Sarawak - Borneo - page 304

When you pay your entry fee, you'll receive a hand-coloured schematic map of the park's
four interconnected trails (two other trails were closed as of mid-2012). They're well-
marked so a guide isn't necessary. The park has about half-a-dozen rain shelters - keep an
eye out for them so you'll know where to run in case of a downpour.
The Selang Trail (40 minutes to 60 minutes; trail-marked in yellow), linking the Main
Trail (trail-marked in white) with the short segment of the Rayu Trail that's still open,
passes by the Selang Viewpoint . Offshore you can see the turtle sanctuary of Pulau
Satang.
The concrete-paved Summit Road (closed to non-official traffic), also known as the
Gunung Serapi Summit Trail , runs along the park's southeastern edge from park HQ
right up to the top of Kubah's highest peak, Gunung Serapi (911m), which holds aloft a
TV and telecom tower; on foot, it's 3½ hours up and a bit less coming down. As you as-
cend, notice that the mix of trees and plants (including pitcher plants and ferns) changes
with the elevation. The summit is often shrouded in mist but near the top there's a viewing
platform. When it's clear, there are stupendous views all the way from Tanjung Datu Na-
tional Park on the Indonesian border (to the northwest) to Gunung Santubong and Kuch-
ing (to the east).
The Waterfall Trail (3km or 1½ hours from HQ one-way; trail-marked from the Sum-
mit Road in blue) passes by wild durian trees and belian trees, otherwise known as 'iron-
wood' ( Eusideroxylon zwageri ). This incredibly durable - and valuable, and thus en-
dangered - tropical hardwood was traditionally used in longhouse construction. As you
would expect, this trail ends at a waterfall and a natural swimming pool.
Some visitors combine the Selang Trail and the Waterfall Trail to create a circuit that
takes four to six hours. It is no longer possible to walk to the Matang Wildlife Centre be-
cause of the risks posed by semi-wild orang-utans.

Natural Frog Pond
Situated 300m above sea level and about a half-hour's walk from park HQ, this artificial
pool provides a breeding ground for numerous frog species. The delicate amphibians are
especially active an hour or so after sunset (from about 8pm to 11pm), particularly when
it's raining hard (during the day most prefer to hide in a hole in a tree), so the only way to
see them is to overnight at the park. Bring a good flashlight. It may be possible to hire a
ranger as a guide.

WILDLIFE RESERVE

Palmetum
A labelled palm garden near park HQ, on the Main Trail.

GARDENS