Bako's extensive trail system is made up of 16 colour-coded jungle trails which offer a range of walking and hiking options. The fit and adventures can opt for full-day jungle hikes or overnight camping expeditions, whilst those who prefer to take it easy can opt for a relaxing forest walk.

Tanjung Sapi
A short but steep climb through cliff vegetation. Takess about 30 minutes. Excelllent views of Telok Assam, the South China Sea and Santubong.

Telok Paku
Takes about one hour and passes through cliff forest before reaching a small sechuded beach. Proboscis monkeys are often seen during seen during early morning or late afternoon. Move slowly, keep quite as possible and listen out for strange grunts or movements in the canopy.

Ulu Assam
Passes at after through swamp forest and a flat section where proboscis monkeys are sometimes seen. At the 'Beware of the Bees' sign, the trail climbs streeply and at times you must hang on tree roots to keep your balance. At the top you are rewarded with breathing views of Bako's coastline.

Telok Delima
One of the best trails in the park for spotting proboscis monkeys and only 45 minutes from the Park Office. As the Lintang trail bears right and climbs a hill you are in prime proboscis territory. Listen out for strange grunting noises or the crash of vegetation. If you hear something, stop as quite as possible and scan the forest. Try to 'follow' the strange noise with your eyes. If you are lucky you may see a harem of proboscis monkeys.

Serait
This trail takes about one half hours and ends at the park boundary. It is not frequently used and is somewhat secluded. Good for seeing some of Bako's rainforest giants.

Telok Pandan Kecil & Telok Pandan Besar
The one and half hour trek to Telok Pandan kecil is one of bako's most popular. It ascends the forested hills overlooking Telok assam, reaching the plateau covered in scrub vegetation and continues along a sandy path lined with carnivorous pitcher plants before reaching a cliff top with stunning view of the sechluded bay below the famous sea stack just offshore. A 10 minutes descent through cliff vegetation brings you to one of the beaches in the park. Whilst swimming, watch out for monkeys who steal unguarded bags. The Telok Pandan Besar trails ends at a cliff top with views of the beach below.

Tajor
The Tajor passes scrub and padang vegetation and ends with a steep climb down to a samll beach. Take a hat as the sun can be quite fierce on the exposed sections of the trails. The trail also passes the Tajor Waterfall, a popular resting spot. The waterfall is quite small (and best after heavy rain) but it has a beautiful jungle setting and a small dip pool. From the park Office it takes about two and half hours to rach the waterfall.

Tanjung Rhu
This trail branches off the Tajor trail and leads across open country to the rocky Thu peninsula and a small headland where you can see wave-cut platform and rock pools. From the Park Office, it takes about two and a half hours or 45 minutes from the Tajor junction.

Ulu Serait
This trail connects the Lintang trail with the Bukit Gondol hill walk. It is deep inside the park and passes through scrub, padang vegetation and swamp forest. From the Lintang junction to the base of Bukit Gondol is about one and a half hours.

Bukit Gondol
This semi-circular loop trail passes over Bukit Gondol the highest point in Bako at 260 metres. From the top of the hill there are excellent   view of Pulau Lakei and Muara Tebas. The loop trek takes about 45 minutes.

Paya Jelutong
This trail is actually a short cut for those who do climb Bukit Gondol. Although it is a very short trail it offers the opportunityof seeing fresh water swamp forest. The most dominant species in the area is Jelutong a softwood used for making pencils.

Bukit Keruing
This trail connects Bukit Gondol with Tajor and passes some mighty rainforest giants. It passes along the slopes of Bukit Keruing, the second highest point in bako. From Paya Jelutong to the Tajor Waterfall takes about one and a half hours.

Telok Sibur
A fully trek. From the Park Office it take about three and half hours to reach the end of Telok Sibur trail, first following the Tajor trail to the waterfall. Continue along the main trail for another 45 minutes until you reach a junction and the start of the Sibur trail. after a very steep 45 minutes descent, a walk through the mangrove and a wade across a river you finally reach the longest beach in Bako.

Telok Limau
This is Bako's long distance trail, six or seven hours from the Park Office to the small beach at Telok Limau. You pass through rich rainforest, scrub land and swamp forest, cross small and climb a number of hilly sections affording excellent views of the whole Muara Tebas peninsula. You can camp at Telok Limau and return the next day or arrange for a boat to pick you up.

