood pressure.

4.A day trip to the forest can also improve immunity

If you haven’t hear of NK cells, they are natural killer cells that are important to the innate immune system.

Renowned for their healthy lifestyles and longevity, the Japanese have also proven that simply making a day trip to a forest park can increase human NK cells activity. They also found that making that just one day visit to a forest park can increase the number of NK cells in your body.

Apart from that, the group of researchers from Nippon Medical School, Tokyo found that such a trip can increase levels of intracellular anti-cancer proteins and all of these effects can last for at least 7 days after the trip.

5.Children who spend more time in green and blue (beach) spaces have lower ADHD symptoms

In 2012, a group of researchers in Barcelona, Spain was investigating the impact of contact with green spaces and blue spaces (beaches) on children’s mental health.

Then the result came back that there beneficial impacts of spending longer time in green spaces and beaches as well as living in residential area surrounding greenness on children.

Evidently, these factors reduce symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in schoolchildren.

6. The sounds and sights of nature help to reduce pain during flexible bronschoscopy

Flexible bronschoscopy is a procedure which allows a clinician to examine the breathing passages of the lungs. The clinician will insert a thin tube called a bronchoscope is placed in the nose or mouth.

There has been a study in Chest Journal that showed that distracting patients with the sounds and sights of nature can reduce their pain during this intrusive procedure.

Perhaps next time you are going through any painful medical procedure, try playing some sounds of nature.

7.The closer you are to nature, you have higher tendency to exercise

Danish researchers were trying to study the relationship between distance to green space and the level of physical activity among the population of Denmark.

Later they found that those who are living more than 1km from green space had lower odds to exercise and keep shape compared with people living closer than 300m to green space.

Additionally, the scientists found that people who are living more than 1km from green space had higher chance of being obese.

With more and more news on the effects of climate change, it may be time to move closer to nature rather than the gym, don’t you think?

8. Lastly, nature lower risk of you dying

Forget about the Fountain of Youth, nature is the real deal to prolong your life.

A study proved that middle-aged men living in high amounts of green space have 16 per cent lower risk of dying compared with similar group living with less greenery.

Another research showcased that older people are more likely to live longer if they live near walkable greenery filled public areas.

Overall, people are just healthier, happier and have better well-being when they spend more time or live closer to nature.

How Catholicism influenced the Kayan in Tubau to honour their dead

Published on November 5, 2018

Culture

Under a temporary hut made of wooden sticks and canvas, some 80 people gathered together at Sungai Pesu cemetery, near Tubau to attend All Souls’ Day mass.

Celebrated annually on Nov 2, it is a day to commemorate the souls of all Christians who have died.

The small congregation came not only from the nearby longhouses but also all around Sarawak who came home purposely to observe All Souls’ Day at the cemetery.

Preceding the mass on muddy ground without any chairs, the priest Rev Fr John Chia reminded the congregation that it was their duty to pray for the dead.

He also pointed out the Catholic Church teaches that the purification of the souls in Purgatory can be hastened by the prayers of the faithful on earth.

After the mass ended, the congregation spread out to their respective loved one’s tombs to pray and clean the grave sites.

How Catholicism influenced the Kayan in Tubau to honour their dead — Some 80 Catholic faithfuls attended the All Souls’ Day mass in Sungai Pesu, Tubau.

Kayan’s burial ground of different faiths

Located about an hour and half from Bintulu, the Sungai (river) Pesu cemetery was one of the earliest final resting places for the Kayan settlers near Tubau river who migrated from Balui river.

They were believed to have moved to Tubau basin at the beginning of the 19th century in search of better farmland.

Reportedly, the first two longhouses who buried their loved ones at Sungai Pesu cemetery were from Uma Pako and Uma Awai.

After more than 150 years since the Kayan settled in Tubau, the cemetery now laid rest those who were practicing Adat Bungan (old Kayan religion), Borneo Evangelical Mission and Catholicism.

However, it was hard to know whose tomb was the oldest there because there was no such things tombstones back then.

The earliest Christian graves there date back to the 1970s while most are marked by old rotting crosses.

Before Catholicism came

Before the Kayan communities embraced Christianity, the practice of honouring the dead was almost unheard of.

This was why most old burial grounds were not maintained or taken care of. They were not allowed to cut any trees or clear the grave site.

Even at Sungai Pesu cemetery, some old salong (burial hut) were in various states of dilapidation.

According to one of the nearby residents Hawing Igang, there were so many dos and the don’ts back in those days.

“If somebody died, they were not allowed to carry the body across the longhouse passing other amin (family’s home) as it was considered bringing bad luck to other residents.

“Back then, they purposely designed the longhouse to have loose flooring. So that if someone died, the family would open up the floor and carefully pass the body to people below to carry to the cemetery.”

During the recent All Souls’ day, a group of children were seen playing while their parents and grandparents reciting the Rosary prayers.

This scene was never seen before as children back in the days were to hide away in a room both during the wake and funeral.

Sungai Pesu cemetery back then was only accessible by the river. In the olden days whenever they passed by any cemetery, the parents would cover their children faces, forbidding them to look at the burial grounds.

All of these were done believing it would protect the children from any harm or misfortune.

After Catholicism came

When the Kayan in Tubau started to embrace Catholicism in the 1960s, it brought many changes to local customs, particularly when it came to funeral rites or honouring the dead.

The dead were given Catholic burials and every year on All Souls’ Day, the communities gather together at cemeteries to pray for them.

Despite this, some of the elders still believe some of the old customs. Some of them were quick to scold if they saw the younger ones straying away to the old graves buried in Adat Bungan.

