Sarawak - Borneo - page 303

GETTING TO INDONESIA: KUCHING TO
PONTIANAK

Getting to the border A variety of bus companies ply the route between Kuching's Kuching Sentral bus terminal
(and other cities along the Sarawak coast) and the west Kalimantan city of Pontianak (economy RM60, 1st class
RM80, seven/10 hours via the new/old road), passing through the Tebedu-Entikong crossing 80km south of Kuch-
ing.
At the border Travellers from 64 countries can get a one-month Indonesian visa on arrival at the road crossing
between Tededu (Malaysia) and Entikong (Indonesia), the only official land border between Sarawak and Kali-
mantan.

Moving on Pontianak is linked to other parts of Indonesia and to Singapore by airlines such as Batavia Air
( www.batavia-air.com ) .

Kubah National Park

Mixed dipterocarp forest, among the lushest and most threatened habitats in Borneo, is
front and centre at this 22-sq-km national park ( 082-845033;
www.sarawakforestry.com ; admission incl Matang Wildlife Centre RM20; 8am-5pm) ,
which more than lives up to its clunky motto, 'the home of palms and frogs'. Scientists
have found here an amazing 98 species of palm, out of 213 species known to live in
Sarawak; and they have identified 61 species of frog and toad ( www.frogsofborneo.org ) ,
out of Borneo's more than 190 species. In 2012 researchers identified what they believe to
be a new species of frog, adding it to a list that includes the aptly-named (but oddly
shaped) horned frog and a flying frog that can glide from tree to tree thanks to the
webbing between its toes. Kubah's jungles are also home to a wide variety of orchids -
and seven semi-wild orang-utans.
Kubah's trails are much more shaded than those at Bako National Park, making the
park ideal for the sun-averse. And when you're hot and sweaty from walking, you can
cool off under a crystal-clear waterfall.

Sights & Activities

Rainforest Trails

HIKING