Telok Keruin
being so far fro the Park Office, the Telok Keruin trail is used. It is usually done as a side trek from Telok Limau, the first section is a 15-20 minutes climb through the forest until you reach a scrub section. You must then trek for another 25 minutes before you reach the Telok Keruin trail. shortly after the junction the trail descends to an area of scrub vegetation. Look out for pitcher plants that line the side of the trail. There are four short side-trails which lead to the Bukit Keruin lookout, a small rock pool, the Muara Tebas lookout point and the Tanjung Keruin and Tanjung Po view points. The last section of the trail is a very steep descent to a mangrove forest. The trail then continues through the mangroves. Look out for the marks on the trees which show the way to the desrted beach, one of the best in the park.

Pulau Lakei
This small island has a superb white sand beach. The National Parks Department has a small guard house located on the island. trips to the island can be arranged with your boatman. There are some mysterious rock paintings just a short walk fro the beach.

Kubah offers an interesting range of treks and forest walks, from the gentle to the downright arduous. Some of the park’s jungle trails begin on the Gunung Serapi Road - a sealed track that starts at the Park HQ and leads to a telecommunications tower at the summit of Gunung Serapi. Vehicle access is restricted but pedestrians are allowed to use the road to walk to the summit of Gunung Serapi or as shortcuts to the Waterfall and Rayu trails.
The following table provides details of trekking times and the colour codes used in the park.

The Main Trail
The Main Trail passes through mixed dipterocarp forest and joins up with the other trails, giving visitors the option of continuing on into the forest, visiting the waterfall, or returning along the Gunung Serapi Road.

Rayu Trail
This trail starts at the 900 ft mark on the Gunung Serapi Road, and leads to the nearby Matang Wildlife Centre (see below), some 3 hours 30 mins away. The trail passes through pretty riverine forest with some buttress-rooted rainforest giants and a number of bintangor trees. Aids researchers are currently conducting tests on chemicals extracted from the bintangor. Therefore you may see small incisions in the tree bark where the bintangor has been tapped for sap. The Rayu trail ends at a clear jungle stream adjacent to the Matang Wildlife Centre.

Selang Trail
It takes about 40 minutes from the Park HQ to reach the end of this short trail and the viewing point on Bukit Selang. On a clear day the viewing point offers superb panoramas of the surrounding area. Looking down you see the tree-covered slopes of the park give way to agricultural land and small villages, rivers winding through the mangrove forests that hug the coast, Satang Island turtle sanctuary, and Mount Santubong rising up in the distance.

Belian trail
The newly established Belian trail highlights the conservation of the Belian tree (Eusideroxylon zwageri, also known as Borneo Ironwood). This finest of hardwoods is endemic to Borneo, and because it is extremely strong and durable it is used locally in house construction and agriculture, especially as support poles for pepper planting. The same qualities also make it esteemed by the Chinese for the building of coffins.

This one way trail is approximately 1 hour’s easy walking. As well as huge Belian trees, you can see a wide variety of plant life, including, gingers, unique giant mushrooms and beautiful climbing figs and rattans. The large number of fruiting trees - such as durian, rambutan, cempedak (jackfruit), figs and salacca fruit - contributes to a wide variety of birds and animals. Hard-to find forest birds including the maroon woodpecker, white rumped shama, chestnut-naped forktail, and rufous-collard kingfisher are often heard and seen, and giant squirrels are frequently spotted jumping from tree to tree.

The palmetum
The Palmetum is devoted to Kubah’s best known feature - its palms. It is a short walking trail, located next to the park HQ, and highlights various species of palm found in Kubah. The trail is extensively labelled, highlighting dozens of different palms of all shapes, sizes and colours

Waterfall trail
The Waterfall Trail starts from the Park HQ and takes approximately 1 hr 30 mins. The trail passes through mixed dipterocarp forest and has numerous plankwalk sections which cross swampy areas and small jungle streams. Wild durian trees can be seen along the sides of the trail. The waterfall consists of a number of sections with the main section dropping some 10 metres onto a wide rocky ridge. Below this ridge is a small pool that is idea for a cool jungle dip. There is an alternative starting point near the 1,000 ft mark on the Gunung Serapi Road which is convenient for visitors arriving from Matang Wildlife Centre via the Rayu Trail.

