Kubah National Park (9 June 2024)

9 June 2024

Why Kubah National Park?  

A work-related enquiry email from a staff of Sarawak Forestry triggered all these. I always know that Borneo has a number of great national parks, but it just didn’t cross my mind that perhaps I should visit these parks instead of planning for a further one outside of Malaysia. After receiving her email, I started checking out Sarawak Forestry website and read up more on all the national parks in Sarawak. Kubah National Park is only half an hour away from my place, making it a perfect choice for day tripper.

The trip highlights I took the Selang trail, probably one of the easiest trails of this national park. The highlight of this trail has to be sitting on the newly refurbished elevated viewing tower while enjoying the panoramic view of Santubong, with river that coils through a huge span of mangrove forest.   A nerd of flora myself, I did see a variety of palm species, without knowing their names. Meranti trees are common in this park, as I can read from the info board.

My transports, accommodation, and F&B 

• It is easy to drive to Kubah National park, taking less than half an hour from Kuching city. Alternatively, one can always book a e-hailing ride to the park.
• Accommodation: Though there are hostels and chalets in the park, I was told by the Forestry staff that these accommodation are closed and require some repairs.

My 3 Plus and 2 Minus:-

3 things I like about this trip: 

• Kubah National Park is just half an hour from Kuching city, making it a perfect choice for day tripper.
• Trails are well marked, and well maintained. The trail was pretty dry this morning, and I have not encountered the blood sucking leech.
• The view at the Selang viewing point

 2 thing I would do differently if I can turn back the clock:  

• I would bring a thermos with hot tea/ coffee, so that I could sip some good drink while enjoying the view at the elevated viewing platform.
• I would probably walk a bit slower, and not aiming to just hit the viewing point. It goes back to the life motto of “living in the moment”

A surprise learning from the trip 

While I enjoyed the hiking at French National Parks very much, the national parks in Sarawak offer somethings the European Parks are unable to offer. There is an old saying in Chinese “外国的月亮比较圆“， literally translated into “The moon in the foreign country is rounder”. How true is that though?    

I know many of us tend to admire the perceived superiorities of foreign lands. There is a lot of good things our own land offers too, if only we slow down and take time to learn and appreciate it.