Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( in Kuching 082-243708; www.cphtravel.com.my ) Has a near-monopoly on boats
heading to the wetlands. Offers a mangrove and Irrawaddy dolphin sighting cruise
(RM140 per person) at 8.30am and a wildlife cruise (RM160) at 4.30pm.
Semenggoh Nature Reserve
One of the best places in the world to see semi-wild orang-utans in their natural jungle
habitat, swinging from trees and scurrying up vines, the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre (
082-618325; www.sarawakforestry.com ; 8am-5pm) , can be visited on a half-day trip
from Kuching or combined with visit to Annah Rais Longhouse and/or Kampung Benuk.
Situated within the 6.8-sq-km Semenggoh Nature Reserve, the centre is home to 25
orang-utans: 11 who were rescued from captivity or orphaned and their 14 Semenggoh-
born offspring, some mere babes-in-arms who spend their days hanging onto their moth-
er's shaggy chests. Four of the tree-dwelling creatures are completely wild (ie find all
their own food), but the rest often swing by (literally) park HQ to dine on bananas,
coconuts, eggs and - though they don't know it - medications. There's no guarantee that
any orang-utans, the world's largest tree-dwelling animal, will show up, but even in fruit-
ing season (late November or December to February or March) the chances are excellent.
Semenggoh is noticeably less touristy (and much cheaper) than Sepilok Orang-utan Re-
habilitation Centre in Sabah.
Hour-long feedings, in the rainforest a few hundred metres from park HQ, run from
9am to 10am and from 3pm to 4pm. When the feeding session looks like it's over, rangers
sometimes try to shoo away visitors (especially groups, whose guides are in any case
eager to get back to Kuching), but orang-utans often turn up at park HQ, so don't rush off
straightaway if everything seems quiet.
For safety reasons, visitors are asked to stay at least 5m from the orang-utans - the an-
imals can be unpredictable - and are advised to keep a tight grip on their backpacks, water
bottles and cameras because orang-utans have been known to snatch things in search of
something yummy. To avoid annoying - or even angering - the orang-utans, do not point
at them with anything that looks like a gun (eg a walking stick); do not scream or make
sudden movements; and, when you take pictures, do not use flash.
Semenggoh Nature Reserve has two beautiful trails that pass through primary rain-
forest: the Masing Trail (Main Trail; red trail markings; 30 minutes), which links the HQ
with the highway; and the Brooke's Pool Trail (yellow and red trail markings), a 2km
loop from HQ. At research time both were closed because of attacks on staff and visitors
by two particularly aggressive orang-utans, Ritchie and Delima ('Hot Mama'), whom
Search WWH ::




Custom Search