Gunung Sapi Summit Trail
The walk to the summit of Gunung Serapi takes 3-3 1/2 hours and is one of the park’s most popular walks. There is a viewing platform at the top and on a clear day the view is simply stunning. Kuching, Mount Santubong, the coastline of Southwest Sarawak and the mountain peaks that mark the border with Indonesia can all be seen in the distance beyond the forest of green that rolls out from below. This view is made all the more amazing at sunset and sunrise when the whole panorama is set against an ever changing backdrop of reds, oranges and purples.

Lambir’s major attraction for visitors is its interesting selection of forest walks, from a gentle 15-minute stroll to an arduous all-day jungle trek. Most of Lambir’s trails are interlinked, so it is very easy to do quite a few in a day. The following table provides details of approximate trekking times and distances and the colour codes used in the park.

These times are only approximate and depend on weather conditions, fitness level, etc. They are conservative estimates - experienced hikers will complete the trails far quicker. All times are one way from Park HQ

Latak Waterfall Trail
This is the shortest, the easiest and the best known of Lambir’s trails, and is extremely popular with day-trippers from Miri - if you are looking for peace and solitude it is better to visit on a weekday. The trail follows a gently sloping path shaded by tree branches, and follows the course of a clear, fast-flowing stream. There are two very pretty small waterfalls along the way, but the main attraction is at the end of the trail. A large forest pool is surrounded on three sides by steep rock walls, and fed by the Latak waterfall, which falls 25 metres down a sheer drop into the far end of the pool. The pool area features changing rooms, toilets and picnic areas, and is safe for swimming, but non-swimmers and small children should take care, as it is deep in parts.

Bukit Lambir, Bakam, Tengkorong, Pancur and Dinding Trails
Not many visitors proceed beyond the Pantu Waterfall turnoff, but those who have the time (and a little stamina) will find these longer trails and their branches the most rewarding. The terrain gradually rises, passing through rugged, dense forest filled with the sounds of Lambir’s wildlife. After 4 km, the trail forks, the left fork leading to the Bakam trail and the right fork leading to the summit of Bukit Lambir. The Bakam trail is not so interesting in itself, but two of its branches, the Tengkorong Trail and the Pancur Trail, lead to delightful, crystal clear jungle waterfalls.

The Summit Trail is quite steep in parts, and can be hard work for the not-so-fit, but it is very interesting to observe the sudden transition from dipterocarp forest to heath forest, and the profusion of wild orchids. The superb view from the top (456m) is fair compensation for the effort. As a reward for tackling the Summit Trail, you can treat yourself to a cool dip in the pool below the Dinding waterfall on the way down.

Pantu, Nibong, Bukit Pantu and Pantu Waterfall Trails
These are in fact all branches of the same trail. Shortly before Latak Waterfall, the Pantu trail branches off to the left and leads up a series of steep steps. At the top of the steps you will see the tree tower, a 40 metre high wooden construction designed to give visitors a glimpse of life in the forest canopy. Climbing the tree tower is very worthwhile, as you should be able to see many different kinds of birds and insects, epiphytes, ferns and orchids that are not seen at ground level.

Shortly after the tree tower, the trail branches off left to the Nibong waterfall, an ideal place to cool down after climbing the tree tower. A few hundred metres further along the main trail, you can branch out to Bukit Pantu (the nearest peak to the park HQ) and its superb views on the right, or the Pantu Waterfall on the left.

Although most people visit Gunung Gading solely to view the Rafflesia, the park has other attractions, including a series of challenging jungle trails and a number of waterfalls and excellent bathing spots. All jungle trekking trails are colour coded. Official trekking guides are necessary as Gunung Gading is a conservation zone, and only small trekking groups are allowed.

The park includes four mountain peaks - Gunung Gading, Gunung Perigi, Gunung Sebuloh and Gunung Lundu - so most of the jungle treks involve a significant amount of hill walking and a reasonable level of fitness is required. The summit treks are for serious hikers - they can be done in a day but this requires 7-8 hours of hiking, so an early start is essential in order to enjoy the rainforest scenery. Make sure you take enough drinking water and some snacks for lunch. Enquire at the park HQ for further information and to arrange a trekking guide.

