Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
but lack hot water. Situated 150m inland from the six columns on the waterfront. If no
one's around, look for the owner in the Seaview Cafe across the street.
Getting There & Away
Sematan is 107km northwest of Kuching, 25km northwest of Lundu and 30km (by sea)
from Tanjung Datu National Park.
Buses link Kuching's Regional Express Bus Terminal with Lundu but from there you'll
have to catch a ride with locals or hire an unofficial taxi (about RM30 one-way) at the bus
station.
Tanjung Datu National Park
Occupying a remote, rugged peninsula at Sarawak's far northwestern tip, this 14-sq-km
national park
(
www.sarawakforestry.com
; adult RM20)
features endangered mixed dip-
terocarp rainforest, jungle trails that hear few footfalls, crystal-clear seas, unspoilt coral
reefs and near-pristine white-sand beaches on which endangered turtles occasionally lay
their eggs. Few visitors make the effort and brave the expense to travel out here, but those
who do often come away absolutely enchanted.
The park has four trails, including the
Telok Melano Trail
from the Malay fishing vil-
lage of Telok Melano (a demanding 2.7km), linked to Sematan by boat; and the
Belian
Trail
, which goes to the summit of 542m-high
Gunung Melano
(2km, one hour) and af-
fords breathtaking views of the coastlines of Indonesia and Malaysia. To spot nocturnal
animals, you can take a night walk on your own or with a ranger (it's good form to tip him
RM20).
Snorkelling (but not scuba diving) is allowed in certain areas; details are available at
park HQ. Bring your own equipment, including water shoes (the coral can be sharp).
Celcom and Digi (but not Maxis) cellphone signals can be picked up about 15 minutes'
walk from park HQ, along the beach.
Recent travellers report encountering giant stinging bees.