According to Hawing, it is hard to locate any of these old graves anyway. Most of them are covered in bushes and even secondary forests.

The practice of remembering the dead brought by Catholicism allow the communities to clean and maintain their ancestral burial grounds.

Some of them even replaced the old wooden crosses with proper tombstones in honour of their loved ones.

If it were not for Catholicism, most of the old burial grounds such as the one in Sungai Pesu could easily be forgotten, overgrown by bush and forest.

10 interesting facts about Indonesia’s Kapuas River

Published on October 24, 2018

Travel

Borneo has often been referred to as the Amazon of Asia thanks to its high density biodiversity. So if Borneo is the Asian Amazon, the ‘Amazon river’ of this island is none other than the Kapuas river.

Here are 10 interesting facts you need to know about Kapuas River, Indonesia

1.It is the longest river in Indonesia

At 1,143 kilometers in length, it is the longest river of Indonesia and the island of Borneo.

It is also the world’s longest river. The delta of Kapuas river is at Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan Province.

10 interesting facts about Indonesia's Kapuas River — An early morning view of Kapuas river from Semitau.

2.Wait, there are two Kapuas riverS?

There are actually two Kapuas rivers flowing from the same mountain range. One Kapuas river flows west into the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the other Kapuas river flows to the south, merging with the Barito Sea and ends at Java Sea.

3. Kapuas river originates from the Muller mountain range

Both Kapuas rivers originate from the Muller Mountain Range, located south of the Indonesian-Malaysian border.

The mountain range was named after Major Georg Muller. He was a soldier and even fought for Napolean Bonaparte when France attacked Russia.

So how did a European army end up in the middle of Borneo in the 19th century?

Born in Mainz, Germany in 1790, Muller joined the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in 1817.

He took part in the Dutch attack against the Sambas kingdom in 1818.

In 1825, he led an expedition to cross Borneo inland via Mahakam and Kapuas rivers. However, the expedition ended in tragedy when he and his party were killed by the local Dayak tribe.

4.There are two national parks on its river banks

Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum are the two national parks located at Kapuas river banks.

Together with Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary in Malaysia, Betung Kerihun has been proposed as a World Heritage site.

Meanwhile, Danau Sentarum National Park lies in the upper Kapuas river tectonic basin some 700 kilometers from its delta.

5. It is an important source of water and mode of transport

If you spend an early morning in any town located next to the river, you can catch some of the local people doing their daily chores.

You can see young children in large groups before going to school while the women do their washing on the wooden jetties.

Although roads are available to connect most parts of West Kalimantan, the Kapuas river is still the major waterway connecting the centre of Borneo with its western coast.

6.The Kapuas river and its flora and fauna are any researchers’ dream subject

Many researchers believe there are still many new species to discover in Borneo, especially small creatures

The most recent fascinating species found in the river is the Kapuas mud snake back in 2005. German and American researchers discovered it accidentally when it was put in a dark bucket and changed colour 20 minutes later.

The snake has chameleon-like behaviour which allows it to change its epidermal colour spontaneously.

In addition to that, tropical rivers are unlike rivers in temperate zones. To this day, researchers are still gathering more information on hydrology and geomorphology of tropical river system.

7. It has a high density of fish species

There are about 300 fish species recorded in the river basin. The most iconic one is none other the super red arowana fish. It is only found in Kapuas river and is a famous species in the aquarium trade.

Sadly, the species is continuously decreasing because of wild poachers and low productive rates.

8. There are other remarkable species too

Apart from the super red arowana fish, there is one striking fish species found in Kapuas river.

Only officially described in 2008, the eight-banded barb (Eirmotus insignis) is a small zebra-striped fish which measures about 3.6cm in length.

It was found between the towns of Sanggau and Putussibau, among overhanging tree roots and aquatic vegetation.

Where can you find the world’s first lungless frog? In Kapuas river, of course! The Bornean flat-headed frog breathes entirely through its skin.

Scientists first discovered the frog in the middle of Kapuas river basin back in 1978.

9.The longest bridge in Borneo crosses this river

The Tayan Bridge is the longest bridge in Borneo spreading over 1,975 meters. It crosses the Kapuas River in Sanggau, West Kalimantan to connect West Borneo with Central Borneo in Indonesia.

10.You can take a tour upriver from Pontianak

It takes up to two days on the deck to travel up Kapuas river from Pontianak depending on your mode of transportation. In Pontianak, there are travel agencies which can help you to plan a trip upriver if you are feeling adventurous. Plus, there are plenty to see along the river from local villages with different architecture to wildlife that might pass your way.

Go to the furthest upstream and you would find yourself in Tanjung Lokang. Located about 13 hours from Putussibau town by speedboat through Kapuas river, the village belongs to the Dayak Punan.

It is the last village in the Borneo jungle when you are heading east across the island.

5 things to do at Buntal Esplanade, Kuching

Published on October 23, 2018

Travel

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

5 things to do at Buntal Esplanade, Kuching — 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:

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.

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.

3. Do some bird-watching activities

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.

4.Taste the local food

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).

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.

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

Published on October 17, 2018

Culture

How the tikung beekeeping tradition is supporting life for man and bee in Danau Sentarum — A bottle of APDS (Association of Periaus of Danau Sentarum) honey.

Where the locals farm their own honey

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.

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.

A song to call the bees

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.

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.

Take in the mesmerising view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang

Published on October 4, 2018

Travel

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.

Take in the mesmerising view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang — Floating houses at Bukit Tekenang.

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.

A breathtaking view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang

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.

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.