The Waterfall Trail
This is the easiest and shortest trail in the park. The trail follows a river and passes seven waterfalls, although not all of the waterfalls are accessible. Waterfalls 1, 3 and 7 are signposted. If you need to break the trek up, waterfall 3 provides a pleasant resting spot. It is only a 10 metre detour from the main trail. The whole trail passes through some great jungle scenery before reaching the final waterfall, and a perfect dip pool surrounded by forest.

Batu Berkubu
Batu Berkubu, on the slopes of Gunung Sebuloh, served as communist base camp during the insurgency. Although it is often called a cave it is in fact a huge rock which along with the surrounding trees provides a cave-like sheltering area. The trek from the Summit of Gunung Gading to Batu Berkubu is relatively easy, taking about 2 hours to cross a valley.

Gunung Gading Summit Trail
First follow the red and white Waterfall Trail until you reach the junction for the seventh waterfall. The trail’s marking then changes to yellow and red. This is the start of Gunung Gading Summit Trail. From the junction it takes another two and a half hours to reach the summit, which was the location of a British army camp during the communist insurgency of the 1960’s. The remnants of the camp - a helicopter pad, water tank and barbed wire fencing - still remain to this day, and appear somewhat out of place in the middle of a national park. However, they are of historical significance and the park staff intend to preserve the summit area as it has been for the last 30 years.

It is essential that visitors return to the park HQ the same day, either directly or via a side trek to Batu Berkubu (see below). Visitors are not permitted to camp overnight in the forest for conservation and security reasons.

Tanjung Datu has four short walking trails, offering a variety of rainforest and beach scenery as well as some spectacular coastal views. The following table provides details of trekking times and the colour codes used in the park.

Telok Melano Trail
This trail leads from the nearby fishing village of Telok Melano (the main access point for the park) to the Park HQ. The trail passes through abandoned farmland at first, then weaves its way along the coastline, through picturesque bays, with the possibility of seeing pig-tailed macaques and Bornean bearded pigs. The trail emerges at Telok Upas, a pleasant white sandy beach with patches of hard corals just off shore which are ideal for snorkelling. A further 10 minutes brings you to the Park HQ. Visitors may walk back to Telok Melano by the same route, or arrange to be picked up by boat from the beach.

Viewpoint Trail
This short, steep trail leads to the Viewing Point at Tanjung Labuan Gadong, an 80m high cliff-top, which offers superb views of the entire shoreline of the park. Dolphins may frequently be seen swimming in the brilliant blue water, and on a clear day you can see the islands of Pulau Talang Besar and Pulau Talang Kecil, part of the Talang-Satang National Park, some 18km away.

Pasir Antu Laut Trail
This 2-hour loop trail starts at the Park HQ, and passes parallel to the beach and through foreshore vegetation, to Tanjung Antu Laut, a picturesque beach where a clear freshwater streams flow around big polished granite boulders into the ocean. The trail then turns inland, and back through mixed dipterocarp forest, crossing several small creeks and ending back at park HQ.

Belian Trail
This 2km trail is steep and quite hard work, but the effort is worth it as it leads through mixed dipterocarp forest to the highest point in the park, the peak of Gunung Melano, some 542 metres above sea level. From Gunung Melano there are spectacular views of both the Malaysian and Indonesian coasts of Cape Datu, as the international border is only 200m away. Along the way there are plenty of opportunities to view Tanjung Datu’s rich plant and animal life.

There are five trails in Batang Ai which showcase every aspect of the park’s terrain and vegetation, such as mixed dipterocarp forest, old secondary forest and active shifting cultivations areas, with ancient burial grounds scattered around the area. Visitors must be accompanied by a registered guide or park ranger at all times.

Padalai Trail
The Padalai trail begins across river from Nanga Lubang Baya longhouse, near the Park HQ. There is a 30 metre climb to “Pendam Sepetang”, a traditional Iban burial ground dotted with old burial jars. The trail then follows the main ridge between the Lubang Baya (or crocodile pool) and Batang Ai rivers to its highest point, passing by pig wallows and cleared patches in the forest floor (the dancing grounds of the male great argus pheasant). It then descends gradually to the top of the Wong Padalai rapids, following the river downstream to a picnic area and pick-up point for longboats.

Bilitong Trail
This moderately difficult trail follows the Padalai trail for the first kilometer, then continues upwards along the crest of the ridge to Tuchong Bilitong, an important iban burial site. The remains of six tribal leaders are interred here. The trail continues through fine hill forest, gaining height until it reaches Ulu Sungai Sekerong at 320 m elevation. From here, an optional short but very steep climb leads to the peak of Tuchong Inggai at a height of 420m. This was an important look-out point in headhunting days, as the fires of enemy war parties moving up the Batang Ai river could easily be seen. A burial jar marks the final resting place of the warrior Tugang, whose spirit is said to guard the peak. The trail then descends rapidly to the confluence of the Batang Ai and the Lelayang stream, the pick-up point for the boat back to Park HQ

Sium Trail
The most demanding and rewarding of Batang Ai’s trails, the Sium trail begins on the river bank opposite the Park HQ. The first 2.5 km of the trail is a steady climb to the main Sium ridge at a height of 415 m. It then continues along the undulating ridge, passing through pristine hill forest until it reaches an Iban burial ground. Shortly afterwards, it reaches its highest point at the peak of Bukit Sium Ukap, at an elevation of 704 m. The word “sium” in Iban means “to sniff”, as when climbing steep hills the Iban say they are “sniffing the ground”. A small area of ground has been cleared around the survey beacon at the top of the peak, and the unrestricted views are spectacular. The entire hydro lake and the surrounding forest are revealed in a green and blue panorama, and on very clear days the distant Danau Sentarum lakes can be seen in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The trail continues along the ridge for a short distance before descending rapidly to follow the Beritik river. A little further downstream is a majestic Tapang (Koompassia excelsa), its great height, white bark and broad canopy making it one of the most spectacular trees in the rainforest. Its broad horizontal branches are much favoured by nesting bees, so it is greatly prized by the Iban as a source of honey. They would never fell a Tapang as this is believed to cause madness, delirium and certain death, but if a Tapang falls in a storm or landslide, its wood is used for making the finest, straightest blowpipes. From here, the trail continues along the Beritik to its confluence with the Batang Ai, to meet the waiting boatmen or continue on foot along the riverbank to Park HQ.

Bebiyong Trail
The somewhat longer Bebiyong trail leads from the Park HQ to the Bebiyong Mit stream, then rises gradually to a height of 280 metres, leading to a resting point just below the ridge crest at Puncak Igau, and offering excellent views of the surrounding forest along they way. It than descends rapidly to the bank of the Bebiyong Besai, a small river with crystal clear flowing from pool to pool over gravel beds. The trail follows the river bank for about 1 km until the confluence with the main Batang Ai River, the pick-up point for the boat back to the HQ.

Enggam Trail
A long and strenuous walk for the physically fit, the Enggam trail follows the Bebiyong trail to its highest point at Puncak Igau. It then branches off along the ridge, ascending for 1.9 km through attractive hill forest to reach Kota Enggam, a late 19th century fortification built by the warrior chieftain Enggam and his followers to resist the rule of the Brooke Rajahs. Nowadays all that can be seen is a trace of the defensive ditch that protected Enggam’s longhouse. The path descends steadily for 600 m to join the picturesque Bebiyong Besai river at Nanga Sengkulit longhouse. The trail then follows the river, occasionally through the stream itself, to rejoin the Bebiyong trail at Nanga Sebabai longhouse.

The park has two well-marked walking trails, Bukit Kasut Trail and Madu Trail.

Bukit Kasut Trail
This trail (green and white markings) leads to the summit of Bukit Kasut. The 45 minute walk passes through beautiful primary rainforest before moving into Kerangas forest at the foot of the hill. You will also see some fascinating cliff vegetation clinging tenuously to life in the steep limestone slopes. The trail is a little steep but the view at the top is worth it, offering a sweeping panorama of the rainforest canopy.

Madu Trail
This trail (red and white markings) sticks quite close to the banks of the Sungai Subis, a tributary of the Sungai Niah. It takes roughly an hour and passes through both alluvial and peat swamp forest, leading to the foot of Bukit Kasut. There are plenty of wild orchids, bizarre mushrooms and giant pandanus plants along the side of the trail.